Good Morning Everyone! Up way too early today...
How was your weekend? Any new successes, challenges or milestones to report?
QOTD: Let's talk about screen time. What's your philosophy about this? How much does your kid (or kids) realistically get? What's your plan as they get older?
Parenting Roster:(Please let me know if you would like to be added)@2brides – G & C born 5/18/06, other Mom is L@Themommymonster – C (DS) born 2/18/09@Mystjava – Little Bear (LB) born 3/31/10, other Mummum is Shawn@winstan1 – J (DS) born 9/10 (currently 3.5 years old)@Trisholio and @trisholiosboi – Proud foster parents to M born 2/6/12 and K born 8/22/13; baby Adalyn born 8/29/14@jazibel – Kaden born 7/13/12 and Owen born 5/2/14, other parent (Aya) is EV@newmompeanut – N (DD) born 2/12/13, other Momma is B@CageyMack – W born 3/16/13@JGY – Gabe born 3/24/13, other Mama is S.@Stringy813 – M born May 2013@Clairmeij – Alarico born 6/28/13, other mama is V@Wallace323 – J and L born 8/8/13, surviving triplets born at 31 weeks@Jrtmom – Henry born 8/15/13, other mama is L@ATXmommas – Sebastian (“Ash”) born 11/21/13, other Momma is Z@mwagner25 – Oliver born 11/27/13, other parent is L@herbabymama – C (DD) born 12/10/13, other Mama is K@Sarahtrpt – C born February 2014@AmandaG47 – Twin girls born 2/22/14, other Mommy is J@Mamosey & @Karlamo – R born 2/25/14@shameless370087 - Anthony and Sati, born 3/9/2014, Other mom is S@Filmfanatic82 – Charley born 3/15/14@2momsinCA - B & O born 5/27/14@KH826 – Will born 6/4/14@redrockmama – M born 6/19/14, other Mama is J@ball.and.chain – B born 6/28/14@Flygirl1228 – Twins 7/25/14@KLeigh1 - S born 7/25/14@shelly2314 - Elise and Olivia, born 8/19/14, wife is M@2MamazInSeattle - S born 8/21/14@rkbo - Amelia born 9/22/14
Married my wife 8/2007 ~ TTC #1 since 7/2011
9 IUIs = 9 BFNs
IVF October 2012: 22 eggs retrieved, 17 fertilized, 5 frozen
ET #1: 1 blast = BFP; Blighted ovum discovered at 7w5d; D&E
FET #1: 1 blast = BFP; Missed m/c discovered at 9w5d; D&E
Karyotyping: normal ~ RPL Testing: normal ~ Hysteroscopy: normal
FET #2: 1 blast transferred 10/25; BFP 10/31!
EDD 7/13/14 ~ Induced at 37w4d due to pre-eclampsia ~ Born on 6/28/14
*Everyone welcome*

Re: Parenting Check In (10/27)
We are doing great. I feel like we have sort of hit our stride with the daycare/work/parenting routine. I'm actually really enjoying being back at work, my commute is so much better than my pre-leave commute, and B seems to be loving the daycare ladies and they him (they call him "lindo" and kiss him good morning and good night, and he smiles as soon as he sees them).
He slept through the night a couple of times last week and generally just gets up once around 2 am; he chugs his bottle and is back to bed in half an hour or less. S and I alternate days we are on "baby duty" at night so neither one of us has to get up every night, and if one of us is extra tired or has a big day at work, that person sleeps in the guest room that night so she gets a full eight hours. Everyone at work keeps making jokes about how tired I probably am and frankly I feel quite well-rested! We are about to do sleep training to get B out of our bed and into his crib, which will upset this a bit, but hopefully it will also be effective and will lead to all of us getting better-quality sleep in the long run. For naps on the weekends I've been putting him down drowsy in our bed or on the couch and sitting by him while he falls asleep and that's been working well -- it used to be you couldn't put him down until he was out cold, so this is good progress. He's still on the couch or in the bed so I don't feel comfortable leaving him alone for longer than a minute or so, but I can usually get a few things done while he's out. Yesterday he took three naps and I was able to fold and put away two loads of laundry, unload and re-load the dishwasher, make dinner and breakfast for this morning, put away the NB clothes, and start working on his baby book. He also sat quietly playing in his bouncy seat while I showered and brushed my teeth and ate lunch, which is always a crapshoot, and cooperated for a walk to the drugstore in his carrier. He seems to be super happy pretty much all the time when he's not asleep, hungry or eating, and has started babbling to himself while he's playing. 3-4m is a really fun age!
