Comments for Not Just Another Dad http://notjustanotherdad.com The Adventures Of Raising Children From a Dad's Point Of View Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:44:30 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 Comment on Toe Walking – Not Just For Ballerinas Anymore by MissE http://notjustanotherdad.com/2009/10/28/toe-walking-not-just-for-ballerinas-anymore/comment-page-1/#comment-172 MissE Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:44:30 +0000 http://justanotherdad.wordpress.com/?p=115#comment-172 Hi! My son's a toe walker. I also wrote an article about it . We did physical therapy and surgery. He's still on his toes and we are now considering AFOs or Botox. http://hubpages.com/hub/Texas-Scottish-Rite-Hospital-for-Children-Premium-Health-Care-for-Free Hi! My son’s a toe walker. I also wrote an article about it . We did physical therapy and surgery. He’s still on his toes and we are now considering AFOs or Botox.
http://hubpages.com/hub/Texas-Scottish-Rite-Hospital-for-Children-Premium-Health-Care-for-Free

]]> Comment on The Nap No More? by David http://notjustanotherdad.com/2010/01/08/the-nap-no-more/comment-page-1/#comment-155 David Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:27:42 +0000 http://notjustanotherdad.com/?p=251#comment-155 Erica, Thanks for the GREAT comments! We have continued our attempt to get Xavier onto a 7:30-7:30 sleep schedule with no nap, and for the most part it has been successful, fingers crossed that it will continue. The biggest issue we have now is that he inevitably wakes up once every night, sometimes twice, scared of something, and wants one of us to sit with him until he gets back to sleep. Fortunately, he hasn't yet figured out that being in a toddler bed allows him an easy escape, and stays in bed and yells for us. Because Hayden is in our bed, I am most often the one who goes to Xavier, so spend much of my night in the recliner next to his bed...not ideal, but I'm still sleeping. I still believe that once we get into a place with some walls and carpeted bedrooms for the kids, things will get better, but we're still trying for now. Thanks again! D Erica,

Thanks for the GREAT comments! We have continued our attempt to get Xavier onto a 7:30-7:30 sleep schedule with no nap, and for the most part it has been successful, fingers crossed that it will continue. The biggest issue we have now is that he inevitably wakes up once every night, sometimes twice, scared of something, and wants one of us to sit with him until he gets back to sleep. Fortunately, he hasn’t yet figured out that being in a toddler bed allows him an easy escape, and stays in bed and yells for us. Because Hayden is in our bed, I am most often the one who goes to Xavier, so spend much of my night in the recliner next to his bed…not ideal, but I’m still sleeping.

I still believe that once we get into a place with some walls and carpeted bedrooms for the kids, things will get better, but we’re still trying for now.

Thanks again!

