Farrah's going to be a mom!!

[Arles]

We recently found out that Farrah and I are going to be the parents of a baby boy sometime in the fall ;)

Any advice from the large (and growing) group of parents on FOFC. :D

[Arles]

Given how feisty he's been of late, I think there's no question on the father ;)

[st.cronin]

I notice you don't say you're going to be a father...

[BigJohn&TheLions]

Get a blood test before paying anything.

[SackAttack]

We recently found out that Farrah and I are going to be the parents of a baby boy sometime in the fall ;)

Any advice from the large (and growing) group of parents on FOFC. :D

Shouldn't this thread be properly titled "Arlie's gonna be a dad!" or else let Farrah be the one to break the news? ;)

[SackAttack]

Given how feisty he's been of late, I think there's no question on the father ;)

A) TMI, thanks!

B) Get on a non-broken server, dammit!

[hoosierdude]

Congratulations on the good news, Mr. and Mrs. Rahn. That should liven things up there in Arizona. :) That is great news!

[stevew]

Given how feisty he's been of late, I think there's no question on the father ;)


I would gather that Farrah forgot to logout arles? Otherwise hmmm.

[sachmo71]

1. Get some sleep now. Store it up, because it's going to be hard to come by.

2. Want to travel, see movies, go out to eat? Get cracking, because you can kiss that bye bye.

3. Like sleeping in? It's all over, so get it out of your system. Sure, you can switch off with the wife, but kids still make lots of noise.

4. They say wives nest before the baby comes, and it's true, but you need to make sure that if there are any projects around the house you want to do, get them done before the baby comes.

5. Depending on the birth method, you may have to go for a while without sex, so make sure you get a lot of that in, too.

6. Read about what to expect.



Oh, and congrats!

[Arles]

1. Get some sleep now. Store it up, because it's going to be hard to come by.
I normally get by on 5 hours a night as it is.

2. Want to travel, see movies, go out to eat? Get cracking, because you can kiss that bye bye.
Done all that ;)

3. Like sleeping in? It's all over, so get it out of your system. Sure, you can switch off with the wife, but kids still make lots of noise.
I'm up to walk the dogs every morning at 5:30.

4. They say wives nest before the baby comes, and it's true, but you need to make sure that if there are any projects around the house you want to do, get them done before the baby comes.
Good point here.

5. Depending on the birth method, you may have to go for a while without sex, so make sure you get a lot of that in, too.
That better not happen :eek: Maybe I'm a bit naive, but I don't think it will change that much (outside of the birthing timeframe)

6. Read about what to expect.
Yeah, I've already picked up a few books on the subject.

Oh, and congrats!
Thanks for the advice and kind words. :)

[Joe]

mmmm MILF

[stevew]

http://www.nyn.suny.edu/pauvich.jpg

In the case of negative 7 month old Rahn Baby, Arlie, you are NOT the father.

[Franklinnoble]

Congratulations... definately the most life-changing experience in the world... but well worth it. I can't imagine not being "dad" to my three kids.

[gstelmack]

Plenty:

Get the Diaper Champ. No special bags and easier to change than the Diaper Genie, and everything else is a cheap piece of junk.

The baby will tell you what it's schedule is. Just take your time and run down the checklist: hungry? diaper? nap? It'll be one of the three, and you'll figure out which cry means what eventually.

Get the Baby Bjorn carrier (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/ref=dp_sr_00/002-4146646-1952830). We tried to get cheaper ones, and they were all wasted money.

When buying a crib, buy a CRIB, not a convertible or all the other fancy stuff. When it gets time for the kid to move to a bed, you'll want an actual toddler bed (lower to the ground), but most of the cribs seem to convert to full-size regular-height beds. You can buy toddler beds that take crib mattresses or twin mattresses, and the child will transition to them much better. Also, don't worry about drop-down sides on the crib: they make the cribs weaker and shakier, and you won't use it nearly as much as you think.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005YVRN/qid=1112827564/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-4146646-1952830. Best crib toy ever. Our child is 2 years and 2 months and still using this every night/morning.

Speaking of crib toys, go to http://www.nichd.nih.gov/sids/sids.cfm and read up on the "Back to Sleep" program. Infant sleeps on back, with just a nice cotton blanked in the crib. No bumpers, no stuffed animals, nothing. Very important safety information, sleeping on the back is the only recommendation that has done anything to reduce SIDS mortality rates. Note that these recommendations don't include any of the "holders" that keep the child on their back.

