Sympathy Pain

My mother-in-law got us Guitar Hero/world tour for Wii. This comes with guitar, drums, and a microphone. What an awesome family game. We have played the heck out of it since last Thursday.

I have absolutely no formal musical instrument background. I sang some in college and grew in the church choir. The wife has an amazing voice, graduated from a choral magnet high school, and worked in radio so knows music pretty well. This game kicks our ass. She tends to sing…and is horse the next day. I am trying to play guitar, and can’t get past the easy level.

Jack started out as the drummer of the family, and still does better on that than anyone else, but he’d rather sing. This constitutes him sitting the game for beginner and just making noises into the mic…which for some songs works really well.

Tony, at 13 months, won’t leave the drum sticks alone. No matter where we put them, he will find them and start beating them together.

The only creature in the house that hates this game is our cat. He will literally climb up you if your singing. The other night Sarah was sitting in the floor, singing, when the cat reached up and swatted at her face. Everyone’s a critic.

So, I recommend this game. Admittedly, I tried it at the store and wasn’t that impressed, but at home, with the whole family involved, it’s awesome…Just make sure you put the cat out of the room.

No shrubbery required.

Supposedly, the sounds made by an infant are actually a universal language. Sarah saw the end of Oprah one day, which featured Priscilla Dunstan, the decoder of the language of babies. For Christmas, Sarah’s aunt gave us the first DVD of the “Dunstan Baby Language” System. We are very appreciative of the gift, and watched the DVD last night.

We are very open minded folks, and are going to be more observant of Tony’s moans, gurgles, and cries to try to decipher them using the system. So far, he makes one…the I have gas sound. That’s it. This is also accompanied by the squirms and eventual crying if we are not fast enough.

This DVD covered 3 basic sounds, “Neh” for hunger, “Eh” for gas, and “Owh” for sleepy. Where as the research may be very extensive, we found the DVD almost laughable. Priscilla, though pretty hot, was extremely uncomfortable. She was jittery to the point of looking hopped up on the crack rock. It was difficult to get past that. Also, what she had to present in this CD could have been a 5 minute presentation. It was filled in with obvious statements like, “When he makes the hunger noise, he needs fed.” There was also a 3 minute demo of each sound from a gaggle of different babies. It’s not that hard, really. But my favorite was where Priscilla demonstrated awkward demonstrations. All where very uncomfortable to watch. She had a baby doll and tried to show different positions of feeding, burping and comforting. It was like watching Micheal Jackson with his infant son…just uncomfortable and slightly creepy.

Again, the theory seems pretty sound, and we will be listening for the sounds we learned, but the DVD lacked to say the least. I recommend the DVD…but have no idea what the cost is. It does seem that simple observation can bring you to the same conclusions, especially for your own baby’s language. Also, we get alot of visual clues from Tony. His body language usually tells us more than his verbage.

And, just in case you don’t get the “gas” noise figured out, here’s some burp clothe info…

priscilla dunstan, dunstan baby language

Sarah’s folks have been nervous that the Wii my sister in law found in California was a knock off. After all, it was at a kiosk…and she had to pay cash. I understand. So as concerned parents we…plugged that sucker in and…tested it.

IT ROCKS! We had a blast. We will be playing bunches of games with or without Jack. The interactive controls are amazing. And you can download old Nintendo games. Donkey Kong…Mario…yeah baby.

Are we bad parents? Would you play your child’s Christmas gift? Please let me know…not that we will stop, but it’s nice to know.

Wii

The alarm went off at 6:00. “Why in the hell am I doing this?”

The answer was fast asleep in his room. So I get up, throw on some clothes, grab a mountain dew and Reese’s bar, and off I go.

