We have joined the dark side

That's right, this weekend we invested in a personal DVD player. I am flying solo with Cameron up to Massachusetts in a few weeks and now that she finally likes TV we can use it on the plane flight. Plus we have a 4 hour drive up to Maine after we spend a few days with my in-laws so it will come in handy in the car too.

Cameron already loves it! She requested to watch TV on it today but I don't want to encourage that. We picked up Toy Story, a Backyardigans and a Thomas video. Target was having a great sale and we even got the unit for less than seen in this link. It's so intuitive to use that Cameron has already figured out how to pause it and then resume the video.

We also picked her up some ear phones but I have a feeling she will be a lot more resistant to those. I'm already a happy parent with this DVD player and a bonus will be if it lets me read a few pages on my Kindle while we are on the plane.

For parents that have had the portable DVD players is there anything I should be concerned about? Aside from spilling drinks on the unit, of course! At what age were your kids OK with using headphones?

Early Christmas Present: Kindle Review

I have mentioned many times on this blog that I am a voracious reader. Primarily Fantasy novels (typically series) but also historical romances, some murder mysteries (JD Robb) and the occasional contemporary book. I buy many books in hard cover and have already filled our 14 foot bookshelf in the 2 years since we had it built. Needless to say, it is an expensive hobby but worth it for me because I often re-read books, especially if a new one in the series just came out. No, I haven’t tackled the 13 previous Robert Jordan books when the 14th one came out because even I have a breaking point! But I will probably read the whole series again when the last (supposedly) book comes out next year (supposedly). However, I digress.

I’ve been toying with getting a Kindle for a while. The biggest sticking point for me is that many of my fantasy books do not come out on the eReader until several months after the hard cover has been published. Why? I have no freaking idea. I mean, the publishing company already has it formatted in Word or some other application, right? So how hard can it be to just published as an eBook? I started hinting to my husband that maybe a Kindle would be a good idea for my birthday which is in April. We were supposed to be finished with our Christmas shopping for each other. See what I did there? Drop hints about a birthday present right around Christmas? Yes, I’m devious.

Because we are traveling for the holidays, DH and I decided to do a small gift exchange this weekend. He pushed for it and I caved. What did he get me for Christmas? A Kindle! I’m convinced DH insisted on gifts early just so that I wouldn’t pack tons of books for our trip and force us to pay even more for checked luggage. He got me the 3G version and I’ve spent the past two days playing with it, downloading free samples, searching for my favorite authors and purchasing one book. Yes, just one…for now.

Let me start my review by saying I love my Kindle already. But a lot of what I am going to write here will seem negative. I’d love to have you weigh in if you have an eReader.

The Kindle is super easy to use. I was able to download a sample from a book without even looking at the directions. But as an iPhone user, I kept sliding my finger along the screen to get to the different areas of the page. Yes, Apple has corrupted me and I now expect every device to be interactive with a touch screen. I’m sure that is a future enhancement to the Kindle but it does take longer to navigate without it. The keys for typing are also pretty small and they are low and round which makes it a bit more difficult to type. Amazon would have been better served to copy Blackberry’s keyboard format (yes, I have a Blackberry for work too).

The screen is very easy to read and you can adjust the type font and size quickly. I have kept mine on the factory settings. Why mess with a good thing? That might change if I start downloading periodicals or magazines. I do wish the screen had a backlight for situations where the lighting is less than optimal. But something has to be sacrificed for the amazing battery power. I read for 2 hours last night and didn’t even make a dent in the batter power indicator. Another big plus is how light and small it is. I can easily tuck it in my purse and pull it out to read at any moment. Pure bliss for me.

Here are the really big negatives for me. First of all, is there some reason that most of the books cost the same as their in-store counterparts? The book I purchased was $7.99, the exact same I would pay (without my B&N discount card) in a store. It doesn’t take an MBA grad to know that that is fishy. No shipping, no paper, no binding…where exactly are my savings from buying this eBook? Is it the publishers being greedy or Amazon? Yes, I know that hard covers are typically less ($13.99 vs. $24.99) but I expect to see that same savings for paperback editions too! I don’t begrudge a slightly higher margin for publishers but charging the same as in-store makes me feel ripped off. I’m going to spend a lot more time on Amazon’s site to find books that are more affordable. I’ll provide an update to this review if I am successful.

The second big negative is one I’ve mentioned above. Most of my favorite books are not available as eBooks. Raymond Feist, Mercedes Lackey, Anne Bishop, David Eddings, etc. Only their most recent books are available in the Kindle store. I am aware that makes the most financial sense for Amazon and publishers but many of these books aren’t available at all in stores. So why not just convert them into eBooks and start generating more revenue? This might force me to branch out and read more contemporary books. I’m not opposed to that but I wish the Kindle store would offer more of the books I like.

There are lots of other features on Kindle that I don’t see myself using any time soon: comments on passages or articles that get posted to Facebook, note taking, etc. But for more tech-savvy users, I’m sure they are wonderful features. I'm also not sure that I really needed a 3G Kindle. We have wireless at home and it's available in many other locations. But I'm sure I will appreciate the convenience when I really need it. So, what do the rest of you think about the Kindle or other eReaders? Do any of you have the same complaints I do about eBook costs?

Friday Fun: What's on my Season Pass

Fall TV officially commenced this week. DH and I spent time pouring through the special double issue of Entertainment Weekly and picked out the shows we wanted to watch individually or as a couple. Let me state for the record that DH thinks he is going to watch far too many shows with me this year. The Yankees are guaranteed a spot in the MLB post season. Which means he is tied up 6 nights a week watching baseball. So I have a feeling many of the "us" shows will become Stacey shows. Any takers on that bet?

House - DH stopped watching this show for a while but got sucked back in last season. I'm looking forward to seeing some growth from the grumpy doctor this season given his new relationship with Cuddy. At least one can hope, right? Plus Amber Tamblyn is joining and I have loved her since Joan of Arcadia.

The Mentalist - I'm kind of bleh on this show. The main character comes of as smarmy a lot of the time. Although very, very pretty to look at. DH calls him the "smiler." Because it is a CBS show, I can't watch it on Hulu which is why it is on my Season Pass. For now. This is a Stacey only show.

How I Met Your Mother - I will always watch this show but this season the writers better put their money where their mouths are and start progressing the storyline. 'kay? DH likes this show too.

