Babies come with checklists.
Crib...check.
Stroller/car-seat combo...check.
Burp clothes, blankets, Lansenol....check.
Diapers, wipes, more diapers, powder, more diapers...check.
Baby strobe light...check.
What's that you say? Baby strobe light isn't on your list?
Oh, you call it a baby monitor. We call it, "Hey! Just letting you know your baby is screaming by flashing at you" monitor.
You see, those normal, boring monitors do nothing for Hubs. The baby could be screaming at the top of his lungs and Hubs wouldn't know it, he being Deaf and all.
So some genius person came up with the Baby Strobe. *Not the actual name unless you live in our house...then it is the actual name. The sensor part is plugged into outlet in the room with baby. The other half is plugged into the wall with a light plugged into it.
Baby cries, light flashes. Voila! Baby Strobe. Genius!
The sensor also has the ability to turn up or down it's sensitivity. So you can choose to strobe at whimper or screaming at the top of their lungs. Totally up to you. Whatever you are comfortable with.
With our first, we thought this was the greatest invention ever. We ordered it and had it installed months before baby Kobe arrived. We plugged it in both rooms. I pretended to be a screaming baby while Hubs excitedly waited in the strobing room.
We laughed. We clapped. We switched place. It was an exciting day.
Then baby arrived.
Day One: Kobe cried. Light flashed. We both woke up and took care of business. Repeated 10 times.
Day Two: Repeat Day One.
Day Three: Kobe cries. Flashes. Hubs rolls over. I wake up. Turn off the light. Take care of business. Repeated 10 times.
Day Four: Kobe cries. Light flashes becoming annoying. Hubs rolls over. I hit Hubs. Take care of business. Repeated 12 times.
Day Five: Kobe cries. Light flashes. Hubs covers his head. Strobe unplugged indefinitely. Take care of business. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
And so it went. It was great that Hubs knew baby was crying....when he did something about it. When he didn't, for me, it was like two babies crying. Only one was extremely obnoxious. The light, not Kobe.
Do we still use the light? Yes, but not for night time feedings. I find that simply hitting Hubs is more effective and quite therapeutic. (It's more of a nudge...in case you were planning to report me for spousal abuse.)
We use it when I go to work at night so he knows when babies or children or fire alarms are screaming.
You know, when I don't have to be there.
10 comments:
Lol! I sometimes miss having a baby but definitely NOT the waking up 10 times a night part.
And that is a cool invention though I can definitely see how that light could get annoying real fast.
we call it a "love pat" at least I do, David hates it when I "hit" him awake at night to deal with the children! He has some serious selective hearing loss when it comes to night time wake up calls!
Thanks for your sweet comment. . .I made my morning!
We didn't do the monitor thing. If you couldn't scream loud enough to get my attention, you didn't need attention. I can see how the strobe would be very important gear for the hearing impaired - but how it could drive you crazy if you are hearing the cries AND seeing the strobe.
Sounded so familiar... the nudging part I mean. You create such a great story picture. Loved this post. I agree with Gabe all men become deaf in the night when babies are crying.
Dana
Isn't this just the way it goes? Whether it's lights or sounds that summon, it seems the mom is the first and main responder.
;)
I like this invention and you are so right it would be obnoxious knowing the hubs is not going to get up lights flashing and all lol but a great tool to have once you are gone....And I agree with a fellow commenter you do a great job at creating a story picture!
I used the monitor for like two weeks. And in the end, I used it more to spy on what my exhusband was really saying on the phone.
Too funny! Yea, we have one of those baby strobe lights too except the light is always flashing because of the sound machine that's situated right next to the monitor in E's room. It's ok though because her cries carry throughout our apartment. We just use the monitor for it's video purpose :)
Btw, my hearing husband can totally hear E cry in the middle of the night but he likes to pretend that he doesn't until I "gently nudge" him out of bed :)
if ur asleep how do you see the strobe light?
and as for diane's comment....come on over....i could use the rest haha
Wow, the title and post are not quite what I thought they'd be...after the first bit I was thinking, "Hey, my friend had one of those flashers for their TTY and doorbell!"
Curse you, muli-meaning words!
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