Dad's Diary: Hospital Lockdown

By Scott
BabyBlogAddict.com

Our son came into the world in grand fashion. Not only did he arrive 12 days early, but he also managed (with the help of his uncle) to launch a full lockdown of the hospital.

Jack's ankle monitor fell off and it was put aside to deal with later. When Uncle G arrived at the room, he pulled it apart to try to get it back on Jack's leg.

Big mistake.

Almost immediately, a nurse called the room to see if we had the baby, the elevators were stopped and, as far as we know, the rest of the hospital was briefly as secure as The White House. Oops.

Heightened security like that should make parents feel good, however, especially considering what happened down the road from BBA Headquarters a few months ago.

Week in Review

:: Baby Joy for NFL Player, Wife
:: Potty Training a Reluctant Toddler
:: Toddler Wranglers
:: Surviving the First Year with Triplets
:: Video: YouTube Controversy
:: iPhone Fun for Toddlers
:: Who Knew? Different Nipple Sizes
:: Olympians and Baby Names
:: Dethrone Your Toddler
:: Toddler Meal Times
:: Bad Economy Means Fewer Boys
:: Video: Who Let the Dogs Out?

"The Greatest Website"

We love all the Baby Blog Addicts who make us a part of their daily routines...and we love it when you love us! The notes below were so nice, we thought we'd pass them along.

"This is the greatest website! I love it! As a mother of 20 month old twins-this is the greatest way to stay "in the know." Thanks for your hard work! I work full time (however I do get to take my babies with me-which is awesome)--so at night when my babies are going to sleep--I check out your website! Love it!" - Erika in Mississippi

"I love this site, but now knowing you are Saints fans, I will be faithful forever! Thanks for providing so much insight to a MOM who has little time, but still wants to know what's going on in the world." - Misty, MOM to gggg quads 21 months

Thanks, Erika and Misty. Readers like you keep us coming back to do this every day.

Baby Joy for NFL Player, Wife

We're New Orleans Saints fans here at Baby Blog Addict, but the Dallas Cowboys' DeMarcus Ware makes us forget about that for a moment. Last January was a rough time for Ware and his wife, Taniqua. Ware's Cowboys had just lost to the New York Giants in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. Five days before that, Taniqua miscarried for the third time.

After meeting a man at a car dealership who had an adopted son and consulting with his father, the family decided adoption was their best option. Six months later, life is good once again for the Wares.

"You are so happy because you have a little bundle of joy in your life," Ware told the Dallas Morning News. "I even find myself going to Wal-Mart looking for little toys. When I'm going grocery shopping looking for food, I'm getting baby food instead of food for myself."

Potty Training a Reluctant Toddler

A mother is frustrated by her daughter's screaming fits when she mentions using the potty, even though the almost-three-year-old tells her when she needs to go to the bathroom and can take her own clothes off. The advice: get rid of the diapers.

Toddler Wranglers

Are these "backpack leashes" really effective? I think they make toddlers look too much like dogs, but some people swear by them. They cost about $10 and are available at Target, Walmart and other online retailers.

The Harness Buddy comes in a friendly monkey, bear or dog.

Surviving the First Year with Triplets

By Rachael
BBA Contributor

I am proud to say that we survived our first year with triplets. Although the individual moments were often less than graceful, it has been one incredible and amazing journey. During my pregnancy, I spent four weeks on bedrest at home, then was admitted to the hospital where I spent the remaining eight weeks until delivery day.

Needless to say, The Peaches (as we so lovingly call them) were born under an umbrella of fear and apprehension - especially since two of the three were in distress due to complications from Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome. When they made the decision to do an emergency c-section, we had no idea what to expect. But each baby came out with a tiny little cry. The last one born took an extra few (and particularly frightening) moments before she finally cried. They did incredibly well in the NICU, defying their doctor's expectations and sailing through each goal set for them. And they came home long before we expected. Of course, once they were home, sleep deprivation hit in full force and we wandered around in a fog until they were about 10 months old. Then the fog began to lift and clarity set in.

It was then that I was finally able to take a few moments to look back over our long journey through the previous year. I sat back in awe as I realized the sheer volume of what we have to be thankful for: three tiny, precious lives. There were many moments throughout the pregnancy and after their birth when we had no idea if our babies would survive long enough to come home, much less celebrate their 1st birthday. But they did. They did more than just survive, they flourished. And now we have three perfect one-year-olds who are toddling and talking, laughing and learning, giggling and growing (in addition to their just as perfect big sister).

