Book Review – Max and Zoe at the Library
Posted by Proud Dad in Book Review on January 27, 2012
Max and Zoe at the Library by Shelley Sateren is the perfect book right now for LTD. Why, you ask? Because it teaches an important lesson about taking care of things. The plot revolves around Max’s seemingly inability to not destroy library books. However, his pal Zoe helps him out and he learns the importance of taking care of things especially when they do not belong to him. As per Beyond the Car Seat policy I will not give away the ending, but do know this, Max figures out a cool way for others to learn the lesson he learned all too well regarding taking care of library books.
All of this is well and good but my real reason for bring up Max and Zoe at the Library is that Max has been dog earring the pages in the borrowed books. This has allowed me to say the best line from the movie Finding Forrester to The Mommy many many times:
“Oh, Ch**st, you’ve dog-eared one of them. Show a little respect for the author, huh?”
Product Review – Pong iPhone Case
Posted by Proud Dad in Product Review on January 25, 2012
There was a time when my property was my own, now of course most things I own quickly fall into the sticky hands of L “let me have it” TD. Nowhere does his stealing become more frequent then when it comes to my new iPhone. As many people know like a newborn baby a brand new iPhone comes into this world naked and must be protected. I knew once The Mommy picked up the 4S for me that I would immediately need to put on a case to prevent the little guy from marking it with his prints. I have the iPhone 4/4S Soft Touch Pong Case, which I got simply because I needed a case. However, the Pong comes with something a little extra that is pretty cool because as I have stated above it’s not just my health I need to be worried about.
There Pong offers the “first patented solution proven in FCC- certified laboratories to dramatically reduce your exposure to electromagnetic radiation (“EMR”) exposure while protecting phone performance.” Also according to their research, “most users of cell phones are unaware that between 48% and 68% of the radiation emitted by their phones is absorbed into their heads and bodies. The absorption of this “near field” energy not only disrupts the “far field” energy necessary for the phone to communicate with a cell tower, but also underlies increasing concerns among physicians, scientists, and lawmakers who believe this exposure to be a health hazard.” Now I’m not sure where I come down on the science of cell phone radiation, but I do know I needed a case so one that prevents me from turning into the Hulk seems like a smart choice. I would like to always blame the boy but truth be told I have already dropped the phone a couple of times and the case did its job well. Now if only they could invent a case that prevents a toddler from watching so much Mickey Mouse on Youtube that I blow out my data plan.
The Hangover
Posted by Proud Dad in Toddler on Board on January 23, 2012
So the family had an interesting Saturday night. For the first time in almost three years LTD threw up. Here’s what happened. The little guy had a lot of blueberries for breakfast along with a few silver dollar pancakes. At this point all is normal. However, throughout the day he was acting a little tired and didn’t want to eat anything else for snack or lunch. As we were snowed in, we chalked it up to cabin fever, but it turns out it wasn’t that illness but some sort of stomach bug. Around five, LTD announced his head hurt and he wanted to go to bed. The Mommy gave him some Tylenol (cherry dye liquid) while I was holding him. About two seconds after swallowing the syrupy medicine he revisited it. He pretty much covered his pajamas, but amazingly missed my light blue brand new sweater. Pop quiz what is one of the best things to throw up if you want everything to stain? Correct, blueberries.
We thought he might not have actually thrown up but merely spit back up the gross Tylenol so we put him to bed and all was fine. Fine that is until a half hour later when we went to check on him to find his bed covered in blueberry flavor puddles. While The Mommy applied stain remover and remade the bed, I taught the little guy how to pray to the porcelain god. The incredible part of the whole ordeal was that LTD never cried and handled the whole thing with dignity. I spent the night in his room dealing with false alarms every time he coughed, but all was clear and he was able to sleep even if I wasn’t. What is my point in telling this gross story? This is my point and this is true. When we picked him up out of his sick covered bed, he looked at us and said, “I have a throw up mustache.” I swear to you that actually happened.
