Today we are going to show you step by step how we make an Action Baby Carrier in our shop in norther Michigan.

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There have been a lot of babywearing groups and stores that sell baby products in recent years recommending “pull testing” as a way to test that the carriers are safe. The Baby Carrier Industry Alliance has also recently come out with a strong stance against this kind of testing as a potential risk to your child.

So, where does that leave us? That is two conflicting points of view on the same topic. So it is time to look at some examples of what is really happening with baby carriers and how to test them.

The reason that the Baby Carrier Industry Alliance is against this form of pull testing is that it puts extreme pressures on a carrier and can ultimately weaken the carrier by fatigue. An related example of this is how the National Highway Transportation Safety Board recommends replacing all car seats after car accidents even fairly minor ones. The reason here is the same, extreme forces can weaken the product because of stress and fatigue.

Now lets just consider for a moment a baby carrier that is designed to support 40 pounds. In general there are 4 straps, 2 hips and 2 shoulders. This would work out to say that each strap is designed to hold an average of just 10 pounds. (Everything is simplified/rounded for this article) For reference, a gallon of milk is over 7 pounds. Now when you pull test a carrier it is very easy to pull with more then 10 pounds of force. Lets say that a pull test is done with 20 pounds of force. Multiply that by the 4 straps and the carrier was basically pull tested for 80 pounds when it was built for just 40.

Now the real extreme cases happen when someone grabs a strap and the body of a carrier and just pulls not in the direction of the forces when being worn. When looking at that same strap that is designed for 10 pounds of force, and the strap is 4 inches wide, that works out to being able to support about 2.5 pounds per inch. If a carrier were to be pull tested in a manner that puts all of the force on ½ of an inch at the edge of the strap, such as not pulling straight, that could be 20 pounds of force on ½ inch or 40 pounds per inch. That is a lot more then the 2.5 pounds it was designed to support. Multiply that 40 pounds per inch times the 4 inch wide strap and the 4 straps on the carrier and that pull test was the equivalent of testing it for a baby weighing 640 pounds. That is why some carriers will fail this type of pull test.

The more important thing here is the potential danger. When products are sewn, there are a number of types of stitches used such as straight stitch or chain stitch, but all stitches get weaker and not stronger when one stitch in the chain is broken. A very heavy thread such as a polyester T-92 thread may have a tensile strength of 7.2 pounds. When a strap is sewn to a carrier it may be attached with 8 stitches per inch for example. This would mean the thread goes up and down 8 times in one inch for a total of 16 supporting strands, multiplied by the 4 inch strap and the 7.2 pound tensile strength and the stitching on that strap should be able to hold about 460 pounds of force if all the stitches are sharing the load equally. If a pull test is performed and the tension is not applied squarely the way the carrier was designed, all of the force my be placed on 1 or 2 threads that can each hold only 7.2 pounds. Once a single thread breaks, the rest of the stitching becomes weaker and can start to come undone.

So inspecting a carrier for broken threads is very important, while “pull testing” a carrier can be dangerous. It is advised that you inspect your carrier closely where ever straps meet or webbing joins with straps. Look for broken threads. If it is just the end of a line of stitching, it is fine. Look from broken stitches in the middle of a line of stitches. This would indicate that the carrier may be on its way to failure and should be replaced.

As an alternative to pull testing your carrier, the only safe thing to do is purchase carriers that have been tested by independent labs. For example the European testing standard BS EN 13209-2:2005. This testing standard for baby carriers is tested by independent third party labs. As part of this testing there is strength testing.

In the strength testing portion of this standard, the carrier is fastened to a torso, loaded with the maximum weight the carrier is designed for and then bounced 4 inches high at 50,000 times over 7 hours. This is pretty serious testing. They use the max weight and basically drop the carrier 4 inches, twice per second all day long.

They then examine the carrier for things like damage and slippage of the straps. This is a very fair test and far more rigorous then any pull testing of a carrier, and far safer to purchase a product that has 3rd party testing for safety  But the safety standard testing does not stop with the 50,000 drop test. They also test for things like grip tests, bite tests and strangulation hazards among many other things.

The best thing to do when purchasing a carrier is to only purchase a carrier that has passed some form of third party testing. It is the safest thing to do and should give you peace of mind in knowing the product you are using is safe.