Graco Quatro Tour Stroller (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0001Z5KH2/qid=1112827774/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-4146646-1952830?v=glance&s=toys). Best stroller ever. One handed collapse and put in car but still VERY sturdy. We're not the only people we know who had to dump our old stroller, ended up trying this one, and will never go back.

I never thought I could deal with all the messy bits of being a parent (diapers, throw up, etc). It's amazing how little those things bother you when it's your child.

Most of all, enjoy every single minute. You have no idea how your life is about to change, and no one can describe it in any way that will make sense, but you'll understand once your back home from the hospital. The boy will be the most precious thing on earth to you.

[Schmidty]

At least SOMEONE's getting some from their wife. :(

Good job and congrats!! :)

[Passacaglia]

I would gather that Farrah forgot to logout arles? Otherwise hmmm.

Hopefully SkyDog's not reading this thread!! :)

Oh, and congrats.

[Franklinnoble]

How's the morning sickness?

[digamma]

Congrats.

[Farrah Whitworth-Rahn]

Given how feisty she's been of late, I think there's no question on the father ;)
Fixed that for ya sweetie.

And considering I can't remember the last time I slept with a man that wasn't Arlie, I think it's pretty safe to assume it's his baby. :)

How's the morning sickness?
Horrible. I lost 15lbs when all was said and done. I'm 19 weeks now so I've been feeling pretty good lately. Well, feeling fat, but good. :)

[BigJohn&TheLions]

Nobody has mentioned that you should enjoy the breasts while you can. In about 6 months or so they'll be so sore she won't let you touch them...

Oh, and the increase in hormone levels will make the sex feel much better. No offense meant, but it takes average _____ and makes it wonderful _____!

[Franklinnoble]

Horrible. I lost 15lbs when all was said and done. I'm 19 weeks now so I've been feeling pretty good lately. Well, feeling fat, but good. :)

My wife's only cures for morning sickness were cinnamon gum and gatorade. Just FYI.

[TLK]

Congrats...

[markprior22]

Awesome news guys...congrats.

What's the baby's first game going to be and is there a release date yet?

[Raiders Army]

My condolences. You will now have no life for the next 18 years (at least).

[SackAttack]

And considering I can't remember the last time I slept with a man that wasn't Arlie

That's why you're not supposed to let strange men buy you drinks!

[Farrah Whitworth-Rahn]

Awesome news guys...congrats.

What's the baby's first game going to be and is there a release date yet?
The baby's game is called Spawn Of The She-Rahn, and is expected to be released sometime in 3Q 2005.

[SirFozzie]

Congrats again, Farrah and Arlie.

He-Rahn, She-Ran, and it-Rahn!

[Eaglesfan27]

Congratulations! Enjoy your time alone while you have it.

[MizzouRah]

Yes, enjoy a little two year old who sleeps between you and single handedly changed your sex life when it was going so well. :D

Congratulations!!


Todd

[Franklinnoble]

The baby's game is called Spawn Of The She-Rahn, and is expected to be released sometime in 3Q 2005.

QOTM...

[CamEdwards]

I normally get by on 5 hours a night as it is.


Done all that ;)

I'm up to walk the dogs every morning at 5:30.


Good point here.


That better not happen :eek: Maybe I'm a bit naive, but I don't think it will change that much (outside of the birthing timeframe)


Yeah, I've already picked up a few books on the subject.


Thanks for the advice and kind words. :)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHOO! Man, that's a good one.

Congrats to you both, and take Sachmo's advice. Since the twins came, I've been thinking it would be so easy to just deal with one, but when Andrew was born I remember both Elaine and I were overwhelmed (and she had already HAD two kids).

[FrogMan]

woohoo, good news all around! Congrats to you two! :)

FM

[vtbub]

Congrats!

[flere-imsaho]

Congrats & best of luck. :)

[Arles]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHOO! Man, that's a good one.
Yeah, but Cam we actually had a regular sex life BEFORE she got pregnant :cool:

Congrats to you both, and take Sachmo's advice. Since the twins came, I've been thinking it would be so easy to just deal with one, but when Andrew was born I remember both Elaine and I were overwhelmed (and she had already HAD two kids).
In all seriousness, thanks for the kind words. I know Farrah will be calling Elaine when she has questions ;)

[Farrah Whitworth-Rahn]

Yeah, but Cam we actually had a regular sex life BEFORE she got pregnant :cool:
We did? When was this?

