So do you guys just not panic about germs? Our almost 6 month old puts everything in his mouth. Yesterday, he put the dog toy that I didn't realize was on his play blankets in his mouth. I guess the dog stuck it on there. Thanks Bandit. He has also learned to roll off his blanket and likes to bang on the wood. Yesterday he licked the wood. I am such a germaphobe! I need a reality check I think. I'm sure it's only going to get worse!
@amccoy129 Nope. I grew up on a farm, so when LO tries to chew on a dog toy, I take it away and laugh. There's actually a growing body of research that shows living in a "too clean" environment contributes to allergies, lower immunity, and poor GI health. Obviously there are limits, but I would say do your best but don't stress out. But this does remind me I need to vacuum.
@ashleymc09 I worked at vet offices before (in my prior life, haha), and I can say we've never had a dog come in and need actual treatment for eating a diaper. But yes, the signs to look for are lethargy, not pooping, vomiting, not eating, or just generally not doing well (which tour sister should be taking her dog to the vet if she saw any of those things anyway). @amccoy129 I'm trying to not be a germaphobe! I try to only be weird about washing pacifiers if they fall on the floor. I don't wash LOs toy if the cat rubs on them, but I do if the cats steps on them or otherwise uses his feet with them (this is strictly because cats step into the litterbox). But I try to not go crazy over other stuff. Its hard, tho. Its really hard
@mellymar Okay good! She said they had to go out yesterday and when they got back the other little dog finally did throw up in her crate but had eaten it again (sigh..), but that she was eating this morning and acting normal.. Thanks for more reassurance!
@amccoy129 I try not to be one too.. I almost died the other day though. I had to go into the office of the small company I work for (I usually work from home) and my coworker friend held LO for me for a while and when I came in there to check on her, my friend was letting her chew on her mouse! The dirtiest thing in her office, not to mention that it's got a battery in it.... So yeah I gently took it out of her mouth but panicked and overreacted on the inside....
I am the least germaphobe person there is. I must bring home every germ imaginable from the hospital, and she's constantly sick from daycare. It is what it is. She'll have a pretty strong immune system once she's older at least...
TTC: 1/2014
BFP: 9/24
EDD: 6/8/2015
Sorry for the poor man's siggy...ticker won't load regardless of how many tips I read.
Having a one year old puppy has broken me of any possibility of being a germaphobe. I tried in the begining but now I just can't stop the dog from licking her face and hands. I try to stop it when i see it so thebaby doesnt get annoyed but, yeah, germs are here to stay lol
Anyone seen any change in their baby's eye color? Now that we're getting close to six months I know you're supposed to start to see any change but I don't know what...she has navy eyes which I don't think I've seen on very many people so I assume they will change? I know this sounds stupid, but flame free!
TTC: 1/2014
BFP: 9/24
EDD: 6/8/2015
Sorry for the poor man's siggy...ticker won't load regardless of how many tips I read.
I was going to ask as well! LO hasn't changed. By this time, DS had started to change which makes me wonder if they will stay grey (which is a genetic possibility).
Interesting note: at 2, DS had my hazel eyes. Now at 3, they are closer to amber. It might be a while before we know LO's.
I keep wondering about eye color too. I assume they'll stay light colored (DH has crystal blue eyes and mine are mostly green, sometimes blue or gray). LO was born with gray but they're definitely blue now. Curious if they'll get lighter or stay this almost darkish denim color
^^ LO's are the same..like jeans. Sometimes lighter sometimes greyish blue. But enough blue that people comment on "THOSE BIG BLUE EYES!" I just can't see them staying navy because...I don't know anyone with dark blue eyes. I have dark dark hazel green (enough that everyone thinks they are brown because the green is so dark) and DH has light hazel.
TTC: 1/2014
BFP: 9/24
EDD: 6/8/2015
Sorry for the poor man's siggy...ticker won't load regardless of how many tips I read.
I'm not a germs phone when it comes to dirt. We have a dog who licks her constantly, which I don't mind. I'd rather her get used to it and love animals, and have my dog love LO, opposed to scolding the dog every time she licks her, or having LO be fearful of animals. LO puts her mouth on the floor during tummy time, chews her toys that dropped on the floor, etc. I clean the toys everyday, but I'm not going to stress every time they fall. And like @sammy k said, too clean is not good either. Kids who live with animals are proven to get sick less often than those who don't.
I do, however, get grossed out when people try to let LO chew on their fingers, kiss her on the mouth, and when my sister lets her infant chew on my LOs toys. I stop all of the above. I guess my preferences are working, cuz LO is constantly around people, and has only gotten a mild cold so far.
About eye color...DDs eyes used to be navy. Now they're medium brown with a navy ring. I wonder if they'll turn hazel.
LO's eyes were so dark at birth that you couldn't see his pupils. They turned brown maybe two weeks ago, like we knew they would... but then yesterday they have some green to them now - a nice hazel. DH has green eyes and I have brown.
