Realizing I Know Nothing
Archive for April, 2010
Graco Drop Side Crib Recall
Apr 29th
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued another drop side crib recall, this time for a wide variety of models sold under the Graco brand name, but made by LaJobi. You can see all the models here.
As I posted, drop side cribs are on my Bad Things list for this reason. Drop side cribs are recalled at a fairly regular rate, which makes me wonder why companies continue to produce them (although these started selling back in 2007). If you are a new parent reading this — steer clear of drop side cribs unless it is an absolute necessity. More >
Changing station in a men’s room?
Apr 27th
Funny how things change. I know, sad pun. But anyway, early on in my life as a dad, I thought how anti-dad it was to have changing stations in women’s restrooms and not men’s restrooms (or at least at 6-1 rate, as I do know of a few men’s restrooms where they do exist).
This past weekend — as we walked into the crammed diner in search of breakfast and I had one goal only in mind– it hit me. Why do I want one?
The equal partner of me says “so I can in fact be an equal partner”.
The greedy partner of me More >
I am NOT under the influence
Apr 22nd
I read a lot of articles about marketers trying to reach moms. This doesn’t bother me much, since dads probably haven’t risen to full equality in the household necessity shopping department. In a recent article on MediaPost (you can find it here), Mary McIlrath talks about tapping into the emotional drivers of mom over simply talking to a “generic mom”. Makes sense. I really can’t argue.
Wait for it.
However, one itsy bitsy thing always seems missing: How do you target parents as a mom and a dad (or mom and mom, or dad and dad, or Laverne and Shirley)? Daddy Blogger More >
Why do I have to hold your baby?
Apr 12th
To this day, I get a lot of flak for not holding my nephew until he was at least 6 months old (he is going on 4). At the time, I was not yet a parent and I didn’t grow up babysitting kids in the neighborhood. My experience with babies amounted to no more than a few games of peek-a-boo in the checkout line at the grocery store. Even then, I would worry that some parent would think I was a pedophile since I was showing interest in their kid without one of my own in tow. Simply put, I More >
NOW I get it
Apr 9th
I think the perspective thing is going to last a long time. I used to wonder why my friends with kids (prior to us having one) always had puffs and Cheerios littering their cars…c’mon…how hard is to pick them up?
I try. I really try…but it’s like our son is setting up an Easter egg hunt everyday, except he uses puffs and Cheerios. Just when I think I got the last one…another one appears. The wet, drooly ones are my favorite.
And those little cups with the top that allows kids to put their hand in and pull out food, but keeps More >
The Milk Fight
Apr 8th
Our son won’t drink milk. He just turned one year old and we have successfully stopped giving him bottles – even the night bottle we stopped cold turkey (mmmm…turkey) and formula. He even drinks water from a sippy with a straw — but milk — nope. He would drink it from a bottle at the beginning but that stopped too. We noticed that when he did drink it, he would have fitful nights of sleep, so we thought he might be mildly lactose intolerant.
Next step: Lactaid. Next result: Nada.
Then I read something about chocolate milk and the small increase in More >
I think I am hooked on Little Tikes
Apr 5th
Every time I walk down the toy aisle, I get distracted. Lately, it seems like Little Tikes toys catch my eye more than anything else (I am in no way affiliated with them or endorsing all their products). But c’mon — check out the Little Tikes Gas ‘ N Go Mower — has a throttle, key, pull start, kick butt tires and it makes the balls on the deck pop when you push it. AND — the little gas can is removable!
I will say this — it is labeled as 1 1/2 years and up — but if your kid More >
Tip #8
Apr 3rd
Don’t sit around wishing for your son/daughter to hit the next phase because you think things will be better. The around the clock feeding schedule will turn into worrying about them choking which will turn into worrying about them losing a finger in the door jamb will turn into worrying they will lose an eye if they fall onto something sharp while they are walking.
It goes fast. Enjoy what you have while you have it.
The Future
Apr 1st
With our son’s first birthday now come and gone, it’s hard not to think about the future. 21 months ago, I had no idea what I was in for — and now I walk around Babies ‘r’ Us and feel like I am the wise sage sitting at the peak of the mountain waiting for weary travelers to ask for a piece of my wisdom. Things change — it’s inevitable.
I have said to the Wifey (again, pronounced “Whiffy”), that the relationship with my son will change. Not in a bad way, but in that way only sons and dads can More >
