General discussion - Mom and Dad Esq.

[viet_mom]

Texlex: Vietbabe also showed an interest in TV at 4 months. I don't see what the big deal is at that young age. I swear by the entire Baby Einstein collection w/ elaborate and colorful toys the little one can stare at. I guess to avoid the TV curse, you could purchase them at a mighty price and set them up like a three ring circus in your living room. But Lexling probably douldn't care if they're 3d or not at that age. For the wee wee ones, besides the Einstein series, I like Teletubbies and its cousin, Boohbah . I think they also like the high-pitched Elmo's voice.

Brazen: Sorry the Brazenette has not shown an early interest in the wonderful world of shoes. I think Vietbabe has the same ones you are describing. They're popular for kids' first shoes. As a less structured alternative -- yes, the Robeez are great. I also used Padders alot, except beware the cloth portion at the toe gets worn quickly. For another less structured option - if you are near a Chinatown, they have teeny cloth shoes with a strap across them, usually embroidered. Or you can try something like these cuties and others on the website.

The Brazenette might be ok if the shoes were more "fun" and might like "squeaky shoes" which squeak when she walks. In China, they are used so when you don't hear squeaking, that means the little one has moved too far away. Kids love em. Here are some squeaky shoes and some more

And finally, my own favorites, oddly enough found on the JC Penney (NTTAWWT) website:

Miniature black Chuckie T's to match my own:


Retrocool mini-moc's:




Vietmom
(Clearly a shoe freak)

[NW Native]

Originally posted by TexLex
Oh, come on - they are pretty cute and they're a hell of a lot better than that annoying Caillou - it will be a dark dark day before he gets to watch that.

-T("Eh-Oh!")L

Agree re: Caillou - that voice makes me want to scream.
And Teletubbies - I could just hear the developers of that one

'It's a TV within a TV for babies!!! Think of the product loyalty we can build from such a young age!!'

My favorites to watch with Native Son were Bear in the Big Blue House (pip and pop were our favorites), and Winnie the Pooh.

(Yikes!!! - TL)

Mar 18, 8:23 am ET By C. Bryson Hull

HOUSTON (Reuters) - After struggling through three years of fertility treatments, Jeffery and Sheryl McGowen were blessed with identical twins. Twice.

Sheryl McGowen gave birth to two sets of identical twins via Caesarean section at the Women's Hospital of Texas in Houston on Monday.

The first twins born are named Jacob and Jacoby, and the second two were named Justin and Jason. The four brothers, who were about 10 weeks early, weigh between 3 pounds, 4 ounces and 2 pounds, 5 ounces.

"I'm still waking up every morning and touching those little wristbands just to check if it's still real," said Jeffery McGowen, a deputy with the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

All four were still on ventilators on Wednesday, but were otherwise healthy and expected to come off the breathing machines on Friday, their father said. Their mother, 35, is doing well, he said.

The odds of two pairs of identical being born during the same pregnancy are about one out of 11 million, the McGowens' doctors told them.

They babies are technically two sets of identical twins because they came from two eggs that divided. Each set of twins looks different from the other set.

The McGowens underwent years of fertility drug treatments, which doctors have credited with an upsurge of multiple births in recent years, before finally trying in vitro fertilization.

Doctors implanted two eggs, which is normal to increase the chances of success. But both eggs were fertilized.

"We started off with twins. Two weeks later we had an ultrasound, and they told us one of the eggs had split," Jeffery McGowen, 34, said.

In November, a doctor specializing in high-risk pregnancies took another look and told the McGowens they were going to have two sets of twins.

"I was shocked, amazed and I really didn't know what to say at that time," Jeffery McGowen told Reuters.

The McGowens kept the news secret until Christmas Day, when they shared it with their families.

Finances are going to be tight, McGowen said.

"We're going from a two-income family to one income, and now we have six instead of two," he said. "But I have faith we'll be provided for."

Link

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by TexLex


The first twins born are named Jacob and Jacoby, and the second two were named Justin and Jason.

Perhaps even more astounding than the long odds of this ever happening is that they were unable to display any more imagination than adding a "y" to one twin's name to come up with the other. Why not abdicate that responsibility entirely and just number them like George Forman?

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
Perhaps even more astounding than the long odds of this ever happening is that they were unable to display any more imagination than adding a "y" to one twin's name to come up with the other. Why not abdicate that responsibility entirely and just number them like George Forman?

Four new babies? They're probably too damn tired to do any more than that.

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally posted by TexLex
So, I've started letting the Lexling watch Teletubbies for 1/2 hr in the morning and I feel as if I may be leading him down the path of the couch potato - he's only 4mos old (tomorrow!), but he LOVES the tv (lots of lights and sounds). Am I a wicked bad mommy?

Television is fine, as long as it's properly controlled. Enter Tivo!

