Archives for the month of: January, 2012
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The First Years BabyPro Bottle Warmer

January 24, 2012 //
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The First Years BabyPro Bottle Warmer

The First Years BabyPro (or is it Baby Pro?) Bottle Warmer is a tool for warming baby milk, formula and food.  It’s a pretty clever design which can also keep bottles cold for up to 8 hours before you need to use the warmer for feeding time.  That makes it a nice product to keep in the bedroom, especially when baby is feeding often at night or the kitchen is far away.

Let’s start with the cooling portion of the BabyPro.  It’s basically a cooler.   There’s no electricity that runs through it so it only insulates an already cold bottle.  Steph and I never used this part because the baby slept in the kitchen sink for the first few months and the fridge was right next to him.  (Just kidding, we’ve got a small house, so it was not a necessary feature for us.)

Now, the warming portion of the, uh, warmer.  I like the simplicity of it.  I found it easy to use, especially for those memorable nights where you’re the exhausted parent fumbling for milk to feed a screaming baby.  There’s one button and all you have to do is add the proper amount of water to the unit.  It turns on when you push the button and turns off when the water inside evaporates and milk is ready.  Now, I think you’d be hard-pressed to make a much simpler device.  But, it’s possible.  (See my modifications section below.)

Now for the issues with the bottle warmer.  I’m not sure about this, but my unit never had an instruction booklet.  (Not that I would read it anyhow.)  Some other people have said the same thing about their BabyPro.  But, it’s not a big deal. it’s just something that I have come to expect with most appliances, even easy to use ones.  Also, milk that spills over into the heating element will harden on the element, thereby reducing the heating ability of the BabyPro.  You can use regular water for steaming the bottle, but I think distilled water would be best to keep the heating element clean and effective.  (I use regular “hard” water and I regularly clean my BabyPro with CLR cleaner to keep the heating element free from debris.)

Adding the proper amount of water can also be an issue.  Lots of users have issues with this.  There’s a guide that tells you how much water you should put into the warmer for heating up different amounts of milk, formula, or jar food.  (But, it’s kind of like the cake baking directions on a box…if you’re not cooking in Betty Crocker‘s stove, you may have to adjust accordingly.)  Common sense should also tell you that when the air temperature is lower (say 60°F) then you would probably need more steam (hence more water) to warm up a bottle, than if the air temperature was higher (say 80°F).  But, as I said before, in the middle of the night, those brain functions are just not there.  That has less to do with the warmer and more to do with the user.  But, once you’ve used the warmer enough times, it becomes second nature to know when to add a little extra water and when not to.  So, if you require a more precise warmer, then this may not be the one you need.

NOTE:  We used Medela 5oz. bottles for this warmer and they fit perfectly.

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Overall Rating:  7 Worms   

Ease of Use:  8 Worms 

Performance:  9 Worms 

Features:  7 Worms 

Durability:  9 Worms 

Manliness:  6 Worms 

Retail Price:  $30-$60

———-

Pros:

Cooler and warmer.  On-off switch. Night light.  Heats bottle fast.  Price.  Durable. Easy to use once you get the hang of it.

Cons:

Water measurement issues for some.  Once you figure out how much water to put in, it’s fine.  The button on my unit is starting to stick and I’m not sure why.  (I just wanted to note this for other users, in case of a flaw in device.)

Things I would modify:

I would add a water dispenser that you could fill up to the unit.  Then, when you have a 5 oz bottle to warm up, you would press the button to dispense incremental amounts of water that you need directly into the warmer.  That way, you could get rid of the little water compartments on the side of the unit, as shown in the picture.

The First Years BabyPro Bottle Warmer can be found in many places, so I won’t list anywhere specific.

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Categories Product Reviews

Purple Nurple? The Dylanobscuro Effect

January 24, 2012 //
4

I’m a new dad.  Of course, you knew that.  So, there are things that I don’t know about babies.  (It’s hard even for me to believe.)  But, I’m learning.

For example, the other day I was changing Gavin’s pajamas.  As a normal routine, I check his body for cuts, scrapes, bruises, redness, rash, etc.  (I’m a medical professional.  It’s a habit.)  I also look at the color (or lack of color) of his skin.  And if you remember from some of my other posts, Gavin’s a little on the white side.  Ok, he’s a lot on the white side.  (For the first 7 months of his life, he had less melanin in his skin than my wife, Steph.)

Since then, Gavin’s gotten some coloration.  His skin is not as light as Steph’s anymore, but it’s definitely not the caramel cinnamon cocoa color of his old man.