Read more about Rachael and her family at her blog. Interested in being a BBA contributor? E-mail us.

BBA Headlines

:: Baby Born on Plane
An Indian woman gave birth to a healthy boy aboard a flight to Australia to reunite with her husband.

:: Bassinet Trouble
One of the most popular bassinets in America has been linked to at least two babies' deaths.

:: Diaper Saves Toddler
A disposable diaper saved the life of an 18-month-old who fell from the third floor of a building in Brazil.

YouTube Controversy: A Mother Fights Back

A federal judge is allowing a Pennsylvania woman to sue Universal Music Corp. for forcing YouTube to take down a video clip of her baby dancing to Prince's "Let's Go Crazy."

Universal Music demanded the removal of the 29-second home video by Stephanie Lenz of Gallitzin, Pa., because it allegedly violated copyright laws on the song. But a San Jose-based judge says Universal needed to first consider whether the clip was "fair use" of the material.

The video in question is below. This is one of the most ridiculous controversies ever dragged into the spotlight by a major corporation.

iPhone Fun for Toddlers

By Scott
BabyBlogAddict.com

I own an iPhone. It cost a lot. So why on earth would I let our toddler put his grimy little fingers all over it? First, he only plays with it in a "safe" area. That means one of us is watching him and he's sitting down on the sofa, carpet or some other harmless surface and can't walk around with it. Jack is almost three and, like me, he loves gadgets. On a recent two-hour flight we kept him entertained by ditching the portable DVD player and "upgrading" him to our video iPod. At his fingertips he had access to his favorites: Ratatouille, Super Why! and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

On the iPhone, it took no time at all for him to learn to scroll through the hundreds of pictures by sliding his finger across the screen and double-tapping them to zoom in. Pretty incredible to watch, actually. Outside of the pics, his favorite thing to do is play around with the bubble wrap application. A couple of other good ones include bubbles and iDoodle2Lite. There are sure to be a lot more in Apple's App Store soon.

Which gadgets work for you?

Who Knew? Different Size Nipples

By Jennifer
BabyBlogAddict.com

"Who Knew?" is a new Baby Blog Addict column that will mostly be based on my own crazy experiences and discoveries during pregnancy and motherhood. It'll touch on the things you don't always find in the books, but you probably should. I've often thought, "How am I supposed to just know that?" That's how this column,"Who Knew?" came to be.

Along with my own experiences, I'll also share stories that I hear from my mommy friends or that I find while blog hopping. You can participate too. Feel free to submit your own "Who Knew?" experiences to share with the Baby Blog Addict community.

My first experience was with different size bottle nipples. Who knew there were different size nipples for baby bottles?

I don't even remember how old my son was when I was walking through Babies 'R Us and came across different Dr. Brown's nipple sizes. I got this nervous feeling in my stomach, because I had no clue that there were different levels. Who Knew?

For all of you who are preggo and doing your baby registry or a new mom using Dr. Browns bottles, here's what's available:

Level 1 Nipple - for feeding newborns; comes with the bottle
Level 2 - three months +
Level 3 - six months +
Level 4 - also six months +
Y-cut - Faster flow for thicker liquids
Preemie Nipple - for feeding preemies

So, now you know.

Not Fans of Naming Babies After Olympians

Last week we posed the question, "Would you consider naming your baby after an Olympic Champion like 'Phelps'?" and we asked you to cast your vote in our poll. Here are the results:

Yes - 21%

No - 79%

Red Cup Mom said...
This is hilarious! Phelps as a first name. I am sure I will meet one next year.

Beth Ewing said...
Although I'm very proud of Michael Phelps and all the American athletes, this might be taking it a bit too far. Of course with some of names we see in hollywood, goldmedal and threemedals won't be that weird.

Audrey said...
Well, as a daughter with the name Kerrigan, I thought I better chime in. Although we most definitely didn't name her after Nancy, I can see some people doing that. I love your blog btw!

Stoots Family said...
While my husband & I named our son "Myles" because we both are runners and were engaged during a 7 mile run, I don't think I would go as far as naming my child after an Olympic athlete!

Thanks to everyone who shared their opinions.

Winner: Shushay Diapee Case

Congratulations to Maggie (Comment #17) who said, "I like Luke the best!". She is the winner of the Shushay Diapee Case of her choice from Shalynn's etsy store - "Shushay". I'll send you an email, Maggie, to find out which case you want.

