Comments on: To Scream or Not To Scream? http://metrocat.org/2005/12/to-scream-or-not-to-scream You're reading the bite-sized musings on travel, technology, and other miscellaneous topics by Anna and Jeff Watkins from Los Gatos, a small town nestled in the hills at the southern end of Silicon Valley. Sat, 29 Nov 2008 20:05:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: cbd http://metrocat.org/2005/12/to-scream-or-not-to-scream#comment-38 cbd Sat, 31 Dec 2005 15:00:02 +0000 http://newburyportion.com/2005/12/to-scream-or-not-to-scream#comment-38 <p>I think there's a business opportunity here: baby bouncy ball for clumsy fathers. With integrated strait-jacket....</p> <p>Madelyn had a huge fit the night before last, and a Defcon 2 level fit last night. She's getting to be more difficult to get to bed.</p> <p>On the plus side, I have six of eight of the new windows installed, so our young'un is more likely to stay warm.</p> I think there’s a business opportunity here: baby bouncy ball for clumsy fathers. With integrated strait-jacket….

Madelyn had a huge fit the night before last, and a Defcon 2 level fit last night. She’s getting to be more difficult to get to bed.

On the plus side, I have six of eight of the new windows installed, so our young’un is more likely to stay warm.

]]> By: Jeff Watkins http://metrocat.org/2005/12/to-scream-or-not-to-scream#comment-37 Jeff Watkins Fri, 30 Dec 2005 14:31:11 +0000 http://newburyportion.com/2005/12/to-scream-or-not-to-scream#comment-37 <p>Unfortunately, The Bean can't hear us or the white noise generators in the room (a humidifier and an air scrubber next to the diaper pail), but she does love music. In particular, Anna just bought some more Putamayo CDs, and Molly was really grooving to the Arabic one.</p> <p>Sadly, she <em>hates</em> burritofication: she'll squirm better than Harry Houdini until her arms are free to flail around. I've been looking for a source for a baby straight jacket, but I haven't found one yet. Know any good sources?</p> <p>You've seen our stairs. I'm more likely to fall killing me <em>and</em> The Bean than I am to soothe her. Now if I could find a sort of bouncy rubber ball to put Molly <em>into</em>, maybe I could bounce her down the stairs. I'm reluctant to use the stairs outside our apartment for fear of waking all the neighbours.</p> <p>Anna tells me she's lining up a swing for us. One that plugs into the wall to save on batteries.</p> <p>Fortunately, Anna's always ready with some boob-juice to soothe Molly. I just wonder what we'll try once Molly becomes a teenager...</p> Unfortunately, The Bean can’t hear us or the white noise generators in the room (a humidifier and an air scrubber next to the diaper pail), but she does love music. In particular, Anna just bought some more Putamayo CDs, and Molly was really grooving to the Arabic one.

Sadly, she hates burritofication: she’ll squirm better than Harry Houdini until her arms are free to flail around. I’ve been looking for a source for a baby straight jacket, but I haven’t found one yet. Know any good sources?

You’ve seen our stairs. I’m more likely to fall killing me and The Bean than I am to soothe her. Now if I could find a sort of bouncy rubber ball to put Molly into, maybe I could bounce her down the stairs. I’m reluctant to use the stairs outside our apartment for fear of waking all the neighbours.

Anna tells me she’s lining up a swing for us. One that plugs into the wall to save on batteries.

Fortunately, Anna’s always ready with some boob-juice to soothe Molly. I just wonder what we’ll try once Molly becomes a teenager…

]]> By: cbd http://metrocat.org/2005/12/to-scream-or-not-to-scream#comment-36 cbd Fri, 30 Dec 2005 00:52:08 +0000 http://newburyportion.com/2005/12/to-scream-or-not-to-scream#comment-36 <p>Six ways we soothe Madelyn:</p> <p>1) White noise---we have a humidifier, and we also go "shhhhhhhhhh"</p> <p>2) Music: we have some "kid music" but she loves bossa nova too (go figure)</p> <p>3) Swaddle, the "baby burrito" thing---tightly rolling her, arms by her sides, in a blanket, and then cuddling with her</p> <p>4) Walking up and down the stairs</p> <p>5) Baby swing (on the highest setting!)</p> <p>6) Nursing</p> Six ways we soothe Madelyn:

1) White noise—we have a humidifier, and we also go “shhhhhhhhhh”

2) Music: we have some “kid music” but she loves bossa nova too (go figure)

3) Swaddle, the “baby burrito” thing—tightly rolling her, arms by her sides, in a blanket, and then cuddling with her

4) Walking up and down the stairs

5) Baby swing (on the highest setting!)

6) Nursing

]]> By: Jeff Watkins http://metrocat.org/2005/12/to-scream-or-not-to-scream#comment-35 Jeff Watkins Thu, 29 Dec 2005 20:25:49 +0000 http://newburyportion.com/2005/12/to-scream-or-not-to-scream#comment-35 <p>Johnny, that's a good point. I never really know whether The Bean's actually looking <em>at</em> something or just looking in the direction of something.</p> <p>I'd heard that they can't see further than about 6 inches. But how long does that last? I don't know. Maybe we'll try the Bjorn bouncer and see if that helps.</p> Johnny, that’s a good point. I never really know whether The Bean’s actually looking at something or just looking in the direction of something.

I’d heard that they can’t see further than about 6 inches. But how long does that last? I don’t know. Maybe we’ll try the Bjorn bouncer and see if that helps.

]]> By: johnny http://metrocat.org/2005/12/to-scream-or-not-to-scream#comment-34 johnny Thu, 29 Dec 2005 17:52:59 +0000 http://newburyportion.com/2005/12/to-scream-or-not-to-scream#comment-34 <p>I have a 2 year old and a 9 week old, and I asked myself the very same question yesterday when Greta, the 9 week old would not stop crying for more than 30 seconds, and mom was out at the store with Riley, the older one. I don't get mad or frustrated when she keeps crying, but I do think, well if holding her won't calm her down, why don't I put her down, so at least I can clean the kitchen or something. This time it ended up she wanted something more to look at. It is amazing how quickly they go from a blob that can barely see to someone that demands constant stimulation and new things to see, hear and learn. Once I put her down in the bouncy seat with some toys hanging in front of her, she calmed right down and laughed and gurgled for the next 30 minutes...of course tomorrow it will be something else. I learned with the first one that you know how to be a parent for that instant and that instant only, everything changes all the time.</p> I have a 2 year old and a 9 week old, and I asked myself the very same question yesterday when Greta, the 9 week old would not stop crying for more than 30 seconds, and mom was out at the store with Riley, the older one. I don’t get mad or frustrated when she keeps crying, but I do think, well if holding her won’t calm her down, why don’t I put her down, so at least I can clean the kitchen or something. This time it ended up she wanted something more to look at. It is amazing how quickly they go from a blob that can barely see to someone that demands constant stimulation and new things to see, hear and learn. Once I put her down in the bouncy seat with some toys hanging in front of her, she calmed right down and laughed and gurgled for the next 30 minutes…of course tomorrow it will be something else. I learned with the first one that you know how to be a parent for that instant and that instant only, everything changes all the time.

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