It’s always exciting to hear the pitter patter of little feet throughout the Graco building.  We had many little visitors during Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day last week.  Employees got to bring their children to experience the magic that happens here at Graco every day! 

Sure, we think we’re engineering and designing breakthrough products, but how would the children describe what their parents do here?  I conducted some interviews to find out:

Question: What did you learn today with your Mommy/Daddy at work?

 “Slinkies don’t go down stairs.”  and (POP!) “Plastic bubbles (from packaging) are fun to pop!”  Craig Desrosiers (Lead Engineer)’s son, age 5, learned two important lesson in physics, focusing on motion and sound. 

Question: What does your Mommy/Daddy do here at Graco?

 “Daddy chatters, spies on people, and goes to a lot of meetings”, observes Mike Halak (General Manager, North America)’s 8 year old daughter.  (Spies?  Oh, she means those focus groups- don’t worry - all of the parents involved know we are intently listening behind the glass! )

Other insights included “talks on the phone,” and “plays” on the computer.  
We managed to harness all of this creative energy around the building by transforming a conference room into a carnival of games and treats.

We also identified some future talent for the fashion and design department! (see for yourself) All in all, everyone had a great time.

And what does this day mean for those who don’t work in a corporate office setting? Beth F. from the NYC Moms Blog had an adorable idea….a trip to the zoo!  (After all, how much fun can kids really have with staplers and paper clips before some serious damage is done?)

“The only thing constant in life is change”~Francois de la Rochefoucauld

This is a quote I heard a few years back and it has stuck with me to this day. It obviously applies to kids….they never stop changing, growing, or amazing us. What’s funny though is neither do adults. Just as kids grow and change, so does the world around us. The decisions we make on a daily basis, no matter how small or how big, shape the path of our lives. Well, just as the Graco blog got off the ground (and off to an amazing start thanks to Lindsey Lebresco, the cast of supporting bloggers, and the community of Mom bloggers who welcomed us with open arms) there is change even for our group on the horizon. This time though, it’s not the announcement of a maternity leave, or even a new baby on the way. It is my time to sign-off as a blogger and open and begin a new chapter in my life. I have always wanted to pursue living in New York City even as a little girl (that was my dream in place of the big white wedding dress…that’s normal, right?!?) and it’s finally coming true! I’m off to explore adventures in the Big Apple. This news and leaving the Graco family fills me with all kinds of mixed emotions. I could never have asked for a better group of colleagues who come to work everyday with an incredible amount of passion for the children, parents and families they touch.

Thank you for allowing me to be the voice of “Office Talk” over the past few months! I’ve enjoyed talking with you and giving you a glimpse into our busy lives here at Graco. Lucky for us, Jen Callaghan is stepping in to make sure we don’t miss a beat and she is eager to get started. I won’t hold her up any longer! Please welcome Jen and thanks again for your support. I look forward to staying engaged in this community…you might just see me commenting here and there! Stay tuned…

Hello everyone- a bittersweet hello, that is, because it means saying goodbye to Tracy as part of the Graco family. This is just the beginning of a new chapter of our friendship though, and I hope to blog while visiting her in the Big Apple sometime soon! We’ve worked together just about six years now, and it’s been quite a journey. That’s what this blog is all about after all- the journey- and we’re all in different stages of ours.

So what’s my stage of the journey? What perspective do I bring? Well, it’s two fold. I will continue our “Office Talk” series with the updates and happenings in and around the Graco community. (There is a lot to talk about this summer) I also happen to be “Newly Married without Children”, so I hope to bring an interesting perspective on the baby boom that’s happening around me and the pressure (or lack thereof) to join. I am excited to join this blogging community, as I have been completely inspired by the stories shared by my colleagues here. Hopefully you will find my perspective entertaining. In the spirit of journeys, it only makes sense to send Tracy off with a quote of my own:

“The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.” -Don Williams, Jr. (American Novelist and Poet, b. 1968)

Leave vacation. Catch a flight. Miss my connection. Grab the next flight. Change in the airport bathroom. Ride in a stinky NY cab. Arrive at Brasserie 8 1/2. Phew- I thought I would never make it! My luggage was in tact but I wasn’t sure my mood was - - that is, until I joined the NY Moms blog launch party- already in progress – and realized this group of women could pick anyone off the floor!

2 weeks ago, Graco sponsored the 4th and latest blog launch, the New York City Moms blog (sister site to Silicon Valley, Chicago and DC Metro). The upscale cocktail hour was held at the Brassierie 8 1/2 in mid-town.