Dethrone Your Toddler

Check out this great article from the Staten Island Advance. The writer argues that most of the chaos in a household happens when children - not parents - rule the roost.

If you're a parent of a toddler, this situation will sound all too familiar: It's 5:30 p.m., you're just about finished preparing dinner and your toddler is screaming at the top of his lungs, refusing to wait for his dessert. He wants his ice cream right now and is intent on acting out until he gets his way.

Based on his past behavior, you know he won't eat his dinner if he fills up on dessert, therefore you repeatedly explain to him that he will have to wait.

Your words, as usual, fall on deaf ears, and despite your best efforts to reason with him in a gentle manner -- which requires every last bit of patience you can muster -- his tantrums escalate rather than dissipate.

Continued...

Blog: Toddler Meal Times

Whose toddler hasn't given them fits at dinner time? Take a look at this excerpt from a blog post on Kids Dish:

"The meals are totally a toddler control thing. He’ll eat what he wants when he wants and there’s really nothing I can do about it. He currently gravitates to the white foods (pasta, crackers, etc which drives me insane) and fruit. I make sure I always have something he’s likely to eat on his plate at meals along with whatever we’re eating. I give him a ton of options- small amounts of everything- so he’ll at least eat something and ask for more of whatever strikes his fancy. I figure as long as he eats protein, fruits, vegetables, and dairy over the course of a week it’s fine. If we get halfway through a week and I realize he hasn’t eaten any dairy I’ll start pushing ice cream or chocolate milk."

Continued...

More Celeb Babies

Jason Lee, star of My Name is Earl on NBC, and his girlfriend are the parents of a baby girl. A name has not yet been announced. Lee also has a four-year-old son, Pilot Inspektor, with ex-fiancee Beth Riesgraf. Stay tuned.

Also, it appears Charlie Sheen will be a dad again. He and wife Brooke Mueller are expecting their first child together. Sheen, 42, is also a father of three girls with ex-wife Denise Richards.

Bad Economy Means Fewer Baby Boys

Stress caused by money troubles and natural disasters affects the sex ratio, studies show. Hard times are especially hard on pregnant women. Miscarriages go up, as do premature births. The result: fewer baby boys.

Video: Who Let the Dogs Out

Blog: How to Feed an Oreo to a Toddler

From the Wood Family:

1. Toddler must be sitting in his high chair. Your lap is NOT a good place for him to eat an Oreo. After the first bite, you will realize your mistake.

2. Don't bother with a bib. It's futile.

3. Don't feed Oreos to toddlers who just had a bath and are in clean pajamas.

4. Keep everything out of arms reach from the toddler while cookie is being consumed.

5. It only takes one cookie to made a disaster.

Celebrity Baby Boom

It was a big week for baby news in Tinseltown. Ricky Martin, Gwen Stefani, Matt Damon, Jennifer Garner, Angie Harmon and Sporty Spice all made headlines in the past few days.

55-Year-Old Gives Birth to Quadruplets

An Indian woman reportedly gave birth to the Quads in the northern Italian city of Mantua.

"We have been waiting for this moment for 15 years," the babies' 38-year-old father Pabla Maghar Singh said. "We are really very happy."

The four boys, born a week ago, were named Manav, Manmeet, Roshan and Radveer.

Celebrity Baby News

:: Matt Damon (right) is a second-time father after his wife gave birth to a baby girl.

:: Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale welcomed their second little prince today.

:: Angie Harmon is expecting her third child with husband Jason Sehorn.

:: Jennifer Garner has confirmed that she and Ben Affleck are expecting baby number two.

Blog: Humor for Moms

LAPD Wife has a list of funny things relating to babies, including preparing for birth, worries, pacifier, diapering, going out and swallowing coins. Each topic shows how things change from the first child to the third. For instance...

Worries:

1st baby: At the first sign of distress - a whimper, a frown - you pick up the baby.
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.

Giveaway: Shushay Wipee Case

::This giveaway is now closed::

I'm a fabric addict and I love trendy twists on plain baby stuff, like wipes cases. Shalynn does too and that's why she started her own etsy shop - Shushay.

She is a mom of two (Kavi who's two and Paisley who's just three months old). She's also going through nursing school, but has a real passion for creating. She's been able to take crafts to a whole new level since she become a mom..BABY STUFF! That led her to start making the decorative wipee cases too.