We were out of town for a few days, and one of the first things my mother said today when we returned was, "His eyes changed color!"
LO still has blue. I have hazel, DH has brown. His are a deep blue and you almost question it until you see him in the sun or other bright light. We keep waiting on them to change but they've been this color since about 3 months.
Hi ladies, at what age do we start toilet training? I as thinking of introducing a potty just to play with/familiarise her with one or is it too young?
Hi ladies, at what age do we start toilet training? I as thinking of introducing a potty just to play with/familiarise her with one or is it too young?
If you really want to introduce one to play with, I guess it won't hurt. But typically speaking, an advanced baby will show interest in potty training at 18 mo. From my experience and people I know, 2-3 is the most common age for potty training and our ped said it isn't a developmental issue until after 4 (if you want to enroll them in pre-school it might be required). So you might be jumping the gun a little.
Hi ladies, at what age do we start toilet training? I as thinking of introducing a potty just to play with/familiarise her with one or is it too young?
If you really want to introduce one to play with, I guess it won't hurt. But typically speaking, an advanced baby will show interest in potty training at 18 mo. From my experience and people I know, 2-3 is the most common age for potty training and our ped said it isn't a developmental issue until after 4 (if you want to enroll them in pre-school it might be required). So you might be jumping the gun a little.
Great thanks, we will hold off then.. I wasn't sure if the age to start. Daycares have no issues changing toddlers diapers do they?
No issues with toddlers^^ They will help them while there if your training at home I think. In the older/pre k class (3,4 year olds) they help them also More with training such as taking the class all to the bathroom at the same time and trying to move training along. My dd's daycare was awesome about it. She was trained around 2.5. Some kids are hard to train but she was so easy. My neighbor has a daughter who turned 1 in August and is trained. She said as soon as she could kind of stand and wobble she would take her to to toilet all the time. I think she runs around the house with no underwear on though..
@mishmardhiono if it interests you check out elimination communication (EC). You can technically start now. I was going to try this but it seemed rather difficult with all the pumping I had to do at the beginning... And now he has so many clothes with it being cold. An interesting concept though.
Great thank you, I will. It's summer down here and she's in no clothes anyway. I really wanted to start training as soon as she could walk not with the intention of being nappy free but I'd rather start and have it done by 2 then start at 2 and maybe be behind the 8 ball. I'm really grossed out by nappies I think they are super unhygienic but necessary (like a sanitary pad) that id love to be done with them yesterday.
Also, I have an etiquette question. My daughter is a flower girl for a wedding in August, 2016. The dress they want I think is pretty grown up/inappropriate for a 1 yr old, but it'd be worn for 2 hours, It's an enormous skirt, sweet heart neckline & droped back on it. Is it my place to say I don't like it/prefer she not wear it or just go along with the flow?
Daycare should be fine helping to potty train but I highly doubt they will be willing to do EC since it's a lot of work and they have multiple babies to deal with. From my understanding, you have to be very consistent with EC for it to work.
As for the dress, who is paying? If the bride is paying, you could gently ask for something more age-appropriate under the guise of worrying about her pulling the dress off. It would probably be a good idea to have 1 or 2 suggestions for dresses that would match the bridal party but are more appropriate. If you're paying for the dress, I think you have a little more leverage, but again, ask gently and have a few options she can pick from. I can't imagine a sweetheart neckline actually working on a baby's body.
FYI, baby Easter dresses are a cheaper option and come in wedding-appropriate colors. My flower girl wore an Easter dress and it was darling. Just buy her estimated size or even one larger to make sure it will fit.
I've never heard of an Easter dress, that's what I think too. I think it will look really silly. I think she's looking at the models (5-8) and imagining Maya to look the same. Image one is her choice image 2 is my preferred style. I'll be paying for it but this is their day so I don't want to upset too much. I'll try find a cheap version of the one to try her in and show her how silly they would look. But in the end it's her photos haha
Any financey people here? What is the best way to start saving for LO's future? Relatives have asked me if we want savings bonds, for example.
I started 529 plans, through my state. You can actually choose any state's plan even if you don't live there.
One reason I chose the one I did--it has a low minimum starting amount. You can start with $25 and have automatic deposits set up. Your relatives can send contributions to the plan (mine has coupons you can give them, or emails you can send them) or they can give you the money and you can send it in.
Money has to be used for college or trade school, but you can change the beneficiary to another child if one doesn't get any post high school schooling.
^^this. As my husband explains to me, it's like a 401k for lo's education. (He needed to put it in layman's terms because so many options were confusing)
I'm in Canada, so this may not apply, but after talking with our financial planner we took a life insurance plan out on LO. It's one where she can withdraw contributions anytime without cancelling the plan so we plan on using it for school, but if for some reason we don't need to we can put it in her name and she can continue paying the premiums and use it for retirement or buying a house or w.e. I liked that it wasn't locked in for school.
I just did a regular bank account....who can really predict college costs, if any, for the future. By the time they go to college it could even be free...
I just did a regular bank account....who can really predict college costs, if any, for the future. By the time they go to college it could even be free...
