Baby Essential Sound Kit

Product listing for electronic items we found useful for the three kids.
1) Safety 1st DIGITAL audio baby monitor
2) Fisher Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium Crib Toy.
3) Tiny Love Crib Mobile with Classical Music

DIGITAL Baby Monitor with Frequency Hopping
I recently sold the unit to an expectant mother with the original box included, manuals. One baby unit for the crib, and two cordless parent units with recharging bases. Star pattern night light.

Manufacturer Description:
The Safety 1st High-Def Digital Monitor is the next leap in digital audio clarity, providing parent peace of mind that they have distinguished between a gurgle and a whimper, because it utilizes the uncrowded DECT 6.0 frequency for guaranteed clear and private connection with no interference. The transmitter is individually coded to receivers fro guaranteed privacy. The ascending, sound sensitive light bars provide visual impact of increasing sound level. The 1000 plus foot range reassures parent of long range quality.

More info (from Babys R Us and Costco)

• 1.9 GHz radio band frequency reserved for DECT, offering better clarity and privacy
• Range of up to 304.8 m (1000 ft.)
• Zero interference and high-quality audio
• Link indicator
• Transmitter (baby unit) individually coded to receiver (parental unit)
• Light bar arch for increasing sound level
• Visible and audible low battery indicator
• Visible and audible out-of-range indicator
• Pager button to help locate parental unit
• Belt clip on parents' unit allowing mobility
• Easy adjust, push-button volume control
• Flush to face panel buttons
• 3 AAA rechargeable batteries for parent unit (batteries included) and an AC adapter

Selling for $74.99 new retail. Mine must be the previous form factor but the product description remains the same.

Fisher Price Aquarium Ocean Wonders

Put your little one to sleep with this soothing aquarium. It calms Baby with softly glowing light and bubbling motion. All of my kids love this item. Maggie as a newborn would just stare at night, captivated by the shifting lights and dancing fish. I remember watching for her to close her eyes. Well momma, I'd rather watch the fish! Well I didn't really get chance to change the batteries for AJ so he only got to hear the music and see the lights change (not enough juice for the full motion). He liked to play with the attached rolling toys. That kept him well entertained. When Lincoln was born, the older ones would activate the sound for him. I guess he's outgrown it now but he was using it up to age 1, like background music for drifting off to sleep.  Some models come with a remote control which would've been useful.

Plays lullabies (Brahms, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Bach Invention in C) or bubbly water sounds, including ocean waves, Plays for approximately 7 minutes.  Attach to crib rail or set on dresser top

Tiny Love Whirly Twirly Crib Mobile
I bought this crib mobile for Lincoln because we had already given away the Winnie the Pooh wind-up for Maggie and AJ.  When Lincoln was a small baby, he liked this alot because of the colourful creatures and the spinning black and white spiral patterns. However he always fell asleep to the beautiful classical music. The playlist features Mozart, Bach, Chopin and Beethoven. In fact, the first song on the track, Mozart Sonata K. 330, I or K. 331, I is very popular with Maggie and AJ. When I play a certain classical music CD with that song on the fourth track, they call this Lincoln's baby song. Music in the environment, they hear it they absorb it. Now imagine if I told them the name of every song on the track and they could name them by K, BWV or opus numbers.

Planet Earth

AJ was watching the clouds from the kitchen window as we ate lunch yesterday, deep in thought and transfixed. Finally he spoke up, "Mommy, what is outside the clouds?" What a profound question, I had to think of a good answer or another deep question to counter that.

"Well, what do you think?" I had to buy myself more time.
"Blue" That's a good answer from AJ.
"That's right, the sky is blue. Above the earth is the atmosphere, that's the air we breathe"
AJ is still staring.
"And outside the atmosphere is space, outer space" I add more information.
"Do astronauts live in space?" AJ asks.
"Yeah, perhaps on a space ship. What's your favorite planet, AJ?"
"uh... Mars!" After giving it some thought.
"And what else?" I'm trying to quiz him because he has a book about planets and at one time, Maggie and AJ could name all of them.
"Pizza Planet!" We all laugh, this is pretty clever response too. It is from his favorite movie, Toy Story.

Brian goes on to explain to AJ that his classmate from school is an astronaut. While I don't necessarily believe that AJ would choose that profession, I think it's ok to encourage him to dream big and think about science. Though I know with his peanut allergy and mild intermittent asthma, I doubt they would ever choose him either. We're talking about exploring space, and for whatever reason Maggie feels the need to jump into the conversation.

"When I grow up, I want to be a garbage girl" Say what?
AJ counters, "When I grow up I want to drive a garbage truck!"

Alright, we'll start with cleaning up planet earth.