We also always buckle the straps in the carseat anytime we use it. Initially it was so he would get used to them being buckled, but now its cause he seems to like being buckled in. I think it makes him feel snug and secure. So we don't unbuckle him, ever, unless we are actually removing him from the seat. I'm also afraid that if we unbuckle him or don't buckle him to start, we'll forget when we put him in the car. We did once take him out and when we put him back buckled him back up but not quite as snugly as we do for the car, then forgot to tighten and realized halfway home. So now we just buckle and tighten all the time
Oy, ok, thanks ladies. I will work on my safety problems.
I think I'm making LO's car seat straps too tight. The more I read, it says just make them tight enough so you can't pinch extra. But I usually put a finger in it at his shoulder and pull it tight against my finger. Maybe that's why he hates it.
Oy, ok, thanks ladies. I will work on my safety problems.
I think I'm making LO's car seat straps too tight. The more I read, it says just make them tight enough so you can't pinch extra. But I usually put a finger in it at his shoulder and pull it tight against my finger. Maybe that's why he hates it.
Sigh.
Your method is exactly what our car seat tech told us to do when we got the car seat installed. LO hates it, but since that's what this guy told us to do, DH and I have been very hesitant about changing the way we go about strapping her in.
*sigh* sometimes it feels like we can't win. At least we're doing our best, right?
LO doesn't cry so often, and when he does, it's usually because he needs something. But occasionally he uses what we call "Crumple Face". His bottom lip starts to curl, and he just looks so sad and upset, and then cries a sad cry. It doesn't happen often (not even daily), but it's so cute and so heartbreaking when it does!
Today he woke up fussing from a nap. He takes a while to open his eyes when he wakes fussing. He saw me, and did a major, slow motion Crumple Face. Kills me!!
Last night was the first time LO made it clear he wanted me to hold him. Usually when DH holds him I make faces and he laughs, you know all the cute stuff. This time he did this whiney almost fake cry. Like hold me mom. Oh man I melted. DH acted upset but he knew it was super cute and laughed later.
I love our pedi. She actually called me today to check in and see how LO is doing and if we've seen improvement. Granted, I was basically on the verge of tears at the 2 mo appt. But it seems rare to have a doctor that actually calls and says she's been thinking of us.
I just officially packed away the last of the 0-3 month clothes! I can't believe how much he's grown. I found the onesie that he wore the day that he was born - at the time he was swimming in it but now it seems so tiny! Getting kinda choked up
Here's that onesie compared to the ones he's just started wearing.
Oy, ok, thanks ladies. I will work on my safety problems.
I think I'm making LO's car seat straps too tight. The more I read, it says just make them tight enough so you can't pinch extra. But I usually put a finger in it at his shoulder and pull it tight against my finger. Maybe that's why he hates it.
Sigh.
We stick our hand flat against his chest, palm to the cross buckle (the one that clicks the two shoulder straps together) and tighten down to there. Once its snug against our hand we remove it and tighten it a smidge more. I can still pry a finger in between him and the 5 point section, but its a close thing.
If you buckle him in more often, maybe he'll tolerate his seat better? Here's hoping!
Having very tight straps is a must. I tell parents they should almost not be able to get their fingers under the chest straps. Cause of death : improper car seat use....... Very common.
I realize I sound scary but it is scary. I'm a terrible driver and I'm working on it and I recognize there are probably lots of other terrible drivers....
@amccoy129 My LO is also seriously into his hands and has been going on like two weeks now. In the last few days he's started sucking his thumb and has even started double thumb sucking a couple times. It's like a hands obsession over here. Too funny.
@aliciaspinnet Aw! I'm having the same nostalgia thing going on. I can't believe he was so tiny!
Also: I took my kid to lunch with a friend yesterday, and I had the car seat. The waitress offered me a high chair and I said, "No, he's still too young." Then she showed me how, if you turn it upside down, the car seat can sit on top at table level. Mind. Blown.
I'm probably the last to learn this, but thought it was awesome, so I'm sharing just in case...