[CamEdwards]

Yeah, but Cam we actually had a regular sex life BEFORE she got pregnant :cool:


In all seriousness, thanks for the kind words. I know Farrah will be calling Elaine when she has questions ;)

Regular perhaps... but certainly not normal :D

[spleen1015]

Can I be a beta tester?

Congrats to you guys!

[clintl]

Congrats, Arlie and Farrah!

[Arles]

Thanks guys. And, spleen, I think all the BETA spots are full ;)

[General Mike]

Congratulations

[Anthony]

congrats to the Rahn's. i don't know either of you from a stranger on the street, but health and happiness to you and your family.

[mhass]

My wife's only cures for morning sickness were cinnamon gum and gatorade. Just FYI.
To which my wife would add Saltines and, specifically, Big Red cinnamon gum. Powerful stuff that.

Two words of advice: Bouncy. Seat. Unless you plan on holding this child until he walks, buy one. It's the only way we got to eat dinner.

Congrats. It's incredible.

[Crapshoot]

Congrats guys. Arlie, make sure you raise this one right- don't burden him with the legacy of being a FifteenAndAHalfBacksFan!

[Zippo]

congratulatons!

[DaddyTorgo]

congrats Arles!

[cuervo72]

QOTM...

Give. It. Up.


Congrats Rahns!

[JimboJ]

So no one is going to suggest getting Total Pro Football 2006 (or whatever) completed before the baby comes and takes over your lives? :)

Seriously, congrats!

[sovereignstar]

Poor kid. He has to grow up in that place where the air-conditioning-infatuated idiots live.

[Arles]

Poor kid. He has to grow up in that place where the air-conditioning-infatuated idiots live.

But it's a dry heat. :D

[Shaun Sullivan]

Arlie,

Congrats! I have 4 (ages 19 down to 5) and I wouldn't trade the experiences for anything.

[Craptacular]

Congrats. I told my wife that when she gets pregnant, I'm buying a mini-freezer and/or fridge and putting them on the floor on her side of the bed. I'll take the lazy man's approach to the ice cream run.

[wheels]

I can just see little Rerahn now . . . http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

http://images5.theimagehosting.com/littlerahn.1.jpg (http://www.theimagehosting.com)


You guys are in for a wonderful experience. Congratulations!

[Karlifornia]

Wow. Pretty cool! May I suggest some names for what I am sure will be a beautiful baby boy?

Dolamite Rahn
D.H. Rahn (Dean Houston Rahn)
L. Rahn-Hubbard
Hehateme Rahn
Andy Rahn...He rahn so far awayyyy-yyy
Ron Rahn
Stevie Ray Rahn

[Solecismic]

Congratulations. You could always call him Sole Rahn if you're planning on stopping at one. After ours, that's what we decided. No more little ones. We have what's known as an "active" child, which is a euphemism for hell on tiny feet.

Welcome to the club. You have now been thoroughly assimilated.

[JonInMiddleGA]

... You have no idea how your life is about to change, and no one can describe it in any way that will make sense, but you'll understand once your back home from the hospital. The boy will be the most precious thing on earth to you.

I haven't had a chance to go through the rest of this thread yet, but the highlighted portion is about as good a summation as I think anybody can come up with.

Congrats to the Rahn's, you're gonna be very good at this, and you're going to enjoy it.

[Gary Gorski]

Congrats - you guys will make wonderful parents. As the father of a six-month old there's definitely alot of good advice in this thread. My suggestion would be for the two of you to do things together now - your days of going to dinner and a movie are coming to an end :) Ditto on the bouncy seat too - once he's old enough to use it you'll be thankful for the 30 minute break it will give you. And of course prepare to not sleep through an entire night for a very long, long, time :)

[Samdari]

I normally get by on 5 hours a night as it is.

You won't get even close to that for a while, especially if she breast feeds.

You could seriously have put any number in that sentence, and you would be getting far less once the baby comes.

EDIT: Since Cam did not have the balls to go with Luke and Leia, I think you should name the kid Darth.

