Footage; Cottage
 

There is a local photo lab where I live that does this, and I'll bet any good local photo lab (not the one's in drug stores or [shudder!] Walmarts [/shudder!]) that advertises digital will have the equipment. At our place, they ask that you leave it for a couple hours, so I drop things before lunch and go back after lunch.

The alternative is that you get Avid's software, install a firewire and a DVD recorder (not inexpensive) and then...

The Day the Wiggling Died?
 

Have the Wiggles called it quits?

No, not really... But this fake news story is really funny.

Footage; Cottage
 

First off, it matters wheter you're using MiniDV, which is digital and easily transferred, or 8mm (or something else), which is not digital, and is a little more complicated to transfer.

Second, you might look in your yellow pages under video, or audio-video. tHere are usually a number of places that offer video transfer services. You'll probably get better results (albeit at a higher price) than trusting it to high-scholl student at walmart.

or just buy a player for the tapes and plug it into your tv, and avoid the middle man.

Footage; Cottage
 

Yep. Won't take long. First time you show up, and she cries "Nooooooooo, I wanna keep playing!!!!", you'll feel better. And worse.

Footage; Cottage
 

Drop off used to be traumatic with the crying and the 'pweeze stay'. Day care lady (the nice one) said it was an act and that Native Son was fine and playful as soon as I left. Having had the experience of bad daycare lady being friendly to me and mean to my kid I wanted to check this out.

One day I did the usual drop off routine and went out the door. Walked to my car, counted to 50, went back and peaked in the window. Native Son already had a toy out of the bin and was happily playing.

Viet-babe may have a longer transition time since she's been home with you v. Native Son started day care pretty young. But, even very young children can be quite the actors when it earns parental attention and cuddles.

One thing I did that was helpful was to have a specific good-bye hug and phrase at drop off. This was just for daycare. We'd go in, take off coat etc., and do whatever needed doing. But, when I started the good-bye hug he knew that even if he cried and carried on it was not going to earn additional cuddles. I think this helped lessen the days that we had the traumatic drop-off mentioned above.

Footage; Cottage
 

Sidd Jr. is on-again, off-again about the day care drop-off. Early on, when it was pretty consistently bad, Mrs. Finch would leave one of her hair-scrunch-things with him; that was the teacher's suggestion and it seemed to help, I guess by reassuring him that she would come back for him, or giving him some identifiable way to keep her in mind.

Once he got old enough to tell us about what he did during the day, any bad feelings about leaving him there disappeared.

Footage; Cottage
 

We used a different day care for a week not too long ago. The first day, drop off was basically OK. Tuesday, protests at the door as we go in. Wednesday, protests as we pull up at the curb. Thursday, protests as we take a left turn at the stoplight onto the daycare's street, three blocks away. Friday, protests as we get into the car. I was so happy we didn't have to see where this was going to lead the following Monday.

Sleepers
 

At 3mos, the Lexling is almost grown out if his 6-9mo clothes and will fit into his 9mo clothes probably by next week. I have been looking for 9-12 and 12 mo sleepers (ie one piece footie pjs) to no avail. Seems that clothing stores figure by that age they don't need sleepers. Anyone know of any company who sells bigger sleepers? He is too young to have to wear big-boy clothes!

The Lexling - as of yesterday - is 17lbs5oz - which is slightly off the chart. Thankfully, his height is proportionate. Unfortunately, he is sick and miserable and full of snot. Rite of passage for both of us, I suppose.

-TL

Sleepers
 

Good Lord, he's huge! Anyhow, I can't name a company but I assure you they're out there. Secret_Agent_Baby is much older, and larger, and still wears sleepers.

Sleepers
 

Walmart sell them up to 12 months, in 3 packs for like $9. Also The Children's Place (which I think is www.thechildrensplace.com) and Old Navy.

He is almost as big as the Brazenette, who turns 11 months today!

And....(drumroll) I've quit my job. I'll be a full time, stay at home mom, starting Monday. I am scared shitless.

Sleepers
 

Yes - he's really a big boy. He's 25.5" long. The weight is over 97% and height is about 95%. I'm tall, and Mr. Lex is pretty big, but we're not hulks, although we apparently breed them. ;)
Congratulations on the jump!!! Taking care of a kid is a full time job (of course the only salary involved is sloppy little kisses and the benefits package includes little more than leftover cheerios and trips to the park) but I'm sure you'll be happier than you were before - I know leaving the Brazenette was very upsetting to you. One word of caution - stay really busy, over the first month or so or you may start to feel like, hmm...lonely isn't quite the word...out-of-the-loop isn't quite right either, but whatever it is, it passes. I can't imaging leaving the Lexling right now and wish I didn't have to do any legal work (unfortunately people keep sending us bills, so I gotta do something to pay them). Email me if you like.

Gotta run Mr. Snotty is paging me. -TL

Sleepers
 

Carters blanket sleepers are the classic ones you and I wore when we were babies/toddlers. They're available at Mervyn's and Costco, among other places, and definitely run small.

Gap profleece sleepers are okay, but thinner than the Carters ones, and start to look ratty sooner.

Lands End has very nice quality sleepers. See here

tm

Sleepers
 

Thanks to all. I'm looking for the lighter weight sleepers - like terrycloth or knit. It's too warm here for fleece. I will check out everyone's suggestions.

And for those with babies of normal proportions, I found some adorable Carters sleepers this week at Costco for only $5.49 which would have been awesome, had they been large enough. I bought some as gifts, though. Sure beats BRU prices.

New topic. Who has kids close in age? Pros? Cons? My bro and I were 3.5yrs apart, which I think was slightly more than ideal. Mr. Lex and his sis are 11mos apart, which I think is damn near suicidal. Thoughts?

-TL

Sleepers
 

I think Baby Gap has footie pjs up to age 5 (but I could be wrong).

My husband and his brother are 10 months apart (4 days shy of being born in the same calendar year).

As to kid-spacing, the adage I've heard is either less than 2 years apart or more than 3, but it's hardest for the older one between 2 and 3 years. But it's all a bunch of crap -- it depends on the kids and who they are and their relationship with their parents, etc.

Sleepers
 

Believe we got some from LL Bean. They may be too warm for Texas, though.