D

]]> Comment on The Nap No More? by Erica Williams http://notjustanotherdad.com/2010/01/08/the-nap-no-more/comment-page-1/#comment-150 Erica Williams Fri, 22 Jan 2010 05:32:08 +0000 http://notjustanotherdad.com/?p=251#comment-150 Oh, I feel your pain! Especially now that I am in the newborn phase of sleepless nights. I do have some personal experience to share having gone through the whole bedtime, nap or no nap ritual with two kids and having lived in a loft condo with Avery. Avery was not a great sleeper until she was about 4 years old. One reason being that I, like Kerry, did not want to disturb the neighbors with a crying baby so I responded immediately to any sound she made. Also, like Kerry, I was not (and am still not so far) able to ignore a screaming baby. I tried to let Avery "cry it out" for two nights in our condo and she cried for an hour and then fell asleep for about 20 minutes and then woke up and cried again and then fell asleep briefly again and woke up crying again until I finally rocked her to sleep and then I cried. She did the same thing the next night so I gave up. It is just too tough for me emotionally. Avery was also a very light sleeper so living in a one bedroom loft condo did not help with that issue either. Once we moved to our house I was determined to correct her sleep issues. I will say that having her own room upstairs with a closed door helped her to become a better napper but really did not solve her night time sleep issues. I would lay down with her for naps and every night until she fell asleep and gradually I started just sitting next to her bed until finally she was okay with me being in my room as long as I was upstairs. But, she was always a "night owl". She would go to bed between 9:30 and 10:00 every night, which eventually I couldn't take any more. I was longing for some time to myself to watch tv, read a book, etc. Finally, when she was about 3, I took away her nap and put her to bed earlier and it worked. It was not immediate but it didn't take very long. We had to endure some crabby afternoons but ultimately she started going to bed by 8:00pm and sleeping until 7:30 0r 8:00 and now most nights she and Brooke are in bed with lights out by 7:30pm. She still didn't start sleeping straight through the night though until she was about 4 because she had night terrors often which she seemed to just outgrow. After 4 she became a rock star sleeper. No noise would wake her and she would often sleep until 8:00 or 8:30 and on occasion has even slept until 9:00. With Brooke I was bound and determined to not go another four years without an uninterrupted nights sleep so I started very early on trying to get her on a schedule. I would start her sleep routine before she was overtired. I do believe that that was part of Avery's problem, she was overtired and we didn't know it. Both of them have never been kids that slow down when they are tired. They seem to do the opposite. I read a sleep book, that I can't remember the title of now, that said that once a baby gets overtired it is more difficult for them to fall asleep and the more they continue to go to sleep overtired the more difficult it becomes for them to learn to soothe themselves to sleep. Basically, sleep begets sleep. It sounded a little crazy to me but it seemed to work for Brooke. I would more watch the clock to know when to put her down for naps than wait for signs from her that she was sleepy and it worked. I started this when she was like two months old. By 3 or 4 months old she fell asleep for naps and night with me just rocking her for a few minutes at 7:00 pm. She was sleeping through the night by the time she was 4 months old (no waking for feedings or anything)and would sleep until around 6:00am. By the time she was about 8 months old I was able to take her upstairs, read her a book, feed her and rock her a few minutes and then lay her in her crib awake and she would go to sleep on her own without a sound. She went through periods here and there where she would wake in the night but that was it. Just recently she has been waking up and coming in our bed in the middle of the night saying she is scared but once she falls asleep I return her to her bed. Hopefully this is just a phase. Brooke gave up napping just after she turned two. She started fighting it. It would take forever to get her to sleep so by the time she fell asleep it was 2:00 or 2:30 and then I would either have to get my neighbor to come and sit in our house while I picked Avery up from school or I would have to wake her to go get Avery. On the days she was able to stay asleep she would nap until 4:00 or 4:30 and then would fight going to bed at night and be up until between 10:00 and 11:00. This I definitely couldn't handle so although she was young, I eliminated the nap again and just as it had worked for Avery it worked for Brooke, she started going to bed between 7:30 and 8:00 and sleeping until 7:00 or 7:30. Again, we had to endure some crabby afternoons (and still do sometimes) but bedtime is much smoother. They are both sound asleep in about five or ten minutes most nights. Every now and then when she is having a really crabby day I will put her down for a nap and then at bedtime I'm sorry I did because she just will not go to sleep and then she's crabby again the next day from staying up late and the vicious cycle begins. Just after Brooke turned 2 she also transitioned to the trundle bed in Avery's room because she did not want to sleep in her crib anymore. She started refusing to get in it and would dangerously climb out not doing well on the dismount like Xavier. She instead wanted to sleep on the floor which clearly wasn't acceptable, so we had no other alternative but to put her in a bed. I was worried about her not transitioning well and worried about the two of them keeping each other up but being together seemed to work to our advantage. They were comfort to each other. Having a sister in the room seems to calm any night time fears either of them has and still does to this day. In fact, the couple of times recently Avery has not been home to go to bed with Brooke, Brooke has a really hard time and I have to lay in there with her. So, after all those years of sleeplessness, struggle and experimenting we have two kids that sleep pretty well and Matt and I were getting many, many uninterrupted nights sleep. Then, November 11th rolled around and we were blessed with our third beautiful little girl and so we (mostly me) began sleeplessness all over again. And the trials of what works and what doesn't has just begun because poor Sienna has to contend with her two older sisters school schedules and after school schedules so she is dragged out and about a lot and spends a lot more time sleeping in her car seat than the other two ever did. This I'm sure will pose new obstacles for me when it comes to getting her in a good sleep routine. I'll let you know how it turns out. Just a quick disclaimer - because I am sleep deprived right now my writing may not be up to par and I don't have time to proofread since I have already sacrificed some quality sleep time to write this response and I have no more to give. Hopefully there is something helpful or interesting in here. Good night! Oh, I feel your pain! Especially now that I am in the newborn phase of sleepless nights. I do have some personal experience to share having gone through the whole bedtime, nap or no nap ritual with two kids and having lived in a loft condo with Avery. Avery was not a great sleeper until she was about 4 years old. One reason being that I, like Kerry, did not want to disturb the neighbors with a crying baby so I responded immediately to any sound she made. Also, like Kerry, I was not (and am still not so far) able to ignore a screaming baby. I tried to let Avery “cry it out” for two nights in our condo and she cried for an hour and then fell asleep for about 20 minutes and then woke up and cried again and then fell asleep briefly again and woke up crying again until I finally rocked her to sleep and then I cried. She did the same thing the next night so I gave up. It is just too tough for me emotionally. Avery was also a very light sleeper so living in a one bedroom loft condo did not help with that issue either. Once we moved to our house I was determined to correct her sleep issues. I will say that having her own room upstairs with a closed door helped her to become a better napper but really did not solve her night time sleep issues. I would lay down with her for naps and every night until she fell asleep and gradually I started just sitting next to her bed until finally she was okay with me being in my room as long as I was upstairs. But, she was always a “night owl”. She would go to bed between 9:30 and 10:00 every night, which eventually I couldn’t take any more. I was longing for some time to myself to watch tv, read a book, etc. Finally, when she was about 3, I took away her nap and put her to bed earlier and it worked. It was not immediate but it didn’t take very long. We had to endure some crabby afternoons but ultimately she started going to bed by 8:00pm and sleeping until 7:30 0r 8:00 and now most nights she and Brooke are in bed with lights out by 7:30pm. She still didn’t start sleeping straight through the night though until she was about 4 because she had night terrors often which she seemed to just outgrow. After 4 she became a rock star sleeper. No noise would wake her and she would often sleep until 8:00 or 8:30 and on occasion has even slept until 9:00.