On Friday my office let everyone go an hour early and I decided to use my hour to go to the gym before I picked B up. This is the first time I've been to the gym since probably 2nd trimester and I was really proud of myself for making that choice and sticking to it. Well, I showed up at daycare and they were having a graduation party I'd forgotten about, so all the parents and kids were there and I met most of them for the first time sweaty and in gym clothes. It was a little embarrassing. On the upside, it was nice to meet more of them and everyone seemed really nice and raved about how much they and their kids loved the daycare. Plus there was a full buffet dinner served (homemade by the daycare owner's adult son), so I didn't have to eat a frozen burrito for dinner.
QOTD: So obviously I asked this for a reason. S and I both enjoy TV, but she watches a lot more of it than I do; she generally has it on most of the time when she's home whereas I will only turn it on to watch specific shows. This means that, of course, the TV is on when B is around. This didn't bother me when he was tiny and didn't notice it, but now he "watches" it -- stares at it, slack-jawed, and sometimes it's hard to get his attention when he's looking at it. There were a few times when he was watching and something inappropriate was on -- the Today show reporting on beheadings, or some guy humping some other guy's face on "Below Deck" -- so S has started putting PBS on instead. He has watched "Peg + Cat" (adorable!), "The Cat in the Hat", and "Sesame Street," which S says he loves.
I've told S several times that I feel guilty about B watching TV at this age. I knew the whole "no screen time until 2" thing was probably not going to be realistic in our house, but I certainly didn't imagine him watching TV at 4m. It's not like he's parked in front of the TV for a long time, and S is basically using it to distract him so she can do a load of dishes or make dinner; her justification is that those things need to get done and if 10 minutes of a PBS show lets her do them, so be it. I don't know. Everything I've read about screen time before 2 is negative, and I guess I'm just curious about what other kids' experiences are and whether I am making a bigger deal of this than I need to.
9 IUIs = 9 BFNs
IVF October 2012: 22 eggs retrieved, 17 fertilized, 5 frozen
ET #1: 1 blast = BFP; Blighted ovum discovered at 7w5d; D&E
FET #1: 1 blast = BFP; Missed m/c discovered at 9w5d; D&E
Karyotyping: normal ~ RPL Testing: normal ~ Hysteroscopy: normal
FET #2: 1 blast transferred 10/25; BFP 10/31!
EDD 7/13/14 ~ Induced at 37w4d due to pre-eclampsia ~ Born on 6/28/14
*Everyone welcome*
Things are rolling right along. The sports season is almost over - it can't come soon enough....I love that the boys play, but it takes over our entire Sundays afternoons and it is starting get cold sitting outside for 3 hrs.
QOTD: We started letting the kids watch "Signing Times" videos when they were about 18m-2y. It was great from a sign language perspective and they eventually learned 70-80 signs (which helped with their communication/behavior tremendously!) They watched Nick Jr/Disney shows when they were in PK/early elementary - typically 1 show in the AM while I got ready and then 1 show in the PM before bed. They got Leapfrogs when they were about 4 or so and then got iPods when they were 5y (we got tired of paying $30/game x2 - $.99 apps are much better and harder to lose!) and then they saved their money for a long time and bought Nintendo DS when they were 6.5y.
Now - They rarely watch tv. They stopped tv viewing in the AM in exchange for 20m of iPod time. And we really don't have time to watch tv before they go to bed (it is a mad dash to get homework, dinner, showers, and reading down between 6p-8p!) Every once in awhile they will watch a movie on the weekend. We recently slashed their iPod time/DS time. They used to play it in the AM before getting ready for school and then once they got home after homework was done. But we found that getting everyone ready in the AM was so much better when they didn't have access to electronics in the AM. And in the PM they were rushing through homework/reading in the evening to play, so we pulled the plug.
Now, they go away Sunday night and emerge on Friday night. And during the weekend, they can play, but it is mostly in the car to/from activities and in the AM if they wake up before we do. There are some exceptions - L has to take them to a 2 hr meeting at school Wednesday because I have plans and she will let them play electronics after homework is done and they read.
Now, our situation is deciding what we LET them see/play vs how much!
