I've known for quite some time now that guys are hard-wired a little differently than girls. I definitely figured that one out probably a day or so afer Rob and I first moved in together.
I guess what I didn't realize is just how much of it is automatic, and it starts so early.
It totally brings a new side to the debate of nature versus nurture.
Quinn turned six months old on Thursday and there are many things I have learned about boys in my short time as a mother, and in my seven years as an auntie.
It's amazing all of the things boys and men do without being taught.
I swear from the day he was born, my nephew Braiden has had a need for speed, and probably the first noises out of his mouth were the vroom-vrooms of dinky cars. I'm not sure what part of the brain controls these features, but boys know how to imitate the sounds of boats, cars and trucks the second they pick up these toys.
My other nephew Kyle at almost two, can by now fix and put togehter just about anything, and if he could use the words, would tell us how everything works. I think one of his favourite Christmas gifts this year was a set of play tools.
And I will always remember what one of my good friends told me "Boys want to build the house and girls want to decorate it" when describing the difference between the two sexes and how they play as small children. It's good advice to keep in mind, and so true.
My observances with Quinn as a boy go as follows and could very easily apply to his father as well I have learned. Sorry Rob. And to tell you the truth, having male children of two very different age categories (6 months and 428 months) gives me the perfect opportunity to evaluate nature versus nurture.
Here are my observances.
Quinn sometimes gets a big smile on his face when he lets out a big fart, and the other times acts non-chalantly as if nothing ever happened. Rob does the same. One point for Nature.
Quinn can sometimes let out some prettty big burps, and after which Rob will say "nice one" and come over and give Quinn a kiss. Actually I think that was the same reaction he had when he heard me let out a big belch for the first time. But anyway... 2 points for Nature.
One of my most recent observances with Quinn was during a diaper change. He found himself so to speak, and I actually had to remove his hand away as he gave his little package a good squeeze. And now every chance he gets during a diaper change his hand will wander down south. And I know there isn't a woman in the world who wouldn't give another point to Nature on this one. I can't believe though that it's such an early age in which guys are fascinated with themselves. All I can say is thank God that Quinn will be in diapers for a few more years and there isn't easy access, because I already have a hard enough job with my 428-month-old on this subject.
As the months and years go by I will have some more for this debate, but this whole experiment really opened my eyes on how men work, and no matter how much I try to intervene, boys will just simply be boys, no matter how old they are. And I just realized why The Week the Women Went is now my favourite television show.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Testing, testing...
An essential tool for any parent is the baby monitor. It's actually one of the tools I have heard the older generation actually praise as opposed to the usual mocking which is heard whenever there is a mention about all of the new baby gadgets out there.
Anyway, there are lots of these monitors out there and they all make wonderful claims, and the problem is there is no way to test out these gadgets without ripping open the boxes and using them.
Some have a special pad you place under the crib mattress which will sound an alarm once no movement is detected. It is supposed help against SIDS. The review on this monitor at $150 from Rob's sister is, it isn't worth the money. Apparently it tends to go off if the conditions it is used in aren't perfect, and I think they had a few false alarms, which doesn't do the heart very good at 3 in the morning.
Rob and I both agreed we did not want one of the new video monitors that they have, and we thought it best to leave spying on our child until he turns at least 16.
We chose the monitor we put on our registry because of its long range. We figured with our property and business it would be handy to be able to be outside etc. when our little one is asleep and a monitor with a longer than average range would be beneficial.
So after charging up the batteries we put it to the test. It seemed to work well, and even though we didn't test its range, we were quite happy with our selection. All was good until the phone rang, or we used the microwave, and then the thing went crazy. The interference was annoying, and we acutally didn't realize until we heard someone else's monitor, that it's not actually supposed to have that annoying clicking sound.
Our monitor was a dud and the interference was starting to drive us crazy.
I started doing some more research on baby monitors and read some reviews online. I came across a new monitor just out on the market that is digital, and is guaranteed not to have any interference. I haven't been able to find it in stores yet, but to my surprise, while out shopping last week I discovered another digital-type monitor. I read over the box carefully and it said its digital technology was guaranteed to have no interference. So, $90 later, and I was ready to put this claim to the test.
I get the monitor home, unpack it and after a day of charging the batteries we were ready to go. We turned on the battery powered unit in Quinn's room and took the parent unit downstairs. We turned them on, and there were red lights going off everywhere. Rob and I frantically read the instructions and it turns out you have "pair" up the two units, so they will talk to each other, even though in the instruction manual it proudly tells us that each nursery and parent unit is made specifically to only work with each other. So the next time Quinn goes for a nap, we try to "pair" the units up. Everything was working fine until I came downstairs, then the red lights went off again. Apparently our "pairing" exercise didn't work very well. We went back to the instruction booklet, where it tells us that if the red light goes on it means it is out of range, or it could be do to interference i.e. walls, ceilings, electronic devices, flourecsent lightbulbs etc., despite the manufacturer's guarantee. Great, we bought another dud.
So, at bedtime that night, Rob and I methodically go through the instructions, and finally the units are now talking to each other, even though this exercise in frustration has left Rob and I silent partners. After about an hour the red light goes off again. By this time we give up, hook up the old monitor and promise to figure it all out the next day.