The Mom-to-Be Contest and Helpful Tips
Posted by Proud Dad in Toddler on Board on January 20, 2012
Enter Beyond the Car Seat’s third competition, The Mom-to-Be Contest. Each winner will receive a copy of the book, Mommy MD Guide to Pregnancy and Birth. For a chance to win these great gifts, simply ‘like’ Beyond the Car Seat on Facebook and send me an email with your name putting ‘contest’ in the subject line.
Key Tips on How to Choose a Family Cord Blood Bank:
Cord blood banking is a topic being discussed more often by physicians and expectant parents. The vast array of information online can be difficult to sift through. Rallie McAllister, M. D., MPH, co-author of The Mommy MD Guide to Pregnancy and Birth, – created this tip list to help soon-to-be parents sift through some important issues when selecting a family cord blood bank.
1. Do Your Research and Do It Early:
* Talk to family and friends and your physician or midwife to get recommendations.
* Check online for testimonials and reviews. What is the bank’s reputation?
* Don’t assume it’s best to enroll with one close to home. A bank’s headquarters and its storage facility may not even be in the same state.
2. Know the Regulations and Requirements:
* Has the bank registered with the U.S Food& Drug Administration (FDA) and met all state regulatory requirements?
* Is the bank accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB)? Accreditation, which requires audits every two years, is evidence that your sample is screened, processed, and stored following the strictest quality assurance guidelines.
3. Be Picky with the Process:
* What delivery method is used to transport the blood? Samples can be destroyed because of improper transit. A reputable bank should use a medical courier company.
* Ask about collection and storage methods, as well as published rates on cell viability to ensure the bank is using the best available technology to save your cells so they will be ready in the event that you might need them.
* Find out if they’ve facilitated any successful transplants. A red flag should go up if a bank has a high volume of cord blood units in storage but has never used a unit for transplant. This could mean transplant surgeons have rejected their cord blood which could mean its procedures are not careful or thorough enough.
4. Business and Stability:
* How long has the bank been in business?
* Is the bank involved in any research or clinical studies with prestigious medical research institutions? A bank on the cutting edge of research would likely play a stronger and supportive role if the cord blood was needed in treatment for your child.
* How profitable is the company? It’s important to realize cord blood banking is a business. If the bank goes out of business it could mean the cord blood units will be no longer be retrievable.
For more information please visit: www.cordbankingbasics.com.
Prize: Dr. McAllister’s Mommy MD Guide to Pregnancy and Birth can be found at mommymdguides.com.
The Fine Print
How to Enter:
‘Like’ Beyond the Car Seat on Facebook and send Beyond the Car Seat an email with your name using the contact form. Please fill out all the information and don’t forget your email address. Please put ‘contest’ in the subject line. Both winners will be chosen at random.
Eligibility:
Contestants must be at least 18 years of age at the time of entry and legal residents of the 50 United States and District of Columbia. Void in Puerto Rico, and where prohibited by law or regulation. All entries become the property of beyondthecarseat.com.
The Contest begins on January 20th, 2012 and ends on February 10th, 2012 Contest winners (two total) will be announced on February 13th, 2012.
Copyrights:
By entering into the Contest, each contestant agrees to grant beyondthecarseat.com and its owners/operators permission to copy and publish to beyondthecarseat.com any and all writings submitted by the contestant. Winner agrees to allow their name to be published. NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.
Kids Say The Darndest Things BTCS Edition
Posted by Proud Dad in Toddler on Board on January 19, 2012
The second installment of the New Year: Exchange from an hour ago. LTD asks, “Are you peeing, Daddy?” I reply simply, “yes.” And then I get, “Good job, Daddy, you get a sticker and an M&M.