Fringe - My X-Files type show that DH likes too. A win/win. We had about 10 episodes saved this summer and blew through them pretty quickly. I'm looking forward to more alternate universe story lines.

Gossip Girl - What can I say, I love watching rich people and their "problems". I hate the Dan-has-a-baby storyline but other than that, it's all about the fashion, booze and sex. Love it. Need I mention that DH derides this show constantly?

Bones - Another show I started watching because of a Buffy alum. I think it's hysterical how much goo and gore gets worked into the episodes. And the "will they/won't they" storyline isn't annoying at all.

Private Practice - I'm totally only loyal to this show because of Addison. And I love looking at Taye Diggs. Here's hoping the story lines get better.

Grey's Anatomy - I'm impressed that DH has stuck with this show. I thought for sure that the soapiness would have turned him off long ago. Grey's still manages to choke me up on a regular basis. So it will stay on my Season Pass for a long time.

Modern Family - You all watch this so enough said.

The Good Wife - Finally a good vehicle for Mr. Big and Julianne Marguilles. Great supporting cast (including Logan from Gilmore Girls) and a great feminist vibe. DH does not watch this one.

Glee - Dare I admit it? This show is getting a little old for me. I actually fast forwarded through most of the songs from this week's episode. I'll keep it on the list and hope that the Brittney Spears episode brings me back around. I'm sure your not surprised to hear that it's a Stacey only show.

Cougar Town - Totally underrated and actually had a good guest appearance by Jennifer Aniston. Check it out. Seriously, despite the terrible name it's a good show and it's nice to see a Friends alumnus getting a regular paycheck.

Parenthood - I thought that Maura Tierney would be excellent as Sarah but I also love Lorelai. I mean Lauren Graham. Easy mistake, right? You can tell that a lot of it is ad libbed and sometimes the shouting and talking over each other can be painful. But DH and I both like it.

Castle - I had a void in my Monday nights so I filled it with this light fluff. Another Joss Whedon alum stars and I love him. If anyone watches this, can you confirm if the female lead is pregnant or not? There were some suspiciously roomy shirts and shoulders up camera work.

Blue Bloods - DH is making me DVR this. I doubt I will watch it but I'll save at least 5 episodes for him before they get deleted forever. If you are excited about this show, please tell me why to like it. I might give it a shot.

Undercovers - I have a sneaking suspicion that this show will be an early cancellation. Not a lot of buzz despite a massive ad campaign. Poor J.J. - at least he has the DVD release of Lost to console himself. DH claims he will watch this show with me but I don't buy it.

The Whole Truth - Only because it has Maury Tierney and Rob Morrow. Yes, DH and I were one of the few who watched Numbers. Get over it. This will be a "bottom of the pile" show unless the first episode is really good.

The Event - Please, please, please be my new Lost. Another show DH thinks he will watch but considering he made fun of Lost (are they found yet?) and never watched Flash Forward I think I'll be watching it solo.

Detroit 1-8-7 - This is all DH. I will not watch it. Never liked Sopranos. Don't like the main actor. Zero interest.

No Ordinary Family - Please, please, please don't suck like Heros.

Terriers - Another DH cop show. Bleh.

Hawaii Five-O - A last minute add after the rave reviews I read online. There is the Battlestar Galatica connection as well as Lost.

Shows I watch on Hulu because of conflicts: Chuck, 30 Rock, Community

OK, written out, that is a heck of a lot of shows. However, we don't watch movies so TV is basically my main entertainment. So please don't just the quantity too harshly, OK? Also, I have a feeling quite a few will be cancelled soon or drop off my Season Pass because of suckiness.

What do you like this season? What are your recurring favorites? Am I an insane American TV watcher? Inquiring minds want to know.

Summer TV reviews

With the advent of all these new cable channels it has started a trend that I like a lot: Summer TV programming. Basically it means we have new TV year round. Woo hoo! Here are the shows currently on my DVR. Let me know if you love 'em, hate 'em or have other suggestions.

• Drop Dead Diva - I have a soft spot for this show. I think that the actress does a great job of channeling a model in a plus sized lawyers body. The best parts (IMO) are the cases. Sometimes the personal life plot lines are a little lame. Like Bravo, Lifetime replays shows a lot so you don't have to worry about recording conflicts.
• The Gates - I checked this show out for the first time last night and I'm not sure I'm going to keep recording it. Another vampire/werewolf drama? Boring. Some of the characters are engaging but they are in the minority. I have a feeling this show won't stick around long anyway.
• Scoundrels - Really, TV? Is Virginia Madsen is old enough to have a son who graduated law school? I think not. But I like her. It also features Sloan from Grey's Anatomy doing her ditzy best. This is a maybe show for me. My DVR forgot to record it this week and I found that I didn't really care. So I'm on the fence with keeping this as a Season Pass.
• Royal Pains - This is a cute show and I love the interaction between the two brothers. But the patient story lines are kind of lame and the show doesn't appear to know where it's going this season. Maybe it will get better.
• White Collar - Fun fact: the start of this show went to Carnegie Mellon and graduated a year after me. Damn, if he was that hot in school I'm mad I didn't know him in real life!! How can you not love a show that has Tiffani Theissen in it? I rest my case.
• Top Chef - need I say more?
• Doctor Who - I have to get my SciFi fix in there somewhere, right? I'm not in love with the new Doctor yet but he's growing on me. I do really like his new sidekick but why did they have to erase her fiancee? Lame-O.
• Leverage - DH and I love this show. Good plots (although the "solution" is a bit ridiculous at times) and engaging actors. I'm saving up some episodes since we've been trying to get through our 8 remaining Fringe episodes. But then it's full steam ahead on this show. I hear that this past week had a Parker-centric episode. I'm already excited to see it!

Toddler product reviews: 12+ months

Now that Cameron is a year old, I thought it was time for another of my period reviews of "must have" items in our household. I have also reviewed products for 0-6 months and 6-9 months

Board books
We have a good supply of board books in Cameron's play area and up in her room. As anyone with a toddler knows, they like to destroy things. Board books are perfect because they are practically indestructible. Not so the pop up book that barely survived a single "reading" with Cameron. My favorites are the Sandra Boynton ones because they rhyme and don't have too many words. The touch and feel books are still good for this age too.