As I drive, I’m thinking…”I bet their won’t be tons of people there. It opens at 7:00. I’m going to feel silly. I mean this K-mart hardly ever has a crowed”…oh how naive. (more…)

Awesome Stuffed animals for the germaphobe in all of us…

Oral malodor is no laughing matter. But don’t give spicy foods all the credit. Microbes deserve their share of the glory, too. Make someone smile (as long as they’ve brushed first.)

giant microbes

The Privy Prop…Finally, an olive branch in the bathroom wars! And from the mind of a man child! There is hope for our gender yet!

My wife and I had this conversation this weekend. I usually put the seat and lid back down when I’m done. It’s almost a joke, mostly because more than once she has gotten ready, pants around ankles, and set on the cold porcelain lid. I told her she would be glad of my habits when I teach Tony the ways of the bathroom…Jack has somehow forgotten.

Atleast she hasn’t broken the seat…

I believe that parents need to…Parent. I believe you should pay attention to your child. You should take precautions. You shouldn’t let them ride without a car seat. You shouldn’t smoke around them. And you shouldn’t put them on a table. Now, that’s just me.

I should state this comes from the recent recall of the Bumbo.
Yes, a baby can arch it’s back and actually tumble from said set. There was 28 incidents of babies being injured, 3 seriously. You can watch the news article here…
The 3 were from falls from table tops…table tops. These Bumbos do not have a strap, or any other restraining device other than friction. Why in the hell would you put your baby in a molded plastic seat on a table top? This is like an unfortunate Darwin moment.

The baby seat is designed for infants who are six weeks old or able to support their own heads, up to an age of about 12 to 14 months or about 22 pounds.

This is according the Bumbo. So who reads this and thinks, “I’m going to place my infant on the edge of a table and make dinner.” We received that as a present and I read the directions…which clearly warns about placing this on a high surface.

Be responsible. Read directions, or just use common sense. And if you don’t have common sense, use a condom.

And, because they are concerned about safety, they have an entire page on safety and their product.

This from a man who takes safety seriously.

bumpo

Here’s a list of “What to Pack”from Nina. She is due right on top of our due date…It’s in the water.

The following is a list of things that I found helpful when I was in the hospital delivering Sydney, and things that after the fact - looking back I wish people would have told me to bring.

Hope it helps, but everyone has a different experience so you may find things on this list you don’t end up needing, and other things that you wish you would have had. But, this is what I will be packing. (more…)

So, Sudie mentioned how much is sucks to change sheets in a crib with the bumpers. Sarah, my fabulous wife who says she doesn’t need my readership, has found this changeable sheet system. It looks like a great idea. Most of the reviews are positive, with one saying the zipper is poorly made.
Anyone use these? I’m curious.

Graco Children’s Products Inc.
Attn: Consumer Services
150 Oaklands Boulevard
Exton, PA 19341

To whom it may concern,

First, let me begin by saying this is not a complaint about your products or services. I have used Graco Brand products for 2 children now and have been completely satisfied. Your web site is extremely informative and easy to navigate. As a whole, I have been very pleased with your company.

Having said that, I would like to inform you that your slogan insults me as a father. “Ask Moms Who Know” creates a sexiest image that fathers have nothing to do with choosing and utilizing the brands used for a child. I find it to be quite the contrary. First of all, with my wife at almost thirty weeks, we have had our first shower. Because of the pregnancy, she will not be the one assembling the products manufactured by your company. I, as the father, will be the one to attest to the ease of assembly, not the “mom”. Secondly, as a father in a household with both parents working, I will be equally involved in the child’s day to day activities, which will obviously involve your product. And lastly, in an age where more and more “nontraditional” families are occurring, I would think your company would realize that more and more men are becoming primary care givers to infants and children.

Again, I like your product. However, I believe you are alienating and insulting your male customers buy choosing the slogan “Ask Moms Who Know.”

A father,

Bryan Comer

Ambybaby

Amby Baby Motion Bed
Helping your baby sleep better, longer
Finally, a solution for your fussy baby! The Amby Baby Motion Bed helps babies and parents get the sleep they need with it’s womb-like design and gentle motion that babies love. Endorsed by Dr. Sears, the Amby Baby bed is specially helpful for babies with reflux(GER), colic and even preemies.