ETA: this was one of those standard wooden high chairs found in so many restaurants
Haha this was same story but opposite for me, I asked the hostess for a high chair and she looked at me funny.. Then I flipped it and placed his car seat.. Her mind=blown
Oy, ok, thanks ladies. I will work on my safety problems.
I think I'm making LO's car seat straps too tight. The more I read, it says just make them tight enough so you can't pinch extra. But I usually put a finger in it at his shoulder and pull it tight against my finger. Maybe that's why he hates it.
Sigh.
We stick our hand flat against his chest, palm to the cross buckle (the one that clicks the two shoulder straps together) and tighten down to there. Once its snug against our hand we remove it and tighten it a smidge more. I can still pry a finger in between him and the 5 point section, but its a close thing.
If you buckle him in more often, maybe he'll tolerate his seat better? Here's hoping!
I'll have to try this and see if it makes a difference for us. Thanks for the tip!
Question! For those of you who use white noise when do you turn it on?
TBH half the time I forget to turn it off and it's just always on... but when I've remembered to turn it off, I turn it on as soon as I've placed LO in her crib. She's either asleep or just about there when I do that.
I realize I sound scary but it is scary. I'm a terrible driver and I'm working on it and I recognize there are probably lots of other terrible drivers....
I'm not a great driver, but having a baby has made me realize how crappy people drive, and how unaware people are.
Anytime she naps in her crib or sleeps at night I have it on before she goes in the crib. Sometimes she fusses when she goes down for a nap so I didn't want to put her in the crib and then turn it on, almost making it a cue to fuss. I have a portable one that was part of the "cloud b sleep sheep", it comes out of the Sheeps back, so I bring that along incase by the grace of God she decides to nap on the go (hasn't happened yet).
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.
Question! For those of you who use white noise when do you turn it on?
In our bedroom (which is where LO is currently sleeping in his PNP) we have a fan that runs all the time, but I also use an app on my phone that I turn on right as I put him in the PNP.
DH's birthday is next week and as his main present I've booked a weekend trip to Niagara Falls! I'm SO excited, neither of us have ever gone there before and this will be our first ever vacation with just our family, even counting time before LO was born. Anyone have any tips for things to do there (aside from seeing the falls, obviously)? We'll be going there Halloween weekend and staying from Saturday into Sunday. Also we'll be bringing LO with us so whatever we do has to be ok for a 5 month old.
There's a plank challenge starting today!! Only 5 seconds to start. Head on over to the healthy moms thread. Or just go for it. Increases 5 seconds every day, so ten seconds tomorrow
DH's birthday is next week and as his main present I've booked a weekend trip to Niagara Falls! I'm SO excited, neither of us have ever gone there before and this will be our first ever vacation with just our family, even counting time before LO was born. Anyone have any tips for things to do there (aside from seeing the falls, obviously)? We'll be going there Halloween weekend and staying from Saturday into Sunday. Also we'll be bringing LO with us so whatever we do has to be ok for a 5 month old.
I took a spur of the moment trip there once in college! There's lots of touristy stuff in town right near the falls, like a Ripley's museum, a casino, etc. It's all pretty walkable. Like I said I went in college so my focus was more jäger bomb and less playground but I think you could fill a couple days easy especially if the weather's nice.
Oh... This was the Canada side, though. Not sure what the NY side has.
@kes166 So exciting! I've been wanting to go there for years and every birthday, looked into surprising DH with it. My mother took me there for my 19th birthday so I could gamble on the Canadian side with her. She was disappointed I liked the Maid of the Mist better than the casino, lol
@mellymar Thanks for the tips and good wishes! I've been using the straps on the stroller for the last few walks now. I actually feel calmer using them - I had irrational fears about someone snatching him (wtf?!), and he isn't fighting it. Here's hoping this translates to the car! @klkonwi - Thanks for the note on tight straps and for making me feel like I'm at least doing one safety thing right!!!
