Think newborns, what is the first image you see? A crib with a mobile. I never thought it matters what kind of mobile I get for the baby. If it was left up to me, I don’t know what I would get.

• 5 Comments
Show Comments
Hide Comments | Add your comment
1. My little ones didn’t have mobiles. Maybe because the crib didn’t get used until around 6-7 months old which is the point when you are supposed to get rid of them anyway.

   Comment by LaToya — June 20, 2009 @ 1:12 pm

2. So much for my set of stereotypes - I couldn’t imagine a crib without mobile on it :) Did you play any music to your babies?

   Comment by Emma — June 21, 2009 @ 3:46 am

3. The mobile I chose was a rainforest one with soft animals, a light and music. I put it up at about 6 months when she started sleeping in her crib, and it’s still up now at 19 months. I don’t see that there’s anything on it to strangle her as the hanging toys are just small, stuffed animals and their strings are very short. She loves that she can turn it on/off or change the music for herself. After I got the mobile, I wished I had gotten one much sooner since she used her crib for naps or at night on occasion.

   Comment by Isha — June 22, 2009 @ 12:51 pm

4. I tried playing soft music for Bubba to sleep with but it didn’t work. We dance all the time to the radio or a CD though so they still have a great love for music. Chubba actually will crawl over to the radio and push buttons until music comes on and then smile and start dancing.

   Comment by LaToya — June 22, 2009 @ 5:25 pm

5. Same here, music distracted my Eric and he couldn’t sleep. He loves listening and dancing to it though :) Those are the cutest little dances I’ve ever seen.

   Comment by Emma — June 24, 2009 @ 12:04 am
Hide Comments | Add your comment

If I had one word to describe my experience of choosing a toy for my baby, no matter of the babies’ age, it would be “overwhelming”.

• 2 Comments
Show Comments
Hide Comments | Add your comment
1. My daughter has played with the one pictured above in your post from 6 months till now at nearly 20 months.

   Comment by Isha — June 22, 2009 @ 12:46 pm

2. Wow, that’s even longer than we used it! I took the rod out because my son was grabbing and pulling the animals :) But he enjoyed the pushing buttons and playing music.

   Comment by Emma — June 24, 2009 @ 12:03 am
Hide Comments | Add your comment

When I was expecting, I didn’t tell people until I was 6 months pregnant. Why? Don’t even get me started.

• 2 Comments
Show Comments
Hide Comments | Add your comment
1. I enjoyed serious conversations with people I wanted to talk with already, but all the people who just want to ask the same old stuff… ugh, that got old. The worst time was when someone (I felt I needed to be polite to) stopped me outdoors in the summer heat and went into this long rant about how she didn’t think anyone anywhere in any situation should ever have an abortion because babies were just so wonderful… Regardless of my opinions, abortion was the LAST topic I wanted to discuss while pregnant.

   Comment by Isha — June 11, 2009 @ 7:27 pm

2. People just don’t think about it, but some subjects shouldn’t be ever brought up in a conversation with a pregnant woman. And abortion is one of them.

   Comment by Emma — June 12, 2009 @ 4:04 am
Hide Comments | Add your comment

Eric’s second and third days at child care center were just as much of a disaster as the first time. He wouldn’t let go of his teddy or his hat (yep, a strange choice of a comforter, I know). He wouldn’t eat or even drink, not to mention sleep. Actually he would get in bed voluntarily but not to sleep - he would just lie there in a “leave me alone” pose.

Following a suggestion from the child care manager, I was taking him there for 2 days a week, he would spend there 3 - 4 hours each time. 3 weeks have passed and no change, he would scream on top of his lungs when I left him there, run after me, grab my leg, cry hysterically until I disappeared and for a good 10 minutes after. I couldn’t just leave him standing on the floor - one of the girls had to take him from me, pick him up and hold him so that I could run away. I don’t with this experience to my worst enemy.

• 3 Comments
Show Comments
Hide Comments | Add your comment
1. Have you considered staying at the daycare with him?

   At this point he will be especially clingy while you are there for the first day or two, but if you tell him you will stay and don’t even go to the restroom without telling him first, he should start to feel more comfortable about checking things out. You can help with this by engaging in the different activities silently. Eventually, he should become interested in the activities as well. Once he does, don’t say a word. Just continue to play next to him. After a day or two of him enjoying himself without needing to be by your side and hopefully not even looking for you, prepare him that the next day you will leave after snack but then be back to pick him up. Gradually work yourself out at the pace he needs. You are his safety. He can’t enjoy himself if he does not feel safe. But with you there, he can build confidence in the safety of that space and those people. Slowly, as he becomes more secure, he will not need you there to feel safe and have a good time.

   Make sure the workers do not take away his hat or teddy. That is like me taking your car keys or bus fare.

   I know my ideas will probably not be your first choice. However, I think for the long run, this is what I would do. I have been a nanny for years and worked at childcare centers with many types of kids. If you follow through with this and show him in your actions that you respect his feelings by being honest (not sneaking out), moving at his pace, and letting him find his security in what works for him (you and then his teddy and hat), I think you will find yourself no longer than a few weeks from now with glorious hours to yourself and a happy little boy that loves his nursery school.

   Comment by Kristin — June 8, 2009 @ 12:55 am

2. Thank you SO much for this comment, it makes sense to me completely. I will definitely give your technique a try, promise! Right now this child care situation doesn’t benefit me anyway - I lose the same amount of time as I gain when my kid is there.

   Comment by Emma — June 9, 2009 @ 3:48 am

3. we need more time for attention and care for children. when our children don’t say “not happy, mum !”.

   I think this’s interesting topic ! thank all for writing this.

   Comment by seliecreative — July 24, 2009 @ 9:29 pm
Hide Comments | Add your comment

Ever since Eric turned 12 months, I started to get this question a lot. Everybody seemed to be interested in what he is eating, from our child’s health nurse to people I accidentally bumped into after not seeing them for months.

And 9 times out of 10 the question “What is he eating?” was followed by “Is he eating what you’re eating?”. I would normally start telling them about how I cook separately for Eric and they would get this worried look on their faces. And then they would start questioning me why Eric doesn’t eat what the rest of the family eats. The message was loud and clear - it is wrong to be feeding the child special meals.

This got me thinking - am I really doing something silly here? Obviously there are many reasons to feed the baby what Rob and I eat.

• 4 Comments
Show Comments
Hide Comments | Add your comment
1. With my oldest I made his food separately until he hit 10 months and was eating more complexed things. Then it was whatever I ate (which I think has contributed to his pickyness because I don’t really eat a lot of the good stuff). With the baby he eats whatever we do. I just don’t have the time to make separte stuff. So at 8 months he gets whatever I’ve made for the meal.

   That said I do have things that are just for the kids: kid/baby yogurt and things like that.

   Comment by LaToya — June 3, 2009 @ 9:25 pm

2. Wow, you are one lucky woman! Seriously, I was trying Eric on solids since 6 months and at 8 he barely started tasting steamed apples :) And your kid eats with the rest of the family!

   Comment by Emma — June 7, 2009 @ 11:56 pm

3. [...] presents What is your child eating? posted at Baby-Log, offering reasons to cook especially for your [...]

   Pingback by All Rileyed Up » Carnival of Family Life: Fourth of July Wrap Up Edition — July 6, 2009 @ 10:47 am

4. I just wanted to let you know the current edition of the Homesteading Carnival is now posted http://mountaineercountrywv.blogspot.com/2009/07/homesteading-carnival-104-no-frills-im.html . Thanks for participating.

   Comment by Shannon — July 13, 2009 @ 9:08 pm
Hide Comments | Add your comment