Gabe is 19 months (I just looked at the calendar and realized this, yesterday when asked I said 18 - oops!)
I feel badly that I missed a lot last week. This were just crazy nuts at work, and I'm rarely able to check in while at home. I work in healthcare administration, so you can imagine the current level of ridiculous panic that Ebola preparedness has spawned. Ugh.
We've had a really good couple of weeks. I know the last time I checked in I was a mess, and was very concerned about Gabe's development. Pretty much all of that has been resolved. The weekend before this last one, my in-laws came to visit. Not only was it great to have them here, and we had a fantastic time together apple picking and generally hanging out, but it also allowed me to step back and really watch Gabe interacting with other people. Eye contact, check! Listening, yes! Mimicking facial expressions, you betcha! It was such a restorative visit, and I feel immense relief.
Don't get me wrong, he's still a huge challenge with energy and opinions for days. But at least I feel like I can gather more skills and learn how to be a better parent without the major concern of a larger issue.
This weekend was all about enjoying the beautiful weather. On Saturday morning we raked leaves and G had a great time helping. I am overjoyed that we are finally at the stage where he can be involved instead of having to figure out time to get these things done without him. We also went to the playground and watched football. On Saturday evening we went to the Volleyball game at the U and G did pretty well. The team helped out by winning rather quickly, so the timing ended up being pretty perfect.
Sunday S had to work in the morning, so G and I walked the dog and then spent some good time in the yard. When S got back, I went to the store and then made all our dinners for the week (this is week 3 of this plan and it's going really well!!!). Then we hung out, watched some football, played, went to bed and here we are again.
QOTD: @ball.and.chain you know I appreciate this question.
Fact: the TV is on at our house way more than I think it should be.
Fact: I am the one that turns it on most of the time.
S and I both like to have the TV on. For the most part, when G is awake, it's on a sports channel or news. And while G will watch sports for a little while, he pretty much ignores everything else. But I realize that we are getting to a point where we need to be more careful and S and I really need to have a conversation about it. Last night I peeked in the living room while I was cooking, and she had the Simpsons on. Exactly the kind of stuff I don't want to have him exposed to right now. But I can hardly judge ...
From what I understand, one of the major concerns about screen time before age 2, is the speed with which the images change. This is especially bad in cartoons (SpongeBob is apparently the worst). My poor memory is telling me that this can affect the attention span in children, along with a few other things.
So in the way that I rationalize everything to make myself feel better, I guess I kind let myself think that things that move in the speed of daily live and activity are okay. Not in that I would let my kid sit in front of the tv all day, but just when we have it on in the background.
I do admit though, I have now purposefully put on Sesame Street a few times when I needed a break/distraction in order to get a few things done. Reassuringly, G only maintains an interest in it for about 5 minutes. Then he's off running again.
Married to my amazing wife 6/12/10
TTC since 6/11
Unmedicated IUI #1 - 6/28/11 - BFN
Unmedicated IUI #2 - 7/25/11 - BFN
Robotic Myomectomy (Fibroid Surgery) - 11/15/11
Unmedicated IUI #3 - 4/24/12 - BFN
Progesterone Supported Leuteal Phase IUI #4 - 6/21/12 - BFP!!
Baby Boy G Born 3/24/13
On to #2, are we crazy?
IUI #1 - 11/28/14 - BFP! Beta #1 (11DPO) 34, Beta #2 (13DPO) 101, Beta #3 (20DPO) 3043
Ultrasound at 6w4d shows a single, fluttering heartbeat. Say hello to Sticky Ricki!
Baby Oliver born 11/27/13
TTC stats with donor sperm...
IUI #1 with trigger, 1/4/13 - BFN
IUI #2 with trigger, 2/1/13 BFN
IUI #3 with tigger, 2/28/12 BFP EDD 11/21/13
Will is 20 weeks, he will turn 5 months a week from tomorrow! So crazy!
We had a great weekend. On Saturday, we went to the zoo with my MIL. I am officially in love with the Philadelphia Zoo! I think it is my new happy place! The weather was gorgeous, and I think Will really enjoyed all the fresh air. He had two feedings and a 30 min nap outside in addition to lots of fun wakeful time checking out animals and walking around. I can't wait to go back to the zoo when he gets older. There are tons of fun activities (carousel, swan boat rides, choochoo train rides, etc.) that he will hopefully love when he is a bit older and more aware. Right now he thinks everything is funny, which is awesome. We walked around talking to him about different animals and pointing them out, and he just smiled and laughed. It was seriously fantastic. We got him a giraffe hat and a book about foxes from the gift shop. I wanted to buy one of everything! HAHA - We will definitely be going back to the zoo. We are thinking about getting a membership for 2015!