With Brooke I was bound and determined to not go another four years without an uninterrupted nights sleep so I started very early on trying to get her on a schedule. I would start her sleep routine before she was overtired. I do believe that that was part of Avery’s problem, she was overtired and we didn’t know it. Both of them have never been kids that slow down when they are tired. They seem to do the opposite. I read a sleep book, that I can’t remember the title of now, that said that once a baby gets overtired it is more difficult for them to fall asleep and the more they continue to go to sleep overtired the more difficult it becomes for them to learn to soothe themselves to sleep. Basically, sleep begets sleep. It sounded a little crazy to me but it seemed to work for Brooke. I would more watch the clock to know when to put her down for naps than wait for signs from her that she was sleepy and it worked. I started this when she was like two months old. By 3 or 4 months old she fell asleep for naps and night with me just rocking her for a few minutes at 7:00 pm. She was sleeping through the night by the time she was 4 months old (no waking for feedings or anything)and would sleep until around 6:00am. By the time she was about 8 months old I was able to take her upstairs, read her a book, feed her and rock her a few minutes and then lay her in her crib awake and she would go to sleep on her own without a sound. She went through periods here and there where she would wake in the night but that was it. Just recently she has been waking up and coming in our bed in the middle of the night saying she is scared but once she falls asleep I return her to her bed. Hopefully this is just a phase.

Brooke gave up napping just after she turned two. She started fighting it. It would take forever to get her to sleep so by the time she fell asleep it was 2:00 or 2:30 and then I would either have to get my neighbor to come and sit in our house while I picked Avery up from school or I would have to wake her to go get Avery. On the days she was able to stay asleep she would nap until 4:00 or 4:30 and then would fight going to bed at night and be up until between 10:00 and 11:00. This I definitely couldn’t handle so although she was young, I eliminated the nap again and just as it had worked for Avery it worked for Brooke, she started going to bed between 7:30 and 8:00 and sleeping until 7:00 or 7:30. Again, we had to endure some crabby afternoons (and still do sometimes) but bedtime is much smoother. They are both sound asleep in about five or ten minutes most nights. Every now and then when she is having a really crabby day I will put her down for a nap and then at bedtime I’m sorry I did because she just will not go to sleep and then she’s crabby again the next day from staying up late and the vicious cycle begins. Just after Brooke turned 2 she also transitioned to the trundle bed in Avery’s room because she did not want to sleep in her crib anymore. She started refusing to get in it and would dangerously climb out not doing well on the dismount like Xavier. She instead wanted to sleep on the floor which clearly wasn’t acceptable, so we had no other alternative but to put her in a bed. I was worried about her not transitioning well and worried about the two of them keeping each other up but being together seemed to work to our advantage. They were comfort to each other. Having a sister in the room seems to calm any night time fears either of them has and still does to this day. In fact, the couple of times recently Avery has not been home to go to bed with Brooke, Brooke has a really hard time and I have to lay in there with her. So, after all those years of sleeplessness, struggle and experimenting we have two kids that sleep pretty well and Matt and I were getting many, many uninterrupted nights sleep. Then, November 11th rolled around and we were blessed with our third beautiful little girl and so we (mostly me) began sleeplessness all over again. And the trials of what works and what doesn’t has just begun because poor Sienna has to contend with her two older sisters school schedules and after school schedules so she is dragged out and about a lot and spends a lot more time sleeping in her car seat than the other two ever did. This I’m sure will pose new obstacles for me when it comes to getting her in a good sleep routine. I’ll let you know how it turns out.