Anyone?

Floam…just don’t. It smells like Elmer’s Glue and is more slime than foam. We tried, and maybe it was old or separated, but there was no way we could use this as it was advertised. My seven year old son thought it was nasty…’nuff said. We spread it on a flower pot and it looked like we had taken styrofoam beads, big bird poop, and Elmer’s glue and lumped it on this poor, undeserving holder of flowers.

And here’s another, “huh” product, the Skid Pants Leggings. They are pretty much leg warmers for babies. I lived through the 80’s, don’t make my child live through this. I think a child should suffer some rug burns while crawling, why walk otherwise.

Taking the cue from my wife, I want to write down what I’ve learned in the first half of the pregnancy. Now, I do have 37 weeks in my back pocket from Jack, but I have learned volumes from this rodeo.

You can’t go toe-to-toe in the snack department. I realized that about the third time we had a late night snack…by snack I mean a #5 combo from Wendy’s. There are times when her appetite, while appropriate for a woman with child, is not ok for a 35 year old male.

Men are still considered neanderthals when it comes to pregnancyIts better, believe me. More men’s room have changing stations than ever before, but I still get the “You have external genitals, what do you know about child birth” look from some women when the subject comes up.

The OB/GYN is still a strange place to see a man…not in a lab coat. I was the only man in the waiting room. I didn’t see any “Sport’s Illustrated” magazines on the magazine racks…which I thought sexist in and of itself. Women like to look at sweaty muscular men just like us guys…

Super Nanny is a a goddess. The sad thing is, if people had common sense, she’d be out of a job.

It takes a village to teach a confirmed bachelorette. My wife was never going to have children. She always tuned out when the children talk came up at dinner parties. So, she has had to learn alot through me and our friends/family. She’s also read tombs on blogs, extending our village of knowledge.

Sometimes, the village idiot throws his 2 cents in. Opinions are like bung holes…everyone has one, and everyone is going to use it. You have to be willing to nod and smile when the wives tails come flying out. “If your hair is weak and limp, it’s a girl because it’s stealing the mother’s looks.”

There are tons of good…and stupid…products for babies. And as long as there are babies or pregnant women, people will make ‘em, and sale ‘em.

And something I already knew but have seen it magnified:

My wife is amazing. She is not a martyr. She doesn’t hide behind her pregnancy. She doesn’t use it as an excuse. She is so strong. She has kept her sense of humor and good nature, even when the demon spawn within her rears its ugly head. My respect for her has only grown stronger.

There’s more, but those are the high points. We shall see what else is out there to be learned in the next 20 weeks…and beyond.

When Jack was little, it was the Boppy. That thing went every where with us. I have a picture of him chillin at the lake with sunglasses when he was about 6 month old. It was great while he was learning to set up and control himself. It also helped in nursing.

What is/was your one item?

I’ve been reminding my wife that she should not attempt any exercises that she hasn’t been doing already. It was a question answered by the doctor on our first appointment.

Sarah’s hit the “I’m just fat” stage. We don’t know the sex. We haven’t felt the baby. Other than the physical changes, we have no signs of pregnancy. So, what do you do when you feel you’ve put on a few pounds? Turbo Jam.

I called her on the way home.

“What you doin?”

“”Not being sore from Turbo Jam…I was breathing hard after thirty seconds. AND my nu nu hurts.”

I tried really hard not to say “I told you…and so did the doctor.” So a lesson to those who are pregnant. Exercise is great, but don’t start any exercises you haven’t been doing without talking to your doctor. Some high impact things should be cut altogether, but if it’s something you’ve been doing, you should be fine. Still, ask the doctor if you should continue.

And keep the turbo jam until postpartum.

p.s
I tried to link to Turbo Jam, but I never could get the page to open.