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When you purchase an Action Baby Carrier, we want to make sure that you are 100% satisfied with your purchase   If you are not happy with our products for any reason, return them within 30 days of purchase and we will refund you minuses shipping fees  ($10) and a restocking fee ($20). We can not cover return shipping cost either.

Returns do not extend to custom orders, clearance, 2nd quality or other closeout items or items marked as “all sales are final”.

Refunds will be issues within 15 days of receiving your return item. All returned items must be in like new condition with all the original packaging.  We have the right to refuse any refund for any reason.

FREE Shipping to US and Canada!

No need to worry about shipping. All orders placed on our site and shipped to the US or Canada will receive free shipping via USPS or UPS. Free shipping is excluded on wholesale orders.

International Shipping and Returns Policy

We value you as an Action Baby Carrier customer!  We aim to offer the best product and service for you to ensure you are 100% satisfied with your purchase of your Action Baby Carrier!

International shipping outside the US and Canada will be charged $15. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery depending on your country and local customs laws. Action Baby Carriers is not responsible for any Taxes or Duties associated with importing our products.

International returns will be accepted for refunds if post marked within 30 days of confirmed receipt. Refunds are for the price paid minus international shipping fees ($20) and a restocking fee ($20).   We can not cover return shipping cost.

Exchanges:  Customers are to cover all shipping and handling fees for exchanges.  This is typically $20.00 for USA and Canadian address and around $40.00 for international, depending on your country. All shipping and handling cost must be paid prior to the exchanged carrier shipping out.

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Hey Everyone!!!

Ok, we got such a huge response (way more than we were thinking)!!! THIS IS FANTASTIC!! It looks like there is a great demand for mamas and daddies to still carry their kids into toddlerhood. Although the regular Action Baby is designed to 40lbs and designed to wear larger kids and toddler, it seems a request with specific features for a toddler are desired!

We are in the final design phase right now- so exact size is TBD-  But the carrier is getting wider in the seat part and taller in the body.

With the amount of request we will be sewing these next week and trying to get all out by the 25th of July. We are making these between our larger international and retail orders, so please understand!

All orders must be paid for by midnight July 15th 2012 to get this special price and be a tester.

Please view this page to order (once you click the checkout box- next to your address- there will be an “Order Notes” put your choice of print or color in that section please! ): SLOTS CLOSED

If you are in Australia please contact us regarding purchase.

If you have any questions feel free to email Angela: ang@actionbabycarriers.com

Thanks for such fantastic support of our company!!

~Action Baby Carriers

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I have written your praise a few times since receiving my carrier not so long ago, because it has, hands down, been the most loved, used, useful product, not just baby gear but overall device, that we have ever owned. This is not my first child or first carrier. I have a four year old that I wore religiously in a Bjorn and then later in a Moby and though I loved both they both had limitations on how long I could wear him in them, how the carrier could be worn and ease of use. With my 2nd baby, Colt, I knew that not only would I want to wear him but it might be a necessity so I could keep up with his big brother, Canon. Unfortunately, we didn’t think that we would be able to have another baby after a series of unsuccessful tries and pregnancies so we had given away most of our baby gear. I registered for an ssc but did not receive it so I bought myself another Moby. It was great for the first few weeks but then the time consuming on and off procedure wore me down so I looked around and decided on a ring sling. Well, that was great for fast on and off and closeness but REALLY limited my range of motion whether I wore Colt on my front, back or side, plus if he fell asleep I could not tuck his head in because it would disturb him. I found ABC on facebook through a review and really, really wanted to try it, but how could I justify buying yet another baby carrier and also, with a one family income and two kiddos the budget just wasn’t there. I followed ABC on FB and one day struck gold- the Clarice misprint! I jumped at the chance, ordered the carrier and anxiously awaited the arrival, seriously, I was like a kid waiting for Christmas! As soon as it arrived, I opened the box, and put it on- I had already you tubed how to put it on and use it, and instantly knew I made a great decision! We have used our carrier daily, multiple times daily since it came. My son is at his happiest and most relaxed when riding on my back and I have my full range of motion to keep up with my oldest, such a wonderful blessing! Colt has been teething non-stop since December- he is 6 months old with 6 almost 8 teeth and the only thing that comforts without fail is when I put him on! I also would have a horribly messy home with no clean clothes if I didn’t have the ABC, the other carriers don’t allow me to move freely without worry for Colt or offer me full use of my arms, this is a MASSIVE selling point! Well, obviously you have HIGH standards over there because I love, love, love the carrier and the print! I don’t think I would be able to wear him for hours on end everyday in any other carrier without having some aches and pains but with our ABC there are none! I wear him whenever we go out and always love telling people about how great Action Baby Carriers are, I think I even made you a sale at the grocery store from a new mom who wanted something more versatile and comfortable than her Bjorn! The reason I would love another ABC is primarily so that my husband could have a more gender neutral print so he could enjoy the comfort and bonding joy of carrying our son. I also, on occasion forget the carrier in the car or have to wash our ABC and that is when I truly notice how much we have come to rely on our ABC! We also hope that we may become a foster family in the near future and possibly adopt one final child and so having a second carrier would allow us to carry our son and any young children that we may care for. Thank you for making such a high quality carrier, offering them at reasonable prices and offering misprints and clearance carriers so that everyone can afford to enjoy the closeness, and freedom that an ABC allows. And thank you for the opportunity to possibly own a second carrier! We love Action Baby Carriers!!

