Rather than buying a baby monitor, I decided to set up a webcam instead. So I picked up an inexpensive one from www.newegg.ca, the Trendnet TV-IP121WN Internet Camera. The advantages are three-fold:
- There are numerous apps (some free) that view the camera from an array of different platforms (iOS, Android, PC). On the iPad at home I use SecurView and I can even look in when I’m out and about using my Google Nexus 4 using TinyCam Monitor Free.
- Once I no longer need a baby monitor, it easily becomes a home security camera.
- It’s a cheaper than most baby monitors.
The picture quality is not bad either and it’s a Day/Night cam so it works even when the room is dark.
———-
More info on the TRENDnet TV-IP121WN 640 x 480 MAX Resolution RJ45 SecurView Wireless N Day/Night Internet Camera:
- Very easy to set up. If you know how to set up a router, you can set this camera up pretty easily. Once it’s on your wireless network you can view the video on any number of devices.
- It has other functionality such as motion-detection capture, it can even email you (I haven’t yet tested this).
- Cons: The main complaint with the camera, which I knew about prior to purchasing, is that the colour is a little off. For some reason the video comes out with slight pinkish hues.
Definitely wouldn’t call myself an expert but my family has survived the first three months of our first child and I wanted to share a couple of things that helped me get through it.
1) The Five Ss: (What is this?)
- Swaddle – I do have some experience folding things.
- Side/Stomach – I’d carry him like a football, in one arm or two arms; on his side or belly.
- Shush – I’d make my own shhh sound or use a white noise maker (a friend got me sleep sheep).
- Swing – I would rock the baby or dance with him; kinda like a waltz or something side-to-side.
- Suck – Try a pacifier.
2) Baby Language: A friend showed me the Dunstan Baby Language on Oprah (there was a YouTube video which has been taken down, you can check out her site or Wikipedia).
While I didn’t consistently hear these exact sounds from my son, it’s still a short checklist of possible issues he could be experiencing:
- Neh – means: “I’m hungry”. This sound I definitely heard. Also based on last time he ate/how much you can get an idea if he’s hungry.
- Eh – means: “I need a burp”. There are different ways to burp a baby, when I’m having trouble, again I try dancing, this time salsa steps (or something back-and-forth or up-and-down).
- Eairh – means: “I’m gassy/need to fart”. For this I’d lay the little guy on his back and grab his legs by the calves, one in each hand and I’d alternate between making him do bicycle kicks and push both up to his chest.*
- Owh – means: “I’m sleepy”. Do pretty much whatever you can to try to get them to sleep (feed, slow rocking, white noise).
- Heh – means: “I need a change.” Try the smell test. If still unsure, have a peek.
Hope this helps!
———-
* Update, we took the little big man to a baby massage class where we learned some belly massages that relieve gas. Any interested readers should learn this from a licensed health professional. (The class instructor was Margaret Wallis-Duffy RMT, who was Jedi-like with her baby whisperer skills.)
First, apologies for my hiatus, having difficulty running three blogs and working full-time at my client’s and doing all the projects I have planned this summer (e.g. home renos done, clean up not so much) and travelling. I have lots of article ideas and blog posts in varying degrees of completeness but I refuse to publish without polishing and editing.
This leads to my next topic, I will be shutting down haydeeflor.com. The plan was to transition all of my personal writing to something like a members-only section of Tiny Paper Cranes and anything else appropriate will go to iTestThings.com. I’ve since decided to migrate all of the personal stuff to Haydee Flor’s Facebook account. The first idea is too time-consuming to implement and my only regret is losing haydeeflor.com’s readers who are not on Facebook. (In this case subscribe by email.) 
If you are asking yourself why I continue to manage two Facebook accounts then the simple answer is that it’s easier than two blogs and I want people that knew my mom to find me. The long answer is that I am experimenting in the world of social media and examining the management of all of my relationships using this medium. Relationships are very important to me and I’m a bit of a freak for categorization of things. If you are unsure about if you should be a friend of Leo Skee Flor or Haydee Flor (or both) then sort yourself this way:
Leo Skee Flor
- buddy / friend / colleague / acquaintance
- social media contact
- shenanigans
- kid
Haydee Flor
- family
- close friend
- introspective and personal
- grown up
All this leads to my final point (loving how I’m actually bridging the transitions between my thoughts, this happens rarely). I’ve always had in my head that you’re a kid until you have a kid. Then you have to be a grown up. I’m extremely pleased and terrified (just kidding, maybe) to announce the coming of Baby Flor. Very significant as both sides have been longingly and eagerly anticipating the next generation. Despite my wife and I have being quite fond of our DINK lifestyle, we are both really excited.
Baby Flor, front view
———————
Addendum:
There will definitely be a ‘Parenting’ section of iTestThings moving forward. As I’m discovering through reading and perusing the Baby Show a few months ago, parents are among the the largest sets of consumers and there is a plethora of new products and innovations waiting to be put through my own style of consumption and critique.
mini NY Giants fan, coming soon
Further re: Facebook
In the end, you have to remember it’s just semantics and I’m still the same, one person. At the same time, I’m very conscious of self-image from a social media perspective, I’d like to keep Leo Skee’s Facebook more surface level and not spam my friends’ feeds whereas by being a friend of Haydee you acknowledge you love me unconditionally and want to see my baby pictures.
Comments (0) 
Themocracy