Nap time rolls around again and we discover the batteries in the nursery unit are dead. They barely lasted a day, and they aren't rechargeable. Great, another device that gives us reason to start looking into buying stocks in a battery company.
After a couple of days of troubleshooting, we finally figured this new gadet out, and to our great surprise, the guarntee is true to its word. There's no interference and everything seems to be "talking" just fine, including Rob and I.
Anyway, there are lots of these monitors out there and they all make wonderful claims, and the problem is there is no way to test out these gadgets without ripping open the boxes and using them.
Some have a special pad you place under the crib mattress which will sound an alarm once no movement is detected. It is supposed help against SIDS. The review on this monitor at $150 from Rob's sister is, it isn't worth the money. Apparently it tends to go off if the conditions it is used in aren't perfect, and I think they had a few false alarms, which doesn't do the heart very good at 3 in the morning.
Rob and I both agreed we did not want one of the new video monitors that they have, and we thought it best to leave spying on our child until he turns at least 16.
We chose the monitor we put on our registry because of its long range. We figured with our property and business it would be handy to be able to be outside etc. when our little one is asleep and a monitor with a longer than average range would be beneficial.
So after charging up the batteries we put it to the test. It seemed to work well, and even though we didn't test its range, we were quite happy with our selection. All was good until the phone rang, or we used the microwave, and then the thing went crazy. The interference was annoying, and we acutally didn't realize until we heard someone else's monitor, that it's not actually supposed to have that annoying clicking sound.
Our monitor was a dud and the interference was starting to drive us crazy.
I started doing some more research on baby monitors and read some reviews online. I came across a new monitor just out on the market that is digital, and is guaranteed not to have any interference. I haven't been able to find it in stores yet, but to my surprise, while out shopping last week I discovered another digital-type monitor. I read over the box carefully and it said its digital technology was guaranteed to have no interference. So, $90 later, and I was ready to put this claim to the test.
I get the monitor home, unpack it and after a day of charging the batteries we were ready to go. We turned on the battery powered unit in Quinn's room and took the parent unit downstairs. We turned them on, and there were red lights going off everywhere. Rob and I frantically read the instructions and it turns out you have "pair" up the two units, so they will talk to each other, even though in the instruction manual it proudly tells us that each nursery and parent unit is made specifically to only work with each other. So the next time Quinn goes for a nap, we try to "pair" the units up. Everything was working fine until I came downstairs, then the red lights went off again. Apparently our "pairing" exercise didn't work very well. We went back to the instruction booklet, where it tells us that if the red light goes on it means it is out of range, or it could be do to interference i.e. walls, ceilings, electronic devices, flourecsent lightbulbs etc., despite the manufacturer's guarantee. Great, we bought another dud.
So, at bedtime that night, Rob and I methodically go through the instructions, and finally the units are now talking to each other, even though this exercise in frustration has left Rob and I silent partners. After about an hour the red light goes off again. By this time we give up, hook up the old monitor and promise to figure it all out the next day.
Nap time rolls around again and we discover the batteries in the nursery unit are dead. They barely lasted a day, and they aren't rechargeable. Great, another device that gives us reason to start looking into buying stocks in a battery company.
After a couple of days of troubleshooting, we finally figured this new gadet out, and to our great surprise, the guarntee is true to its word. There's no interference and everything seems to be "talking" just fine, including Rob and I.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
I am a believer
When you become a parent you are given a lot of advice from everyone, and some of it you just don't want to believe, or you think you will do things differently, therefore said advice doesn't apply.
Rob and I have been really blessed with Quinn. He is easy-going, hardly ever cries, likes to eat, is a little bit of a character, smiles and laughs lots, and has always been a good sleeper (anywhere, anytime etc).
Some parents don't like to hear how great our Quinny is, especially if their baby is a little fussy. And I have to admit Rob and I sometimes feel guilty telling them about our pride and joy.
Anyway, sometimes these bitter parents will tell us not to count our chickens yet, because things change. Rob and I merely laughed this suggestion off, that is until a couple of weeks ago.
Our Quinny is still all of the great things I described, with the exception of "a good sleeper".
Rob and I readily admit that we have been spoiled in the sleep department. I think Quinn stopped waking up every two hours at night after the first couple of weeks, and from there he quickly went to every three, then every four hours, then around the three month mark I was usually only up with him about once a night, and sometimes not even that. Up until about two weeks ago, it was rare for Quinn not to sleep about 10 hours straight.
And not only would Quinn sleep through the night, but would also give me a couple two-hour naps during the day, thanks to the swing, and he would sleep anywhere, in the car, in the stroller while out shopping, at grandma's in Toronto etc.
Rob and I naively thought we had it made, and we are the first to admit, we were wrong.
A couple of weeks ago we were in Toronto for a few days and Quinn had a few bad nights of sleep, to the point where bringing him into our bed was the only way we could all get a few zzz's, and a nap during the day was out of the question until we took him out for a car ride.
We figured Quinn was over-stimulated and thought once we returned home we would all fall back into our normal sleep routine. Quinn had other ideas about that.