Shalynn is giving away a wipee case of the winners choice to one lucky baby blog addict reader. A piece of elastic is even attached to the back to hold a couple of diapers on your trip to the potty room.

Here's how to enter:

1. Just go to Shushay and search through their adorable patterns for your favorite one (besides the blue houndstooth pictured here. I want to make sure you go to her site to check out all her cute designs).

2. Let us know your favorite in a comment on this post. We'll ask you again which one you want if you are the winner. Just make sure we have your contact info (email or blog address) either in your blogger profile or in the comment itself, so we can contact you. Only one entry per person per giveaway.

3. We'll select a random winner then post it here on BBA next week.

This contest runs: Tuesday, 8/19 - Sunday, 8/24/08 at 8am ET.

Funny Stuff - #1 Hit From The Day You Were Born & Ad For Very Creative Babysitting Position

While blog hopping on my friends' baby blogs, I came across two funny things on Bridget's (Thanks, Bridget):

:: Look up the #1 hit from the day you were born... right here. Just select your birth month, then day, then year. Try it for your whole family, especially your children. Mine was "Shake Your Booty" by K.C. and the Sunshine Band. My son's was "Gold Digger" by Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx.

:: An ad on the NYU Career Net per today's New York Post.... " Wanted. A student to baby-sit from 6-8a.m. Given the unusual hours, we will consider even someone who can come only one or two days a week. Mom is an NYU professor. Dad a sportswriter. We offer an easygoing environment, a great kid (high-energy 3 1/2 year old son) who, unlike his parents, is a very early riser."

Naming Babies After Olympic Champions

Zimbabwean swimmer and world record holder, Kirsty Coventry, has been called a "national treasure" by the head of the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee and "golden girl" by the Zimbabwean President. She brought her native Zimbabwe their first Olympic medal ever during the 2004 Olympics.

That prompted Zimbabweans to start naming their babies after her. Several newborn babies were named Kirsty, some with the middle name Coventry, others were even called "Goldmedal" or "Threemedals" to celebrate her Athens haul.

Since she has won a few more medals in Beijing, I'm thinking that there may be more Kirsty's born in Zimbabwe again this year...or maybe even a "Fourmedals."

That got me thinking. How many "Phelps" do you think will be born in the U.S.A. over the next few months? Would you consider naming your baby after an Olympic Champion? Cast your vote in our poll in the right sidebar.

Aging Disease Doesn't Slow Toddler

This article is in today's Lexington (KY) Leader-Herald. It is one in an occasional series of articles about 19-month-old Zach Pickard, a toddler diagnosed with the rapid-aging disease progeria, and his family...


Zach Pickard dances to the front door like a tiny dervish.

"Mr. Sun," a song beloved by generations of toddlers and stuck in the minds of parents for decades afterwards, plays on the stereo.

For Zach, it is a bounceable tune, and bounceable tunes are something that toddlers love to a fault:

Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun

Won't you please shine down on meeeee ...

Zach has progeria, one of the rarest diseases on earth. There are only 13 cases of the disease in the United States, 46 worldwide. Progeria causes children's bodies to age far more rapidly than they should.

Here's how progeria is cruel: Babies with the disease come out looking like any other newborn, fluffy-headed and wrinkled. During the first year of a progeria baby's life, however, parents usually notice a failure to thrive. By the time the children hit 18 to 24 months old, the accelerated aging is unmistakable.

Continued...

Dad's Diary

There is no Dad's Diary this week because Dad has been sick.

Winner: Modern Me Tee

Congratulations to Jilly (comment #5) who is the winner of the mouse "me tee" from Modern Me.

Quadathon Recap & Thank Yous

I know our quadathon ended two weeks ago and I said I was going to write a special thank you to everyone involved when I was able to catch my breath the following week, but I guess it took me a little longer. Here it is.

I mentioned it before, but again want to thank the quad moms -- Suz, Jen, Gen and Mari -- for their time, humor and inspiring words. Here are their blogs:

• Steece's Pieces: Prayed For One, Blessed With Four



• The Murray Crew Quads: 4tunate



• The McNulty Quads: Welcome to Quadville



• The Goerlich Quads: Growing Together Under One Son
  
  

If you missed our series, "Q&A with the Quad Moms", click here for the all the posts or click on individual questions below to see how each quad mom answered. Some of their answers are hilarious, some are very moving. This read is definitely worth your time.

