Friday, September 23, 2011

Mall Playgrounds

My Facebook is getting bombarded with all my friends who are having their babies. Well, at least my Facebook was getting bombarded until Jesse Eisenberg decided to change up the layout. But congratulations to everyone as they get to enjoy a calm, easy baby. Sleep, feed, and change for the first few weeks. Enjoy it.

So I have been taking my daughter to the local mall to play in their indoor playground. Good padding, things to climb, and other kids to give the stink-eye. And let me just say, if you are easily prone to heart attacks, mall playgrounds are not for you.

There are kids jumping off crap, screaming, and blindly running with their fists flailing while their parents sit in the corner and gulp down their Frappucino. I don't see how these kids, who are probably scared of the vacuum, can just eject themselves off these play structures with no fear. The Baby decided she just wanted to walk off the side of a four foot bridge without realizing she was going to fall. These kids are literally diving off shit and bouncing off their heads, their legs are all twisted and they pop up and do it again.

There has to be some kind of crazy chemical on those things because it's chaos.

And the Baby absolutely loves it. We spent an hour there today and she was passed out by the time we got back to the car.

Luckily I go in the morning during the week so the real crazy kids aren't there. But you do run into the judgmental stay at home mom who wonders why your daughter has dried yogurt on her face and is wearing an unbuttoned onesie with pants.  Bitch.




Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Waking Baby

Despite the Baby spitting like a baseball player and her beach antics, it's this type of stuff that makes us forget her foibles. Until we slip in her spit puddles - but enjoy a nice video of the Baby waking up from a nap...

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

A Day at the Beach

The Wifey and I decided to take a spur of the moment trip down to Galveston for the weekend. We wanted to restore the Baby's faith in the beach after the whole Cali debacle where the Wifey tossed the Baby into the waves.

So early Saturday morning we hopped a plane to Houston and rented a car to spend at the beach. It was going to be one of the last weekends of really nice weather so we took full advantage of it.

The Baby immediately enjoyed the cool ocean breeze but she was still skeptical of the waves rolling in. She could sense the water but she couldn't avoid the waves. She would make a mad dash for the ocean and then as soon the next wave came trickling, she would make an abrupt U-Turn.

So the Wifey decided to put on her floaties and then the Baby became invincible.

She loved the ocean. She loved the sand. She loved it just like we figured she would. She ended up becoming delirious because she loved it so much. So here is the Baby being crazy in Galveston:

Monday, September 12, 2011

Help.

So the grandmother thought it would be cute to teach the Baby how to spit. Her defense is that she only spits outside. Unfortunately, the Baby does not know the difference.

But now the Baby spits everywhere, on everything. We've stopped giving the Baby her favorite bottle of water to limit her spitting. We've tried time outs and even a little slap on the hand but she just laughs and laughs.

We're hoping the Nanny can help curb this bad habit, regardless of it being "cute and only outside."

So any suggestions on how to stop her spitting would be awesome.

Friday, September 9, 2011

Pictures from the BlackBerry

The Baby's version of saying cheese




Just chillin' in the Bumbo

Hiding in her tent

The Baby's tent

Monday, September 5, 2011

Unsolicited Advice

Lately my Facebook feed has been become filled with new parents and expecting parents. And it makes me nostalgic to see their photos of their little babies with their eyes still swollen from adjusting to real light and their tiny hands covered in cloth condom wrappers.

I like to take some time out of my day and go over the old photographs of the Baby and reminisce how perfect she was. And then I see my child drop kicking the dog and tagging up our living room walls with her Crayolas.

But as I see my friends experience their lives changing with their new addition, I can't help but want to give some advice. I just don't want to be*that* parent that believes, "oh, I did it and it worked for me and it will work for you". That mentality does not work, so I abstain but I just can't help to want to reach out and tell my friends, "think of your child!"

***Unrelated*** The Wifey justs sent me a message on Google chat about her cooking dinner tonight and this is what she says:

Wifey: you are supposed to char the tortillas over the gas stove. do you think i could do it ghetto style and just light some paper on fire?

Yikes.

***End of Unrelated***

Anyways, I just see my friends post simple questions on Facebook about raising their child and what they should do and I am horrified by some of the responses.What's even more horrifying is that their comments end up getting "liked".

I just don't understand; as a parent you need to proactively educate yourself on everything about your child. If you believe in one method, why not research other methods just to confirm yours is the right one? There is no wrong way or right way to raise a child. But at least be educated about it. Just because it worked for your mom or your mom's mom, does not mean it is set in stone.

Hell, even question your doctor. Depending on when and where your doctor received her degree, will dictate what advice they give you. There are multiple schools of thought and it's okay if you disagree, it's okay if you question. In fact, the best thing you can do with your doctor is ask questions. As much as our insurance gets charged for the Baby's scheduled maintenance, I am going to get my 10 minutes worth of face time with my doctor.

For my friends who are expecting... if your doctor is pushing for a C-section, why are they pushing for a C-section? If you doctor wants to induce, why are they needing to induce? I personally disagree with both unless medically necessary but like I said before, to each his/her own.

I guess the whole purpose of this post is just to make sure you can defend your ways. If you firmly believe what you are doing is the best thing for your child and your child is happy, then I will respect your decisions.

It Could Be Worse

There are times when I look at my daughter and I see the most intelligent toddler I have ever met. The way she mimics everything I do or how she will respond with somewhat educated responses (albeit, grunts and points) and I get excited because the future is endless for her.

Then I worry if the college acceptance board gets a whiff of this video and her whole future is ruined...


So now I pose the question to you, what crazy, whacked out things have your kids done that make you question their genetic makeup? All I know is in my case, I have never walked around with a bucket on my head...but then again, I am not so sure about the Wifey.