I was greeted by Erin who had so wonderfully set all the Nautilus information up in my absence and it was a whirlwind from there…

There was Beth from SVMoms with the cutest short haircut ever! (I say that because we looked like we went to the same hairdresser), Jill, also from SVMoms, who I had never met in person was there and Stacy who we met out in Palo Alto just a few months back. Jen Lemen stopped by to give me hugs and photography tips and the Today Show’s Janet Shamlian (mom of 5!) interviewed me for a piece on corporations reaching out to mommy bloggers! (haven’t seen the footage yet, if it’s good, you can be sure I will share it )

After the mini-reunion and tv-time, I thought I should meet some of the new women who make up the NY City Moms blog. I talked to Andi first who recently published a book “Mama Knows Breast” (that would have been helpful for me a few years ago) and Beth who had written her own book (published that day!) called “Peeing in Peace” (which will be a good read if I can get some peace and quiet to check it out). We then chatted with Alexandra and Carolyn who both had slung tiny babies and were clearly happy to be out and about (and looking fantastic, I might add) and then awarded Kelcey a Calphalon One set for winning our “Day in the Life” photo contest with a telling photo of her daughter going potty on the streets of NYC! (not something the moms of suburban PA would understand!)

This is only a handful of the women we met- all of which seemed to be enjoying themselves and each other. Here are a few posts and pictures from the event:

- The post at NYC Moms Blog (scroll down past Katie Couric!) http://svmomblog.typepad.com/nyc_moms/2008/04/katie-couric-kn.html
- Beth’s Excellent NY Adventure - http://techmamas.typepad.com/main/2008/04/techmamas-excel.html
- Kelcey’s famed photo- http://www.mamabirddiaries.com/?p=696

One of Graco’s newest babies was born last week. After a 48 hour labor, she was born weighing in at a healthy 1.4 ounces! The 2008 Graco Registry Guide is hot off the press and ready to help you decide exactly what you want and need for your new little one on the way.

So, I can’t say that the printing process is physically painful (like real labor) but it is definitely physically draining. Press checks keep you up at all hours and often come along about every two hours- just like feeding schedules. Dreary eyed and half awake we stumble over to the plant to make sure all the product looks accurate, the babies look healthy (green/yellowish babies are not our goal…luckily we can “heal” sick babies quickly with the press of a few buttons), and as we get closer, the excitement of finally seeing a piece that has been in the oven for months, makes us a little giddy.

Evidence of just that is seen here…yes…I am tap dancing while the press is “down” and we are waiting for it to be fixed. Note: I get a free pass here…we had been up all night!

I thought it might be fun to show you a sneak peak with these photos of just how the catalog makes it into your hands. Check out the size of those paper rolls!

We started the development of the Registry Guide back in December, you may remember our photo shoot post, and we’ve spent the last few months defining exactly how to make this guide the best tool for you. We’ve added a registry checklist that you can easily tear out and take into stores with you, photographs of our collections so you can find one that fits your style, and a product section that walks you through basic information on what you need first, and why. Our goal is not to overwhelm you with all of the options out there; it’s to help simplify your decision making. If we can help you narrow down your choices, suggest a few tried and true favorites, and provide tools to help you register, than you have more time to spend painting your nursery or playing with your other children! Isn’t that the way you want to spend your pregnancy anyway?!

If you are interested in viewing the catalog or receiving a copy, you can simply request it here. In an effort to save trees and “go green” we now have an electronic version that you can view online, print out your favorite pages, or forward to a friend if you think they would like it too!

Let us know what you think about the new registry guide…we hope you think it’s a [useful] little thing. I just wish I could say that cover baby was mine…what a cutie!

Maternity leave…time away from work, time to spend enjoying your new addition to the family, time to bond and focus on the most important thing in the world during those few months- your new baby. Many people ask…What is she doing while she’s away? When is she coming back? Will she be different when she returns?

An amazing thing happens on maternity leaves it seems. Every time a woman at Graco leaves to have her child (sometimes planned, sometimes suddenly) it’s a little shocking. It’s like we are missing a piece of our puzzle here and it takes a little time to adjust to her being gone. However, it’s amazing to think she is leaving temporarily to accomplish something huge. She isn’t going on vacation; she isn’t kicking back and putting her feet up. Instead, she is embarking on one of the biggest and most rewarding challenges of her life. She is bringing a new life into the world. And that changes who she’ll be when she comes back to us at Graco.

She isn’t getting a break from her everyday job…she is starting a new venture that feels like much less “work” and much more “reward“. The fresh perspectives, the new memories, and the beaming face when she returns tell stories of all the fun (and sleepless nights) she enjoyed during her time away from the office. We hope they sometimes send the “boys” out for some fun so they can can enjoy some one-on-one time with their new little bundles.

For those of us who remain behind to hold down the fort while she is gone, it’s a reunion when she returns. It’s exciting to live vicariously through the Graco moms that take leave…we get all the great stories…we get to hold the baby when they get their first office tour…and we get to feel the love and excitement they have for their new little ones.