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I have only had my Action Baby Carrier for a few months but my 3yr old, 27lbs toddler and I LOVE it. Of course, we’ve only tried the back carry with it, as I just gave birth to our second child and haven’t yet had a chance to use it with my 6lb 10oz baby girl Having a second carrier would make life easier for our family, as our toddler LOVES to be carried, and always has. I plan to babywear as much as possible with the new baby and having two carriers would give me a few options. I would be able to keep one in each vehicle, so I’m never without, and also – if we have a family outing planned (we are BIG visitors to zoos in Michigan and surrounding states) both my husband and I would be able to comfortably carry both kids around happily. I’ve used a few different carriers in the past three years of motherhood, and while they’ve all done a sufficient job, they’ve each had their own issues that kept me looking for ”something better” – whether it be that I always felt that my baby was going to slip out of it if I moved a certain way, or more often – that my baby girl was uncomfortable (evidenced but her fussiness, and the gouges and red marks in her legs after short periods of time using it) and ALWAYS that my shoulders and back ached after each use – whether it be for 20 minutes at the grocery store or an hour at an outdoor sporting event. Not to mention, one of them couldn’t be used on a child less than 15lbs, which took us QUITE a while to reach I recently had my toddler in the back carry, for 3 hours at a mom2mom sale – WHILE 8mos pregnant. I was on my feet and walking the whole time, and we were both amazingly comfortable, she didn’t whine about being in it at all, I was able to move and bend over/squat down (well, as much as an 8mo pregnant woman can!) without fear of her falling out and had NO shoulder pain, no back pain, no belly pain – NO PAIN AT ALL! My toddler almost fell asleep an hour and a half before naptime in a busy place because of how comfortable she was! and NO RED MARKS on her legs – after THREE hours! I was extremely pleased with everything about my carrier, and immediately started telling my sister (who has a 3mo. old now) and anyone else I know who is pregnant or has young kids about how much I loved it. Okay – I may have also plastered it all over my facebook and twitter as well If I hadn’t already been in love with this carrier, that totally sealed the deal. I am excited to use it as a front carrier for our brand new baby girl within the next few months, and would love the convenience of having two carriers – one for each of my ”babies”