Swing
We put Cameron in this exactly one time and she immediately started pointing (well, gesturing with her entire hand because she hasn't figured out pointing with an index finger yet) at the swing every time she saw it from her bedroom window or if we were out in the yard. She insists on swinging for at least 15 minutes. If we try to take her out before those 15 minutes are up then she kicks and cries. We've been fortunate that physical development melded nicely with the passage of seasons. It has been perfect swinging weather since we got it. The one we use is Little Tykes and I got it for $15 from a consignment sale. It doesn't swing completely straight but I blame the installation (trees can be tricky). If we had a real swing set I would have gotten a bucket seat swing. We use those at the park and I think that they are much sturdier.

Shoes
I still have some 12-18 month Robeez and that Cameron needs to grow into. Now that she is cruising all over the place, however, those shoes will probably be relegated to "indoor" shoes. Otherwise Cameron is now enjoying "real" shoes. We did go to Stride Rite and spent more than necessary but hey, it was her first pair of real shoes. My recommendation is to go velcro. I have no idea why parents would select ones with laces. Cameron already likes to unlace things. Putting temptation on her feet would be too risky. I was going to get two pairs of shoes for her but I didn't want two girlie pairs and the one boy pair I liked was out of stock. In retrospect I'm glad we only got one pair. We'll definitely add in sandals into the mix for the late spring/summer.

Hair holders
I have bought more hair accessories for Cameron's hair than I have ever had for my own. I finally found the right kind of elastic bands. I swear by the Scunci brand which is carried by most retailers. Don't go plastic. They will fall out in 1 minute. Aside from the tiny elastic bands I also like the clippies and miniature octopus clips Scunci offers. My trick to styling Cameron's hair is to put her in the high chair, give her a handful of Cheerios and go to town.

Suction bowl
Cameron likes to throw her food. A lot. One strategy we have employed to combat her willfulness is to present her food in a bowl. I ordered two of these suction bowls from Amazon and love them! One is not enough...you should definitely get two. The ones I purchased do a great job of "sticking" to the tray.

High chair mat
Continuing with the food theme I also purchased a splat mat. Even though we have a dog he is the biggest wimp on the planet and won't come far enough into the kitchen to eat the dropped (ahem, thrown) food. Weirdo. I'll pull the mat up before the cleaning people come through.

Food storage
Toddlers don't just love playing with Tupperware, parents love how useful it is for storing leftovers. I found the perfect size for us to use for extra canned vegetables or fresh fruit. They also work for the diaper bag with snacks. My local Harris Teeter carried them.

Snack trap
We have two, one is the original Snack Trap and the other is a knock off. Both work fine but I find that the original Snack Trap has a more flexible plastic on its opening. It's easier for Cameron to get her hand in but it is also easier for her to spill the snack all over the floor. Or the car seat. Or the stroller. Do you sense a theme?

Sippy cup leash
I don't have one of these yet but my friend Amanda showed hers off while we were at lunch with our munchkins. I had to keep getting up from my chair and picking up Cameron's sippy cup. So I'm ordering one ASAP. Amanda recommends two: one for traveling and one for the high chair.

Sling
Cameron still isn't walking on her own and even when she is, it will take her a few months to become a really good walker. And even then she's going to want to be carried quite a bit. With the summer heat right around the corner I shuddered to think about using the heavy Moby wrap. Instead I purchased a very inexpensive ring sling from Sleeping Baby Productions. I'm just a few inches over 5 feet and a small works great for us. It can be a bit awkward to get Cameron in and out by myself but if DH is around it's perfect. I can take most of her weight onto my shoulder rather than my arm. It's more comfortable for both of us and I can carry her for 30+ minutes at a time. I've even taken her on errands with it because it is so much faster than hauling out the stroller.

Parents of kids over the age of 1...what else am I missing? Any other must haves that I need to add to this list?

How have I lived without you?

I know that I have been sadly remiss in not posting over the past few days. Tons of errands, hanging out with neighbors and beautiful weather kept me out of the house for most of the weekend. Cameron and I had quality bonding time on Friday since I had to take the day off as daycare was closed. She is absolutely loving the great weather we've been enjoying in Charlotte. I realized that I only had a few short sleeved tops for her so a trip to Target was a must. I ended up getting some shorts too in both 12 and 18 month. I was just going to get 18 month clothing but the 12 month stuff is still roomy. My munchkin has definitely slowed down on her growth.

Also on the docket for this past weekend? Getting my birthday present. I've been toying with the idea of getting an iPad but I am not an early adopter. Plus the price point was a little high for me. Instead DH and I packed up Cameron and went to the AT&T store to get me what I now refer to as "my precious," my kick ass iPhone. I absolutely love it and have no idea how I juggled a cell phone and iPod before. Of course it makes sense to have both together! I got the high end case for it in bright pink. It was worth the extra $60 buck when you have a toddler. And bright pink was so that DH knows as he plays with it that it's all mine.

The iPhone is super intuitive. And I am not an intuitive person when it comes to technology. Ironic considering I work in technology, no? DH has already uploaded his fantasy baseball application and I added the Weight Watchers point tracker. The photo quality isn't as great as my digital camera but I expected that to be the case. Plus Cameron is in full on mobility mode so she never sits still for photos any more.

Any other iPhone lovers out there? Any recommendations for applications that I can download?

My adventures at the Minute Clinic

After I wrapped up a long day of calls and wrangled a very tired and cranky daughter my left ear started really hurting. As in, holy crap, I think I have an ear infection. I've been sick off and on for several weeks. It's starting to effect my attitude towards work, my general energy levels and the snoring is driving DH nuts.

After putting Cameron down for bed I decided to look up the Minute Clinic. My sister, A., recommended it as an alternative to making a usually inconvenient appointment with my primary care physician. I found one a few miles from my house and resolved to head out to be there for its 8:30 AM open.

I woke up at 12 AM coughing my fool head off and quickly downed some NyQuil in the hopes that I could return to sleep fairly quickly. For a change, and probably because I am so run down, it worked and I woke up fairly refreshed but still sick.

In accordance with my plan I made it to the Minute Clinic at 8:20 AM. And there was already one person in line ahead of me. I had a 9 AM call that I had to be on but I was hopeful that the 15 minute appointment guidelines would apply. And it totally did!