Just a quick disclaimer – because I am sleep deprived right now my writing may not be up to par and I don’t have time to proofread since I have already sacrificed some quality sleep time to write this response and I have no more to give. Hopefully there is something helpful or interesting in here. Good night!

]]> Comment on Please Welcome TEAVANA To The Shopping List! by David http://notjustanotherdad.com/2010/01/13/please-welcome-teavana-to-the-shopping-list/comment-page-1/#comment-137 David Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:57:16 +0000 http://notjustanotherdad.com/?p=255#comment-137 Thanks Teagirl! Hopefully we can all take advantage of your products in the near future. Looking forward to a good partnership. Thanks Teagirl! Hopefully we can all take advantage of your products in the near future. Looking forward to a good partnership.

]]> Comment on Please Welcome TEAVANA To The Shopping List! by Teagirl http://notjustanotherdad.com/2010/01/13/please-welcome-teavana-to-the-shopping-list/comment-page-1/#comment-136 Teagirl Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:56:38 +0000 http://notjustanotherdad.com/?p=255#comment-136 David, glad to hear you are excited about Teavana tea! For you and all the other dads out there, Teavana also has a lot of yummy & fruity <a href="http://www.teavana.com/Loose-Leaf-Teas/Caffeine-Free-Teas/" rel="nofollow">caffeine free teas</a> that are great for kids (and loaded with vitamins). David, glad to hear you are excited about Teavana tea! For you and all the other dads out there, Teavana also has a lot of yummy & fruity caffeine free teas that are great for kids (and loaded with vitamins).

]]> Comment on A bit about this Dad by David http://notjustanotherdad.com/about-2/comment-page-1/#comment-82 David Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:31:26 +0000 http://notjustanotherdad.com/?page_id=144#comment-82 Jaime, thanks again...I am not planning to go away, so bring on those followers! Leslie! How did you "trip" into the blog...love it! Yes, I am writing some, though not as much as I should to accomplish my goals. I also author a golf blog at http:beavergolf.blogspot.com/ which is part of my future plans of a hostile takeover of the golf world now that Tiger has made a mess all over himself. Please do send as many friends as you can...and even a few strangers should you cross their paths. Happy New Year to you and Ralph as well! Jaime, thanks again…I am not planning to go away, so bring on those followers!

Leslie! How did you “trip” into the blog…love it! Yes, I am writing some, though not as much as I should to accomplish my goals. I also author a golf blog at http:beavergolf.blogspot.com/ which is part of my future plans of a hostile takeover of the golf world now that Tiger has made a mess all over himself. Please do send as many friends as you can…and even a few strangers should you cross their paths. Happy New Year to you and Ralph as well!

]]> Comment on A bit about this Dad by Leslie http://notjustanotherdad.com/about-2/comment-page-1/#comment-80 Leslie Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:22:21 +0000 http://notjustanotherdad.com/?page_id=144#comment-80 Hiya! I was wondering what you were up to and then tripped into your blog! It reminded me how much I have always enjoyed reading your various work - so very glad to see you writing - I plan to inform friendly parent friends of your effort. Here's hoping for a very happy healthy 2010 and beyond! Hiya! I was wondering what you were up to and then tripped into your blog! It reminded me how much I have always enjoyed reading your various work – so very glad to see you writing – I plan to inform friendly parent friends of your effort. Here’s hoping for a very happy healthy 2010 and beyond!

