General discussion - Mom and Dad Esq.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by ltl/fb
BAD IDEA. If you are going to take it on the airplane, post the flight number so I can be absolutely sure I'm not on that flight.

Oddly enough, that's how I felt too when my wife suggested it, but I've already booked the tickets and have a seat next to them. Oh the humanity!

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by leagleaze
Very bad idea. However, we discovered that if you have all 3 seats, putting the tray tables down for a child who likes to have some control over his own movement is a wonderful way to keep him content.

He can use it to move his truck about, or to come over to his aunt, pull her hair and whack her on her head. Fun stuff.

Crackers are good too.

Junior has been convinced that he is not permitted out of his car seat on airplanes, much like the car. He has not noticed yet that this rule does not seem to apply to all.

DVDs are our drug of choice, subject to battery limits. Is it true that some planes have outlets now for power cords? I had not ever noticed this. Or, as Johnny Carson would say, "I did not know that."

[baltassoc]

Originally posted by Tyrone_Slothrop
DVDs are our drug of choice, subject to battery limits. Is it true that some planes have outlets now for power cords?

It's true, but they are as yet very rare. I've never seen one on a domestic flight, but I would imagine they are most likely to be on coast-to-coast flights. Of course, I never fly domestic business/first class because my cheap-ass employer won't pay for it, so it may be up there.

The plugs are not regular AC plugs, nor are they the standard car plug either. They are smaller and round. Usually one can get an adapter / correct cord for a DC powersupply. It's a pain that they don't match the car type outlets, although it is kind of stupid that car DC power supplies are really just lighter recepticles. I think the airlines had the idea that car manufacturers would start installing the new more sensible plugs as extra outlets, but of course they haven't.

[MisterEbola]

Originally posted by baltassoc
It's true, but they are as yet very rare. I've never seen one on a domestic flight, but I would imagine they are most likely to be on coast-to-coast flights. Of course, I never fly domestic business/first class because my cheap-ass employer won't pay for it, so it may be up there.

Depends on the airline and equipment. United has them on their big birds. US Airways has them in all of their Airbus equipment. I think Continental has them in their new 737s and 757s.

Anyhow, you don't have to pay for F class - just upgrade.

[MisterEbola]

By the way, the electrical ports are called, IIRC, Empower ports.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
My three-year old son is going thru a severe whiny/grumpy phase. He'll be fine, having a great time, then suddenly turn whiny, start moaning or screaming, whatever. Most of the time he's great. And when he's not, he's miserable. This is exhausting our capacity to say "just a stage,we'll ride it out."

Well, those "is he really my kid" questions are answered, at least.

Any advice????

Everyone's already hit on the good (i.e., most probable) ones - blood sugar maintenance, schedule some quiet time close to when he used to nap, let him nap 'cuz he's tired, etc. - and LP's right, the whininess seems to be peaking now in the 13-year-old, and the curve suggests recovery at about age 20 - I would only add that, you might consider if his eating habits have changed at all recently. (When one of ours started drinking serious quantities of milk, he started getting mild stomachaches that caused the same sort of fussiness you're describing, right around age 3, and our doc said that this kind of reaction (not just to milk, but to change) is very common.)

Plus, they're starting the whole self-empowerment thing at about that age, so kiddo might simply be asserting power over you. "No" is the more common method they use to do this, but I've also seen the general irritability and grumpiness you describe.

But, like I said, the likely reasons are probably related to the tiredness factor. He'll get used to that, but, in the meantime, let him nap. Most kids nap well into kindergarten.

[tmdiva]

Originally posted by bilmore
But, like I said, the likely reasons are probably related to the tiredness factor. He'll get used to that, but, in the meantime, let him nap. Most kids nap well into kindergarten.

I'll add my vote for tiredness, probably from a growth spurt. Magnus is about the same age as Sidd Jr., and a) he's been extra-whiny lately, too (including one time where he became inexplicably sad and ran away from me and up the stairs; by the time I came up a few minutes later he was fine), and b) we recently measured him and discovered he's grown almost two inches since April.

If anyone's remotely interested, PM me and maybe I'll give you his URL--our latest updates cover April-July and you can see the changes.

tm

[viet_mom]

Vietbabe just turned 11 months old - getting big and walking since 9 months.

She wakes up and has about 3 or 4 ounces of formula and an hour later, she ravenously eats a huge breakfast. Like about 2 cups of Wheaties or Chex or Life cereal (before I sog it up with milk or such) and in between bites she even lets me spoon feed her applesauce mixed with the pureed homeade food I make her for dinner that she won't eat at dinner (green beens or spinach or squash, and carrot cooked with chicken or turkey.) I get about a cup of that down her.

Problem - she really doesn't want to eat lunch or dinner!!! She'll only nibble a Nutrigrain type bar or biscuit, or maybe some fruit (only the canned kind - she's spoiled on sweetened things now).