Super easy check in process although I was annoyed to see that Cameron has to be 18 months old to receive care. When I was called back into the room and started listing my symptoms everything was noted down electronically. A quick swipe of my insurance and FSA and I had two recommendations for over the counter drugs and a prescription sent over to my regular pharmacy. The nurse practitioner was very friendly and asked relevant questions. Total time? 15 minutes in and out. I'm sure that wait times vary depending on the time or day but when I left there were 3 people on the list behind me.

I loved that I could go on my time and didn't have to deal with the hassles of paperwork. Diagnosis? Sinus infection. Hopefully I'll be well on my way to recovery by this weekend. Have you ever been to a Minute Clinic? How does it compare to an Urgent Care?

Lost, Ugly Betty and other TV thoughts

My grandmother is probably appalled that I am writing a third post in a row about TV but hey, I am a child of the 80s! I promise to follow up with a cute Cameron post.

Last week ABC announced that they were not going to renew Ugly Betty. And I found myself bummed. I was considering dropping this show from my play list earlier in the season but have been impressed with the new story lines and advancement of the shows characters. I love the look of the show with the white walls and bright colors and most of the characters are endearing, even Vanessa Williams' character. Apparently I am a poor predictor of America's taste because last year I predicted that The Forgotten would last maybe a handful of episodes. But Christian Slater seems to have found his TV vehicle and the show is still around. Anyone else have a secret crush on Ugly Betty and wishes it had been renewed?

Last night I sat down to watch Lost. And perhaps it was the two (OK, three) glasses of wine, but I was extremely disappointed. I have loved the juxtaposition of story lines last season (Losties on the Island, Losties in LA) but don't think that it is working this season. Kate's interactions with Claire felt forced like the writers knew they needed the two characters to be connected in the alternate timeline and did it in the sloppiest way possible. I'm also not sure I like the new Others that have been introduced. I was looking forward to having more answers (and true, we have gotten some, like "Locke" being the smoke monster) and feel like by introducing a whole new group of people we are still getting more questions and characters that aren't insisting on answers. I realize that not every episode can be flawless and I hope that the writers were just trying to advance the plot and that resulted in the sloppy dialogue. There were actual times that I laughed out loud at the dialogue. Like when Hurley and Miles agreed to leave Jack alone with Sayid. I don't have the dialogue on hand but let me assure you that real people would never talk like that.

I'm worried that Lost will end up going down the X-Files rat hole. The X-Files knew it was ending so it attempted to wrap up lots of loose ends with its mythology. Instead it ended up contradicting itself and leaving a sour taste in my mouth. I'm hopeful that because the writers on Lost have known this season was to be the last for a long time that they will weave a tapestry equal to Jacob's. If you are a Lost fanatic, I encourage you to check out my friend Helen's blog for more insights and discussions. What do you think about the final season? Living up to the hype?

Tuesday randomness

Yesterday Cameron's daycare was closed until 9 AM. I am still flabbergasted that a minor ice storm (aka wintery mix) on Friday night resulted in a complete shut down until today. At least I was able to get Cameron to daycare at a reasonable hour and could chug through the rest of my work day. Many other parents weren't so lucky. Question for my readers, how do you decide who stays home with your kid(s) when they are sick or daycare is closed and you both have to work? DH and I have been trading off depending on work schedules. But we both hope it is a rare occurrence in general.

My friends know how much I love a "meet cute" movie which is why Lifetime is such a good movie channel for me. DH makes fun of me constantly for it. Usually I don't tape the Danielle Steel or other crime/romance stories but I love, love, love the contrived work/romance situations. The required ingredients include: couple meets cute, series of misunderstandings, multiple montage scenes, some kind of big speech, and happily ever after epilogue scene. If I'm really lucky then it also includes a dance scene. Movies that fall into this category include: 13 Going on 30, The Cutting Edge, Enchanted, etc. So I was thrilled to come across a commercial for Lying To Be Perfect. Before you ask, I only see these commercials during Project Runway or re-runs of How I Met Your Mother. If you like cheesy movies as much as me I recommend you add it to your DVR list. Totally cute!

I'm about halfway through a great book about kids and eating that Laura recommended: Child of Mine. It's already helped re-adjust my mindset about feeding Cameron. The biggest takeaway for me? Cameron is responsible for eating. Yup. Seems like common sense, right? But between breastfeeding, pumping, bottles and all the rest I ended up in a bad place thinking that I needed to be able to control how much and when she eats. Now I know better. So thanks to Laura for her recommendation!

I recently opened a savings account with BigFinance. DH and I already had a checking account but because of a few special offers and other considerations (despite a piss poor interest rate) I decided to open a savings account too. When I set it up online I didn't have DH's social security number handy so I opened it by myself and planned to add him later. The catch? I can't just add him online or through the phone. Nope, they have to mail me a form that we sign and send back and about two weeks later he can see the savings account information online. I'm also annoyed because they sent me a separate ATM card. Um, why can't it be linked to my current checking account? So I have to carve out some time to call and figure it all out.

In good bureaucracy news I receive my new passport. I think it took about 3 weeks total between mailing the completed form and receiving my new and old one back. So I have to give it up to the US State Department. Good job guys! Now if I have to flee the country I don't have to file for an expedite. Question: have any of you gotten passports for your kids? How does that work? I assume exactly the same way but it expires faster?

Enough randomness for the day...I'm off to go wrangle BigFinance. Wish me luck!

Baby products review: 6-9 months

There are lots of things that we now use with Cameron that I didn't anticipate us needing or wanting when she was percolating or even 3 months old. Here is a run down of products that work for us.* You are also welcome to refer back to my older post on 0-3 months necessities.

Feeder bags
A friend told me about these bags at a play date when I mentioned that Cameron was having trouble eating fruit when we started down the solid food path. I was in Target one day and decided to pick them up. The only problem? No one had any idea what I was talking about. I was about to give up and leave when a very nice sales associate flagged me down with the product. It took Cameron a day or two to figure out the bag but then she loved it. I would put frozen pieces of apple in to help with teething or fresh fruit. I haven't done vegetables yet but do recommend you mush the fruit slightly after you've put it in the bag. It helps release the juices and gives babies instant gratification.

Shoes
Cameron was a socks only baby for a very long time. But it started getting colder out and Cameron commenced with her commando crawling. When I saw the ground in dirt on her socks I figured that shoes had become a necessity. I really, really like the Robeez brand of shoes but at $35 a pop they are expensive. Target carries their own brand that are much more reasonable at $13 a pair. I hate to say it but the Robeez ones do stay on a little better than the Target ones. I have one pair of each.