1. Did you know what a blog was before you found out you were pregnant?

2. Do you ever think, I am so blogging about this?

3. Did you realize how popular your blog was going to be?

4. Do you ever feel "pressure" to be entertaining?

5. Would you allow cameras into your house like "Jon and Kate Plus 8"?

6. What's your most embarrassing quad moment?

7. What's the funniest comment about having quads?

8. What's your funniest "mommy brain" moment?

9. How many other blogs do you check a day?

10. Who does most of your blog updates - you or your husband?

11. What's your best piece of parenting advice?

12. What's the best thing about having quads?

Thanks to all of you who entered our daily GIVEAWAYS and to the amazing companies who supplied items:

Princess Linens, Diaper Doodie, Sweet Mady's Paper, Word Candy Vinyl, a b sea baby, ShooShoos, Wee Generation, Elliot's Preemie Tees and Delicate Tomboy

Inspirational Nursery Designs

Check out these 15 beautiful baby rooms on HGTV.com for ideas and inspiration when designing your own baby's nursery. They have a good mix of boys, girls and gender-neutral designs (which are often hard to find), including this Gender-Neutral: Organic and Stylish design below.

Video: Rejected Olympic Sport

Every family has their own idea of backyard fun, but we've never seen fun quite like this. Toddler Tossing could be the next big thing. Or not.

Celebrity Baby News

:: Britney Spears is speaking out for the first time in two years. In an interview with OK! magazine, Spears talks about how she felt when she found out her 16-year-old sister was pregnant.

:: 'Desperate Housewives' star Eva Longoria is "desperately trying to get pregnant," says the show's creator, Marc Cherry.

:: Nicole Kidman's new baby is already visiting movie sets with mom, but the Aussie actress wants to make sure Sunday Rose stays out of the spotlight. She is pushing the paparazzi to leave her alone.

Uneasy Economy Affecting Stay-At-Home Moms

New York (AP) - “I’m having ’em, so I wanna raise ’em.” That’s the philosophy that led Jenna Kagan to stop working when her daughter was born nine years ago. Two sons soon followed, and their mother remains firm in her belief that staying home with them is best.

But these days, the term “stay-at-home-mom” has taken on a new meaning. Economic stresses, particularly sky-high gas prices, have kept many of these mothers and their families closer to home base than they’d like, a development some find isolating and deeply frustrating. Continued...

Related: Staying sane when stuck at home with the kids!

The Name Game

It's no secret that celebrity baby names have been a little, uh, out there for a number of years. From Nicholas Cage's son Kal-El Coppola to Jason Lee's son Pilot Inspektor to Geri Halliwell's daughter Bluebell Madonna (pictured), there is no shortage of craziness.

While official figures show that old-fashioned names are still among the most popular choices, some classic names remain firmly stuck in the history books. Norman and Gertrude top a list of names that have fallen out of fashion over the last 100 years, according to research for the mother and baby website Gurgle.com. While Ruby and Olivia are all the rage, Edna, Ethel and Irene are strictly off limits.

Other unloved entries on the list of endangered names include Clifford, Frank, Arnold, Leonard, Ada, Agnes, Elsie and Mabel.

Which names would you kick to the curb?

Video: Dog Smarter than Baby

The debate is finally settled.

Wanted: Baby Blog Addiction Stories

From time to time we collect Baby Blog Addiction stories. Since it's a slow baby news day, we thought now was a good time to beat the drum again. We'd love to hear when and how you got hooked on baby blogs and how many you regularly visit. We'll add your stories to our Baby Blog Addiction Stories page. The more addicted you are the better!

Here's an example from Amy in Alabama:
"I confess...I am hooked on blogs. It doesn't even matter to me if I don't know the people. I just love linking over to other blogs from people that I do know. I feel like I have a 'spying' addiction."

And Emily in Texas:
"I like to read them because I have an infant myself, and its fun to "compare notes" with other moms. I don't feel so alone this way knowing that there are others going through the same thing, or worse things! I just started a baby blog about my own son, but I'm writing it from his point of view to make it more interesting. I'm finding that its challenging to do this, to keep it both interesting and entertaining. So far, friends and family think its cute without being too ga-ga."

Don't be shy. Admitting your problem is the first step! E-mail your stories to babyblogaddict[at]yahoo.com or leave a comment here.

