In the latest episode of Man Caves on the DIY network, the show hooked up this guy with a Vegas style room with a custom poker table. It is pretty sweet and does not look terribly difficult if you are somewhat handy.
Fortunately for us, they published the materials list and directions on their site. Read the detailed instructions after the jump or read them on the DIY site with pictures.
Let me set a scene for you: It’s 9:30 pm. You and your wife are sitting across the kitchen table from each other with your heads in your hands. Somewhere a floor above you, your infant child lies in his crib…screaming at the top of his lungs. You, stare at a pile of books that rests between you and your wife on the table distraught, confused, angry and fearful that a neighbor will hear the wailing and call the Department of Family Services on you. Images of you and your wife being led away from the house in your jammies and hand cuffs flash through your head.
You think to yourself “WTF!” and “why won’t someone…anyone…help us DEFINITIVELY figure out what to do!” Problem is, they all contradict each other. Helpful. Yep, you’re trying to teach your baby to self-sooth and sleep through the night. They may call it “Ferberize” or “Cry it Out” but you’ll just call it the most excruciating experience of your life or simply “@#$*ing hell.”
It’s true that it sucks to have to hear your little one cry but the biggest problem with teaching self-soothing and “sleep restoration” is that every shmuck who has a book about it tells you to do it differently. And in your sleep-deprived state, you bought ‘em all (or several) which just makes the whole situation worse. You went looking for answers and all you ended up with was a 2000+ page pile of contradiction and even more questions!
Last week, I blogged about William Van Winkle, the Oregon dad/author who is looking for answers from other dads for his new book, “Everyday Secrets for First-time Dads”.
I had the opportunity to ask him a few questions, Noodad-style. Enjoy, and then take his survey at Daddybook.com
Question 1: Tell us a little bit about why you wanted to write this book.
In the darkest days after the arrival of our first son, when he was dropping weight and wouldn’t or couldn’t eat, when my wife was in constant pain and I was powerless to help her, it was very hard to find a silver lining. I kept thinking, over and over, “Why didn’t someone warn me about any of this?” In my book, I tell the story of how on our third visit to the lactation clinic, one nurse grudgingly suggested that we try a nipple shield, this little $7 piece of perforated plastic that goes over the nipple to help with feeding. BAM! Problem solved! The kid could eat. My wife wasn’t biting through her bottom lip in agony. Everything got better instantly. Read the rest of this entry »
In a post last month, I discussed our switch from Avent bottles and sippy cups to BPA-free versions by Born Free. The whole transition was a big expense but for reasons addressed in that post, one we felt was the right thing to do. It turns out that there’s a way to save some coin if you’re buying Born Free out of the gate OR if your transitioning like we did – use Avent nipples. Avent nipples fit the Born Free bottle tops that are universal to the bottles and sippy cup rigs.
We discovered this after I neglected to pick up a baggie that contained ALL of our Born Free nipples from child care the day before a two-week holiday break. Standing at the kitchen counter feeling my wife’s eyes bore into the back of my head for being boneheaded, I thought “hmmm…I wonder…” Sure ’nuff, to my delight and our relief, they fit.
Avent nipples run $3.50-$4.25 for 2. Born Free run $4.75-$6. Not a ton of cash saved but it’s the principle, right?!
Heidi Klum, Victoria’s Secret supermodel, and actress is the mother of 3 kids, 2 with singer, Seal. Here’s Heidi looking hot pregnant and pre-pregnancy. This one isn’t even fair. and I hesitate to even ask the question. What do you think noodads, hot or not?
Having 3 kids and a former toy designer for a wife means a ton of toys in our house. And nothing beats the onslaught of toys that enter our household on Christmas day.
But when you bring in a bunch of toys there are sure to be huge hits and enormous failures. This year my wife and I….errr Santa….got my 2 year old son a pretty sweet toy. We also got a somewhat disappointing toy for my 5 year old daughter. Here’s my story. Read the rest of this entry »
Shit breaks. Usually just after the warranty expires. That’s life. And it blows. But I recently had a customer service experience that gave me reason to believe that some companies DO care about their image and relationship with customers and I think that that company – Phil & Ted’s U.S. importer, Regal+Lager USA, deserves a shout out.
We have a Phil & Ted’s Sport Buggy stroller…which we love and which we honestly beat on almost daily (we took it out in our neighborhood yesterday along unshoveled sidewalks…while Bugaboo owners watched longingly from their homes noses pressed up against the glass like sad puppies). While well built, in the year plus that we’ve had it, a few minor things have worn. Two pegs that keep the thing closed when folded cracked…but it was a missing end cap that covers the front wheel joint that prompted me to call the store we purchased it at about buying a replacement.
Rachel Weisz is the proud mom of a son with director, Darren Aronofsky. Here’s the Mummy star pregnant and looking hot pre-pregnancy. What do you think noodads: hot or not?
When I was a kid growing up in the 70s, the songs on Sesame Street were extremely awesome. Today’s are good too, but it’s just not the same as these:
The Medela brand breast pumps are great products, but they are obviously greedy folk who do not understand the lifestyles of today’s pumping mother. If they did, they would make those stupid, tiny, necessary membranes more accessible. The membrane is a tiny rubber piece that attaches to the valve. The problem is that these membranes are very easy to lose and expensive to replace. Nevermind that I have scalded my hands twice using their microwave steaming bags, that’s my fault. After 3 kids, I am still a fumbling noodad. But come on Medela! These membranes are nearly impossible to keep track of while we are disparately trying to fit pumping and proper cleansing of gear into our schedule which also includes getting to work and caring for a toddler and a preschooler.