Sleep sacks
Baby, it's cold outside. We used to swaddle Cameron which was great because I never worried that she was cold. At five months we unraveled her permanently and I decided that we would try sleep sacks as an alternative. Now Cameron knows that it's time for her nap or bedtime when she is put into her sleep sack. Sure, that means she whines a little but she also falls right to sleep. I'll probably keep doing this with lighter sleep sacks as she gets older.

Bibs
I said in my last post that you don't need to register for or buy any bibs because you'll get a lot of them as layettes or as one off presents. And that's true. What's also true is the number of bibs Cameron goes through in one weekend approaches 9. Assume 3 bibs, one for each meal. If I'm lucky then I might get two uses out of a bib but that's unusual. We picked up a big pack of Circo brand ones. While they will stain they do hold up well to repeated washings. And somehow they find each other in the dryer so that when I pull one out, they all come with it.

Pacifier holder When the whining gets to be too much it's nice to have a pacifier on hand, isn't? I feel so bad for moms who wanted to give a pacifier but their baby just refused. The biggest problem with the pacifiers is finding them. Followed closely by keeping them clean. The latter problem can be solved by a dishwasher. The former requires a pacifier keeper or holder. Make sure you get one that works with your brand of pacifiers. We use MAM so we have to use one like the one I've linked to above.

Safer bather
Now that Cameron is much more mobile she is just as likely to flip over in the bath as she is on the floor. Couple that with her swimming lessons and the girl thinks she's a fish. That's why I am so, so happy that we have the Safer Bather. I praised it in my last product recommendations and must do so again here. It really helps me keep Cameron in one place while bathing her. I know there are some cheap knock offs out there but at $20 you should really get the brand name.

Soft sided storage bin
There are a million kinds of storage bins out there so I won't link to any in this post. For the past few months we've kept Cameron's smaller toys (which let's face it is about 90% of her toys) in a medium sized soft storage bin. We plop Cameron down on the floor, put her bin next to her and let her go to town. She loves reaching in to grab a toy and casting it aside to start all over again. We haven't quite gotten to the "put it back in the bin" stage. The soft sides means I don't have to worry about her falling into it and it's light enough for her to tip over and spill all her toys out. We simply shove all the toys back into it when she's done and viola we have a much neater living room. It's basically a toy and storage all in one.

Musical table
My mom got this for Cameron for Christmas and she absolutely LOVES it. Before we started playing with this toy Cameron would stand for a few seconds and then get bored and topple over. Now she can stand assisted only by the table for many minutes. I still sit behind her to make sure she's safe but it has worked wonders for her balance and physical development.

Links
It's amazing what babies like, isn't it? But these plastic links have been a hit with every baby in our play group. Plus you can take a section with you on the go.

Activity Triangle
I think Cameron is starting to outgrow this a little bit but she still enjoys playing with it. The best part is that it is big enough for her to lean against when she was learning to sit up but light enough for her to pick up and wave around (with both hands). I got mine used so I included a link to the newer version.

Stacking cups
Like the plastic links I love how simple these are and the fact that even though there are literally no bells and whistles you can still interact with them.

These are a few products that worked for us in this age range. Anything you would add?

*No, I am not endorsed for writing these things. I wish...I just had to buy two car seats and a stroller!

I'll miss you Snap and Go....

As a part of our staycation we decided it would be a lot of fun to drive 25 miles to Babies 'R Us and drop hundreds of dollars on 2 car seats and a stroller. We purchased two Evenflo Symphony car seats. Right now they are rear facing but forward facing they go up to 65 pounds. DH managed to install it with a minimum amount of swearing so I think that speaks highly for ease of installation.

For a stroller I focused on lightness and maneuverability. We ended up selecting the Graco MetroLite.

Now that the two car seats are installed I am facing the fact that strapping Cameron into her car seat and lugging her to the car is a thing of the past. Given her weight, that isn't a bad thing. However, I also need to unbuckle her and buckle her into her stroller if we run errands together. That is going to be annoying. Especially in bad weather.

I'll write more about likes and dislikes of the car seats and stroller once we've had a chance to test them out more fully. Meanwhile, Cameron had her 9 month doctor's appointment today. She is 28 3/4 inches long (75%) and 18 pounds, 10 ounces (60%). Her doctor talked with us about incorporating many more finger foods and starting to wean her off baby solid foods and bottles. When her doctor told us that in two months we should start phasing out bottles I looked at DH and said, "No! I'm not ready for that!"

Instead of the ease of bottles and jarred baby food I now need to really think about what Cameron eats and start introducing new foods. Plus it means she's growing up. Sniff. I am so not ready for this.

Mid-season reviews of TV shows

DVR is ruining my TV watching ability. I have 5 episodes of Fringe and 2 of Grey's Anatomy still to watch. But I have managed to stay up with a bunch of new shows and also some returning ones (Thank you, Hulu! Curses to all the networks who won't air their episodes on it!). So here are my thoughts about returning and new TV shows now that we are in the midst of November sweeps.

In terms of Grey's Anatomy, DH and I had an epiphany about why it's been so hard to watch the episodes. After Mercy merged with Seattle Grace and we were introduced to the new characters I turned to DH and said, "All of these new characters are assholes." His response, "All of the characters are assholes now." And that hit the nail on the head. Why do we want to watch these people when they are so self absorbed and mean to each other? If I wanted to do that I'd watch Private Practice. Tee hee hee hee. Fortunately we just watched the Derrick-gets-his-mojo-back episode and it was probably one of the best episodes in a very long time, including last season. So I have hope again although I don't miss Izzy at all so I'm not looking forward to her return.

Modern Family has consistently been one of the best shows we now watch. There are tons of laugh-out-loud moments and the gay couple is totally disfunctionally awesome. If you don't watch it yet you should add it to your DVR list. Other good comedies that I've been able to keep up with via Hulu are Community, 30 Rock and Cougar Town. Yes, I did say Cougar Town. I know, I'm just as surprised as you! Creatively 30 Rock is a bit down for me this season. I feel like they are really stretching with some of the over the top jokes. Best line of last week though was Kenneth: "That's about as useful as a mom's college degree." Awesome.