As you know, Amy Sleep just had little Allie and although it feels like three months will be forever until she comes back, time will most certainly fly for her. We couldn’t be happier to have her gone for such a special reason but hope she hurries back to us soon too. She at least needs to swing by the office so we can squeeze on her little one some! Then it won’t be long before we get to squeeze the cheeks of a little DeLoach and a little Lefko too!

I had the pleasure of attending a Baby Expo in San Antonio, TX in the beginning of March. If I heard it once, I heard it a million times- “Do they make that in adult sizes?” Yes, that was the question of the weekend. Parents seem to want the same soothing and comfy experiences that their offspring are getting. It makes sense right? There was a lot of other great feedback and funny remarks we heard at the event. I attented the event along with Kelley Maxfield, from our Direct Marketing department, and she had an interesting take on the event. Kelley is joining us as a guest blogger with her point of view. (what can I say- there weren’t any celebrities in San Antonio!). Now heeeeere’s Kelley!

Whether you like to admit it or not, you’ve probably seen an episode or two of Antiques Roadshow (oh yes, as far as guilty pleasures go, this show is right up there with Project Runway). Aside from anticipating the guests’ reactions from the value of their new found Kämmer & Reinhardt doll or glorified paper weight, the fun is in guessing what some of these unusual yard sale bargains and cherished heirlooms are and how they are used.

As expectant parents, the guests attending the 3rd annual Healthy Baby & Child Expo in San Antonio, Texas this month, applied that same curious enthusiasm towards discovering the world of baby gear. For some newcomers, our exhibit featuring the Touch Free™ Diaper Pail looked like a futuristic toilet with automatic-open lid just the right size for a potty training toddler (one guest even commented that this was a great idea for his own toilet – is it so hard to remember to put the toilet seat down!), and our imonitor™ digital video monitor could have been the perfect spy kit (no, Meet the Fockers fans, this is not intended for spying on the in-laws during those unexpected visits).

Good guesses, but here’s when the expert appraiser would step in, or in our case, a Graco representative. Did you know our sweetpeace™ Newborn Soothing Center has an MP3 connection to let you play Baby’s personal playlist or that our imonitor™ vibe monitor actually vibrates so you can hear and feel your baby’s call?  There’s even a vibrating mattress pad in some of our Pack ‘n Play® Playard’s (wish mine did that!). From understanding the basics to mastering the top-of-the line innovations in baby gear, there are a lot of choices and we can help.

Baby trade shows or expos are an excellent resource packed with educational seminars, health screenings, games, entertainment, beauty makeovers, maternity fashion shows, taste tests, giveaways (some say the size of the goody bag received at the admissions desk is a tell-tale sign of the amount of loot you’ll take home), and one of the few places to receive hands-on demonstrations and knowledgeable information from the actual people who make baby gear products (shout out to all Graco employees who have volunteered this past year). If there’s a show coming to your city, it’s worth the visit. Come see us April 12 & 13 at Baby Celebration L.A. at the Los Angeles Convention Center!

When is a job not considered “work”? When you love what you do. When you wake up in the morning not thinking about everything you have to get done in a day but wondering what new things you’ll discover that day. We work to make our lives more productive and to find personal satisfaction in what we contribute to the world.

For the engineers at Graco, they find that every day. For them, it’s about dreaming big, trying new things, and finding solutions to problems that parents encounter daily. It’s all about finding a way to make the best technology, better. Really, it’s about helping each new parent feel confident in protecting their child so they can relax, take a deep breath and enjoy the world around them.

The tireless work that goes into the development of a new product can be attributed to entire teams of engineers that bring a wide array of expertise to a project. Graco strives to create well rounded teams that offer different perspectives and skill sets (just like what real families are often like!). And as we often try to better understand the needs of new parents, it’s nice to have engineers who understand where Moms and Dads are coming from. It’s not often that these engineers get the recognition they deserve either. Whether its traveling to Europe for crash testing international products or flying to Asia to assist with production, these engineers often leave their families and lives behind (sometimes for weeks) to make the best possible product. That’s not even mentioning the years of development (blood, sweat, and tears) that go into getting some products to market. We joke that these products are our “babies” since we put just about as much love into them as we do our own children. In the end, we never lose sight of wanting to make the lives of parents easier in some way, and we’ll do what it takes to accomplish that mission.

Recently, Rachel Fine, a car seat engineer for Graco, was  highlighted for her work as a mechanical engineer. As a woman in engineering she brings unique perspective and insight to her job, especially in designing products many women use. This bio is a great sneak peek into who she is, how she became interested in engineering and why she loves being a part of the Graco team. No, we didn’t pay her; she just really loves what she does! Who can blame her? Babies…traveling…being creative…sounds like a pretty sweet gig. She might even be changing the world, one car seat at a time.