Yesterday was our usual Sunday routine -- lunch at Panera, grocery store, some household chores, and a long nap in the glider (he sleeps on me, and I just sit there and enjoy my cuddle time with him and usually browse on my iPad).
Life feels really good right now... Still sleeping through the night. Growing like a weed (mostly 6 month clothes, but a few 9 month jammies). Lots of belly laughs. Bath time is a hoot, and now he is sad when it is over and we take him out of the tub! His personality seems to have just totally exploded in the last month or so -- it is amazing! On week days, my favorite part of the day is when I get home from work. He is usually with my wife in the playroom (which is in the back of the house), and they can hear me come in before I can see them.... usually my wife says "Do you hear Momma?!?!" and then I poke my head into the playroom and say "Hiiii William!" With a big smile on my face, and he smiles back and giggles! AHHH love it!!!!
QOTW: Our TV intake has definitely decreased since we had Will. We are pretty big TV lovers, in general. We made the decision to not put a TV in the playroom, and we got rid of the TV in our bedroom, so now the only TV in the house is in our family room. We don't watch any TV during the day, and most of the hanging out when we are home occurs in the playroom. We usually turn the TV on around 7ish every night and then turn it off before we go up to bed between 9 and 9:30pm. During that time, at least an hour of it Will is napping on me (He usually sleeps from 7:30-8:30 or 8-9, then we wake him to feed him one last time before putting him down for the night. So we are watching about 2-2.5 hrs of TV a day, but Will is sleeping through at least an hour of it, sometimes all of it. As he becomes more active, and once we eventually adjust his bedtime to earlier, that may cut out his TV viewing at night all together. I don't think an hour of being awake in the same room as the TV when it is on is going to have any negative impact on our little guy, and that TV time at night is time for my wife and I to both relax and unwind together and watch a few things that we both enjoy together. Right now we don't plan on putting Will in front of the TV for any reason during the day. If TV is a special night time activity for an hour or so, I think it is fine. I know some folks disagree, and I respect that. I will admit that I do plan on watching some Christmas shows with Will this year, and I am excited to introduce him to Frosty and Rudolf and some of my favorites!
Me - 30, My wife - 31 , Together for 10 yrs - Married August 2012
5 medicated IUIs w/ RE (March - July 2013) = BFN
Fresh IVF Cycle in September 2013 resulted in 18 mature eggs, 16 fertilized, 12 made it to day 5. Transfer of 2 Grade A blastocysts on 9/15/13, and 10 embryos in the freezer! *****BFP on 9/25/13 - betas: @10dp5dt = 232; @12dp5dt = 465; @15dp5dt = 1,581 *********William George born June 4, 2014*********We officially have a walker! During my last update I reported that he was taking about 3-5 steps at a time. Out of nowhere, he busted out about 20 steps when I picked him up from daycare on Wednesday. I just stood watching him with my mouth hanging open. I picked him up on Thursday as well and was ready with the video. He still crawls sometimes, but he is getting so much more sure of himself. So fun to watch.
It's so interesting to see the differing activity levels of children the same age. We met our friends whose little girl is 2 days older than Ash at the pumpkin patch yesterday and tried to get pics of the babies together. We set them in a cluster of pumpkins and our friend's baby just stood there sweetly while our kid scaled every pumpkin in his sight. Coocoo.
Milk update - we started sending bottles with 2oz BM + 2oz soy milk. I was going to send a 70/30 ratio, but thought that if I was taking away the caloric punch of 1oz of BM I should replace it with more than 1oz of soy. We're going to stick with this ratio as long as I can maintain it. Cutting out a pumping session has taken my supply a notch and it's getting harder to even get the 6oz for his three bottles - frozen milk might all be gone by the end of this week. I know I'm producing less because he needs less, but still messes with my head. I will say, though, that only pumping 2 times per day has felt AMAZING!