Glee continues to perform well with the musical numbers and the amazing Jane Lynch. The biggest problem for me is the Quinn pregnancy storyline. And I hate, hate that Will's wife is going to take the baby (supposedly). It just doesn't work for me. I'd prefer the show if it was focused more on general teen problems and didn't go so early to the teen pregnancy.

FlashForward is definitely one of the better serial dramas. Not sure I buy into the premise that they can change their future but I guess it will be born out over the season. They just need to keep up their momentum. This past week's episode was a little weak for me. DH and I have been taping V but we are waiting to watch it when his parents come to visit. Apparently his mom was a fan of the original. So, no review of that show from me although I'm hearing that it will be yanked after 5 episodes not to return until after the Winter Olympics. Not a good sign.

House has really lost it's mojo for me. I still like Dr. House but I hate the Cameron/Chase storyline. Who knew I'd be on board with the new team after I bitched so much when they broke up the band? I guess the suckittude that is Chase and Cameron made me change my mind. I never thought I'd say this but, "Come back, Thirteen!"

I started watching White Collar on Hulu when I was bored one day. It's pretty cute and I am happy that Tiffany Thiessen is working again. And the main character is very, very good looking. I showed him to DH yesterday while he was watching football. "That guy is annoyingly handsome," he told me. And oh so yummy to look at.

The Good Wife has settled in to a nice groove. Not much movement on the larger, overarching storyline but I'm OK with that. The characters are pretty well drawn and it's nice to have another female driven drama on the air. But one that isn't too slap-stick (yes, Desperate Housewives, I'm looking at you!).

How about the rest of you? Any shows you are watching that have taken a downturn in creativity? Any new shows that I should be adding to my list?

New Fall TV show recommendations

You would probably be disgusted at the number of TV shows I have on season pass in my DVR. I wouldn't be lying if I said it was close to 40. In my defense there are quite a few shows that have 1/2 seasons (Stargate (yes, I am a dork), Psych, etc.) Quite a few shows also don't start until after the first of the year (Lost, 24, American Idol). So really I'm closer to 20 or so shows that are on my DVR for the Fall. Surprisingly, most of those shows are not new. DH has laid claim to the TV for basically the entire month of October. Why? Well, let's just say that the Yankees swept the Sox (booo!) and picked up the division title. My favorite was when a sports reporter said, "It's the first time since 2006. It's been a long time coming." Um, long time coming? Why don't you check in with the Cubs on that first?

Baseball bitterness aside, I have leveraged Hulu as my go to place to check out new shows. It gave me a chance to sample, make a decision and move on. Here are the shows I watched and my opinions:

The good:
Flash forward. Yes, I am a sucker for all things Lost-like. I wasn't planning on watching this show. I was going to ignore it and hope that that didn't come back and bite me in the ass. But when I was on Hulu it was the first show that popped up and it just begged me "Watch Now." So I did. And I really, really liked it. I also like what I've read about the show which includes getting to the flash forward point by the end of the season. No mysterious hatches that can't be opened here! Plus I've heard that the writers have already mapped out story arcs for 5 seasons. I'm hopeful that means a lot of thought went into it and it will be consistently good, story-wise. Great actors too.

The Good Wife. I am as shocked as you. This show will probably end up as a case of the week type show but frankly that's been missing since Boston Legal and Eli Stone (curses!) went off the air. I heart Julianna Margulies and Chris Noth. And if you look at Tuesday's line up, there isn't much that conflicts. Score! The worst decision for CBS? That they didn't let Hulu host the download. I had to watch it through CBS and the picture never synched up with the audio.

The OK:
Community. I think Joel McHale is a hoot on the Soup and he is appropriately smarmy on this sitcom. But something isn't quite clicking for me. Given the huge number of conflicts I have on Thursday nights I'm passing on this one. Damn Fox for putting Fringe in the Thursday slot!

The awful.
The Forgotten. Oh, Christian Slater. Can't you and your agent find good shows for you to be on? Let me save you all some trouble and tell you this show is DOA. I give it 3 episodes, max.

Mercy. Another show about nurses? Thanks NBC! Just what we needed. Too bad most of the people on it can't act their way out of paper bags. I give it 1/2 a season, tops.

Shows I haven't checked out and am not sure I will:
Three Rivers. As an alumnus of Carnegie Mellon I am happy to see a show featuring Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh always gets a bad rap and it's really a nice city. Seriously, it is! But another hospital drama? Meh.

Trauma. What is it about nurses, paramedics and doctor's this season? Does this mean next year it will be all lawyer shows? Or is the cops turn? I guess Law & Order has that sewn up.

If you are interested in the other shows I watch (except for those who have been cancelled. Fair well Pushing Daisies, Boston Legal, and Dirty, Sexy, Money), you can read it here, here and here. So my fellow TV addicts, what am I missing for new shows? Or even existing ones? And don't tell me the Amazing Race. That show gives me a heart attack every time I watch it.

Addicted to Hulu

DH loves to watch baseball. He might be OK watching something else if his beloved Yankees aren't scheduled but otherwise, the TV is his for the night. I could go up to his office and watch TV but there's no DVR and I can no longer watch commercials. Yes, in the 6+ years since I received a TiVo I hardly ever watch "live" TV.

So during the summer and all the baseball watching, I decided to check out Hulu.com. Now when DH starts watching baseball I do my own thing and power up Hulu.com. I love it! I love when they give you the option of watching the longer commercial for no commercials during the program (duh, easy choice) or to pick amongst three different commercial options. Very, very smart advertising strategy. And I actually do watch the commercials since they are usually 15 or 30 seconds and then right back to the show. I love when I find a show that I've been meaning to check out and I can "dip my toe" into the water. I love all the old shows they have although some of those have not held up well.

Since I started watching Hulu I have seen the last few episodes of Scrubs, all of John Doe, a couple of Doogie Howser, MD (wow, those are dated!), dabbled in a variety of other shows and discovered 30 Rock. When I asked for TV suggestions before heading out on maternity leave quite a few of you recommended 30 Rock. I have avoided the program because I was afraid it was too much in the vein of The Office and rife with embarrassing moments humor. I hate that. Plus I also discovered that watching shows via DVDs isn't for me. I need to tape them and have the urgency to watch them as my % available decreases. Otherwise it just won't happen.

