DD turned 6 months old on Monday and we had our appointment. Oddly enough I asked her ped about bug repellant since she had gotten bitten on two different occasions. Poor lil girl had a horrible reaction. So I wanted to know since we're going on vacation next week and will be outdoors more. Ped said that using bug repellant is fine but to use the type with Deet in it, which I questioned since I thought that was bad and his response was "No that's the type you want." So today I bought the towlettes (easy to carry along in a diap bag for those just incase moments) and some spray.

Hope this helps.

Another option since you live in Arlington is T.E.A.M. through Arlington County. You can rent a moonbounce and there are other services they provide too like face painting and I believe they used to offer balloon animals (not sure if they still do). This is only offered to Arlington Co. residents though. Here's the link: http://www.arlingtonva.us/departments/ParksRecreation/teens/ParksRecreationTEAM.aspx

I was thinking about purchasing an umbrella stroller for DD soon and was considering a Maclaren, but don't know if their handles extend. DH is 6.4" and I am 5.2" so we definatley need the telescoping handles. Any recommendations would be most appreciated.

Thanks!
Christina

Thanks PP. I guess that was my whole point, it seemed odd to me that there was such a change in such a short period of time. Or possibly the scale was just off.

I will try and get on the scale (yikes -hahaha) and then pick her up to see if it's the same or different. If there's a difference I might even take her back into the office so that her chart is corrected. Our ped does the charting as well - and he didn't say one way or another that it was good/bad or even question such a change, just the fact that she's doing well and average in weight. Although the more I think about it I may change peds as he doesn't really have a good beside manner - either that or I get the feeling he doesn't like me. (Seriously, and DH says nothing when I say that...I think he feels that the ped doesn't particularly care for me either, not sure why.)

Nope not gloating, just checking. Her cousin who's 9 months old, looks thinner, about the same length but seems lighter in weight and I could have sworn that she weighed less. Basically I'm a little perplexed that's all. Anyone else have a baby that has the "baby fat" but baby is on the average marker? (BTW, not saying that average is bad by any means.) Love DD whether she's a chunky monkey or a skinny minny.

I guess I just "wonder" since she seems like a lil chunk. But I guess really it's just that she has a full face (both my husband and I do) and chunky pudgy legs. Boy, if she knows I said this in about her in about 15 years she'll say "Mommmmm".

So I didn't think to ask my DD's pediatrician today but how can she look like a lil chunk but be "super tall" but "average" in weight? I put it in a calculator and this is what came up.

At 6 months:
your child is 16.11 pounds, and that is
at the 43th percentile for weight.

your child is 27.5 inches, and that is
at the 92th percentile for height.

I'm wondering if the scale was off as I could have sworn she was going to weigh more. BTW, I should also mention at her last visit (4 months) she was in the 95th percentile for both height & weight. My MIL did recently say that she looks like she's thinned out a little, but that much?

Thanks!

FYI - I went to the post office in N. Arlington in December for one daughter (new passport) and didn't expedite at all and received the passport in 7 to 8 days total. When I went again for another daughter in May or June (can't recall) we also went to the post office (same one) and got the second passport back in less than 10 days (I wasn't counting then). It was funny too since there was another couple at the counter asking when they would receive theirs for their children and when I told them it didn't take long the postal lady said "Shhhhh". ;o)

But FWIW I agree with the other PP's that either walk in or expedited service may be the route to get depending upon when you're traveling.

Safe travels!

HI there. I don't know that I would call it prudish as a few years ago I was dating a guy who had a teenage daughter (about 13 when we first started to date). Her mother was still part of her life as the parents had joint custody (literally 50/50). When I first began dating him his daughter would do the same exact thing, and yes...it was very weird for me to witness. She also did it when she first met my parents - sitting on his lap, asking him to cut her meat, etc... My mother even commented saying that it was odd.

After the daughter and I became closer to one another and it wasn't a "competition" in her mind things were fine. She would occasionally go and sit on his lap but it wasn't a type of babyish behavior or one that seemed weird.

I think in my situation and possibly in your friends situation it was one where the teenage daughter had the affection of her father, great, perfect. Then along came another woman that she had to share with her father...who's supposed to be "Daddy's little girl". Reverting back to a behavior to gain her father's attention and affection without even necessarily realizing it either, a subconcious act (at least that's what I told myself).

I would tell your friend to spend some quality time with the teenage daughter alone. Doing girly type things, this worked like wonders for me. I also didn't "compete" either, as I felt that we each had two different types of relationships with "Sam". I would also suggest that your friend and his daughter still spend some quality time together too, without your friend. Whether it's dinner, game night, movie, watching TV (without the GF there). A good way so that the daughter may not see her as such a threat too would be if the boyfriend asks in front of the daughter, "Do you want to come to dinner/movies/or whatever" that the friend reply (in front of the daughter) No, why don't you two spend some quality time together and we can do "X" on Friday."

Hope that helps. BTW, the guy and I eventually broke up but for reasons totally unrelated to the daughter. As I said, the daughter and I ended up having a fantastic relationship after some time and it was harder breaking up with her than it was with him.

Best of luck to your friend.

Anonymous wrote:It is so very sad. We have a small dog-and our son was never alone with our dog-and she's a sweetie. I've read too many of these stories-it should have never happened. I'm surprised that a Lab would do this kind of thing-unless it's mixed with Pit.