Again, the other day I was checking out the Worm’s skin like normal and I was shocked to see that his areolas had darkened.  Now, it doesn’t freak me out or anything because it’s not like his nipples turned purple.  But, they’ve definitely changed color from a pinky pink to a browny pink.  (Ladies, you can translate that to whatever name I’m sure you already have in your color palette.  But, to keep things simple for the guys reading this, pinky pink and browny pink are extremely accurate descriptions.)

I’ve done searches online and I didn’t find anything about baby nipples changing color as they get older.  The only search results that come up for me are for mom’s areolas changing color during and/or after pregnancy.  And the other searches come up with nipple rings and other weird stuff like that. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)

So, here I am stating to the world that I have the first documented internet webpage denoting that baby nipples can actually change color as they age.  For the record, Gavin was 9 and 1/2 months when this happened.  In return for sharing such said knowledge to the world, I proudly accept the new term for baby nipple pigmentation, Dylanobscuro.  (Obscuro means darkness in Latin, duh!)

So, if your baby begins to gain more pigmentation as he or she ages, it’s only the Dylanobscuro effect.  (Add it to your MS Word dictionary people!)

My explanation of why this is happening is because Steph and I have a mixed up baby.  Two different species races. We’re seeing different genes and characteristics manifesting at different periods of baby’s growth.  Pretty interesting.  It reminds me of the old saying “Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”  (Come on, that movie was 18 years ago!  That’s old!)  And we’re not sure how the Worm is going to turn out.  But, if you are interested, stay tuned to Me vs. Gavin!

And I can’t show you his nipples because then you’d be looking at child pornography (only in America, right?).  So, to save you a trip to jail and to save me from having my website shut down, I leave you with the edited picture below.  It’s safe for you to view now.  It’s safe for America now.

Uh, Dad what are you doing?

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Categories MVG Oddities

BOB Revolution SE (2010 Model)

January 23, 2012 //
1

Steph and I try not to waste money on baby stuff that we only use a few times and/or don’t really believe is worth it.  That said, the BOB is worth every penny we’ve spent on it.  That says a lot, because it doesn’t come cheap.

We bought our BOB Revolution SE to fit our lifestyle.  We like to take long walks, run, and hike.  In San Diego, we see sidewalk, grass, sand, dirt, and sometimes a little water.  The BOB Revolution SE handles the varied terrains well.

NOTE:  This is the 2010 model that  I am reviewing.

The SUV of strollers. BOB Revolution SE

The SE (Sport Experience) differs from the CE (City Experience) because of the larger wheels.  The SE has 16″ rear wheels, while the CE has the smaller 12″ wheels in the back.  The larger wheels provide a longer wheelbase and more stable platform at the cost of maneuverability.  Don’t get me wrong, this stroller still turns easily, just not as easy as some others.  (There is also a fixed front wheel model for hardcore runners.)

We love our BOB Revolution SE.  It’s pricey, but we use it almost every day and the build quality is great.  We can fit up to a 70 lb baby in there, so it’s useful for at least a few more years.  The tires have plenty of grip.  It’s easy to roll over bumps in the road and on the dirt trails.  It doesn’t take much effort to get up and down curbs.  (We don’t jump off the curbs yet, but the solidly design of the BOB looks to be accepting of a lot of abuse.)  We’ve gone trail hiking with the BOB Revolution and it’s been great.  The large wheels roll nicely and the suspension does its job.  There are two settings for the suspension, so there is some adjustability in the design.

The front wheel has a tracking adjustment to fine tune the steering of the stroller.  When it’s dialed in, I can literally use one hand to control the stroller, while I sip my mocha-chino half-caf double espresso, skinny latte with nonfat whipped cream with the other.  This feature is a big plus for me because I usually walk two dogs with one hand and hold the stroller with the other.  (I try to get everyone exercise at once.  Multitasking!)

Two large pouches (one behind seat and one underneath) can carry some gear for you.  We shove blankets in the compartment behind the seat and put the diaper bag and/or purse in the underneath pouch.  We had to purchase the cup holder accessory separately, which should be included with the BOB at this premium price.  It provides a small zip pouch and two cup holders for water bottles, etc.

Steph and I are fairly tall people (above average) and the stroller still feels nice for us to push around.  We don’t have to walk like hunchbacks of Notre Dame in order to control the Revolution.  So, it’s very comfortable for us during our long walks, and that is a huge reason I give it a 9 worm rating overall.  But if we were any taller, the handlebar would need to be raised…and BOB doesn’t offer that feature.

The stroller is one of the most manly looking strollers on the market as well.  I don’t feel like a sissy pushing it around.  In fact, it’s less a stroller and more an engineered SUV (Strolling Utility Vehicle) for babies.