Anyway, back to 30 Rock. I freaking love it! I've been skipping around because Hulu doesn't show a lot of episodes or all of them in order. But ever time they have one up I haven't seen before I am very excited. I love everything about the show. Alec Baldwin is a genius. And the writing is very sharp. Question, what do the letters TNS (is that right?) stand for before "The Tracy Morgan Show" on all the signs? I can't figure it out and have only seen episodes from Season 3 so far.

If you all are interested in my other recommendations for comedies here are the ones I've enjoyed. Comedy is probably the hardest genre in TV shows. So few are truly enjoyable (Yes, Everybody Loves Raymond, I'm looking at you):

• Friends - yes, along with the rest of America. But even now if I see an episode I will still laugh out loud. Pretty good for a show that has been off the air for years.
• Scrubs - I stopped watching this show when it was airing new episodes but I enjoyed catching up on the last season via Hulu. And if there's nothing else on I will watch some episodes on Comedy Central.
• How I Met Your Mother - it's a-wait for it-mazing. I have never laughed louder or longer than at the Bob Barker and Slapsgiving episodes.

Have you tried Hulu? What do you think? Game changing in how we view entertainment? I think so. I've even heard they are getting higher ad rates than prime time shows. What other comedies do you like? I'm tempted to check out The Big Bang Theory but it's not offered on Hulu. Curses!

I finally got sucked in

For years now I have had people telling me that I would love the Twilight series. After all, I am an avid fantasy series reader. But I scoffed at the suggestion. I am a bit of a fantasy snob and don't really like books set in the "real world." I much prefer the Tolkien type genre of creating whole new worlds and everything associated with them. True, I did devour Harry Potter but who didn't?

Well, I finally caved and bought the first book of the series when I saw it at BJs in hardcover for $11. I had been in a bit of a book slump lately with little reading going on. For me this is unusual. I used to read at least a book a week and usually several. But Twilight reinvigorated my appetite for reading. I picked up the other three books in the series before I even finished the first. And I am very happy that every book in the series is out. No waiting for the next book (hello Patrick Rothfuss and Robert Jordan, I'm talking to you!) which is pure heaven for a quintessential fantasy reader.

I now completely understand why teens went crazy over this series. It has beautiful people, romance, action and whining. Based on the photos I've seen in UsWeekly, the casting director did a great job with the two leads in the movie. I think what I like the best about the books is that Bella is a completely normal girl. No one special. And frankly, that describes 99% of all high school girls which is probably why they now all think they will land an "Edward" of their own.

I don't want to ruin the plots for anyone who hasn't read the books yet but the fourth book is definitely a stretch in terms of believability compared to the first 3. True, nothing is believable about vampires but I mean it comparatively. I'm only a 1/4 of the way into the last book so it might improve plot-wise. Quite a few people (including my mom) think that Bella was too whiny of a character. Perhaps I am still too close to adolescence (stop snickering) but I think her attitude is spot on for her age and situation. She actually kind of reminds me of Buffy a little bit (in terms of the Buffy/Angel plot). But a lot clumsier.

So if you have some spare time and spare cash (only the first two books are currently in paperback) I recommend you read the Twilight series. It will really suck you in. He he he he. Has anyone read the book and seen the movie? How does the movie compare?

Product review: the FURminator

Anyone who had a dog that sheds will tell you it is an uphill battle to tame the dog hair in the house. I think it's even worse in a home with hardwood floors because I can see the clumps of dog hair as a I walk through the house. The hair has a bad habit of accumulating on the stairs and any place I can see while feeding Cameron. I notice it and then forget about it once Cameron is done only to see it all over again at the next feeding. It drives a Type A personality like me nuts!

While having dinner at Amanda's a friend of hers mentioned the FURminator. DH expressed immediate disbelief at the testimony that it is an amazing comb for cats and dogs. Because we live in the Internet age I immediately Googled it (http://www.furminator.com/shedless.cfm) and watched the videos. It looked like the answer to our prayers. Our prayers of laziness by only wanting to brush the dog every once in a while rather than every day during shedding season.

I planned to pick one up last week while getting more dog food but the item is so popular the pet store was out of stock. I asked the clerk if the boasts about the product were true and he said, "I've never seen anything work better." So I made a special trip once they restocked and picked up the most expensive brush I've ever gotten. Charlie is about 60 pounds and I got the medium size brush.

As soon as I got home I cut open the package (why do manufacturers make it so hard to get to the actual item you buy?!?) and took Charlie outside to test it out. And it was AMAZING! If you have a dog or cat that sheds, run, do not walk and spend your hard earned money on this product. It totally works. After about 5 minutes of brushing Charlie I had a mound of dog hair that would normally take about an hour of brushing to get. I would post a picture but I had to clean up the hair before the wind blew it over the yard. Even DH has become a believer although he is holding off on unconditional support until after Charlie's next bath.

I can't wait to see if it really reduces the dog hair in the house but considering how much I got off Charlie today, I'm sure it will. Has anyone else tried this product? Do you like it as much as I do?

Jon & Kate Plus 8: A new season, a marriage ending?

I love Jon & Kate Plus 8. I've watched almost every episode and am amazed at how the family manages. I can hardly function with one child! It is inspiring to me because if they can do it then surely I can too.

From the very beginning the show has been polarizing. Whenever DH watches it with me he comments about how mean Kate is to Jon. I always disagree and stick up for Kate. She was the primary caregiver and everything needs to be scheduled and planned to the smallest detail when you have 8 children. True, she could be a bit nicer in how she talks to Jon but when you tell him the same thing over and over again, sniping just comes naturally.

I was amazed to see a series of cover stories about first Jon and then Kate on my gossip indulgence, Us Weekly. I'm a fairly naive person. I usually question the cover stories and assume that people aren't having affairs only to be proven wrong time and again. So I was horrified to see the articles about Jon's supposed affair, not to mention Kate's. I still don't believe it's true for Kate but am on the fence about Jon. He flatly denied it in the season opener but he's so monotone in his delivery it's hard to believe him. Kate was much more passionate in her defense and rightly so.

As Laura commented in her post, the saddest thing about this episode was seeing Jon and Kate in separate interviews (which has never happened before) and hearing Alexis say she doesn't like it when Jon's away.

There has been some role reversal with Kate traveling and Jon being the stay-at-home parent. While I know DH would love it, Jon appears to be very bitter about it because the "choice was made for [him]." But would he be any happier if he made the choice himself? I don't think so. I felt so bad for Kate as she put on a brave face while tackling the birthday party by herself. And you can tell from the twins' behavior that they know something is wrong - they were being way too nice not to!