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While pregnant with my second child, I started researching babywearing and baby carriers. I ordered both a ring sling and stretchy wrap before my daughter was even born, thinking that it would be nice not to be tied down to the couch nursing a newborn while my toddler ran rampant. Little did I know that Ellie would be a mama’s girl from her first moment breathing air. Turns out she wasn’t one to spend more than a few minutes at a time nursing, but at every other moment she needed to be touching me still, waking or sleeping. The ring sling got lots of use, and the stretchy wrap moved on to a friend. At a few months old, I thought how nice it would be to have her out of the way on my back so I could actually be more productive while wearing her, and a woven wrap entered the picture. Thankfully, by then I had discovered buying secondhand! When it became apparent that I could use two carriers very frequently, I decided a third was justified and became the proud third owner of a wrap conversion mei tai. At this point my four month old daughter was still taking three naps a day and being worn for all of them, plus while out and about. All this time I had been eyeing SSC’s with the beautiful fabric prints, and wondering how that padded waist would be for support. But in all the websites and babywearing forums (because I spent so much time playing around on my phone with my daughter attached to me, I sought support groups!), SSC’s seemed the pickiest. What worked for one mom didn’t work for another, and what one dad wore another wouldn’t even try. Besides that, being a petite mom with narrow shoulders seemed to create another set of problems with fit! At least I had my other carriers, and was even getting good at putting Ellie in her car seat without my mei tai straps dragging on the muddy ground! We danced at weddings, took naps no matter where we were (something rarely achieved with my first child), got sweet comments from older people at stores, and my husband even climbed the ”steep dune” at Warren Dunes State Park with Ellie strapped to him (I wore her on the way down, haha!). Plus, I while wearing my daughter, I could chase after my son Josh, something that came in handy quite often. In particular, I remember hanging out at the oral surgeons’ while my husband had his wisdom teeth pulled. I was able to read to him, get him a snack, follow him as he made friends with other people in the waiting room, and easily bring him along with me when I had to go to the bathroom. We were all over the place, and the whole time Ellie slept on my chest. I was proud of my accomplishment as a mother, and glad I didn’t have to drag around a car seat every time my son decided to go see what was on ”the different tv.” Babywearing became one of my biggest parenting tools.

But, I still hadn’t tried an SSC. I struggled with getting back carries comfy in my other carriers, and my daughter was getting mobile. She also started sleeping in her crib for naps. I was wearing less and less, and when I was wearing, it was for shorter periods of time. I began to dread getting my ”complicated” carriers out, and my ring sling no longer seemed comfortable if I actually had to move around. But babywearing was still an important parenting tool, when I needed it. I saw a beautiful Action Baby Carrier (Fabrice print) on one of the swaps and thought I would try it. Straps that crossed in back meant my narrow shoulders were not an issue, and while it had a full size panel that really could hold a tall toddler, it was lightweight. As I was waiting for it to ship to me (the previous owner could not bear to part with it until she got her new carrier), I started stalking the company on Facebook. They mentioned how the internal frame of the ABC was really where all the ”action” was, to provide support where baby needed it rather than just dangling from their knees which is a potential in other SSC’s. Shortly after that, they posted pictures of the clear carrier they had made, which made the internal support quite obvious. So cool! I finally got my first ABC, and had a great weekend with it! But this is where my title comes into play, ”The one with all the carriers.” Almost every single one of my friends had a baby at the same time as I was having my second (one of them literally at the same time!) or in the year following. They had followed all my excited ”awkward mirror pictures” of every carrier I tried (including a toddler SSC that Ellie was too small for at the time), but most didn’t know that I didn’t actually keep every single carrier. I was frequently asked for loans and accommodated as best I could, so that they could try different carriers as well and experience the babywearing love. The same weekend I got my Action Baby Carrier, a friend was really struggling with her sling, and needed something for a trip to see family. My ring sling was already on vacation with someone else. Goodbye Fabrice! She LOVED it so much, and her baby was so happy as soon as she put him in it, and really that print was more her than me, so… I told her she could buy it from me if she wanted to keep it (for a little less than what I paid). Sigh… It was nice to see her so happy with babywearing though, and using it every week at church, and I still had my mei tai… but man, now I definitely wanted an Action Baby Carrier! Expedition print went on clearance, and every time I saw it I liked it more. THAT was the ABC print for me. I worried it would disappear on me, but finally I had enough spending money to snatch it up! Just in time for all this early spring weather. Now that winter has left us, I am again wearing Ellie often, as we go for walks around the neighborhood and to the park. I can hold little Josh’s hand or push him in the stroller, and Ellie is practically weightless on me the whole time. One day as we were walking, my husband looked over at me and Ellie, touched the ABC, and said, ”I really like this one.” High praise from him!