]]> Comment on Common Sin With Uncommon Impact by Dominick Bouchard http://notjustanotherdad.com/2009/12/20/common-sin-with-uncommon-impact/comment-page-1/#comment-78 Dominick Bouchard Tue, 29 Dec 2009 13:58:51 +0000 http://notjustanotherdad.com/?p=217#comment-78 A thoughtful insight and ideas I will use on my blog. You've obviously spent some time on this. Well done! A thoughtful insight and ideas I will use on my blog. You’ve obviously spent some time on this. Well done!

]]> Comment on Terror in the Kiddie Pool! by Return to Huck’s Harbor! « Not Just Another Dad http://notjustanotherdad.com/2009/07/04/terror-in-the-kiddie-pool/comment-page-1/#comment-75 Return to Huck’s Harbor! « Not Just Another Dad Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:19:36 +0000 http://justanotherdad.wordpress.com/?p=30#comment-75 [...] this blog about our dismal first attempt at Xavier “swimming” in my post titled “Terror in the Kiddie Pool!“. Just in case you don’t have time to peruse that post, the basic premise was that we [...] [...] this blog about our dismal first attempt at Xavier “swimming” in my post titled “Terror in the Kiddie Pool!“. Just in case you don’t have time to peruse that post, the basic premise was that we [...]

]]> Comment on Love Is A Battlefield by Jo http://notjustanotherdad.com/2009/12/10/love-is-a-battlefield/comment-page-1/#comment-56 Jo Sun, 13 Dec 2009 05:31:46 +0000 http://notjustanotherdad.com/?p=209#comment-56 This is a tough one! And, I'm afraid it is only just the beginning! There are numerous times I can well recall that stirred up a multitude of feelings in me over the years. Three particular memories I have that I'm sure you remember quite well too are these. Brets first full sentence: " David hit me right here."...as he held out his arm to show me the damage. Then I remember Erica reporting after being left in the care of her "big brother" that she was hit not just once, but at least a dozen times......which she had the where-with-all tou acutally count! Later on, during a return visit from college, when Bret had "at last" grown to equal physical size of his "big brother" the two of you engaged in an angry fist flying, pushing and shoving argument on the steps that sent me into heart stopping fear, only to be told to settle down and get out of the way because you weren't REALLY hurting each other! Yeah! Many of these stories as well as others that mom is only privy to hear in later years, which only add more fuel to those lingering parental doubts of having been an effective and responsible parent at all! Ah, but at last kids do grow up and learn that physical altercations don't cut it any more....well most of them! Hang in There, Mom This is a tough one! And, I’m afraid it is only just the beginning! There are numerous times I can well recall that stirred up a multitude of feelings in me over the years. Three particular memories I have that I’m sure you remember quite well too are these. Brets first full sentence: ” David hit me right here.”…as he held out his arm to show me the damage. Then I remember Erica reporting after being left in the care of her “big brother” that she was hit not just once, but at least a dozen times……which she had the where-with-all tou acutally count! Later on, during a return visit from college, when Bret had “at last” grown to equal physical size of his “big brother” the two of you engaged in an angry fist flying, pushing and shoving argument on the steps that sent me into heart stopping fear, only to be told to settle down and get out of the way because you weren’t REALLY hurting each other! Yeah! Many of these stories as well as others that mom is only privy to hear in later years, which only add more fuel to those lingering parental doubts of having been an effective and responsible parent at all! Ah, but at last kids do grow up and learn that physical altercations don’t cut it any more….well most of them!

Hang in There,

Mom

]]> Comment on Lil’ Kickers Is Underway by Jo http://notjustanotherdad.com/2009/12/05/lil-kickers-is-underway/comment-page-1/#comment-55 Jo Sun, 13 Dec 2009 05:10:34 +0000 http://notjustanotherdad.com/?p=195#comment-55 What form he has already....well, actually, it was evident a lot earlier too. As you say, though, whether or not this takes him into a future of soccer playing or not, I think it is a wonderful experience for Xavier. Learning any sport is so valuable in realizing the importance of the value of being a team member and listening and following directions. It is such a gift that you are able to enjoy this time of his life with him! And, as for the answer about "caution"....sounds like he's taking after someone else I know! Continue to Enjoy this new adventure! Mom What form he has already….well, actually, it was evident a lot earlier too. As you say, though, whether or not this takes him into a future of soccer playing or not, I think it is a wonderful experience for Xavier. Learning any sport is so valuable in realizing the importance of the value of being a team member and listening and following directions. It is such a gift that you are able to enjoy this time of his life with him! And, as for the answer about “caution”….sounds like he’s taking after someone else I know!
Continue to Enjoy this new adventure!