If you need the car seat adapter, it is sold separately and there is no universal one.   It’s something to think about as the baby grows since your car seats may change.  The car seat adapter also requires tools to install and remove.  (I think this is changed on the 2011 model.)

———-

Overall Rating:  9 Worms   

Ease of Use:  8 Worms 

Performance:  9 Worms 

Features:  7 Worms 

Durability:  9 Worms 

Manliness:  10 Worms 

Retail Price:  $469.00

———-

Pros:

High quality build.  Stable over many types of terrain.  Easy to maneuver.  Durable.  5-year warranty.  Quick release wheels (for easy cleaning).  Large canopy. 5-point harness for securing baby.

Cons:

Occasional squeaking.  It can be a pain to get to the valve for pumping up tires.  Design could be more aesthetically pleasing for the price.  The BOB could also use a cup holder within arms reach of Gavin  (I think this is remedied in the 2011 model).  When folded up for travel, it would be nice to be able to secure it closed.  (I believe this feature has been added to 2011.)

Things I would modify:

There’s a Low Boy cargo pouch underneath the stroller.  It would be nice to have some open/close fasteners that allow me to cram large items into this Low Boy compartment (like a full diaper bag and/or Steph’s purse).  A different location for the stroller  clips.  A telescopic handlebar…not much, but something like an inch or two.  A cleaner way of securing the top view window curtain, since it tends to flap in the wind.  I would add drop down side curtains to block some cross wind into baby sitting area.

The BOB Revolution SE can be found here:

www.bobgear.com

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Categories Product Reviews

Guest Blogger (Chef Steph): Purple Explosion – Blueberries, Purple Potatoes, and Cauliflower

January 23, 2012 //
3

So here is my next recipe for the wee one; it is full of antioxidants, vitamins, and is sure to create diaper surprises in all sorts of interesting colors (and sounds)!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, defrosted
  • 3-4 small purple potatoes (our grocery happens to carry these, and they are the most gorgeous color you’ve ever seen on a vegetable – if you can’t find them, you can substitute with any small potato such as baby yukon or red bliss)
  • 1/2 cup cauliflower (I’ve actually seen a purple variety of cauliflower at the store before that would have been too cool for this recipe, but alas, they didn’t have any when I was shopping, so I used the regular kind)

Purple Explosion - Blueberries, Purple Potatoes, and Cauliflower

Preparation:

Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes.  Cut the cauliflower into small pieces. Place the potatoes and cauliflower in the colander over a pot of boiling water and cover, steaming for 10-15 minutes or until both can be smashed easily with a spoon. Add the blueberries and steam for an additional 3-5 minutes. Place everything as well as some of the steaming liquid into a food processor and puree to desired consistency. Potatoes don’t freeze so well, so this is best made in small batches as it will keep in the fridge for 5-7 days.

IMPORTANT NOTE: These recipes are for more advanced eaters. Your babe should be at least 9 Mo old, have been eating solids for a while, and ideally have had most, if not all of the components in the recipes previously to ensure there was no reaction. Once they hit 9 Mo and have had a wide variety of foods, it’s okay to introduce more than one new thing at a time, but be on the lookout for any signs of an issue such as rash, tummy ache, excessive gas or change in eating habits. Unless, of course, they all the sudden start wolfing down the food, and then you can just chock it up to my mad food-making skillz.

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Categories Food

No, My Mommy’s Not Home

January 23, 2012 //
4

There’s a knock at the front door.  Duncan starts to bark his head off.  I’m in the middle of getting dressed.  So, naturally I ask Gavin to answer the front door.  But the Worm gives me that faraway look as if we don’t speak the same language.  Even if he knew what I was saying, he’s still too short to reach the knob.  Useless…but adorably so!

Thinking it could be Ed McMahon with Publisher’s Clearing House, I race to the front door half-naked (or half-dressed, depending on how you look at it) and expect to see a large check and balloons in my face.  But all I got was an old man.  No Ed.  No check.  No million dollars.

Does this lollipop make me look younger?

As if he plucked my cherries right off their tree, he muttered “Hi there.  Is your mom or dad home?”

Immediately, I wonder if this guy is serious.  I look him dead in the eyes for a hint of sarcasm.  Nada.  To make matters worse, the most mature thing I could retort was “What?”

“Are your parents home?”

Holy s#!t.  He’s for real.  (It’s California, people.  So, I give him the benefit of the doubt and  assume he’s just smoked a blunt for his cataracts or high blood pressure.)

“No, my mommy’s not home.  Sorry.”  I close the door and don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

So I turn towards the hallway mirror, reassuringly pat myself on the back and say to the incredibly dashing and handsome creature before me “I’m grown!  I may have the body of a prepubescent teenager, but I have underarm hair, nose hair, and even some curly ear hair!  I ooze manliness and maturity!”