Quinn decided that the magic sleep machine (aka the swing) would no longer do, and we had to revert back to rocking him to sleep for naps, except whenever we tried to put him down he would wake up. And then at night, he did the same thing. It would take us literally hours to get him to sleep at night and usually by about midnight he would give in and sleep until morning. This worked for a while, and then he started waking up in the night and we would have to bring him into bed with us. And while this solution works for many families, it is one of the "rules" Rob and I refuse to break. We were desparate, and out of steam.
Anyway, I cracked open one of the baby care books I have and after a quick call to Rob's sister Karen for some advice, we introduced Quinn to our friend Dr. Ferber.
The Ferber Sleep Method is where you actually let your little one cry themselves to sleep, with you checking on them during certain time increments to calm them down etc. We decided to try the time increments of 2, 4, 6, and 8 minutes.
The first night was hell for Rob and I. I'm not sure, but I think there were just as many tears on our side of the bedroom door. Rob and I agreed that if Quinn wasn't asleep by the end of the 8 minute check, we would pick him up and cuddle him, which apparently is a no-no for hardcore Ferber believers. Some parents like there kids cry forever and until they puke. We are not those parents.
Anyway, we ended up picking Quinny up and he fell asleep in my arms and slept through the night. The second night, Quinn fell asleep at the six minute mark, and the third night he didn't cry at all. We have so far won the battle in getting to sleep and staying asleep at night, but by no means have we won the war.
Turns out Quinn doesn't like to nap very much now, and is too nosey to sleep while we are out shopping. We are working on the naps, and are very thankful that while Quinn won't sleep when we are at the mall, the car ride still works like magic.
It is a work in progress, and as I sit down to write this entry, Quinny is asleep, Ferber is our new god, and yes, I am a believer, about some of the advice anyway.
Rob and I have been really blessed with Quinn. He is easy-going, hardly ever cries, likes to eat, is a little bit of a character, smiles and laughs lots, and has always been a good sleeper (anywhere, anytime etc).
Some parents don't like to hear how great our Quinny is, especially if their baby is a little fussy. And I have to admit Rob and I sometimes feel guilty telling them about our pride and joy.
Anyway, sometimes these bitter parents will tell us not to count our chickens yet, because things change. Rob and I merely laughed this suggestion off, that is until a couple of weeks ago.
Our Quinny is still all of the great things I described, with the exception of "a good sleeper".
Rob and I readily admit that we have been spoiled in the sleep department. I think Quinn stopped waking up every two hours at night after the first couple of weeks, and from there he quickly went to every three, then every four hours, then around the three month mark I was usually only up with him about once a night, and sometimes not even that. Up until about two weeks ago, it was rare for Quinn not to sleep about 10 hours straight.
And not only would Quinn sleep through the night, but would also give me a couple two-hour naps during the day, thanks to the swing, and he would sleep anywhere, in the car, in the stroller while out shopping, at grandma's in Toronto etc.
Rob and I naively thought we had it made, and we are the first to admit, we were wrong.
A couple of weeks ago we were in Toronto for a few days and Quinn had a few bad nights of sleep, to the point where bringing him into our bed was the only way we could all get a few zzz's, and a nap during the day was out of the question until we took him out for a car ride.
We figured Quinn was over-stimulated and thought once we returned home we would all fall back into our normal sleep routine. Quinn had other ideas about that.
Quinn decided that the magic sleep machine (aka the swing) would no longer do, and we had to revert back to rocking him to sleep for naps, except whenever we tried to put him down he would wake up. And then at night, he did the same thing. It would take us literally hours to get him to sleep at night and usually by about midnight he would give in and sleep until morning. This worked for a while, and then he started waking up in the night and we would have to bring him into bed with us. And while this solution works for many families, it is one of the "rules" Rob and I refuse to break. We were desparate, and out of steam.
Anyway, I cracked open one of the baby care books I have and after a quick call to Rob's sister Karen for some advice, we introduced Quinn to our friend Dr. Ferber.
The Ferber Sleep Method is where you actually let your little one cry themselves to sleep, with you checking on them during certain time increments to calm them down etc. We decided to try the time increments of 2, 4, 6, and 8 minutes.
The first night was hell for Rob and I. I'm not sure, but I think there were just as many tears on our side of the bedroom door. Rob and I agreed that if Quinn wasn't asleep by the end of the 8 minute check, we would pick him up and cuddle him, which apparently is a no-no for hardcore Ferber believers. Some parents like there kids cry forever and until they puke. We are not those parents.
Anyway, we ended up picking Quinny up and he fell asleep in my arms and slept through the night. The second night, Quinn fell asleep at the six minute mark, and the third night he didn't cry at all. We have so far won the battle in getting to sleep and staying asleep at night, but by no means have we won the war.
Turns out Quinn doesn't like to nap very much now, and is too nosey to sleep while we are out shopping. We are working on the naps, and are very thankful that while Quinn won't sleep when we are at the mall, the car ride still works like magic.
It is a work in progress, and as I sit down to write this entry, Quinny is asleep, Ferber is our new god, and yes, I am a believer, about some of the advice anyway.
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