Bad news: I think we all have strep. I started feeling terrible Friday afternoon and spent a lot of the weekend in bed, though I did suck it up and go to the pumpkin patch because it was our last chance to go. I went to the doctor today and tested + for strep. My dr told me that strep can present as red dots on infants, which Ash has. I took him to the pediatrician last Friday and they just said it looked viral and didn't prescribe anything. I left a message for a nurse at the pediatrician's office to call me to see if they want to screen him. It would also explain the really poor sleep he had on Saturday.
QOTW: Currently, we rarely have the tv on when he is awake. Z has, on occasion, tried to get him engaged in a tv program when he's been upset or clingy, but he's not been interested. Not my preference, but I totally get using tv in small increments to help get through the day. That said, I don't know when we'll start letting him watch 30 minute programs. My preference would be to wait until he's two, but realistically it might be sooner. I think as with most parenting decisions, the literature varies. Several months ago, there was an article that made it sound like screen time before 2 would ruin a kid's life (I exaggerate), but it was shortly followed up by a, "Well, a little in moderation is ok." The links are somewhere in an old TTT thread.
I will say that he is mesmerized by the phone. We try to keep him away from it, but when he gets ahold of it, he gets this evil looking grin as he looks at the glowing screen. I agree with PP that knowing how to use technology at an early age isn't just inevitable, but useful. Anyways, I think it's best in moderation, but I don't think that some screen time before 2 is damaging.
Me - 30, My wife - 31 , Together for 10 yrs - Married August 2012
5 medicated IUIs w/ RE (March - July 2013) = BFN
Fresh IVF Cycle in September 2013 resulted in 18 mature eggs, 16 fertilized, 12 made it to day 5. Transfer of 2 Grade A blastocysts on 9/15/13, and 10 embryos in the freezer! *****BFP on 9/25/13 - betas: @10dp5dt = 232; @12dp5dt = 465; @15dp5dt = 1,581 *********William George born June 4, 2014*********One of these days I am going to start a list of "Amazing quotes from @Winstan1" ... today's favorites: 1) The iPad is worse than Heroine; 2) It is the zombie apocalypse, and I am the zombie
Also, I want to see J in this princess dress! Bring us the cuteness! Maybe for PIP Thursday?!?!
Me - 30, My wife - 31 , Together for 10 yrs - Married August 2012
5 medicated IUIs w/ RE (March - July 2013) = BFN
Fresh IVF Cycle in September 2013 resulted in 18 mature eggs, 16 fertilized, 12 made it to day 5. Transfer of 2 Grade A blastocysts on 9/15/13, and 10 embryos in the freezer! *****BFP on 9/25/13 - betas: @10dp5dt = 232; @12dp5dt = 465; @15dp5dt = 1,581 *********William George born June 4, 2014*********@ball.and.chain - So proud of you for going to the gym!! Little B is doing great, and I am *so freaking excited* to meet him. Oh, and you.
@sarahtrpt Thanks for starting the sleep training discussion! It is on our radar...esp. lately as S sleeps great...during the day. I let her because I can get stuff done! However busy/fussy time is now extending to 11 p.m. - then usually only 1 wake up between 11 - 9 a.m. But once I go back to work, this schedule will not be ok. Thanks to all who offered input to - super helpful to read.
@JGY - So glad things look ok/'normal' for Gabe. Your autism scare worried me. You are a kick*azz mom and you can and will handle anything well! However, similar to S's potential for trisomy X, while I could handle it - I did not want that for her! (or, me if I'm honest). Glad your little man is ok! Quadruple phew!
@KH826 - Ohhhh I love the zoo and particularly our zoo as it is a mere 8 block flat walk from our house. I was just laying in bed the other day thinking I should get a membership soon as our zoo is expansive with loads of long walking paths - so for now, more exercise for me with S, and a fun view of creatures along the way. This was great until I read this in regard to the mistreatment of the elephants there. Now I'm conflicted...but my selfishness may win...
@jrtmom Got your email and let's definitely do lunch soon! I can come down the hill and meet you
@ATXmommas - How is Ash a year almost!?! And walking!? He's so adorable, and I'm so excited for you to start TTC for his sibling. I'll admit, I"m kinda hoping for a girl
@redrockmama - I love seeing S with other babies now - I can imagine it only gets better as they get older! Cute!
@FlyGirl1228 - Good luck going back to work! I'm sure it will be quite an adjustment, but you'll do great. I enjoy your updates a lot!
---
Simone is 9 weeks, 5 days old!