Mom

]]> Comment on A bit about this Dad by jaime http://notjustanotherdad.com/about-2/comment-page-1/#comment-50 jaime Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:22:34 +0000 http://notjustanotherdad.com/?page_id=144#comment-50 Hey there! Thanks for visiting my blog. I absolutely LOVE yours. I would have asked my own husband to do it if he had time because I think Dads are totally overlooked in today's parenting world. We totally need practical, solid, and manly advice around here. And not just if we have boys or teenagers. I am absolutely sure you'll gain a huge following after awhile. Hang in there!! Hey there! Thanks for visiting my blog. I absolutely LOVE yours. I would have asked my own husband to do it if he had time because I think Dads are totally overlooked in today’s parenting world. We totally need practical, solid, and manly advice around here. And not just if we have boys or teenagers. I am absolutely sure you’ll gain a huge following after awhile. Hang in there!!

]]> Comment on My Lil' Kicker by Lil’ Kickers Is Underway « Not Just Another Dad http://notjustanotherdad.com/2009/11/09/my-lil-kicker/comment-page-1/#comment-47 Lil’ Kickers Is Underway « Not Just Another Dad Sat, 05 Dec 2009 20:58:40 +0000 http://notjustanotherdad.com/?p=136#comment-47 [...] and the sport he was playing is soccer. Some (hopefully many) of you read in a previous post titled My Lil’ Kicker, that we would be beginning these lessons as much to get Xavier to develop his listening skills as [...] [...] and the sport he was playing is soccer. Some (hopefully many) of you read in a previous post titled My Lil’ Kicker, that we would be beginning these lessons as much to get Xavier to develop his listening skills as [...]

]]> Comment on I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Big Trains by David http://notjustanotherdad.com/2009/11/24/i-scream-you-scream-we-all-scream-for-big-trains/comment-page-1/#comment-42 David Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:03:58 +0000 http://notjustanotherdad.com/?p=171#comment-42 Thanks, Gary...it should have occurred to me that you might have gone through a similar phase. We went to the Chicago hobby show as well several weeks ago at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. I was blown away by both the size of the show, and the number of attendees both young and old. The train sets are incredibly detailed, and the knowledge of railroad history astounding. The thing I love most, however is watching the joy on Xavier's face when an Amtrak rolls by...or when he spots Stinky Vern, of course. Thanks, Gary…it should have occurred to me that you might have gone through a similar phase. We went to the Chicago hobby show as well several weeks ago at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. I was blown away by both the size of the show, and the number of attendees both young and old. The train sets are incredibly detailed, and the knowledge of railroad history astounding.

The thing I love most, however is watching the joy on Xavier’s face when an Amtrak rolls by…or when he spots Stinky Vern, of course.

]]> Comment on I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Big Trains by gary http://notjustanotherdad.com/2009/11/24/i-scream-you-scream-we-all-scream-for-big-trains/comment-page-1/#comment-41 gary Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:30:16 +0000 http://notjustanotherdad.com/?p=171#comment-41 Dude! I loved this post. We recently took the twins to a model train show, thinking it would be a nice diversion from the normal zoo visits and hikes in the woods. Wow! So much detail and so many enthusiasts. I grew up watching life-size trains, as my Granny lived near a railroad switching yard. The twins got fascinated by them when I commuted via Amtrak, and the models just fueled their excitement. Although their older brother never "got the love", so to speak, he did do a significant Thomas stage and always enjoyed a trip to the railroad museum. All in all, there are worse obsessions by far, and the opportunity to learn together with your kids is delightful. Dude! I loved this post. We recently took the twins to a model train show, thinking it would be a nice diversion from the normal zoo visits and hikes in the woods.

Wow! So much detail and so many enthusiasts. I grew up watching life-size trains, as my Granny lived near a railroad switching yard. The twins got fascinated by them when I commuted via Amtrak, and the models just fueled their excitement.

Although their older brother never “got the love”, so to speak, he did do a significant Thomas stage and always enjoyed a trip to the railroad museum.

All in all, there are worse obsessions by far, and the opportunity to learn together with your kids is delightful.