Please don't pass judgement against Pit Bulls due to the ignorance of people. Unfortunately a really great breed is being ruined by the negligence of some really irresponsible people (to put it nicely). Sadly there are lots of breeds that are more atypical to cause deaths in humans but any dog regardless of the breed could severly maim or kill a 2 month old child.

I feel horrible for that baby and couldn't imagine and it makes me sick to think about such a thing.

KUDOS to you for thinking about doing this and if you succeed will you come and live at my house in another 6 or so months?

On a serious note. I personally do not have any experience in the potty training department of infants but was rather a potty trained infant. My mother who was a SAHM some 38 years ago taught me at age 1 how to use the toilet. I could walk and at my first birthday my mother no longer wanted to wash diapers any longer. She says that within 2 weeks I was potty trained. I would walk into the bathroom and bang on the toilet (small 1 bedroom apt) when I needed to use the toilet.

Personally I would NEVER be able to do this with my lifestyle but I think if you have the patience and ability (only guessing the following would make it easier) to stay home with few trips out (needing immediate access to a bathroom) it could be done.

Best of luck to you and please let us know how it goes. Would love any tips for later on down the road.

It's a sad horrible thing isn't it? I feel as though I'm almost as bald as DD (almost 6 months). I feel your pain and although I think it's different as to when it happens it seems to be the norm. Mine started to fall out to the point where it was clogging the drain in the shower (hellloooo Drano) and that was about 5 or 6 weeks ago. My guess is that I've lost about 1/3 or more of my hair possibly as much as 1/2 and I have thin crappy hair to begin with. The plus side was that I had great hair for a little while and a wonderful DD.

Congrats on your baby!!!

Ok, wow! OP here. Thanks for all the insight from everyone, especially the guy poster (yea!!! Always nice to get a guy's perspective, thanks!)

I think sometimes when people write things it can be interpreted the wrong way, and in some instances the right way. There are some snarky peeps here on DCUrban Mom/Dad, not saying that that was necessarily the case in this posting. After this post, I did tell my husband about my posting and such...ahhh the airing of dirty laundry and not anonymously either. Ok, back to telling DH - basically he got upset because he said that they're two different types of love and that I shouldn't have made that statement. Hmmm, okay true but in the end I think he was being a little sensitive and I suppose I was being a little insensitive too. The PP poster (guy) was probably right, DH isn't getting as much attention (in more ways than one, and I've been a lil snarky with DH too - all contributing factors I'm certain). This brings me to what some of the PP's had said about putting DH first always and DC comes second. Hmmm, when I read that initially I thought OMG! But after reading the www.ayeletwaldman.com/truly.html that one of the PP's posted and taking some time to digest a lot of different points of view it helped put things into perspective to me. I think it is apples and oranges, I also think DH was being a little sensitive and I was being a little insensitive, I also believe that I should be raising DD to grow up to be a bright, responsible, secure and independant young person (at almost 6 months old I have a loooonnnnggg way to go). So thanks for reminding me that yes, eventually one day (hopefully not) my teenage daughter may scream the words I onced yelled to my mother "I hate you, I wish I was never born" (sorry mom) it's my DH that will help me through those heartbreaking words, it will also be my DH that will get me through sleepless nights of worry, he will be my rock and I his. I did choose him and he chose me, and although being a good mother comes easily I know I need to be a good wife. Otherwise I'm doing a disservice to my children as well as our marriage, showing DD what love/respect is between two loving parents.

Thanks for all the different points of view. I truly appreciated it, when initially I think I was looking to just vent and look for solice I got something much better. Moderation is key. Sometimes taking a step back and gaining a little perspective helps, thank you!

Christina

I was soooo upset when DD started with the baby acne. She was about 5 weeks when it hit, and good lord it looked horrible. That and her hair was falling out too, I often joked that I was going to have to get her baby Rogain and baby Proactiv. It got so horrible that I took her to the pediatrician. All the doctor did was confirm it was baby acne and that in extreme cases they give steriods etc, (which I was not for) and they assured me that it would go away. I suppose we were lucky as it wasn't the summer time (she's almost 6 months old now, so it was still chilly out) so I just kept a hat on her and pulled it down as the worst places were on her forehead.

It does go away and it cleared up beautifully and it really only took a few weeks. I've read (which freaked me out) that it can take months but everyone I've spoken to said their child's acne only lasted a few weeks to a month.

Best,
Christina

If DD doesn't continue to take the Adiri (I'll keep my fingers crossed for you) you may want to opt for the Playtex (drop-ins) with the laytex nipples. I BF DD and although she was getting approx 1 bottle a day from DH she wouldn't take a bottle, all shortly before I went back to work outside of the home. She had been taking the Adiri - so I purchased the next stage (blue), when that didn't work I purchased the orange stage...and then I proceeded to buy practically every darn bottle out there. I now have a large bag FULL of bottles that DD won't touch (including sippy cups), yes...I was a desperate mother. After a couple of days to about a week she finally gave in and starting taking the bottle like a little pro! YIPEEEEE! That was almost 3 months ago (DD is almost 6 months old) and after the nanny kept trying the Adiri (essentially it would leak out into DD's mouth and she would swallow, so she wasn't really latching on) we tried the laytex nipples and voila! Guess it was a little more like mom's nipple.

I may try eventually to see if she'll take the other bottles since it's easier to pop all the pieces into the dishwasher. The unfortunate thing about laytex nipples is that you can't put them in the Medela bags or in the dishwasher (phooey).

Best of luck!
Christina