@janit368 Thanks for the plank challenge heads up! I've been too ashamed to view that thread, but I can do a 5 second plank!!
@ChardeeMacDennis ahh I should have mentioned we'll be on the NY side only. We don't have passports yet - really should get them, but, until now, we haven't needed them and the trip is too soon to get them. Which is too bad, I bet he would've liked the Ripley's museum!
@virginiaunicorn11 yes, I've heard of Maid of the Mist! I'm guessing it's worth doing then? I've been going back and forth about it, would you say it's worth the money?
@kes166 I'm not sure how much it is, but it was by far my favorite part of the weekend (at age 19. So who knows how that would stack up today). We weren't expecting it to be so wet (but you have ponchos), and my parents and I were in hysterics the whole time. It's actually one of my favorite family memories.
@kes166 I'm not sure how much it is, but it was by far my favorite part of the weekend (at age 19. So who knows how that would stack up today). We weren't expecting it to be so wet (but you have ponchos), and my parents and I were in hysterics the whole time. It's actually one of my favorite family memories.
Sounds like it's definitely worth at least checking out, then. Thanks!
L/O was uber fussy about 5pm thru 10:30 last night. I was trying to eat dinner, she was sobbing (inconsolable), the dog had a squeaker toy that he kept squeaking in my leg, and my d/h has region meetings late every night this week. Dinner was horrific and I didn't get a chance to eat. Once d/h got home he gave a gift one of his coworkers gave him. The wonderful "Go the F&$@ to Sleep" book. I read it and couldn't stop laughing complete with tears running down my face. The book was definitely perfect timing!
@kes166 you could go to Anchor Bar in buffalo to have wings where they were invented. Duff's is known for their wings too.
ETA: you could walk the cave of the winds at niagra falls. I did that and maid of the mist. Both were nice, but the cave of the winds was so fun. You get SOAKED under the falls.
DH's birthday is next week and as his main present I've booked a weekend trip to Niagara Falls! I'm SO excited, neither of us have ever gone there before and this will be our first ever vacation with just our family, even counting time before LO was born. Anyone have any tips for things to do there (aside from seeing the falls, obviously)? We'll be going there Halloween weekend and staying from Saturday into Sunday. Also we'll be bringing LO with us so whatever we do has to be ok for a 5 month old.
@kes166 Yay so fun! I used to live in buffalo, it's a really great area, you'll have a great time. The NY side of the falls has really turned around in the past few years, so there are more shops and restaurants so you'll be able to spend some time there. The caves / maid of the mist will definitely be hit or miss depending on the weather. You will get soaked no matter what so you'll want it to be warm for LO. In western ny on Halloween it could be 30 degrees or 70. If you guys like hiking there is a great hike along the gorge. The trail is called "devils hole" it has a few difficult parts but my 63 year old parents did it last year and I've seen tons of people with babies there.
Buffalo is a REALLY great city, only about 25 minutes from the falls so I would definitely recommend spending time both places - we are actually headed there this weekend to have LO baptized (SO has a million family members there). Canalside is a great place to walk around, across the street from where the Sabres play. There is also Times beach nature preserve and tifft nature preserve nearby within city limits, great places to walk around. I'm sure there is some kind of festival going on that weekend too, they are all about the festivals and food trucks (lloyds taco truck is amazing). Elmwood Ave is an awesome village with local shops and restaurants, you can spend lots of hours walking around there. Hertel Ave is also up and coming, lots of little Italian restaurants and bars. You could look into going to a Sabres game or to a museum. You will see young families wherever you go!
I would avoid chippewa street pretty much the whole weekend, they do a pretty insane bar crawl for Halloween which is obviously not a great place for a baby! Oh and duffs has the best wings according to all buffalonians but the ancor bar is a lot more fun and the food is also good. Also people are pretty proud of Obama visiting duffs and of several local restaurants being on food network shows haha if you are beer people definitely hit Pearl Street Brewery (baby friendly)
UGH sorry that was super long I just love it there. Have a wonderful time let me know if you need more recommendations
DH's birthday is next week and as his main present I've booked a weekend trip to Niagara Falls! I'm SO excited, neither of us have ever gone there before and this will be our first ever vacation with just our family, even counting time before LO was born. Anyone have any tips for things to do there (aside from seeing the falls, obviously)? We'll be going there Halloween weekend and staying from Saturday into Sunday. Also we'll be bringing LO with us so whatever we do has to be ok for a 5 month old.