Hahahahahaha. I bet it will be $500,000 for four years by then, seriously. Higher ed costs are so effed up.
I just read that the way things are going it will be $421k for a state public university by 2033 (or 2038 or something for when our babies go to college). Cool, cool, cool.
TTC: 1/2014
BFP: 9/24
EDD: 6/8/2015
Sorry for the poor man's siggy...ticker won't load regardless of how many tips I read.
No lie, our plan is to find a way for our kid to learn German so he can get a free college education in Germany one day. Meanwhile we are doing regular savings account. May switch it over to a 529 but not for a few years til we have a better sense of things. I have automatic savings withdrawals from every biweekly paycheck, into an account for him. If it's not automatic for me, I will find 100 other ways to spend the money instead.
There are so many young entrepreneurs that don't even finish school (and are wildly successful) and free lectures out on the Internet. I personally think college will be viewed differently eventually but we shall see
There are so many young entrepreneurs that don't even finish school (and are wildly successful) and free lectures out on the Internet. I personally think college will be viewed differently eventually but we shall see
I certainly hope this is so. Just because I'd like to see us make a positive change in this regardless.
Anyone's babies cough while teething? LO has starting coughing randomly like he's phlegmy, no other symptoms of being sick. It does sound like he could choke on saliva first. I'd just take him to pedi but they are only open til noon today and our car is in the shop... So wondering if I should really try to make it happen. I'd hate to go to urgent care over the weekend
If public college is going to cost that much I am thinking it is going to result in a million student loans that no one is paying back anyway... It's ridiculous.... My kid is kind of a genius so she is going to get a free ride anyway....
Re: FFAQ - Flame Free Anytime Questions
@amccoy129 I'm trying to not be a germaphobe! I try to only be weird about washing pacifiers if they fall on the floor. I don't wash LOs toy if the cat rubs on them, but I do if the cats steps on them or otherwise uses his feet with them (this is strictly because cats step into the litterbox). But I try to not go crazy over other stuff. Its hard, tho. Its really hard
@amccoy129 I try not to be one too.. I almost died the other day though. I had to go into the office of the small company I work for (I usually work from home) and my coworker friend held LO for me for a while and when I came in there to check on her, my friend was letting her chew on her mouse! The dirtiest thing in her office, not to mention that it's got a battery in it.... So yeah I gently took it out of her mouth but panicked and overreacted on the inside....
Interesting note: at 2, DS had my hazel eyes. Now at 3, they are closer to amber. It might be a while before we know LO's.
I do, however, get grossed out when people try to let LO chew on their fingers, kiss her on the mouth, and when my sister lets her infant chew on my LOs toys. I stop all of the above. I guess my preferences are working, cuz LO is constantly around people, and has only gotten a mild cold so far.
About eye color...DDs eyes used to be navy. Now they're medium brown with a navy ring. I wonder if they'll turn hazel.
We were out of town for a few days, and one of the first things my mother said today when we returned was, "His eyes changed color!"
They will help them while there if your training at home I think. In the older/pre k class (3,4 year olds) they help them also More with training such as taking the class all to the bathroom at the same time and trying to move training along. My dd's daycare was awesome about it. She was trained around 2.5. Some kids are hard to train but she was so easy. My neighbor has a daughter who turned 1 in August and is trained. She said as soon as she could kind of stand and wobble she would take her to to toilet all the time. I think she runs around the house with no underwear on though..
Also, I have an etiquette question. My daughter is a flower girl for a wedding in August, 2016. The dress they want I think is pretty grown up/inappropriate for a 1 yr old, but it'd be worn for 2 hours, It's an enormous skirt, sweet heart neckline & droped back on it. Is it my place to say I don't like it/prefer she not wear it or just go along with the flow?
As for the dress, who is paying? If the bride is paying, you could gently ask for something more age-appropriate under the guise of worrying about her pulling the dress off. It would probably be a good idea to have 1 or 2 suggestions for dresses that would match the bridal party but are more appropriate. If you're paying for the dress, I think you have a little more leverage, but again, ask gently and have a few options she can pick from. I can't imagine a sweetheart neckline actually working on a baby's body.
FYI, baby Easter dresses are a cheaper option and come in wedding-appropriate colors. My flower girl wore an Easter dress and it was darling. Just buy her estimated size or even one larger to make sure it will fit.
One reason I chose the one I did--it has a low minimum starting amount. You can start with $25 and have automatic deposits set up. Your relatives can send contributions to the plan (mine has coupons you can give them, or emails you can send them) or they can give you the money and you can send it in.
Money has to be used for college or trade school, but you can change the beneficiary to another child if one doesn't get any post high school schooling.
Thanks for the leads, ladies!
Meanwhile we are doing regular savings account. May switch it over to a 529 but not for a few years til we have a better sense of things.
I have automatic savings withdrawals from every biweekly paycheck, into an account for him. If it's not automatic for me, I will find 100 other ways to spend the money instead.