The PermaCold
Posted by Proud Dad in Toddler Care on January 17, 2012
LTD got a cold right before the holiday’s and while it wasn’t horrible it came on as we were about to travel for the holidays, so I took him to the doctor fearing Murphy’s Law would show up and he would get worse on Xmas eve. I was also concerned because every time I take him into preschool there is a sign up saying that they have one confirmed case of ‘fill in the blank’ communicable disease. The good news was that the doc said it was indeed just a cold. Well, that just a cold made the holidays pretty tough for all those near the little guy but we powered through and got back to normal. Not more than a week later, the boy starts coughing again.
We didn’t think much of it cause it was just a cough and The Mommy and I knew he just got over a cold. Flash forward a few days and the cough is still making sleep difficult and so I take him in to see the doc again (thank you walk in hours) and after a check of his ears and chest the verdict is once again just a cold. I of course wondered out loud to the doc how he could possibly get a cold so soon after having one. Without missing a beat she replied, well he’s in preschool. So there you have it. Preschool equals Petri dish. The silver lining is that she also mentioned that all these colds now will steel his immune system for later in life making him not unlike the Six Million Dollar Man, better, stronger, faster.
Kids Say The Darndest Things BTCS Edition
Posted by Proud Dad in Toddler on Board on January 16, 2012
The first installment of the New Year: We are walking down the street and see a man smoking and LTD says, “Look Daddy, that man has a candle in his mouth.”
Book Review – Boogie Knights
Posted by Proud Dad in Book Review on January 13, 2012
For LTD Halloween has had a serious self life. Months after all hallows eve, the little guy still thinks certain things are spooky and talks of being a black cat the next time. So it should come as no surprise that he gravitates towards supernatural themed entertainment. 2008’s musical tome, Boogie Knights by Lisa Wheeler with illustrations by Mark Siegel is the perfect blend of sweet and spooky. The story centers around the upcoming Madcap Monster Ball and those creatures in the castle who will be attending. The titular Boogie Knights remain asleep during the early festivities but nobody, not even a noble knight, is strong enough to sleep through this party. The knights sport clever names like Sir Prize and Sir Cumference, a little inside joke to give the reading parent a little chuckle. As usual I don’t want to give away the ending but I will mention that there is a conga line involved.
Product Review – kidpuzzles.com
Posted by Proud Dad in Product Review on January 11, 2012
Now that LTD is almost three he has, much to my delight, shown an interest in puzzles. I have always liked puzzles because not only do you make order from chaos, but you have a very 
clear sense of victory when they are finished. The little guy has a slightly different take on the subject, which is he likes only the chaos. I have never liked cheap cardboard puzzles that flake apart at the edges it is inelegant. kidpuzzles.com puts my fears to rest by offering handcrafted puzzles built to last. One of their cool features is that you can have a name custom cut into a puzzle and of course the letters are puzzle pieces as well. They can only fit 11 letters so if you want to get Henry Wadsworth Longfellow you are out of luck. The site offers peg puzzles for youngsters and traditional ones for advanced problem solvers. Often it looks as if LTD solves the puzzle from memory rather than figuring out where the pieces go based on color and size, but I’m just glad he is no longer automatically throwing the pieces under the couch.
Walk Like a…
Posted by Proud Dad in Toddler on Board on January 9, 2012
So here is something for the memory lane files. A little while after LTD was walking with confidence for some unknown reason when we were in the parking lot going to the car he would want to walk backwards. No big deal, right? Well, soon it became a thing. The kind of thing he wanted to always do. Let me ask you this, how long do you think it takes for him to walk the car the regular way? If you answered a long time then you win. On his backwards quests the journey is easily double. At first of course it was cute but over time it became like watching paint dry. The common sense that caused him to walk backwards deliberately without speed also had the side effect of making him turtle-like. Thankfully, like most LTD behavior patterns he doesn’t do it very much anymore. When he does think about it and say he wants to walk backwards it has the feel of a college reunion as if he is saying remember when I used to walk backwards. The last time he did it he asked me to play Springsteen’s Glory Days.