She is doing great! we had our 8 week appointment and she got her shots - while it was hard to see her in pain for those few minutes, I feel so much better taking her out and about in the world now. There are a huge lot of anti-vac'ers in the PNW, which breaks down the herd. Newborns have recently gotten measles (it's airborn, and the anti-vac family went to the pedi and the newborn was sitting next to the infected kid). Whooping cough had a huge outbreak here a couple years and a bunch of babies died... I just feel better. Plus, one of our new gay dad friends is a pediatric neurologist at Children's and runs the entire autism center...and he is 100% pro vac which helped with some of my (scientifically unfounded) fears/worries.
S weighed in at 11 lbs, 1 oz. She is wearing some 0-3, and lots of 3-6 month clothes. She is LONG - 90th percentile in length, also 90th in head circumference but only 42nd in weight. Still, our pedi wasn't at all worried and describe her as "a pumpkin on a stick" - big head, long, skinny body. Last I checked, tall, skinny and smart wins in our culture...so I guess I'll just take it as a good thing!
I'm doing ok too. I have a lot of aches and pains (WAY more than in pregnancy, oddly enough) - my hands/"mom's thumb" got so bad I went to my hand doctor yesterday and got some shots. I couldn't lift S up the other morning and had to readjust...so it was time for some action. My shoulder is messed up from being squashed from her in-bed cosleeper, but we are both way to paranoid to have her in bed without a barrier. I procured a bassinet from CL and we are working in getting her out of the bed (esp. since we aren't cuddling once she's in the co-sleeper... so she'd be basically moving from one side of me to the other, in her vessel). I had originally planned to put her in her rock and play to sleep, but my aforementioned doctor friend said only laying flat is ok for nighttime/long sleeps (SIDS)...and J's friend having lost her son to SIDS when I was 9 months pregnant (baby was 4 months) has made her uber scared of it, so we take every precaution. Scary when those things hit so close to home.
In the milk department, I continue to make 10 oz or so a day
Her gas/constipation has been way better too! We add prune juice (1 tablespoon) to her bottles. And we continue to use the unicorn milk formula which is basically pre-digested according to my pediatrician. She, however, suggested that S's issues could have been from an immature gut and to try mixing in regular grade formula to see if she reacts. Granted, the unicorn milk is pricey, but if it keeps her comfy we are 100% ok to stay with it. We are consistently getting 1 - 2 poops a day now, and very few "gas attacks" even with no gas drops!
And...I love her so much. I tear up sometimes just looking at her/playing with her. She is so beautiful and I tell her that about 200 times a day. I promise to compliment on more substantial things later, but for now, her cute factor wins. Her personality is coming out more and more. I vote introvert and a wee bit intense/serious. She is not a ham or a goofball, though she has things she LOVES (like the mobile my sister mad her) that make her super similey and kicky/punching with happiness. It's super cute! Her eyelashes are so long and her eyes are getting bigger and more defined. We're still waiting to see what color they will be (brown/green or hazel). I feel like she is working hard to develop - but of course that is just my vibe - and that overall she's pretty content. She's never been much of a crier or super fussy for which we are super grateful. She only wakes once now during the night, for which we are also grateful! She loves white noise, her swing/mirrors, her mobile her Aunt J made. She hates diaper/clothing changes, socks, ice cold formula (we do not heat bottles ever, but she definitely prefers room temp) and getting too hot.
Also she and J are super bonded and it's so sweet to see my two loves together. J just hangs out with her, holds her and plays with her a lot. We started doing an evening dance party where we dance her around to music and she cries if we stop before she's done - this is all J and it's been so much fun! S's male donor is very musically talented so maybe some early exposure will help? Either way it's fun for all of us.
Phew. That was long and thanks for staying with me! I will do better keeping up, as I really promised myself I wouldn't disappear once I had a baby since I've been really sad to see people go who I loved having here.
QOTW: Good one, B&C. Nice to read all the replies and perspectives. Honestly this one is so hard because in no way are J and I good models here. We record probably 10 hours of TV a week and watch it when S is around. I never had cable as an adult until J moved in - she loves TV and also in her job, it's important to be current on the social minutia of it (coffeeshop talk!). S still sleeps a lot so I'm not worried yet...but the other night we were watching The Walking Dead and J had her facing the screen and I made her turn S around! That show is so gross and violent at times (though I'm addicted). And, last night during dance party instead of looking at us, she kept looking at the TV which had a splashscreen up of a field of sunflowers...which it was just a photo essentially, I had to turn it off to keep her engaged with us!