Should I be concerned? Other than the 3 or 4 ounces of formula she has upon waking, she only has another 3 or 4 ounces late in the day (around 2) and then has a full 8 ounces when she goes to bed at around 9 pm.

Anyone else experienced this?

Thanks.

Vietmom

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally posted by viet_mom
Problem - she really doesn't want to eat lunch or dinner!!! She'll only nibble a Nutrigrain type bar or biscuit, or maybe some fruit (only the canned kind - she's spoiled on sweetened things now).

Our ped was always telling us not to measure the amount of food taken in any individual meal, but to look at it on a weekly basis. He pointed out, quite rightly, that the number of infants in America who starve with full plates in front of them (barring some rare metabolic disease, of course) is zero. Parents stress about it too much.

Sounds like yours is having a lot of food in the a.m.; there's really no problem if you're having at least one good (or in your case, spectacular) meal a day. However, you might want to diversify the breakfast foods if you know that's the only time the Babe is really hungry --- we tend to project "appropriate breakfast foods" on beings that don't care.

Babies also reduce their intake at about the one year mark because it's the end of a growth spurt. Fair warning.

[viet_mom]

or in your case, spectacular) meal a day. However, you might want to diversify the breakfast foods if you know that's the only time the Babe is really hungry --- we tend to project "appropriate breakfast foods" on beings that don't care.

Thanks Atticus. I guess I never know what's "a lot" or "average" or "small" amount of intake. Is that breakfast I described seem like a lot for an 11 month old?

And you are SO right about the "appropriate breakfast food" thing. I'll see if I can applesauce-ize some spinach tomorrow for breakfast. Personally, for my own taste buds, I don't think cereal and toast should be considered the only "appropriate" breakfast food. I mean, what about beer, for instance?

second what Atticus said- my kids always seemed to have their favorite time of day to stuff themselves (my second would often eat two or three breakfasts over a two hour period, and turn his nose up at lunch, though he was usually hungry by dinner).

It does sound like she's eating a good amount for breakfast- I'd "diversify" that meal with more proteins (i.e., eggs or meat) since she is not eating so much at the other meals where you'd be more likely to give her that stuff.

Also, how active is she now? is she crawling around a lot? starting to walk? with mine, there was a period before they got very active when their later day meals seemed to fall off- once they started charging around and using up more energy, lunch and dinner suddenly got more appealing.

Last though that may not be applicable- I seem to remember that point of transition from primarily relying on formula to primarily relying on real food, when the formula began to suppress appetite. If you haven't already tried, maybe offer the bottle after the meal?

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch
Our ped was always telling us not to measure the amount of food taken in any individual meal, but to look at it on a weekly basis. He pointed out, quite rightly, that the number of infants in America who starve with full plates in front of them (barring some rare metabolic disease, of course) is zero. Parents stress about it too much.

Concur. Especially early on, we were told, the kid knows instinctively when and what it really needs to eat.

Similarly, our ped would tell us to chill about the types of food that the baby is willing to eat. Told us to certainly offer the child lots of different kinds of things, but don't be worried (yet) if you can count on two hands the kinds of food that Gatti Jr. would actually eat. (I've always assumed this is why he turned up his nose at my award winning chili recipe).

Gatti(found there's a reason why all restaurants have the same six items on the kid's menu)gap

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally posted by viet_mom
I guess I never know what's "a lot" or "average" or "small" amount of intake. Is that breakfast I described seem like a lot for an 11 month old?

Four ounces of formula, followed by two cups of cereal in milk, and in between she's eating bites of Purée of Previous Dinner? I would blush with pride.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Gattigap
Concur. Especially early on, we were told, the kid knows instinctively when and what it really needs to eat.

Life's choices apparently simplify as you get older, as our new teenager answers those questions with "always", and "everything available."

I am working on getting everything in order so I will be able to work from my home office a few days a week after the kid arrives. Thankfully I have no billable requirement (other than to rake in enough for the mortgage) since I am a free agent. I am figuring working maybe 3/4 of each day spent at home.

I am also twiddling with the idea of hauling the kid with me to the office for a day or so each week as well (only one other atty here and I am far from other people) at least while it is very small. This would leave 2-3 days left for daycare or grandma.

We have a very nice daycare within walking distance of the house which comes highly recommended - I just don't like the idea for an infant due to them getting sick all the time. A nanny would be great, but not realistic for us with only one kid - maybe after #2.

Is this reasonable considering I set my own hours and client appts, am in court no more than 2x/week, often less, and always jam all client meetings into court days (I try to minimize the dress-up days - lazy, huh?). Plus I do a lot of work on nights/weekends anyway - when the Mr. would be there to watch his kid. Essentially, I would probably be working only 3/4 time and don't expect more. Oh, and I'd like to try to avoid formula feeding, so.....

My secretary has suggested a papoose.

Comments?

-TL