Then I dust off the guns, cock them both back and hit another incredible double biceps flex in the mirror.  “Yeah, I’m a MAN dammit.  No mistake about it.  That old guy must have been blind.”

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Categories Random Thoughts

I Have a Mixed Up Baby

January 21, 2012 //
1
Othello and Desdemona in Venice, 1850, oil on ...

Image via Wikipedia

I recently learned that I am in an interracial marriage.  And on top of that, I’ve got a little interracial half-Indian, half-German baby.  (See what happens when winter comes and you need to stay warm at night?)

When I was single, I never really thought about what my other half (other half = Steph) would look like.  I just hoped that my future partner would have the usual things that one looks for in a possible match:  likes long walks on the beach, enjoys rubbing my feet, great at cooking for me, excellent at fixing old trucks, easy to manipulate going, love of laundry the great outdoors…that sort of thing.  It’s hard enough finding someone to spend the rest of your life with, let alone finding someone that is of the same color and ancestry.  So, Steph and I met and fell in love…you know, kind of like Othello and Desdemona, kind of.  Okay, not really, but imagine a colored guy meeting an uncolored girl and falling in love.  That was us.

I came across an article the other day that got me thinking.  Had I lived in the U.S. about 50 years ago, some states wouldn’t allow me to marry Steph.  (In case you didn’t read the ‘About Us’ page, Steph’s a cracker and I’m a dot head.)  It wasn’t until 1967 that interracial marriage was allowed by the Supreme Court.  Therefore, if we were in 1967, I would be blogging about something else, like segregated white and colored water fountains and what the water tasted like from each.

Ok, so we’re here and now and we have a biracial baby.  (I don’t ever really think about it until Steph and I get the stares…you know, the look that says “Wow, I didn’t know it was genetically possible for colored people and white people to make babies.  Aren’t they different species?”)  I have hope that the Worm doesn’t face the ridicule and ignorance still festering in some portions of society.  I hope that the Worm doesn’t have to hear the racial slurs that I heard growing up in an ignorant, backwards part of the country.   I hope that he doesn’t have to be ashamed that he’s ‘different’ looking than other kids.  And as a shout-out to Martin Luther King Jr., I hope that the Worm “will one day live in a nation where he will not be judged by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character.”  (I also have hope that Gavin’s basketball skills will pay our bills speak for themselves one day.)

Thank you MLK Jr. for giving your life to show us something greater than our fears, our humanity.  (I know it was a few days ago people, but I took the day off.  If you’re uptight about it, pretend I wrote this post for next MLK day.)

One day, we will all be beige.

Below is the article that I was reading at the time…

http://shine.yahoo.com/love-sex/tender-photos-unearthed-turbulent-time-235100316.html

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Categories Random Thoughts

New to the Daddy Blog World

January 20, 2012 //
3

So, I’ve been daddy blogging for the past week and a half and I realized something.  I am not the first to daddy blog about being a first time dad.  So I’ve got no choice but to follow the excellent path set by those daddyblogs before me.  Sort of.  Some of the daddy blogs are pretty funny, like Busy Dad Blog and Cry It Out.  Other daddy blogs are useful, like Stay At Stove Dad and Frugal Dad.  With my daddy blog, I hope to bring the most interesting stay-at-home dad perspective ever.  I want the best daddy blog in the universe.  I want to be the funniest dad blog, the most useful daddy blog, the most groundbreaking dad blog, the best written daddy blog.  Yeah, all of that.  I want to be the Jay-Z of daddy bloggers!  With my incredibly limited vocabulary and extensive use of parentheses (even when it’s unnecessary), I will excite you, tease you and make you cry like a sublime S&M relationship.  And hopefully keep you coming back for more!

Even if you don’t learn anything whatsoever on my hip, new daddy blog, I hope that you will enjoy the ride as we raise a kid in the good ol’ U S of A!

If there are any products that you would like me to review pertaining baby stuff or daddy stuff or baby daddy stuff, please let me know.  I’d be happy to test out new products in my own home and give my honest opinion using the accurate Worm rating algorithm we’ve developed solely for this purpose.

If there is anything you wish for me to write about, including pregnancy pain from a man’s point of view, labor and how I narrowly escaped it, spanking someone else’s parents kids, etc., just let me know.  I’d be happy to give my inappropriate opinion since that’s what we do in California.

www.facebook.com/mevsgavin

www.mevsgavin.com

Did I do enough to entice the search engines you?  I love money comments.

One day, I hope to be in the Top 50 Daddy Blogs!

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