Here's to video monitors and dogs

Thanks to my video monitors I can sit here, have a cup of coffee, and watch my son try to bite his way out of his crib (our resident beaver) and my daughter try to bite her way out of her sleep sack (our resident escape artist). Speaking of, when did you stop using sleep sacks and what did you do next?

Also, thanks to our lab (our previous baby of the family), Chester, I caught Lily half way into her trip up our very steep stairs.

Our dog has been driving us nuts since the babies arrived almost 10 months ago. He has been very kind and gentle with the babies but demanding sooo much attention from DH and I. I think he thinks he is one of the babies. Anyway, this morning I was fixing the babies breakfast in our kitchen when Chester started growling. He NEVER growls at people, just a squirrel or truck that he may see outside. It makes me nuts because he also tends to do this when the babies are sleeping. Our house is one open floor plan and the stairs to upstairs are right in front of the kitchen. I, bad mommy bad mommy, was tempted to tell Chester to be quiet when I happened to look to see what he was growling at and there was my sweet little Lily half way up the stairs with her brother quietly watching from below. Bad mommy Bad mommy. To top it all off, I cannot be annoyed with Chester anymore because he probably saved us from a huge terrifying accident. This is the first time either of them have noticed the stairs but still, bad mommy, good doggy!

 

That is great you can watch them

That is wonderful to hear your dog is keeping such a good eye on them

Dianna

 

That is a smart dog. Despite his irritating you, he sounds like a good dog to have around.

 

Oh Amy - I LOVE our video monitors too. I love to watch Henry bang on this Baby Einstein turtle and peer over his crib rail at his sister. Ellie loves to shake her baby (soothie blanket with bunny head) and laugh and laugh! I feel like if we didn't have the video monitors, I'd be missing on a this special view into their world when they think we aren't around. Plus it's saved me sooo many trips down the hallway to just check!

Anyways, we stopped using the sleep sacks around 7-7/12 months. We just have them in a onesie and thermal zip up PJs (Gerber or Carters). I'm not sure what we'll do as warmer weather approaches. In wintertime, we keep the house at 68, and in summer I try to have the windows open as much as possible - but when we can't, I keep the AC around 75. But I digress - I stopped using the sacks when we started using the warm mist humidifier in their room when they had colds because I thought they'd get too warm. Even now when I don't use the humidifier, they seem just fine.

Suzi

 

QUOTE(SusieQ @ Mar 24 2008, 02:02 PM) [snapback]684052[/snapback]
Oh Amy - I LOVE our video monitors too. I love to watch Henry bang on this Baby Einstein turtle and peer over his crib rail at his sister. Ellie loves to shake her baby (soothie blanket with bunny head) and laugh and laugh! I feel like if we didn't have the video monitors, I'd be missing on a this special view into their world when they think we aren't around. Plus it's saved me sooo many trips down the hallway to just check!

Anyways, we stopped using the sleep sacks around 7-7/12 months. We just have them in a onesie and thermal zip up PJs (Gerber or Carters). I'm not sure what we'll do as warmer weather approaches. In wintertime, we keep the house at 68, and in summer I try to have the windows open as much as possible - but when we can't, I keep the AC around 75. But I digress - I stopped using the sacks when we started using the warm mist humidifier in their room when they had colds because I thought they'd get too warm. Even now when I don't use the humidifier, they seem just fine.

Suzi

Thanks Suzi,

We use the footed pj's for nighttime but I am wondering about naps. I won't use socks because they take them right off, but how to keep their little toesies warm during naps???? About the humidifier, I would love to use a warm mist, we have always used a cold mist one and it makes the room soooo cold. What is the difference, besides warm and cold obviously. Is one better for babies than the other?

Thanks,
Amy

 

Doggies are great for that. I had friends that had a boxer that used sit at the bottom of their steps so their son couldn't go up them. The only time the dog ever bit anyone was when someone walked up to Michael while he was playing in the front yard (my friend was in their garage getting something) who knows what the guy was going to do!

We just use footed sleepers at night, although they are harder to find for 9-12 months so I'm not sure what we are going to do.

 

On the sleepsack issue - we are still using them at age 3. We upgraded to the "big kid" version that has holes for their feet to come out. They can sleep with their feet tucked inside, but when they get up in the morning they can poke their feet out so they don't slip (although they were super cute when they used to walk around in their old sleepsacks - I didn't think they'd be able to with their feet inside, but they could do everything but stairs).

Rachel

 

QUOTE(ahmerl @ Mar 24 2008, 09:41 AM) [snapback]684132[/snapback]
Thanks Suzi,

We use the footed pj's for nighttime but I am wondering about naps. I won't use socks because they take them right off, but how to keep their little toesies warm during naps???? About the humidifier, I would love to use a warm mist, we have always used a cold mist one and it makes the room soooo cold. What is the difference, besides warm and cold obviously. Is one better for babies than the other?

Thanks,
Amy


For naps - we go down in whatever clothes they are wearing. Thankfully, mine leave their socks on, so we don't have that to worry about.

I had a cool mist vaporizer as well, but then I read in article in Parenting magazine at my dr's office that said there really isn't a difference for the babies other than you need to be careful that they don't get near it while it's on. We only run it at night when needed, and it's not overly powerful, so it doesn't like heat the room up super hot or fog mirrors or anything - but it does bring it up a degree or two. I also like it because we can add the Vicks stuff right to the water when they are congested. Let me see if I can find the article....here you go:

You always hear: Cool-mist humidifiers are better than steam vaporizers.

The reality: Both can ease your baby's symptoms. The one you choose really depends on which you prefer. The newer ultrasonic cold-mist humidifiers produce a very fine mist that can penetrate deeper into clogged breathing passages for a more effective "steam clean." They're also more hygienic than the old drum-style humidifiers, which can become a reservoir for germs when they're not disinfected regularly (and they rarely are; who has the time?).

My preference for winter is a hot-mist vaporizer, which gives you a double-whammy cold remedy. First, vaporizers produce a sterile steam, which means you don't have to worry about possibly spewing more germs into your already-sick baby's room. And because they also provide another heat source, at night you can turn down the central heating, which can dry the air, thickening mucus further. Of course, steam vaporizers can cause burns if they're accidentally tipped over, so always be sure to keep yours well out of the baby's reach.

http://www.parenting.com/article/Baby/Heal...mon-Cold-Myths-

Suzi

 

I agree, I love our video monitors. They are awesome. They really help me determine whether they really need me to come in or not, and I love the secret window into their world

Very cool that your dog warned you. Good doggy!

We are still using sleep sacks and I plan to continue doing so for quite some time. It works out well for us. We only use them at bedtime though. Naptime they go in whatever clothes they are wearing. My kids also take socks off like crazy, but Carter's makes these one kind of socks with these little bubble things at the top (they sell them at Target) and they stay on well. Also, I love the Zutano booties. The snap on and are harder for them to get off. They keep their feet nice and warm.

 

What a good doggy! Sounds like its time to get a gate for the stairs

As for the sleep sacks, we stopped using them when it got warmer out (last spring). We put them in onesies and cotton sleepers in the spring, and then just onesies in the summer. All fall and winter they've worn fleecy sleepers to bed with a small flannel blanket over them (because they are old enough now).