Blog Watch

:: Squidoo - baby travel strollers.
:: Savvy Cafe - Organic food for toddlers.
:: MyEcoStyle - the diaper discussion.
:: Accessibility - tummy time!
:: The West - Would you put your baby on a diet?
:: Naush - The truths about parenting.
:: King Al - Parenting tips.
:: Parenting - How does parenting affect personality?

Me Tee Giveaway from Modern Me

:: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED ::

We just spotlighted Modern Me below. Now, you have the chance to win your own Mouse "me tee" from Baby Blog Addict. This 6-12 month onesie is super soft, made with a high-quality cotton onesie and features their unique right side up and upside down graphic (check out the story behind that concept here). It would be perfect for your own little one or as a baby gift!

Here's how to enter:

1. Just go to Modern Me and search through their adorable stuff for your favorite item (besides the mouse "me tee" from this giveaway).

2. Let us know your favorite in a comment on this post. Just make sure we have your contact info (email or blog address) either in your blogger profile or in the comment itself, so we can contact you. Only one entry per person per giveaway.

3. We'll then run the number of comments in a random integer generator and come up with the winner then post it here on BBA next week.


This contest runs for a week: Monday, 8/11 - Sunday, 8/17/08 at 8am ET.

Website Spotlight: Modern Me

Modern Me sells hip clothes for baby, but they have a very unique twist.

Just take a look at their "me tees." Most of the designs have the graphic printed both right side up and upside down. The concept came about when the creator, Melissa, had a conversation with a two year old. She realized that one of the first questions she asks a tot is, "What's that on your shirt?" And so, the 'me tee' was born. When you ask a child about the graphic on his or her shirt, the child can see the graphic right side up from their perspective, when gazing down.

Modern Me's newest creation is the "me sleeves." Melissa says that a very important developmental milestone for baby--noticing his hands and beginning to grasp objects and clasp hands together--happens around three months of age. "Me sleeves" draw baby's attention to his hands with graphics on the wrist, in eye catching colors.

The majority of Modern Me's designs are unisex and are perfect for the couple who is waiting for the birth to reveal the sex of their baby. She even says, "if your heart is set on pink elephants or blue owls, simply give me a call or drop me an email, and I would be happy to meet your request." How's that for customer service?!

Don't miss Modern Me's SALE going on right now where lots of their "me tees" are almost half price. And enter to win your own "me tee" in our giveaway above.

Found: Angelina Jolie's Nightgown!

If you're just dying to get your hands on the nightgown Angelina Jolie wore recently on the cover of People magazine, rest easy. Celebrity Baby Blog has found it.

"It's Eileen West's 'La Stella,' known for their classically romantic sleepwear. We found plus-size ($82) and short ($60) versions at Dillard's, and a version under a different name at the Vermont Country Store, plus a matching robe, in white and lilac. It will be available on the designer's site 'on a first come basis' in October."

Dealing with Infertility

An article on CNN.com offers some helpful advice for couples dealing with infertility. Among the tips: get dad out of the hot tub, use an ovulation predictor kit, go to a clinic that's open seven days a week, get a "cycle buddy" and get a second opionion.

Babysitter Thief

Have you ever stolen someone's babysitter? This letter to Dear Abby could be about you. Shame, shame, shame.

While we're on the advice column theme, Miss Manners writes about when it's OK to call a baby by its nickname.

Dad's Diary: 12 Days Early?!

By Scott
BabyBlogAddict.com

With Jack nearing his third birthday, I've been thinking back lately to the day he was born. As prepared as we thought we were, that's how utterly unprepared we were. We took all the classes - child birth, breastfeeding and infant CPR - but nothing really gets you ready for The Day except The Day itself. For us, The Day came 12 days before it was supposed to.

Jennifer was as typically uncomfortable as a very pregnant woman could be, but we just chalked it up to her inching closer to the due date. We had never done this before. We didn't know she was actually having contractions during that episode of Lost. So the next day Jennifer went in for a scheduled appointment and never left. Turns out the non-stress test showed Jack was under stress (why do they call it a non-stress test anyway?) and needed to get out pronto. I had just gotten home from work when Jennifer called to ask if I wanted to have our baby that day.

In near shock, I muttered something like, "Do we have to? How about tomorrow?"

No dice. The baby wasn't waiting.

But we were supposed to have 12 more days! We had a farewell to D.I.N.K. (double income no kids) dinner planned at Ruth's Chris that weekend. I still had to buy the video camera. Was the nursey ready? It didn't matter. We were going to have our first child in about five hours.

