Bear Wrestling

Lately, Marley has been loving wrestling around with this huge bear. She is always talking to it, slapping it around, biting him. She loves to play with the bear… look!

Can You Teach your Baby to Crawl

The last few weeks Marley has been trying really hard to move around on her own. However getting her to actually crawl is very tough. We have be putting her toys all around her but only making her scoot around in circles. Oops. So I have been letting her us the tummy flyer that I got for her. It helps her know that she can move around, and makes her arms stronger. Pretty soon I think that shell be crawling. But I did some searching on the net and found this 5 step method… let me know what you think.
Here is Marley on her Tummy Flyer…. you should get one.

It’s a logical 5 Step System to help baby crawl in no time. Let’s look at the 5P steps individually…

• P – Put on the carpet. The very first thing any baby must master before there’s any hope of learning to crawl… is being comfortable in the tummy lying position. You’ll get great results doing this if you talk to and play with your baby when she’s on the carpet.

• P – Put together a roller. Roll an ordinary bathroom towel into a “sausage”. Of course, you can also buy any other type of roller. They’re soft cylindrical shaped toys… preferably solid. You do get inflatable ones, but solid ones normally last much longer and can also be used to get teach your child to sit and walk.

• P – Position the elbows. This step requires you to do something. Gently hold your baby by the elbows and draw them towards her body. It will almost seem as if your child wants to lie on her elbows. Continue to provide support.

• P – Position on roller. Gently position the “sausage” under your baby’s upper body… arms hanging over the front of the “sausage”. The towel “sausage” supports the upper body – NOT her stomach – with her elbows just touching the carpet. It should slightly raise her upper body thereby allowing her to discover the surroundings. Make sure her elbows touch the carpet – they must not be hanging in the air.

• P – Perform in front. This is the most important step. Get down on the floor directly in front of your child and face her. Now, let your baby look at your face while you talk to, amuse and encourage her.

The idea is to encourage your child to endure longer sessions on her tummy. Your baby must focus on you and will then spontaneously develop a sense of using both elbows and legs for support. If it’s done right, you’ll soon see her supporting herself on both knees and straight arms… ready to crawl.

The power of this 5P System lies in raising your baby’s upper body to look at her surroundings… all while lying down.

It also only takes a few minutes daily to start seeing results. Obviously, if you can fit in more than one session per day, results come faster.

Isn’t There An Easier Way?

OK, now I have already had a few parents tell me that this 5P technique takes time and effort. It’s not easy and they don’t always have enough time to try the technique. “Isn’t there anything else I can do?”, is quite often the question.

Of course there is!

In my opinion the easiest way of teaching baby to crawl is by playfully introducing the basics by using the gym or the tummy flyer.

I got the tips here—http://www.babydevelopmentnews.com/teachingbabytocrawl.html

When You Really Need A Sitter

So last week I was trying to get some more work done painting houses, so I needed a last minute sitter for Marley. There is getting to be less and less of these willing people available as time goes on.
We asked Ashley’s sister Lauren to watch Marley one of the days. We knew she would be a little bit nervous about this… mostly because she has never watched a baby by herself before, never fed a baby, never had to change a diaper… which as we all know, can be pretty traumatic the first time you encounter a huge poop. I know it was for me. So when she said that she could watch Marley I was grateful and excited to get her all trained up on baby watching 101. I’m really proud of Lauren. She did great job, stuck to the schedule, got her fed, put her down for some good naps, and even changed a few poopy diapers. So don’t be scared to break someone in on watching the baby, just make sure that it’s someone that you really trust. You can never have too many babysitters. Especially ones that are free!
Just remember, that when you have a sitter coming over, make sure that you have everything ready to go. Plenty of diapers, milk, wipers, toys and other baby stuff out and ready to go. Be sure to go over exactly how you want things done, like how to put the baby down for a nap, or how to thaw out and warm up a bottle. Show them, I’m going to say that again, SHOW THEM how you want things done. If you show them and have them do it, their chances of doing it right are a lot higher.
Here is the most import things to have… for me anyway…

– If they have never changed a diaper, show them how, have them do it too
-Give clear instructions to the care giver on how the day should go.
-Double check that they know were to find all the important phone numbers.
-Have plenty of food and drinks for the sitter… you want them to help themselves
-Make sure they know how to work the TV, stereo, and stuff like that…you want them to be comfortable
-What ever you can do to make the sitters job more enjoyable… you want them to want to come back. After all they are watching your kid for free!