As for other screens, she's still so young - but we do put on the front facing camera so she can look at herself. She loves mirrors (we tease her about "playing with her friend baby-in-the-mirror" when she's in her swing) - so we see this as another type of mirror.
J's ex has two kids, 3 and 7, and she has a whole reward system of which the pinnacle is screen time. They get stickers for achievements (chores, school, behavior, etc.). For 3 stickers, the get a special snack; 4 they get a treat (more desserty) and then 5 they get screen time (20 min). I'm sure the calculation is based on her kids' behaviors and what she is trying to motivate; but the concept is great imho! They see screen time as a reward/treat, not part of daily life and it is a privilege not an entitlement. Love this. They still have family movie nights and stuff, but when I they were over and I asked if they wanted Popsicles, she stopped me and said she'd rather not since they were going home to add up the day/week and see how they did, etc. Granted these kids are older, but they were way into it and super proud of themselves for their achievements.
I do worry about us pacifying with screens as S gets older...but like many have said, I too grew up constantly watching TV and I don't think it damaged me or my sisters. Still, of course I want better for S than I had - and so we'll see how it goes.
p.s. That took exactly 1 hour. And S slept through the whole thing!
Me (43) and J (45) - same sex couple. And we don't feel 40+!
June'12 - First RE Visit
Sept. '12 - Tubes removed
Dec. '12 - Donor Egg/Donor Sperm IVF Cycle - 4 good embies!
Dec. '12 - Fresh transfer, BFP! EDD 8/29/13
Mar. '13 - Missed m/c at 16w1d, baby boy stopped growing at 15w4d
Loss due to umbilical cord clot...baby was perfect.
Jul '13 - FET#1 - c/p
Sept. '13 - FET#2 - BFN
Dec.' 2, 2013 - FET#3 with our last chance embie - BFP!!!
Dec' 26, 2013 - hb!!
EDD 8/20/14 with a baby girl!
Little S was born on 8/21/14 - 8lb, 14 oz and 20 inches long.
We live in Seattle and used SRM for our donor egg IVF cycle
She's getting bigger by the day,I can barely get her to fit in any of her 12month clothing now. Nearly 20lbs and 28in long! We are just starting to introduce solids to her,she has been EBF until now. We are trying BLW and so far she has been doing well with it. She's sitting up unassisted and we are working on learning back carries with our wraps.
No screen time for Lennon yet, although she tried to watch anything Linda or I have on lol
Me (43) and J (45) - same sex couple. And we don't feel 40+!
June'12 - First RE Visit
Sept. '12 - Tubes removed
Dec. '12 - Donor Egg/Donor Sperm IVF Cycle - 4 good embies!
Dec. '12 - Fresh transfer, BFP! EDD 8/29/13
Mar. '13 - Missed m/c at 16w1d, baby boy stopped growing at 15w4d
Loss due to umbilical cord clot...baby was perfect.
Jul '13 - FET#1 - c/p
Sept. '13 - FET#2 - BFN
Dec.' 2, 2013 - FET#3 with our last chance embie - BFP!!!
Dec' 26, 2013 - hb!!
EDD 8/20/14 with a baby girl!
Little S was born on 8/21/14 - 8lb, 14 oz and 20 inches long.
We live in Seattle and used SRM for our donor egg IVF cycle
@ball.and.chain - glad you are getting into the swing of things and finding time to get to the gym! And that you are getting good rest!
@sarahtrpt - sorry you are struggling with sleep right now. I don't have any good advice, but hope @mwagner's experiences can help you out.
@stringy813 - sounds like a fun (and adorable) weekend! Im looking forward to the full on talking stage too! It will be a hoot for sure!
@2brides - I'm going to look into Signing Times. I was just talking to my friend yesterday about sign language. I totally thought I would be into baby sign language, but I haven't put any effort into it at all. Was wondering if it's worth the effort at this point. Were your boys exposed to it before 18 months? Ash is a little in day care, but I'm not sure how regularly or consistently. And yay for sports season being almost over!
@JGY - great news that your concerns about G are assuaged! I totally understand. Ash isn't even a year and there are things he does that make me wonder. Like hit himself in the head repeatedly and giggle. It sounds kinda funny, but it actually really bothers me when he does it. He's so young and I know I need to chalk it up to normal toddler behavior, but I think it's natural for us parents to worry. My goal is to be aware, without overreacting. Wish me luck!