[FrogMan]

If you really want advice, we're all amaturs compared to Revrew. He has a veritable litter of children!
word


:D

[sachmo71]

If you really want advice, we're all amaturs compared to Revrew. He has a veritable litter of children!

[condors]

Congrats!

[gstelmack]

Ditto on the bouncy seat too - once he's old enough to use it you'll be thankful for the 30 minute break it will give you. And of course prepare to not sleep through an entire night for a very long, long, time :)
Baby Einstein DVDs are a good alternative (no, it's not just a baby sitter, she reacted and played along with the stuff on the screen and has a great love for music now, so all you anti-TV folks can back off now...)

Most relaxing thing in the world: stretched out, baby on your chest, baby and you taking a nap...

[flere-imsaho]

By the way, when the time comes (say, before College), I'm more than happy to offer my services to indoctrinate the little one in Commie Pinko Liberal-ness. It's the least I can offer.... :)

[Ksyrup]

Baby Einstein DVDs are to this generation what Sesame Street was to mine. Man, they work like a charm! Our little one actually starts bouncing up and down on her knees and making goofy noises when the blue DVD screen comes up, that's how much she loves Baby Einstein. Stick her in a bouncy chair that vibrates and all is good. Although, I will say the bouncy seat only lasts so long. We've had to graduate to bringing the playpen into the living room now that our little one is mobile (and/or installing a series of gates/chairs to fence her in).

On the point of safety, you might as well get used to it now so you don't slip-up when it matters...buy a couple of dozen of those socket plug and get used to using them when you don't have something plugged in. And buy locks for all of your cabinets. Get used to having to manually unlock the cabinets in order to get to the dishwashing detergent, etc. Your kid will find this stuff once he/she starts crawling. I'm not talkign actual locks, btw, but kid-proof ones that are pretty easy to open with one hand (the exact kind depend on the shape of your cabinet handles and the space between adjoining doors' handles. And you'll also want gates, either the kind you can manually put up/take down when necessary, or the kind that can be installed. You definitely need something like this if you have stairs, of course, but we find that they are useful for creating a defined areas to let her roam around. And one final thing we've found to be very nice are blinds in the kids' bedroom that do not have pull strings. They have some that will automatically raise and lower on their own. I was shocked to learn how many kids choke or hang themselves on blinds strings.

I have to echo the movie thing - we haven't seen a non-kids movie together in a few years, and I can only think of 1 or 2 that we've seen since our first was born nearly 6 years ago. Eating out, though, is not that big a deal, really, and pretty easy for the first few months, because they sleep so much. It's only when they get about 6 months that eating out can become more trouble than it's worth, but we still manage.

I'm so used to it now, but it is a huge change in your life when you first realize that everything you do will, for at least 20 years or so, revolve around your child, and not what you want/need. My entire life routine is 100% different now than it was 6 years ago. For instance, I now spend the hours from 10pm to 1am surfing the web at home, rather than 7pm to 10pm. :D

[Suicane75]

Just great, now I have to move down the list and go after Ryan, Meg.
But seriously, congratulations.

[Arles]

Thanks for all the advice guys. And, flere, I'm sure Farrah will consider taking you up on that. Then again, we have my parents who are actively involved with the Arizona Democrat party and have Al Gore/Bill Clinton/Hillary/Jimmy Carter items littered throughout their house :D

[st.cronin]

Thanks for all the advice guys. And, flere, I'm sure Farrah will consider taking you up on that. Then again, we have my parents who are actively involved with the Arizona Democrat party and have Al Gore/Bill Clinton/Hillary/Jimmy Carter items littered throughout their house :D

I can't remember the exact quote, or who said it (Churchill?), but it goes something like this:

"If you're conservative as a young man, it's proof you have no heart. If you're liberal as an old man, it's proof you have no brain."