Thanks Rachel, Lauren, Bliss, Gail, Moms… we really appreciate it and if there is anything that I can do for you… just let me know

iPhone Pictures

I always forget that I have all these great pictures on my iPhone and forget to upload them to the computer. Anyway, here are some pictures I thought you might like

Male Supernanny? – It’s in the works

ABC America is moving forward with its plans fr a male-based Supernanny spin-off.

ABC has decided today to go ahead with its plans for a male, Supernanny spin-off. ABC will play the pilot episode in the fall of 2008.

The show is pretty much going to be just like the original Supernanny, still a child behavior expert helping a family in trouble… but instead of some British lady, a scruffy Chicago child therapist Mike Ruggles will take on the job.

“With a guy, he can connect with dads in a different kind of way,” executive producer Nick Emmerson said. “It’s really powerful stuff.”

Ruggles’s method to stopping family fights will be different as well. Ruggles encourages parents to learn how to play with their kids and get to know them.

“It feels different to have a guy come in to work with your kids,” Mr Emmerson said. “A woman has a woman’s touch, and people are more accepting and ready for her advice. We had to find the right person who has real authority and a gentle touch as well.”

From ABC news

Check Out the New Store

I made it! Get you some stuff for your baby at the new store.

Friggin‘ Awesome Baby Store for Dads

If there is some stuff that you want in the store…let me know. You could get all your baby stuff right here!

Baby Stuff Sucks

Why is there nothing for us Dads? I mean… trying to find some stylish stuff for dad and baby is next to impossible. There is literally nothing. I mean nothing. (I have been using a old Swiss Army carry on bag.) I am now on a personal conquest to find the best stuff for the new for us dads. I’m going to try to stay away from the cheap black normal diaper bags and the stereotypical camouflage bags that these diaper bag makers seem to think that all men like. But if that’s all I can find, that’s all I can find. I’m gonna put a Amazon Store soon that has stuff that dads want for the baby and himself… well at least myself.

9 Signs of Teething Babies

Marley is really going through some changes right now. She is figuring everything out. She most recently discovered how play with her tongue, I guess. She is always sticking it out, flicking it like a little snake, and even licking and biting at the air like dogs do when you blow in there face. It, really funny to sit and watch her discover her own body and surroundings.

A while ago I thought Marley was teething, I could have been wrong because now she is really showing almost all the signs of teething. If you think your baby may be teething check this list out. I got most of this from Katharina Bishop’s parenting advice.

1. Irritability: When the fist tooth gets closer to breaking through, the baby’s gums might get more and more sore, often leading to fussiness and crying.

2. Drooling: When the baby starts her teething process you might see a ton of drool… lots more that normal. Teething makes the babies lots, some more that others.

3. Coughing: Because of all the extra drool, your baby might cough of gag occasionally. As long as there are no other signs of a cold, and no fever, some coughing is normal.

4. Chin rash: If the baby drools lots and lots, the constant contact of drool on the face might cause a rash on the chin and mouth. Just make sure to wipe the baby’s face often to help the baby from getting a chapped chin and mouth.

5. Biting & gnawing: A teething baby will gnaw and gum down on anything. The pressure from biting helps relieve and numbs the pain. There are tons of good teething aid that will really help the baby feel better.

This is the best teething aid I have found

The First Years Massaging Teether This colorful vibrating teether can help increase circulation in your baby’s swollen gums and reduce the swelling and discomfort associated with teething. Your baby just bites down on the star points and gentle vibrations instantly begin to massage his gums. A non-replaceable battery guaranteed to last at least four months from the date of purchase is safely sealed within the handle. Massaging Teether

6. Cheek rubbing and ear pulling: Pain in the gums might also effect the ears and cheeks especially when the molars start to come in. This is why you might see your baby rubbing their cheeks or pulling at their ears. But keep in mind that if the baby is constantly pulling at their ears, they might have some kind of ear infection, so keep an eye out for that.

7. Diarrhea: Most parents usually notice diarrhea like poop when the baby is teething. This is considered by lots of parents to be the most common symptom of teething. This is because of all the extra drool and saliva that the baby is swallowing. But if the diarrhea lasts for longer than a day straight, you might want to call a doctor.

8. Mild fever: Many parents find that their baby will get a mild fever during teething. If your baby has a fever of 102 degrees for longer than 2 days… call a doctor.