So, I have my ABC. I am happy, and it is STAYING here with me! I love it too much to loan it out. I am entering this contest because I still have friends. Some of them do babywear and have purchased good carriers for themselves and are content. But some of them are still looking for something comfortable, and some of them either still haven’t had kids, or haven’t had a second kid to really appreciate how awesome it is to have one kid attached to you and still have two hands (and two feet!) free. I am surrounded by young families and young couples, and still regularly get approached for advice on choosing a carrier. I would love another Action Baby Carrier so that I can just say, ”Try this!” And if anyone comes back to me saying, ”This is awesome!” I want to be able to just say, ”Keep it!” Because I can’t afford to keep buying more! (I will definitely buy one for my sister-in-law when she gets pregnant, but she’s family.)

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Hi! My name is LJ and I am almost 4 months old. I love it when my mommy wears me. I used to like this thing she said was an Ultimate Baby Wrap. It was really comfortable until just recently when I started sagging after being in it for a whole sleep. Now, she puts me in something called a Zolowear ring sling which I think must be from a place called Zolo. I think my daddy wishes he was a Zoloman sometimes because he’s big and strong and likes to play games with me. At least I think they are games as he just puts a blanket over his face and yells peek-a-boo. I don’t really get it, but it makes him laugh so I laugh back at him. Zolo seems like a fun place just like my crib.

I really like the ring sling, even though mommy says it hurts her arm after a while. But, it’s strange, because I’ll be sleeping in my car seat all nice and chilling, then I’ll be jostled around a little bit, and when I finally come to, I’ll be in some crazy place in the sling. One time, they took me to a brewery. I was all, ”Come on Mom, I can’t drink beer yet!”. And, to make matters worse, I was so comfortable cuddling up to her that I slept through the whole tour. I even had the chance to try some of the beer when my Uncle Sean spilled some of his on my hand. But, by the time I figured out how to get my hand into my mouth, my mommy had washed it off so I wasn’t able to taste any. It must’ve been pretty good though, because Daddy and Uncle Sean drank a lot of it and Mommy had to drive home!

My mom and my dad also took me on this really big thing that looked like a bird from my favorite book. It went way above the white fluffy stuff in the sky and made my ears pop. They said we went to places called Chicago and Minneapolis. I met a lot of cool people and got to see the Bean and Wrigley Field in Chicago. People kept telling me to say ”Go Cubs!”, but I don’t know what a cub is so that might not be my first word. And, I don’t know where they would go, Wrigley Field seemed like a nice place to be. I also didn’t know what the Bean was, and it ended up being a giant sized bean made out of a mirror. When I looked into it, there was a baby staring at me. And, my mommy was wearing him! I’ve seen that baby in TX before and it confused me so I decided to have some milk and take a nap since I was in the sling too.

Then we went to Minnesota and marched in a St. Patrick’s Day parade. My stroller ended up holding all of the candy my cousins were throwing because I wasn’t about to sit in a stroller when I can be up high in my carrier and see everything that’s going on. It’s a parade, after all! It ended up not making a difference though, because I slept through the whole thing. Hey, give me a break, I was only 3 months old and it was just too comfortable being so close to mommy. I hope I stay small enough to be worn for a really long time.

Now I’m back in TX and it’s so nice out, we go a lot of places. Mommy likes to take me to the grocery store and for walks to the park. But, since her arm hurts when she wears me too long in the sling, she keeps talking about getting something else that goes over both shoulders. And, since it’s going to get really hot (What’s up with that, by the way? Why is it so hot in Texas?), she wants something that Daddy can wear also to give her a little break when we are outside. So I went online to see what I could find and came across this contest. Since I don’t have a job yet and my piggy bank doesn’t work for online purchases, I can’t buy her one myself. It would be awesome if I could win this for her. She loves wearing me, well, except when she needs new clothes. She keeps saying I made all of her clothes not fit her and she needs to try new stuff on all the time. I don’t understand that, but I’ll believe her since I don’t see why she would make that up. As far as I know, she’s always had a flabby belly! If we could get an Active Baby Carrier, she could take me even more places. I want to go to a parade that I’m not marching in so I can get the candy to eat (when I get teeth). And, I want to go on the big bird thing again and go back to Minnesota. I want to feel this stuff they call snow. It must be good stuff because it looks like a fluffier version of my milk. I also want to go to the zoo, and I want to stay awake through a brewery tour, and I want go to hiking, and I want to go on more walks. I like being up high by everyone’s heads when I’m being carried, especially when Grandma and Grandpa are with us, because they make funny faces and I like to smile back. That makes them laugh because they say my gummy smile is too cute.