@kes166 Yay so fun! I used to live in buffalo, it's a really great area, you'll have a great time. The NY side of the falls has really turned around in the past few years, so there are more shops and restaurants so you'll be able to spend some time there. The caves / maid of the mist will definitely be hit or miss depending on the weather. You will get soaked no matter what so you'll want it to be warm for LO. In western ny on Halloween it could be 30 degrees or 70. If you guys like hiking there is a great hike along the gorge. The trail is called "devils hole" it has a few difficult parts but my 63 year old parents did it last year and I've seen tons of people with babies there.
Buffalo is a REALLY great city, only about 25 minutes from the falls so I would definitely recommend spending time both places - we are actually headed there this weekend to have LO baptized (SO has a million family members there). Canalside is a great place to walk around, across the street from where the Sabres play. There is also Times beach nature preserve and tifft nature preserve nearby within city limits, great places to walk around. I'm sure there is some kind of festival going on that weekend too, they are all about the festivals and food trucks (lloyds taco truck is amazing). Elmwood Ave is an awesome village with local shops and restaurants, you can spend lots of hours walking around there. Hertel Ave is also up and coming, lots of little Italian restaurants and bars. You could look into going to a Sabres game or to a museum. You will see young families wherever you go!
I would avoid chippewa street pretty much the whole weekend, they do a pretty insane bar crawl for Halloween which is obviously not a great place for a baby! Oh and duffs has the best wings according to all buffalonians but the ancor bar is a lot more fun and the food is also good. Also people are pretty proud of Obama visiting duffs and of several local restaurants being on food network shows haha if you are beer people definitely hit Pearl Street Brewery (baby friendly)
UGH sorry that was super long I just love it there. Have a wonderful time let me know if you need more recommendations
Thank you SO much for all the info! I'm taking a screenshot of this so I can bombard DH with options when I tell him about the trip next Wednesday lol
DH's birthday is next week and as his main present I've booked a weekend trip to Niagara Falls! I'm SO excited, neither of us have ever gone there before and this will be our first ever vacation with just our family, even counting time before LO was born. Anyone have any tips for things to do there (aside from seeing the falls, obviously)? We'll be going there Halloween weekend and staying from Saturday into Sunday. Also we'll be bringing LO with us so whatever we do has to be ok for a 5 month old.
We live 15 minutes from the falls! Although we are on the canadian side which is a lot more exciting than the American. The maid of the mist (can't think of what the American one is called) is most definitely worth it. Whenever we have out of town guests visiting who want to see the falls, it is a must, and it never gets old! There is also journey behind the falls (again can't remember what the American 'version' is called, but it is also pretty spectacular. If you're deciding between the two though, I'd do the boat. There is also a small aquarium on the American side. Goat island is also nice to take a picnic if the weather is nice and Seneca casino is right down in the same area too. There are malls in nearby buffalo - walden galleria being the best/biggest. Lewiston NY is also nearby and is a quaint little town. I hope this helps... Enjoy your trip
DH's birthday is next week and as his main present I've booked a weekend trip to Niagara Falls! I'm SO excited, neither of us have ever gone there before and this will be our first ever vacation with just our family, even counting time before LO was born. Anyone have any tips for things to do there (aside from seeing the falls, obviously)? We'll be going there Halloween weekend and staying from Saturday into Sunday. Also we'll be bringing LO with us so whatever we do has to be ok for a 5 month old.