]]> Comment on Toe Walker – First Follow-up by Erika http://notjustanotherdad.com/2009/11/17/toe-walker-first-follow-up/comment-page-1/#comment-36 Erika Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:38:08 +0000 http://notjustanotherdad.com/?p=163#comment-36 The "Flat feet" comment cracked me up -- we used to tell our daughter to "Walk on your feet!" and she'd go down on her heels, and people who heard us in public usually smiled and were probably thinking, "Isn't she walking on her feet already?" Anyway, enjoying reading about the progress -- sounds like he's doing well! The “Flat feet” comment cracked me up — we used to tell our daughter to “Walk on your feet!” and she’d go down on her heels, and people who heard us in public usually smiled and were probably thinking, “Isn’t she walking on her feet already?”

Anyway, enjoying reading about the progress — sounds like he’s doing well!

]]> Comment on Kicking it off by Queenie Ross http://notjustanotherdad.com/2009/06/11/kicking-it-off/comment-page-1/#comment-2 Queenie Ross Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:30:31 +0000 http://justanotherdad.wordpress.com/?p=3#comment-2 What an excellent blog, I've added your feed to my RSS reader. :-) What an excellent blog, I’ve added your feed to my RSS reader. :-)

]]> Comment on Toe Walking – Not Just For Ballerinas Anymore by Toe Walker – First Follow-up « Just Another Dad http://notjustanotherdad.com/2009/10/28/toe-walking-not-just-for-ballerinas-anymore/comment-page-1/#comment-23 Toe Walker – First Follow-up « Just Another Dad Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:59:04 +0000 http://justanotherdad.wordpress.com/?p=115#comment-23 [...] Posted on November 17, 2009 by David It has been three weeks since I wrote the article “Toe Walking – Not Just For Ballerinas Anymore” pertaining to toe walking in toddlers. Two office visits and more than 10 hours of exercises later, [...] [...] Posted on November 17, 2009 by David It has been three weeks since I wrote the article “Toe Walking – Not Just For Ballerinas Anymore” pertaining to toe walking in toddlers. Two office visits and more than 10 hours of exercises later, [...]

]]> Comment on A Better Diaper – A Better World by David http://notjustanotherdad.com/2009/07/16/a-better-diaper-a-better-world/comment-page-1/#comment-14 David Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:02:30 +0000 http://justanotherdad.wordpress.com/?p=42#comment-14 Jory, Great feedback! I agree with you 100% as it pertains to the biodegradability of diapers in landfills. I also read the statistics on the amount of waste that would naturally degrade very well outside of landfills, e.g. lawn clippings and food scraps. Living in a condo building in Chicago, I need not worry about contributing lawn clippings, but could certainly find a better place for food waste, much of which meets our in sink garbage disposal. I wrote this post to address only one of many ways in which I try to better the environment, and also why I wish I could afford the gDiaper option. The gDiaper doesn't go into the landfill and does very quickly make itself scarce via water treatment. I also agree that most people can find better ways to help the environment that won't break their bank account, but for those that can afford it, I strongly encourage the gDiaper. My post was about more than the environmental benefits, however. It also addressed the health benefits for my children. I don't need further research to know that when my son wears Pampers or Huggies, he almost always develops diaper rash, and when he wears Seventh generation or gDiapers, he does not develop diaper rash...ever. As much as I love the environment, my son's health is more important to me, and for this reason, we stick with Seventh Generation and recommend it to others. We also use www.diapers.com as our source and save money that way. Jory, thanks again for the well-written and thoughtful comment. I hope you like the blog and will subscribe and follow in the future! Jory,

Great feedback! I agree with you 100% as it pertains to the biodegradability of diapers in landfills. I also read the statistics on the amount of waste that would naturally degrade very well outside of landfills, e.g. lawn clippings and food scraps.

Living in a condo building in Chicago, I need not worry about contributing lawn clippings, but could certainly find a better place for food waste, much of which meets our in sink garbage disposal. I wrote this post to address only one of many ways in which I try to better the environment, and also why I wish I could afford the gDiaper option. The gDiaper doesn’t go into the landfill and does very quickly make itself scarce via water treatment. I also agree that most people can find better ways to help the environment that won’t break their bank account, but for those that can afford it, I strongly encourage the gDiaper.