9. Not sleeping well: Babies might not sleep so well. Waking up during the night may become common when teething, especially when molars are coming in.

On average, the fist bottom tooth comes in around 7 months, but as early as 3 months, and as late as a year. Or a little sooner or later in rare occasions. Babies teething patterns are also hereditary, so if your teeth came in early, chances are your babies will too!

Stay at Home Dad Lesson- Thawing out frozen breast milk

Now that I am at home with the baby most of the time, feeding the baby is priority #1
Here is the best way to get the frozen milk ready for the baby to drink.

1. After the baby wakes up you have to feed the baby. Now, since Marley is still on breast milk, this means thawing out some of the frozen breast milk. The best way to thaw out breast milk is to hold it or place it in warm water. Just warm water. Hot water will ruin the milk and the good stuff in it. That is all you need to know about it.
2. Do not thaw it in the fridge… it takes too long. Do not put it in the microwave… too hot, so is the stove. Only thaw it in warm water.
3. You can put the bag or bottle of frozen breast milk in a bowl filled with warm water, then every few minutes, put more warm water in it. Or just put it in a container under the faucet of running warm water.
4. You can serve the milk when it is room temperature, but body temp is best.
5. Remember that the thawed out breast milk is only good for 24 hours.
6. Do not waste any milk! That stuff is precious, do not waste it!

You can get more information from Dr. Sears here!

18 Tips They Should Have Handed Out at the Delivery Room

This is a guest post from Leo Babauta of Zen Habits, a father of six children.

Being a father can be a wonderful thing, once you get past all the gross stuff, all the stressful events, the loss of privacy, and the bewildering numbers of ways you can screw it up.
But other than those few things, fatherhood is wonderful.
Every dad has fears that he won’t be a great dad, that he’ll mess up, that he’ll be a failure. It comes with the job.
Unfortunately, what doesn’t come with the job is a simple set of instructions. As guys, we often will skip the manual, figuring we can wing it … but when things go wrong, it’s nice to have that manual to go back to. Fatherhood needs that manual.
And while, as the father of six children, you might say that I’m qualified to write such a manual, it’s not true — I’m winging it like everyone else. However, I’ve been a father for more than 15 years, and with six kids I’ve learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t, what’s important and what you can safely ignore (unlike that odd grating sound coming from your engine).
What follows are the fatherhood tips I wish they’d passed out to me upon the delivery of my first child. It would have helped a ton. I hope they’ll help you become an even more awesome dad than you already are — feel free to refer back to them as a cheat sheet, anytime you need some help.

