Baby Technology and Whatnot

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year. What did you do during the holiday? Unless you had a baby (or two), we probably topped you. Sports fans, please welcome Parker Jameson Schmidt! Parker J. (aka Peanut) who arrived at 5:48pm on December 16, 2010. He hails from Belly University and his stats are impressive: 7lbs 9 oz. & 20 1/2 inches in length. His hobbies include eating, sleeping, and pooping.

There were many confused looks when Holly said "we have 3 kids but this is my first delivery", after the hospital folks at UCH would ask "Is this your first baby?" There were many firsts for Holly but things have changed a lot since Riley came into the world almost 12 years ago, so I'm learning too.

For instance, did you know that diaper technology has vastly improved since 1999? I never realized that Pampers and Huggies were so cutting edge. You'd expect improved comfort or more Earth friendly updates. Now, you can get newborn diapers that have a umbilical cord cutout. Neat, but that's not the coolest improvement. Diapers now have yellow lines on them, and when there is "stuff" in the diaper, they change color to let you know "hey, "stuff" is in here!" By the time that one of my kids has a baby, the diapers will probably have a cell phone connection that will send a poo or pee alert (the Pampers 9000 will text "#1" or "#2" to your phone!).

Car seats have also added new features. In addition to slick styling, better handling, improved performance (does this sound like a car commercial or what?), the seats provide more safety and comfort for the baby. We have a pretty nice carrier/stroller combo but there are some serious fancy pants products out there, like the one that plugs into your car and has seat & bottle warmers. I could be wrong (remember, I am a parent of a newborn and only get a few hours of sleep)...I think I saw one with a latte machine, a vacuum cleaner, a warming tray for snacks, and a pet grooming system. If not, Graco/Chicco/etc., you're welcome for the ideas.

Now, there are breast pumps with turbo boosters, thermometers that take your temperature from a different county, and even pack n' plays don't just vibrate, they connect to your mp3 player via remote control through an app on your phone. Maybe I'm making some of this up. Then again, maybe not.

Until next time, buh bye.