I grabbed Jennifer's bag, zipped over to Best Buy to pick up the camcorder, then sped to the hospital. Total time from call to hospital arrival: 40 minutes. I was impressed. Soon after, Jack arrived into the world on a beautiful October evening. We had a son. Everything that happened before 6:01 p.m. that day didn't seem to matter anymore.

No, we weren't ready, but you adjust. We had a happy (relatively) and healthy baby that made us forget just how unprepared we were to be parents a few short hours ago.

So he's almost three. Where did the time go? Now instead of wondering when he'll get here and what he'll be like, I'm wondering about what food he's swiping from the pantry and if he'll ever actually tell us when he has to make #2.

:: Dad's Diary runs Sundays on BabyBlogAddict.com ::

Summer Specials

:: Bubele (see ad in right sidebar) is having a 50% off summer sale.

:: Blogs by Danielle is celebrating it's first anniversary and is offering $20 off for new customers and $15 off for returning customers.

:: Jackaroos Boutique is offering free shipping on all orders over $100.

:: Sweet Mady's has five special edition lunchboxes available through September 10th.

Remote Control Parenting

There are too many stories about infants or toddlers accidentally left to die inside sweltering cars. Now there is a device that alerts you if a child is left unattended in a car. A ChildMinder sensor pad placed under the cushion of a car seat is wirelessly linked to an alarm on the parent’s keychain. If the adult walks more than a few feet away from the car with the child still in the seat, the alarm will sound.

What do you think? The article says one mother returned the ChildMinder because the father for whom she bought it was offended she thought he would ever forget their child in the car.

10 Mistakes New Parents Make

WebMd has compiled a thorough list of gaffes new parents commonly make in their baby's first year. They include panicking over anything and everything, confusing spit up and vomit, neglecting oral care and ignoring your marriage. Click here for the complete list.

Potty Training

The following is a post from a new BBA partner site, DIYFather.com:

Potty training was Alleke's idea. She came streaking through the apartment, dripping from her inflatable swimming pool in the kitchen. I watched her hop like a dolphin with her knees together and disappear into the bathroom.

"Potty," she yelled, and I bolted out of my chair.

She sat on her potty and kicked her legs while I sat on the edge of the tub–not sure if I was supposed to do something. I had as much experience with potty training as Alleke did. She seemed confident at least.

She asked to read a book, and when she finished, she set it down, stood up, looked in the potty, and pointed. I looked over her shoulder.

There was a puddle.

"Nice work," I said.

I'm no expert on potty training. Alleke just lets me tag along when she has to go. I'm there for moral support. But what I find interesting is that Alleke started using the potty when she had to.
It's been hot, so Alleke's been running around in her birthday suit, in and out of her pool like our apartment is her personal water park. Alleke had a few accidents at first (one involving a turd rolling under the couch), but once she realized diapers were no longer an option, she looked for the next best thing, the toilet, which she had seen Mom and Dad use. Potty training was not so much an accomplishment, like crossing a finish line, but a solution to a problem. It was practical.

Let's just hope Alleke doesn't realize the easier option would be to go in her swimming pool.

Getting Through the Day with Triplets

On the heels of our very successful Quadathon, newspapers everywhere are taking notice of parents dealing with the challenges of raising multiples. This article focuses on a mother of triplets and how she gets through her days.

"Every day, I wondered, 'How am I going to do this?' But somehow you make it through because the babies have to be fed and need to be put down and soothed," Jessica Melker, 28, told the Dallas Morning News.

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Eventually, it got easier when the babies were old enough to sleep through the night and to feed "just" four times a day and all at the same time, with the help of bottles propped up with blankets.

Diaper Calculator Widget

When I clicked on our last winner's blog, I came across this Diaper Calculator from tripletsmommy.com in her sidebar. You can get it too for your sidebar (narrow version) or for a blog post (wider version).

Check out your own family's diaper calculator stats. Just a warning that you may want to sit down when you hit "calculate."

Winner: Miso Cute Tee

Congratulations to Lesley of All About Patrick & Laura (comment #15). She is the winner of the Miso Cute tee from Delicate Tomboy, the last giveaway from our Quadathon.

Lesley said, "I love the Baby Girl Custom - Repeat Name Fade - very rock star! Such cute things."

We'll continue to have more giveaways on BabyBlogAddict.com along with our usual parenting tips, humor and baby news, so keep checking back with us.