We live 15 minutes from the falls! Although we are on the canadian side which is a lot more exciting than the American. The maid of the mist (can't think of what the American one is called) is most definitely worth it. Whenever we have out of town guests visiting who want to see the falls, it is a must, and it never gets old! There is also journey behind the falls (again can't remember what the American 'version' is called, but it is also pretty spectacular. If you're deciding between the two though, I'd do the boat. There is also a small aquarium on the American side. Goat island is also nice to take a picnic if the weather is nice and Seneca casino is right down in the same area too. There are malls in nearby buffalo - walden galleria being the best/biggest. Lewiston NY is also nearby and is a quaint little town. I hope this helps... Enjoy your trip
Just saw @kes166 gave some great ideas in buffalo! I had another thought... there's also a minor league baseball team there - the buffalo bisons. Tickets are inexpensive and the stadium is really nice!
Re: Randoms!
I'm also afraid that if we unbuckle him or don't buckle him to start, we'll forget when we put him in the car. We did once take him out and when we put him back buckled him back up but not quite as snugly as we do for the car, then forgot to tighten and realized halfway home. So now we just buckle and tighten all the time
I think I'm making LO's car seat straps too tight. The more I read, it says just make them tight enough so you can't pinch extra. But I usually put a finger in it at his shoulder and pull it tight against my finger. Maybe that's why he hates it.
Sigh.
*sigh* sometimes it feels like we can't win. At least we're doing our best, right?
Today he woke up fussing from a nap. He takes a while to open his eyes when he wakes fussing. He saw me, and did a major, slow motion Crumple Face. Kills me!!
Here's that onesie compared to the ones he's just started wearing.
If you buckle him in more often, maybe he'll tolerate his seat better? Here's hoping!
I'm a terrible driver and I'm working on it and I recognize there are probably lots of other terrible drivers....
@aliciaspinnet Aw! I'm having the same nostalgia thing going on. I can't believe he was so tiny!
Oh... This was the Canada side, though. Not sure what the NY side has.
@mellymar Thanks for the tips and good wishes! I've been using the straps on the stroller for the last few walks now. I actually feel calmer using them - I had irrational fears about someone snatching him (wtf?!), and he isn't fighting it. Here's hoping this translates to the car!
@klkonwi - Thanks for the note on tight straps and for making me feel like I'm at least doing one safety thing right!!!
@janit368 Thanks for the plank challenge heads up! I've been too ashamed to view that thread, but I can do a 5 second plank!!
@virginiaunicorn11 yes, I've heard of Maid of the Mist! I'm guessing it's worth doing then? I've been going back and forth about it, would you say it's worth the money?
ETA: you could walk the cave of the winds at niagra falls. I did that and maid of the mist. Both were nice, but the cave of the winds was so fun. You get SOAKED under the falls.
Buffalo is a REALLY great city, only about 25 minutes from the falls so I would definitely recommend spending time both places - we are actually headed there this weekend to have LO baptized (SO has a million family members there). Canalside is a great place to walk around, across the street from where the Sabres play. There is also Times beach nature preserve and tifft nature preserve nearby within city limits, great places to walk around. I'm sure there is some kind of festival going on that weekend too, they are all about the festivals and food trucks (lloyds taco truck is amazing). Elmwood Ave is an awesome village with local shops and restaurants, you can spend lots of hours walking around there. Hertel Ave is also up and coming, lots of little Italian restaurants and bars. You could look into going to a Sabres game or to a museum. You will see young families wherever you go!
I would avoid chippewa street pretty much the whole weekend, they do a pretty insane bar crawl for Halloween which is obviously not a great place for a baby! Oh and duffs has the best wings according to all buffalonians but the ancor bar is a lot more fun and the food is also good. Also people are pretty proud of Obama visiting duffs and of several local restaurants being on food network shows haha if you are beer people definitely hit Pearl Street Brewery (baby friendly)
UGH sorry that was super long I just love it there. Have a wonderful time let me know if you need more recommendations
Just saw @kes166 gave some great ideas in buffalo! I had another thought... there's also a minor league baseball team there - the buffalo bisons. Tickets are inexpensive and the stadium is really nice!