By the way, how fat and mellow was that rabbit? Funniest part of the show.

What do you think? Is this marriage ending or will Kate pull it through by sheer force of will? If anyone can do that, she can. I'm interested to see what happens this season. Their final interviews did not give me hope for their marriage.

Attempting to reinvent the wheel

For the past year I have been missing my favorite reality show (yes, even more than American Idol!), Project Runway. Bravo TV's contract with the producers was up and the show was sold to Lifetime instead. Per usual with Hollywood, lawsuits ensued and it will have been over a year since the last season (a lifetime, no pun intended, in the world of reality TV) by the time it airs on Lifetime this summer.

Not to be outdone, Bravo used it's time wisely as the lawsuits continued and developed a new show, The Fashion Show. I saw the debut and am not sure I will be adding it to my regular TV mix. To be frank, it is Project Runway-lite and not necessarily in a good way. Isaac Mizrahi is the big name draw as co-host and judge. His designs are best know through Target stores. He is delightfully gay and honest. So put that in the plus column for the show. On the negative side is Kelly Rowland. The former Destiny Child singer adds nothing to the commentary. Even the producers seem to recognize this as we only see her speaking scripted lines or giving small inane comments.

Another plus is that the contestants give a fashion show to industry insiders so it's not just the judges who review and provide feedback. It's great exposure for the designers. On the flip side, the producers decided to go with over the top personalities rather than just talent. On Project Runway there was always one or two quirky people (remember Austin? or Kenley?) but they don't completely dominate. On this new show the crazies seem to outweigh the normals.

And Isaac's parting catchphrase? Horrid. "We just don't buy it." Gah. Worse than the Top Design, "See you later, decorator." Has anyone else checked out the show? How do you think it compares to Project Runway? Are you missing Tim Gunn as much as me?

And so humanity will continue on

In 2004 a little show called Battlestar Galatica premiered on the SciFi network. While the network has now started calling itself SyFy for branding purposes, I hope it continues to be a bastion for innovative shows. We'll see what happens with new shows premiering this summer.

I have watched Battlestar Galatica since the very beginning. Unlike a legion of other fans, I knew the original only vaguely. Names, a general sense of plot, that's about it. So I was not outraged at the re-imaging of the series including the casting of a female (the horror!) Starbuck.

I liked the show and also disliked it for the same reason: it felt almost too real. I don't mean the technology or the space battles or even the plot itself. Instead what drew me and disturbed me the most was how humanity would react if we ever found itself in the situation of being on the brink of extinction. The show gave us the pettiness, the fear, the selfishness, the courage, the hope and the sheer human messiness of people's reaction to the potential destruction of humanity.

To give non-viewers some perspective here are some of the very cool ways that the creators have established humanity thousands of years in the future:

• Democracy is alive and kicking and not always the perfect system it is needed to be
• There is no cure for cancer
• There is no one true religion
• People still do stupid things like drink a lot and smoke cigarettes
• Robots have become more than just hunks of tin
• A military is still pervasive and necessary
• Humanity's hope is still based on the next generation

There were times that I did not look forward to watching a new episode because the series is very dark. Hope was in short supply the first and second seasons of the series. But there was enough to keep me watching, even if I had to store up a few in a row on the DVR to watch in one sitting. The original plot was not very complicated: find Earth. It was compounded by politics and character driven situations and somehow became extremely complicated once the remaining humans and Cylons discovered that Earth may not be the paradise they needed. I think that having a final end date for the show both helped and hurt this last half season. It helped because an expiration date gives the creators and producers time to wrap up the series without rushing it. However, because there is only a half season, I felt as though there was almost too much plot in the last 10 or so episodes. But in a way, it is a nice contrast from some of the slower episodes in the middle part of the series.

I won't give away the ending for those who haven't seen the last episode yet or the series in general (here's a hint: there is a really big space battle in the finale. Shocking, I know!). But if you enjoy shows like Lost, I encourage you to watch Battlestar Galatica. Characters are very complex (albeit with some issues I have with the female characterizations) and while the show is in the Science Fiction genre it also transcends it.

Next I'll try out Stargate: Universe and Caprica. Any other promising Science Fiction shows coming out that I should be aware of?

New camera: Canon Powershot SX110 IS

Good news and thanks for the advice! The drastic drop in temperature coupled with a lot of yanking resulting a wedding ring removal. It is staying safely in my jewelry box until after I give birth.

DH and I went to Best Buy last weekend and purchased a new digital camera. I had a very old Canon Powershot (approximately 5 years old) that was taking pictures very slowly and the view finder started getting static. Having seen the multitude of pictures new parents take we decided to invest in a new camera. I had a few recommendations to get a SLR but given the high price point and the fact that we are much more "point and click" people we decided to go middle of the road with a Canon Powershot SX110 IS. If we find that we want to upgrade we will do so at a later date. The cost was $250 for the camera, probably the same as what my old Canon cost 5 years ago. It's amazing how technology changes so quickly!

Before I get to the camera itself, let me say something about Best Buy. It turns out that with Circuit City now out of business they basically have no competition. As a result they have halted their commission sales for cameras and other high end technical devices. So what does that mean for the average consumer? A whole lot of nothing. Yup, I had to actually ask someone to come over and open the case so we could get to the cameras. And if we had any real technical questions we were SOL. I did a little browsing at Target a few weeks ago but they were even more incompetent. Looks like lack of competition will mean the consumers suffer.

Anyway, back to the new camera. Here is what I particularly like about the features:

• 10x zoom capability
• Continuous shooting mode
• Pet/kid mode - specifically designed for capturing wiggling pets or kids
• Pop up flash - I can manually raise or lower the flash as needed
• Huge view finder
• Manual focus if I want it
• Compatible with my old Canon cables
• Movies (although that's pretty standard these days)
• Intuitive self-timer - one button push to set 10, 20, 30 or 1 minute timer

The only drawback is that it comes with a tiny memory card and the 512 MB one from my old camera is too big (size wise) to fit into the memory card slot. So we'll bite the bullet and pick up a 2 or 4 gig card this weekend.

Here are a couple of photos from the new camera.

This is the world's largest pillow.

Aren't I so cute? It's too bad my mommy and daddy won't be taking as many pictures of me once the baby comes.

I will always be a good guard dog.