Hopefully this wasn’t too long for the contest and you are still reading. I have a lot to say and the only responses I usually get when I talk are ”ooohh”, ”aaahh”, and ”tell me more”. I am telling them more, they just don’t speak my language! Oops, I should go now. Mommy is coming to ”wake me up” from my nap so we can go to the park with the neighbors (including the new baby who I secretly like, but I’m playing it cool because I don’t want to be ”that guy”). She is really pretty though, and her mommy wears her too so we can be at the same height and drool at each other.

I hope you all have a good weekend. Mommy and Daddy are taking me to pick out a high chair so they can put me down while cooking dinner. They said something about me getting burned while they are cooking and how that’s not a good thing. Again, I’ll trust them because they seem to know best. So far, so good, right?

Oh, and I’ve attached a couple of pictures of me in the Zolowear sling. I’ve scootched down a little while sleeping (don’t blame Mommy, I like to wiggle and get comfortable), but I’m still happy in there. I can’t wait to try out the Action Baby Carrier. I’m pretty sure I will like it as much as the other ones we have tried.

The post My Life (all Sixteen Weeks of it) in a Baby Carrier appeared first on Action Baby Carriers.

”Mooooommmmmmmm! I can’t find any pants!” In answer to the cry of the angsty pre-teen, Supermom charges off down the hall, pulls the drawer open and points at three pair of pants stuffed inside. ”I didn’t want those, I wanted the other pair.” Supermom sighs, while trying to remember to smile because she too, was once a preteen girl and remembers tossing all the clothes out from the closet and onto the bed.

Ducking inside the dryer, the coveted jeans are found, and handed off to the now happy child- though she did ask why Supermom had left them in the dryer ’for-ev-er!’? Forever, as many of you parents know, is from the time you wake up to nurse the baby at three am and shuffle laundry since you are up anyway – to six thirty in the morning when The Search commences.

Suddenly, Supermom’s super hearing detects…. silence. Oh- silence is never good, at least not when you have two and three year old boys up and wandering! Just as was feared, The Boys have discovered that the bathroom door was left open which means it’s time to play in the water. Since they are already soaked, Supermom decides that bath time today may as well start now. Plopping the high seas adventurers into the tub, Supermom figures she may as well clean the bathroom while the pirates sail the seven seas with whatever treasure they found. Incidentally, Supermom’s makeup collection appears to have fallen victim to the pirates. Oh well, it was probably outdated. Supermom gave up on the makeup about the time her hair went into a semi-permanent ponytail. Burial at sea may be an appropriate end to the dream- at least until the kids are in college.

Toddlers clean and dressed, and started on playing with some blocks, Supermom steps into the kitchen to make breakfast for the hungry mob. Cereal and yogurt seem easy enough. Oh, and coffee. Coffee is Superfuel for Supermom. Eyes in the back of her head, she heads off the first argument of the morning. ”Do not hit your brother with that block.” She sets food on the table to prevent world war- oh dear.. even Supermom lost count. Two boys 14 months apart… there are a lot of wars. Happily, there are even more shared giggles.

Preteen angst settled, the ten year old finishes breakfast and sinks into a book. She’s homeschooled, so there’s no mad rush out the door.

Supermom reaches for her cup of coffee, and finds it gone. Looking around, she finds it half empty in the hands of the two year old. Oh dear! Clearly we need to burn off some energy outside.

Out the door the whole family heads for a walk. When they return, they head to the backyard for play time. Supermom settles into a lawn chair nearby. Hearing a small noise from the baby who has spent the morning dozing peacefully on her chest in the carrier, she unbuckles and snuggles him close, rejoicing that she gets to do this all over again tomorrow.

Supermom’s husband works far away. She’s a solo parent to four children, and baby carriers are the tool that let her be the Supermom she wants to be. And some days, she even gets to enjoy that cup of coffee.

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