1. Cherish your time with them. One thing that will amaze you is how quickly the years will fly. My oldest daughter is 15, which means I have three short years with her before she leaves the nest. That’s not enough time! The time you have with them is short and precious — make the most of it. Spend as much time as you can with them, and make it quality, loving time. Try to be present as much as possible while you’re with them too — don’t let your mind drift away, as they can sense that.
2. It gets easier. Others may have different experiences, but I’ve always found the first couple of months the most difficult, when the baby is brand new and wants to feed at all hours of the night and you often have sleepless nights and walk around all day like zombies. It gets easier, as they get a regular sleeping pattern. The first couple of years are also a lot more demanding than later years, and as they hit middle school they become almost functioning, independent adults. It gets easier, trust me.
3. Don’t look at anything as “mom” duties — share responsibilities. While there are a lot of good things from our grandparents’ day that we should bring back, the traditional dad/mom split of parenting duties isn’t one of them. Some men still look at certain duties as “mom” duties, but don’t be one of those dads. Get involved in everything, and share the load with your baby mama. Changing diapers, giving baths, getting them dressed, even feeding them (you can give them breast milk in a bottle).
4. Love conquers all. This one sounds corny, but it should be at the center of your dad operating philosophy: above all, show your children love. When you’re upset, instead of yelling, show them love. When they are upset, show them love. When they least expect it, show them love. Everything else is just details.
5. Kids like making decisions. While it is easier to be an authoritarian parent, what you’re teaching your child is to submit to orders no matter what. Instead, teach your child to make decisions, and he’ll grow up much more capable — and happier. Kids like freedom and decisions, just like any other human beings. Your job is to allow them to make decisions, but within the parameters that you set. Give them a choice between two healthy breakfasts, for example, rather than allowing them to eat a bowl of sugar if they choose to.
6. A little patience goes a long way. As a parent, I know as well as anyone how easy it is to lose your patience and temper. However, allowing yourself to react in anger or frustration is not the best thing for your child, and you must remember that. That means you need to take a deep breath, or a walk, when you start to lose your patience. Practice patience with your child and your relationship, and your child, will benefit over the long run.
7. Sense of humor required. There will be times when your child does something that might make you blow your lid — writing in crayon all over the walls is a good one, as is dumping some kind of liquid on your couch, or sneaking out and taking your car to meet up with friends. While you need to teach your child not to do these things, it’s better to just laugh at the humor in the situation. I’ve learned to do this more often, and it helps me keep my sanity.
8. Read to them, often. Whether you’re a reader or not, reading to your children (from the time they’re babies onward) is crucial. It gets them in the habit of reading, and prepares them for a lifetime of learning. It gives you some special time together, and become a tradition your child will cherish. I read with all my children, from my 2-year-old and my 15-year-old, and love every word we read together. See my list of Best All-Time Children’s Books.
9. Don’t be the absent dad. The biggest mistake that dads make are not being there for their children. Always, always set aside time each day and each week for your children. Don’t let anything violate this sacred time. And at those big moments in your child’s life — a soccer game, a music recital, a science fair — do you very best to be there. It means the world.
10. Let them play. Kids really develop through playing — and while it might seem obvious, you should allow them as much free play as possible. That’s aside from TV and video games (see below), aside from reading, aside from anything structured or educational. Just let them play, and make things up, and have fun.
11. Spark their imagination. Free play, mentioned above, is the best way to develop the imagination, but sometimes you can provide a little spark. Play with your kids, creating forts, dressing up as ninjas, role playing, imagining you’re explorers or characters in a movie or book … the possibilities are endless, and you’ll have as much fun as they will.
12. Limit TV and video games. I’m not saying you have to be Amish or anything, but too much of this type of entertainment keeps them from doing more imaginative playing, from reading, from getting outside to exercise. I recommend an hour a day of “media time”, but you can find the amount that works for you and your family.
13. Learn the “firm no”. While I’m all for giving kids the freedom to choose, and for free play, and lots of other freedoms, there should be limits. Parents who don’t set boundaries are going to have children with behavior problems, who have problems when they grow up. And if it’s not good to always say “yes”, it’s also not good for the child to say “no” at first … and then cave in when they throw a temper tantrum or beg and plead. Teach them that your “no” is firm, but only say “no” when you really feel that it’s a boundary you need to set.
14. Model good behavior. It’s one thing to tell you child what she should do, but to say one thing and do another just ruins the message. In fact, the real lesson your child will learn is what you do. Your child is always watching you, to learn appropriate behavior. Excessive drinking or smoking or drug use by parents, for example, will become ingrained in the child’s head. Bad manners, inconsiderate behavior, sloppy habits, anger and a negative attitude, laziness and greed … all these behaviors will rub off on your child. Instead, model the behavior you’d like your child to learn.
15. Treat their mother with respect, always. Some fathers can be abusive toward their spouse, and that will lead to a cycle of abuse when the child grows up. But beyond physical or verbal abuse, there’s the milder sin against the child’s mother: disrespectful behavior. If you treat your child’s mother with disrespect, your child will not only learn that behavior, but grow up with insecurities and other emotional problems. Treat your child’s mother with respect at all times.
16. Let them be themselves. Many parents try to mold their child into the person they want their child to be … even if the child’s personality doesn’t fit that mold. Instead, instill good behaviors and values in your child, but give your child freedom to be himself. Children, like all humans, have quirks and different personalities. Let those personalities flourish. Love your child for who he is, not who you want him to be.
17. Teach them independence. From an early age, teach your children to do things for themselves, gradually letting them be more independent as they grow older. While it may seem difficult and time-consuming to teach your child to do something that you could do much faster yourself, it’s worth it in the long run, for the child’s self-confidence and also in terms of how much you have to do. For example, my kids know how to wash their own dishes, help clean the house, clean their rooms, fold and put away laundry, shower, groom and dress themselves, and much more — saving a lot of time and work for me. Even my 2-year-old knows how to pick things up when she’s told to do so.
18. Stand together with mom. It’s no good to have one parent say one thing, just to have the other contradict that parent. Instead, you and mom should be working together as a parenting team, and should stand by each other’s decisions. That said, it’s important that you talk out these decisions beforehand, so that you don’t end up having to support a decision you strongly disagree with.