Ways to Prevent Your Baby Monitor from Being Hacked

We are entering the very beginning of “the internet of things”. The simplest explanation of what that means is that there are now several appliances and electronics that are constantly connected to the internet through Wi-Fi. The purpose is to make life more convenient. Unfortunately, sometimes this interconnectedness can cause security issues. A family discovered this in a very unpleasant way when their nanny noticed that someone had hacked their baby monitor. A stranger was able to talk to, and see, the room the baby was in, the baby, and the nanny who was caring for the infant. How did … Continue reading

Some Thoughts on Strollers and Baby Carriers

Over the weekend, we had some very nice weather. Even though the dirt road that we live on is muddy and full of deep ruts, I really wanted to take the boys out for a walk. Dylan really wanted me to take the double stroller out so that he could ride with his baby brother for part of our walk. I thought that it might be fun to see whether our beat up double jogging stroller (which we got from the thrift store last year) was up to the challenge. We enjoyed a wonderful walk, and since the stroller is … Continue reading

What I Wish I Had Known As A First Time Mom

Do you see that picture? That sure is a cute baby. Okay, so I am totally biased because I’m his mom, but that picture reminds me of something that I did not really pay any attention to before I had a baby. I am not sure what I was expecting to see when I welcomed my first newborn three years ago, but I probably thought that he would look something like the baby in the picture. I was wrong. Newborns don’t look like babies. They look like newborns, and when your newborn baby is placed in your arms, you will … Continue reading

Winter Gear For Your Snow Baby

If your baby is coming soon, you may already have stocked up on blankets, hats, and cozy clothes for your little one’s cold – weather arrival. Of course you will want to ensure that baby is warm enough during the winter. However, it is also important to consider safety while selecting which items you will use to keep him cozy. For example, there are many baby buntings and snow suits in the stores right now. Did you know that it is not safe to place baby in a car seat while he is in a bunting or snow suit? The … Continue reading

Road Trip with Baby

As if traveling last month with my baby on his first plan trip wasn’t enough, we decided to make a big road trip last week to the beautiful Lake Tahoe for a family member’s wedding. I knew my older two children would be easily entertained in the car with movies and my iPod, but was really worried about how my 9 month old would do. The only other car trip that we went on with him since he was born, was about a 4 hour trip. This one was much longer (closer to 9 hours), but on that 4 hour … Continue reading

Organizing Baby’s Closet

One of my most dreaded tasks as a parent is dealing with clothes. I hate washing, folding, and putting them away, but I also hate the inevitable rotation that is required for baby clothes. They outgrow stuff so quickly, that it seems I am constantly organizing, and re-organizing baby clothes. What makes this task even more daunting is when you feel compelled to hang on to baby’s clothes in the event you might have another baby of the same sex. It all just exhausts me. I recently had to clean out my baby’s very tiny closet. We don’t have a … Continue reading

Living with Dogs Might Improve Baby Health

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a real reason to keep our dogs around our babies? Some people are terrified of the idea, thinking that it’s dangerous to let dogs around small children. At first it’s best never to leave dogs alone with babies, to make sure the animals know to be gentle around them. However, we pet owners know that some dogs are great with babies. There have already been some studies about how being around dogs in the first year of infancy can help reduce the chances of a child later developing allergies to dogs, but what about … Continue reading

Single Dads And Their Baby Mommas

Have you noticed how many more single dads there are now? It used to be that single dads were a rarity and usually were the result of the death of a spouse. Not anymore. More and more women are choosing to allow their children to live with their fathers. It’s still pretty taboo. When people meet a single father they instantly assume the mother of those children is worthless, after all, what kind of woman walks away from her children? Men and women walk away every day, and have been for years but that doesn’t necessarily have to be the … Continue reading

Mobile Baby

My daughter has entered a new phase of her life in the last few weeks. Gone are the days of sitting in one place, there is a whole new world for her to explore. The transition from immobile to mobile began when my daughter started to insist on laying on the floor. She did not want to be held and she did not want to sit in any kind of chair. At first she was perfectly content to grab on to her toes and put them into her mouth. With several colorful toys in her reach, she started kicking in … Continue reading

Have You Heard of the Pacifier Fairy?

A part of me thinks that as parents, we really have way too many make believe creatures. In fact, it exhausts me a little bit. The Easter Bunny, Santa Clause, The Tooth Fairy, etc. all have a part in most everyone’s childhood. But, a small part of me feels bad telling those little lies to my kids. But, then I get over it, and hide those eggs, or fill those stockings. But, I heard of a new fairy a while back while talking to another mama friend. The pacifier fairy. She told me that is how she finally got her … Continue reading