@mwagner25 - I thought we were teething molars a couple weeks ago, but now I'm not so sure. I'm not looking forward to it.
@kleigh1 - glad S is such a happy baby! From what I know about sleep, waking up once a night isn't really a regression at 3 months even if she was previously STTN. It's very normal for babies her age to wake one or more times per night. Hopefully she will get back to her STTN routine soon.
@kh826 - glad you had such s great family weekend! Seeing Ash after work is the highlight of my day!
@jrtmom - glad the illness has passed. It is so hard to have sick parents, a sick kid, or both. And, ohmigosh, I hope Ash learns to scrub the floors at day care and think it's fun! Ha!
@redrockmama - baby friends are the best! And, yes, it will pass. Maybe just keeping trying the crib every few days. Ash was in bed with us until 7 months, then like magic, it worked.
@flygirl1228 - I'll be thinking about you and Ally as you transition back to work. You will get into a groove in no time. And, I love thinking about how much fun your kiddos will have playing on the farm one day! That will be an amazing experience.
@carls10 - the reflux sounds tough.
@jazibel - You sound very busy these days! Try not to feel guilty. We can't be expected to have our attention completely devoted on our kiddos. My friend went to a parenting conference recently - the presenters were mostly psychologists - and they said to strive for being fully engaged (no distractions) with your children at least 30% of the time. Takes the pressure off of feeling like I have to be "on" all the time. I'm glad you are doing something you enjoy and consider an investment for the future. K & O are two very lucky boys to have such amazing parents!
@winstan1 - I appreciate your perspective on the iPad usage. My mom bought my nephews an iPad at a young age and Z asks if we should put one on his Xmas list. She's mostly joking, but a little bit of her isn't. It isn't even in my radar right now to start letting him use one. But, we do have the benefit of tag-teaming most of the time. I can definitely see us using it as a crunch during those times that one of us is alone with him and some time with the ipad can offer some relief. My brother and SIL usually take away screen time as a punishment, but I like the idea that @2MamazinSeattle described below of using it as a privilege instead. Lots of good food for thought here as Ash enters the toddler stage. And, I too would LOVE to see your cute princess in a PIP if you can get your computer to cooperate.
@2MamazinSeattle - please post and run whenever you want; there are times when that's all I have time for as well. And, I love hearing all about you and lil'mamaz! I for one have missed seeing you in this thread, but totally understand the limited time when you have a new baby on your hands. No, I really haven't done any research other than say, "Hey, doc, should I be concerned about the amount of soy I give Ash." And, they say, "No." I guess it makes sense since so many formulas are soy-based. And babies who are breastfed get extra dose of estrogen through BM. Anyway, I do plan on looking into it further because my original plan was to give some combination of almond, coconut, and hemp milk, but my dr is the one who suggested soy for the extra protein. Since I'm not concerned about the amount of protein (because he eats lots of legumes and high-protein grains like quinoa), I'll probably move to other types of milk eventually. I plan to have a more extensive conversation with his doctor at his one-year appointment.
Checking in late....
R is 8 months old! The big news over here is he has teeth poking through! FINALLY!!!! I was starting to think he didn't come with any. I can see those cute little snow caps on his bottom front teeth. He also started standing up against furniture and sits up on his own. Big milestones over here.
We have a finished basement that has been underutilized since we moved in. We've turned it into our playroom. Lately I've been inspired to make it a fun, creative, evolving space for R. I made my own ball pit using his plastic swimming pool. I also took a box and made a tunnel for him with things dangling from the top as a sensory experience. And just to keep things interesting we made a baby obstacle course out of couch cushions and different things around the house. We learned that last one from our friend who is a pedi physical therapist. It's great for muscle development and brain stimulation.
Baby/kids toys are all made from that cheap, primary colors, plastic crap out of China. Which don't get me wrong, we have plenty of. R has loved touching different types of materials. I've enjoyed watching him explore the different textures of things.
QOTW: No screen time yet. We don't have the tv on when he is around. Plus R would never tolerate us looking at a tv and not him for 5 min's so there's really no point to having it on. We do keep pandora playing all the time. The basement has a projector with screen and surround sound. I imagine we'll let R watch movies down there when he's older.