Website Spotlight: Baby Ride

The people over at BabyRide.com are big fans of Baby Blog Addict and we love their site, too! BabyRide.com has everything you need for a baby on the move. From strollers and car seats to backpacks and bike trailers, they have a huge selection of high quality brands at low prices. Check out their Parent's Picks to enjoy savings on their most popular strollers, car seats, high chairs, diaper bags, toys and more.

BabyRide offers FREE SHIPPING for all items over $100 and since they love BBA, our readers are getting a little something extra! Use the coupon code "BabyBlogAddict08" during checkout to receive $5 off any purchase of $50 or more on BabyRide.

Helping Your Baby Beat the Heat

This article in the Dallas Morning News is written with the oppressive heat of that city as the backdrop, but people in other parts of the country can certainly relate. Ever hear of prickly heat?

Pregnancy Ticker: What To Expect

Another pregnancy ticker option for your blog. This one is from What To Expect. Thanks for sending this one to us, Cindy.


Click here for all the other tickers we've feature here on BBA.

Quad Giveaway: Miso Cute Tee (Delicate Tomboy)

**THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED**

This is the last giveaway for our Quadathon, but definitely not the last one for BBA. We already have more planned and will continue to host giveaways periodically here on BabyBlogAddict.com, so keep checking back with us for more.

We're giving away a "Miso Cute" tee from Delicate Tomboy. It's a gender neutral yellow and a size 12 month. The tee is high-quality and comes nicely packaged with a cute hangtag and Delicate Tomboy button.

I'm sure your little one would turn heads wearing this adorable tee, not that he or she isn't turning heads already! You have to check out the rest of their unique designs.
Here's how to enter:

1. Just go to Delicate Tomboy and search through their adorable stuff for your favorite item.

2. Let us know your favorite in a comment on this post. Just make sure we have your contact info (email or blog address) either in your blogger profile or in the comment itself, so we can contact you. Only one entry per person per giveaway.

3. We'll then run the number of comments in a random integer generator and come up with the winner then post it here on BBA next week.

This contest runs through the weekend and beyond: Friday, 8/1 at 8am ET - Tuesday, 8/5 at 8am ET.

Quad Q&A: "Best Thing About Quads"

This is the last of our Q&As with the Quad Moms. Like Mrs. Domino said in her comment on one of the previous Quad Q&A posts, "Just knowing quad mommies survive and have enough time to answer questions online is inspiring!"

Click here if you missed the rest of our "Q&A with the Quad Moms" series or just keep scrolling down to catch up on it all.

We'll write up a thank you to everyone involved in our Quadathon next week, when I catch my breath, but for now we want to especially thank Suz, Jen, Gen and Mari for their time, humor and inspiring words.

12. What's the best thing about having quads?

• Suz Steece - jeez....do you have all day to sit and talk with me, b/c i could go on and on and on and on about this one! there is so much i could say here! number one, we are MORE than beyond blessed to just have ONE child period. we know what it is like to struggle with infertility and that aching desire to get pregnant with a healthy baby...so, what a blessing that God has entrusted us with four at one time--it is truly amazing and humbling.
  
  as my babies grow and develop, i am watching them interact more and laugh with each other--that just makes my heart melt into mush! what an incredible bond and friendship they will carry with each other for their entire lives! their best friends were formed right there with them in the womb and they have been together ever since! i cannot begin to imagine that type of bond and absolutely LOVE watching their closeness.
  
  other things i love about having quads: 4 smiling faces in the morning, 4 babies crawling all over me at once, slobbery wet kisses, 4 babies simultaneously laughing, watching my husband become this amazing father, watching joe play with the kids & making them laugh, having an instant family--"just add water"!

• Jen Murray - Knowing that I get to watch 4 MIRACLES grow up together....
  Watching them make each other laugh...
  Milestone Moments x4!....
  Seeing Brad as an AMAZING father....
  Saying Goodnight to 4 Little Sleeping Bodies....
  Watching them Be a Source of Joy for Others...
  Feeling Blessed Beyond Belief!


• Gen McNulty - Being able to sit back now, and watch them laugh and interact with each other. They really are hysterical to watch: One second they're laughing, one second they're screaming, and the next they're kissing and making up.

• Mari Goerlich - There are lots of babies to go around - no one feels left out from getting some cuddle time. And oddly enough, I think it makes you a little more relaxed as a first time parent.

...INSPIRING is right.