For some TiVo users, household expenses have actually decreased since they forked over the cash to buy the box and pay for the monthly subscription. Ann Silberman of Sacramento, Calif., buys fewer toys for her 7-year-old son, Matt Kempster, than she did for his 17-year-old brother at that age because Matt never sees TV commercials.

"He doesn't know about the popular toys or junk food, because he doesn't watch live TV," Ms. Silberman said. "We record the wholesome shows that we want him to see, and that is what is available for him. Now that he isn't sitting in front of the TV all the time, he's watching less."

During the summer months, the family is able to spend more time outdoors (hi, Bilmore!) when it is still daylight because they no longer feel obligated to watch their favorite programs at the appointed time. "Now I can enjoy a regular life," Ms. Silberman said.

Apparently, it can also make you a better husband, wife, mother, father and insomniac. NYT (reg. req'd).

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy
This is a regular issue in our house; my wife is convinced all TV is evil and that one of the worst things in the world is letting our kids get in the habit of vegging in front of it. I believe we all need a bit of down-time, and as long as it is kept under control, TV is a perfectly acceptable form of down time. (And as long as Kim Possible is tuned in, but that's a different issue...)

Kids are different. One of our kids has no interest in the television, another would watch for half the day if permitted. We on occassion hope that the one with no interest will calm down enough to sit still for a half hour in front of the tube. So I'd watch the kid, see if they're showing signs of dependency or lethargy, and then keep them away from the tube by engaging them.

You're not a bad mother. But try some Little Bear, sometime. It's much better for the same age group.

Do wifey let them see reruns of your show?

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Atticus Grinch

Apparently, it can also make you a better husband, wife, mother, father and insomniac. NYT (reg. req'd).

Tell the truth, Atticus--you're the guy with 7 tivos, right?

[dtb]

Originally posted by NW Native
Agree re: Caillou - that voice makes me want to scream.
And Teletubbies - I could just hear the developers of that one

'It's a TV within a TV for babies!!! Think of the product loyalty we can build from such a young age!!'

My favorites to watch with Native Son were Bear in the Big Blue House (pip and pop were our favorites), and Winnie the Pooh.

Huh -- I guess I'm the only one who doesn't find Caillou completely annoying...

Isn't it eerie how babies are mesmerized by Teletubbies? Both my kids were absolutely hypnotized by it. I read somewhere that to create the teletubbies, they performed studies to see which colors and shapes and sounds most attracted infants' attention, and that's why the TT look and sound the way they do. It's sort of creepy, I think -- but I'm the first one to pop in the "Dipsy" tape when we're coming home and need the baby to be out from underfoot while we unpack/get settled.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by dtb
Huh -- I guess I'm the only one who doesn't find Caillou completely annoying...

Isn't it eerie how babies are mesmerized by Teletubbies? Both my kids were absolutely hypnotized by it. I read somewhere that to create the teletubbies, they performed studies to see which colors and shapes and sounds most attracted infants' attention, and that's why the TT look and sound the way they do. It's sort of creepy, I think -- but I'm the first one to pop in the "Dipsy" tape when we're coming home and need the baby to be out from underfoot while we unpack/get settled.

Studies have shown that the "look" of the TT's most closely resembles, in the kids' eyes, how we appear to them - soft, round gooey things that provide TV and comfort food.

I hear that changes at around 18 or 19. At that time, the TV in the tummy changes to a car.

[NW Native]

Originally posted by dtb
I guess I'm the only one who doesn't find Caillou completely annoying...

I didn't find it completely annoying when watched with the sound turned off. We kind of enjoyed the gentle pictures. But it's hard to keep an active child's attention when there's no sound.

Originally posted by dtb
I read somewhere that to create the teletubbies, they performed studies .... It's sort of creepy, I think ...

Yes. That's my point about TT. The whole concept is like being slapped in the face 'hey, we're manipulating you bwahahahahahah'.

[bold_n_brazen]

Today is the Brazenette's first birthday.

Cake and party hats all around!

[NW Native]

Originally posted by bold_n_brazen
Today is the Brazenette's first birthday.

Cake and party hats all around!

Au contraire, 1st birthday is a huge deal. Of course you're supposed to post numbers (ht/wt) so all the other parents can do the required one-upsmanship comparison to their child's numbers.
Take lots of pictures.

NWN

[robustpuppy]

Originally posted by bold_n_brazen
Today is the Brazenette's first birthday.

Cake and party hats all around!

Happy Birthday to her!

In honor of the Brazenette, today I chose Raisinettes as my afternoon guilty pleasure. (Really. I could have gone with a Hershey's with Almonds, or an Oh, Henry!)

[andViolins]

Originally posted by bold_n_brazen
Today is the Brazenette's first birthday.

Cake and party hats all around!

Is she wearing the cake, the party hat or both?

and which one would she rather be eating?

aV