It’s in the air…it’s in the water…it’s written on the boardroom walls. People talk about it everyday and everywhere we go, here at Graco. Pregnancy, babies, and family time…it’s our passion and we live the work! I offer up proof of this with a photo of three women (all Graco bloggers, l to r: Amy, Kristin, and Kim) who are helping to grow our supporting “cast” here at Graco.

Whether these women come to work and focus on developing new products, building products, or launching new products, they also come to work, like the rest of us here, because our first love is children. As our family at Graco grows by the day it only helps give us a better perspective on all the amazing (and very real) moments parents go through. It’s inspiring and helps us better understand just how to make it all a little easier or a little more fun along the way. Graco’s biggest project in 2007 was the delivery of 12 healthy and beautiful babies born to employees in our home office. And from the looks of our photo proof, we are off to a strong 2008 in the baby making (research) department.

On a side note, last Friday we had a snow day here in Pennsylvania. Don’t worry, lots of work was done…just in the snowman building department instead! I wanted to post a few of the GREATEST snowmen I’ve ever seen, built by families here at Graco. Whether they are big and small (mine would be the small one…) they would make Frosty proud.

Launching a new product is always exciting for us at Graco but recently we found something that got us really excited – a sure sign that you, our customers, are excited about a new product we just launched. (the Graco Nautilus Car Seat)

Someone pointed us to this great post they found on Babycenter.com: http://www.buddymapping.com/maps/nautilus
(OK- of course we think it’s great)

This cool little tool is tracking all the in-store sightings of the new seat. Thanks to whoever created the cool map below!

Now we’d love to hear your feedback!

“There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million.” ~Walt Streightiff

We have all been sweet, simple, innocent, and curious children ourselves at one point. We’ve all found a four-leaf clover in a sea of green…we have all seen a sunflower turn toward the sun…we have all slid down a slide and forgot to put our feet down at the bottom…we have all felt the wind in our hair as we rode on the back of our parents bikes…we have all gone for a wagon ride bumping down the sidewalk… (or at least we can dream of doing these things ourselves or with our family!)

Today, some of us (more than others) are comfortable cradling an infant in the middle of the night, calming the tantrums, or mastering negotiating 101 with a two-year old. Whether we have children of our own or aren’t quite there yet, there is still a child in each of us. Something that allows us to naturally relate to children. So, at what point do we lose touch with this child-like instinct? Or do we ever?

Working at Graco certainly helps us reconnect with this inner child, to understand other people’s experiences, and to help foster those moments of wonder within our own families and yours. Sometimes, we find, its just a matter of helping others understand that connecting with a child isn’t as difficult as it sounds. You don’t have to understand their mind (even if Care Bears is all they talk about) or their interests (if running up and down the hall seems like a blast) or their sleep schedule (since you’ll never “get” waking every 2 hours), all you have to understand is how to help them enjoy what they are doing MORE! It is as simple as that.

All it takes is a cardboard box to build an imaginary car, a set of sheets to make a fort in your living room, a set of pots and pans to be a rock star, or a piece of paper to shred to pieces just because its fun. The possibilities are endless…and anyone can do it. Everyone, including parents, grandparents, caretakers, sisters, brothers, or friends without kids (aka free babysitters who want in on the fun too!) can foster an environment that takes a child to a new imaginary place or newfound experience….the amazing part is, you might just get more out of that fun discovery together than them!

A co-worker (without children) once told me a story of a trip he took to Africa. When he was in a remote village he was surrounded by a group of children…just staring at him. He had no idea of how to connect with them. Not knowing what else to do since the language barrier kept them from understanding one another, he decided to make a noise everyone could relate to. He, unexpectedly, meowed like a cat. It made the kids (every single one of them) break out in hysterical, uncontrollable laughter. Pure joy from something as simple as a sound…some people might even say that it was a moment of wonder (especially from their perspective. How many times have they seen a 6’4” man meow like a cat?!?). The more he did it, the more they laughed and it dawned on him that even he could connect with children half a world and culture away. It is a memory he will keep with him for the rest of his life. To those children it might just have been one of their own seven million wonders…

Let me leave you with a few Graco-proven ideas to make you smile together (yes, we’ve tested them ourselves)

1) Take a stroll after sunset and look for the Little Dipper (recline that stroller all the way back to see the sky even better!)

2) Build a castle out of blocks and KNOCK IT OVER…half the fun is the shock of seeing it crumble

3) Mohawk contest during bathtime. Whose hair can stand taller?

4) Pulling out all the toilet paper…double points for running around the house with it…triple points if its one long piece.

5) Dance…just turn up the radio and dance. Its guaranteed to get a laugh and a baby bop right back!

What are some of the wondrous moments in your child’s life? Share with us! We would love to hear them.