Misc_: My Virtual Avatar Family

OK - I was bored after an exciting day - so I made avatars of my whole family. Here they are:

Chris (me), Penny (wife), Rick (dad), Elva (mum), Lori (step-mum), Kieron (step-dad), Tristan (bro), John (father-in-law), Belinda (mother-in-law), Louise (sister-in-law), Alistair (sister-in-law's boyfriend and jolly nice bloke, not family YET mwuhahaha).



Visit messdudes and make your own

Tags: mess dudes avatars

Hint_: Controlled Crying - IT WORKS!

Ok - it has been a few weeks since my post about just starting "controlled crying" with Ripley. To recap, in an effort to get him sleeping better, we used the generally recommended practice of letting him cry for longer and longer periods until he falls asleep. Click here for my first post on the detail of it.

Well basically, after 2 - 3 days of trauma (mainly for us), he now sleeps soundly through the night, better still when we put him in his cot he is wide awake and doesn't make a peep - just falls quietly to sleep, BETTER STILL we had such a massive success in such a short time that we moved him into his own room (which we quickly finished decorating) and he now sleeps soundly through the night in his OWN ROOM!!! I can hardly believe it myself and nor can my wife. Ripley - for those who don't regularly read blogs - was easily the worst sleeper of all the babies we know. He had real problems, and yet after only a few days he is sleeping soundly and everyone is happier, healthier and better rested for it. Fantastic. If you have a baby that doesn't sleep - don't suffer it! Try the controlled crying method - I totally 100% recommend it.

Oh yes - while I remember - I have included a flickr badge on the right hand side column with the most recent pictures of Ripley. Alternatively you can just click here

Tags: flickr Ripley controlled crying sleep

Misc_: Ripley loves Pingu

Ripley is in love with Pingu the animated claymation Penguin. He watches no Television with the only exception being Pingu (and when I am playing a Ps2 game with racing cars in it). I understand that the above video courtesy of Google Video has been subtitled with an extremely rude translation of "pingu-speak" - it is in Swedish - so if you are Swedish look away now.. otherwise enjoy the episode

Tags: pingu penguin

Diary_: 17 Months - New Things and Old Things

Over the past couple of days Ripley has developed a few favourite things and a few fears. He is deathly afraid of a small wobble executive toy that looks a little like a sea anemone, he is also VERY scared of the new shower we have just had installed in the process of getting a new bathroom in. I guess the shower looks a little too much like a snake and some form of primal instinct has kicked in from our times in the caves. As for favourite things, he really enjoys a good draw with the pastels we have, he does one drawing a day and we have kept them in chronological order, over the past couple of weeks the drawings have got more and more yellow. Now they are all yellow. I can safely say his favourite colour is yellow :)

I found this old video and uploaded it (mainly to freak out my long time friend Jason Birt as he will now have internet presence when you type his name on google video :) That'll freak him out. Anyway, it was taken MANY years ago, and I look bloody thin and bloody young, it was back in the days when I could afford sports cars, now I can't afford a paved driveway to park one on. Anyway - Ripley is better than all that material crap. Anyway - on with the video show...

Tags: google video Jason Birt mr2 yellow

Misc_: Sex Dolls

Weirdest women's magazine article ever?

Doll Article

Tags: sexdoll

Misc_: Grandparenthood for Dummies

Don't know if I mentioned it before - probably - lack of sleep is causing my memory to get bad. Right - what was I talking about - re-reading line... oh yes. Mine is not the only Ripley fan site. Penny's Dad - John has his blog which is pretty much dedicated to his only grandchild. Click here to visit the cunningly named Grandparenthood for Dummies (that was my idea). P.s. That's him on the left - click to enlarge this hidden cam shot I took.

Tags: John Grassby

Photo_: TOO CUTE!

This photo somewhat blows his image as a little terror :) This follows on from the last photo where he was rudely awaken from his afternoon nap. He is doing the sign for sleep which is to put his hand up to his ear and tilt his head. No dice kiddo... you woke us up... we wake you up... it is the only pleasure we get. hahaha, only joking, he would sleep all day if he could. (click to enlarge)

Tags: Ripley cute tired

Photo_: Sleepy Head

I just managed to grab this photo as he was swaying back and forth after being rudely awakened from his afternoon nap. Hard to get this little chap to sleep, but even harder to wake him up :)

Tags: sleepy head

Hint_: Controlled Crying

Basically it works. It is harder for the parent than the child... but it works and I recommend it. After only a few days he is sleeping through the night and everyone is happier, here is how to do it, please note the books say that if your child has emotional problems you shouldn't do this, mind you - don't all babies have emotional problems? What consitutes an emotional problem in babies... answers on a postcard.

1) Put them to bed, say goodnight and don't make a fuss, walk out.
2) Ignore the screaming for 5 minutes (hard part)
3) Walk in and stand by the door, do not approach the baby and in particular do not kiss, cuddle, etc. Say in a loud, firm, but loving way "Go to sleep baby, Mummy and Daddy are just in the next room" or something like that.
4) Walk out slowly closing the door (should not take longer than a minute or two)
5) The screams will probably rise in level at this point.
Repeat after 10 minutes, then 15 minutes, then continue every 15 minutes.

The baby works out that crying doesn't work and the periods of time get longer, so they go to sleep. Everyone is happy. It sound cruel but believe me (and the experts in many books) it does no harm to the child, the only person it is likely to psychologically damage is you as the procedure is counter-intuative for a parent.

Tags: controlled crying