My post was about more than the environmental benefits, however. It also addressed the health benefits for my children. I don’t need further research to know that when my son wears Pampers or Huggies, he almost always develops diaper rash, and when he wears Seventh generation or gDiapers, he does not develop diaper rash…ever. As much as I love the environment, my son’s health is more important to me, and for this reason, we stick with Seventh Generation and recommend it to others. We also use http://www.diapers.com as our source and save money that way.

Jory, thanks again for the well-written and thoughtful comment. I hope you like the blog and will subscribe and follow in the future!

]]> Comment on A Better Diaper – A Better World by Jory http://notjustanotherdad.com/2009/07/16/a-better-diaper-a-better-world/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Jory Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:07:13 +0000 http://justanotherdad.wordpress.com/?p=42#comment-12 Just a note for clarification, NOTHING biodegrades in a landfill. Landfills are required by law in virtually every civilized country to be configured in a "dry tomb" format. This means that no water is allowed to penetrate the layers of the landfill. The reason being, that if it were, it would wash the contents of the landfill into the ground water, contaminating it. The drawback to this system is that without water, nothing, even the leaves you rake out of your yard and throw in the garbage, will biodegrade. There are reports of people being able to dig down into a landfill and have no trouble reading a slightly-browned newspaper that was thrown out in the 70s!! Almost half of the contents of landfills (49%) is yard waste--grass clippings, leaves, etc. Disposable diapers take up only about 2% of the total mass in landfills. You are far better off to invest in a composter than to look for alternative means of diapering your child. I am in now way advocating disposable diaper use, 2% is still quite a lot for a single item, just that it isn't as big of a deal as people make it out to be. I believe it is important to reduce your waste in ALL matters of life (diapering included), but disposable diapers don't deserve any special treatment. These "alternative diapering" items make a LOT of money off of statistics that are taken out of context to play on the fears of individuals with the ambition to reduce their impact on the environment. The figure that diapers make up 30% of non-biodegradable material, if accurate, is irrelevant. NOTHING will biodegrade in a landfill, and even that 30% makes up a small fraction of the actual contents of the landfill, which is mostly filled with things people wrongfully assume will naturally break down. Diapers are a particularly good commercial target, as it is easy to guilt parents into making a "better world" for their children with an item that is closely tied to childhood. The environment needs help, but we aren't all billionaires. My advice would be to be wise in where you spend your money--there are plenty of things you can do that will have a lower impact on your wallet, and have a bigger impact on the environment. If you are doing everything you can to reduce the impact on the environment and can reasonably afford to pay the inflated prices on these "trendy" items, go for it, chances are it won't hurt. Just a note for clarification, NOTHING biodegrades in a landfill. Landfills are required by law in virtually every civilized country to be configured in a “dry tomb” format. This means that no water is allowed to penetrate the layers of the landfill. The reason being, that if it were, it would wash the contents of the landfill into the ground water, contaminating it. The drawback to this system is that without water, nothing, even the leaves you rake out of your yard and throw in the garbage, will biodegrade.

There are reports of people being able to dig down into a landfill and have no trouble reading a slightly-browned newspaper that was thrown out in the 70s!!

Almost half of the contents of landfills (49%) is yard waste–grass clippings, leaves, etc. Disposable diapers take up only about 2% of the total mass in landfills. You are far better off to invest in a composter than to look for alternative means of diapering your child.

I am in now way advocating disposable diaper use, 2% is still quite a lot for a single item, just that it isn’t as big of a deal as people make it out to be. I believe it is important to reduce your waste in ALL matters of life (diapering included), but disposable diapers don’t deserve any special treatment.

These “alternative diapering” items make a LOT of money off of statistics that are taken out of context to play on the fears of individuals with the ambition to reduce their impact on the environment. The figure that diapers make up 30% of non-biodegradable material, if accurate, is irrelevant. NOTHING will biodegrade in a landfill, and even that 30% makes up a small fraction of the actual contents of the landfill, which is mostly filled with things people wrongfully assume will naturally break down.

Diapers are a particularly good commercial target, as it is easy to guilt parents into making a “better world” for their children with an item that is closely tied to childhood.

The environment needs help, but we aren’t all billionaires. My advice would be to be wise in where you spend your money–there are plenty of things you can do that will have a lower impact on your wallet, and have a bigger impact on the environment. If you are doing everything you can to reduce the impact on the environment and can reasonably afford to pay the inflated prices on these “trendy” items, go for it, chances are it won’t hurt.

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