[JeeberD]

Many congrats to the (expanding) Rahn clan! :)

[gstelmack]

On the point of safety, you might as well get used to it now so you don't slip-up when it matters...buy a couple of dozen of those socket plug and get used to using them when you don't have something plugged in. And buy locks for all of your cabinets. Get used to having to manually unlock the cabinets in order to get to the dishwashing detergent, etc. Your kid will find this stuff once he/she starts crawling. I'm not talkign actual locks, btw, but kid-proof ones that are pretty easy to open with one hand (the exact kind depend on the shape of your cabinet handles and the space between adjoining doors' handles. And you'll also want gates, either the kind you can manually put up/take down when necessary, or the kind that can be installed. You definitely need something like this if you have stairs, of course, but we find that they are useful for creating a defined areas to let her roam around. And one final thing we've found to be very nice are blinds in the kids' bedroom that do not have pull strings. They have some that will automatically raise and lower on their own. I was shocked to learn how many kids choke or hang themselves on blinds strings.
An excellent gate for guarding critical areas (like stairs): http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004YMZE/ref=pd_sxp_elt_l1/104-3092972-5238344

An excellent gate for guarding temporary areas or putting up temporary barriers: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004RA66/ref=pd_sxp_elt_l1/104-3092972-5238344

The only cabinet lock I know of that actually stops kids cold (most others they can figure out more quickly than you're ready for them to): http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/baby/B0000488W1/qid=1112887628/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-3092972-5238344

[Ksyrup]

We use the second gate you posted for a large opening, since most gates don't go that far. For other openings (dining room/living room), we have a mesh gate with twistable side poles on the top and bottom that make it easy to size and fit each opening.

[flere-imsaho]

And, flere, I'm sure Farrah will consider taking you up on that. Then again, we have my parents who are actively involved with the Arizona Democrat party and have Al Gore/Bill Clinton/Hillary/Jimmy Carter items littered throughout their house :D

There's hope!!! :D

[flere-imsaho]

I can't remember the exact quote, or who said it (Churchill?), but it goes something like this:

"If you're conservative as a young man, it's proof you have no heart. If you're liberal as an old man, it's proof you have no brain."

Winston Churchill: "Show me a young Conservative and I'll show you someone with no heart. Show me an old Liberal and I'll show you someone with no brains."

Bear in mind, though, that Churchill said a lot of stuff....

[st.cronin]

Bear in mind, though, that Churchill said a lot of stuff....

And all of it correct.

[Arles]

Hey, cool the politics. No threadjacking will be going on here :D

[st.cronin]

Hey, cool the politics. No threadjacking will be going on here :D

Ok, but only if you promise to name the baby Winston.

[Arles]

Ok, but only if you promise to name the baby Winston.
I thought it was down to Rerun or Dean Houston Rahn ;)

[flere-imsaho]

And all of it correct.

Including, most importantly:

"The rule which forbids ending a sentence with a preposition is the kind of nonsense up with which I will not put."

[st.cronin]

"There are a terrible lot of lies going around the world, and the worst of it is half of them are true."

"Never hold discussions with the monkey when the organ grinder is in the room."

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."

"I am prepared to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter."

"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else."

"It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations."

[Farrah Whitworth-Rahn]

Ok, but only if you promise to name the baby Winston.
Actually I was thinking about putting the naming rights to the baby up for auction on eBay.

[flere-imsaho]

Actually I was thinking about putting the naming rights to the baby up for auction on eBay.

/starts saving up money....

[judicial clerk]

Congratulations.

My advice would be to train that kid to sleep in their own bed. Put them to bed awake and don't let them get in the habit of sleeping with you every night.

[mhass]

Wow. Pretty cool! May I suggest some names for what I am sure will be a beautiful baby boy?

Dolamite Rahn
D.H. Rahn (Dean Houston Rahn)
L. Rahn-Hubbard
Hehateme Rahn
Andy Rahn...He rahn so far awayyyy-yyy
Ron Rahn
Stevie Ray Rahn
Don't forget Hitand Rahn

[FrogMan]

My advice would be to train that kid to sleep in their own bed. Put them to bed awake and don't let them get in the habit of sleeping with you every night.
Early on, I'm not sure you can get all babies to be put in their bed awake, but I couldn't agree more with not getting them in the habit of sleeping with you every night. What we did early on was rock the kid to sleep (or walk, as we'd simply walk around with him either in our arms or on the shoulder until he was asleep) and put him in his crib. Then a bit later on until today, we'd walk him around to simply calm him down and then up to bed he goes, awake or not. Works like a charm for us, your mileage may vary, as usual...

FM

[Ksyrup]

Yeah, no sleeping in your bed.

At first, we always rocked the kids to sleep, but even with the 11-month old, we put her in after her last bottle, whether she's awake or not, and she falls asleep pretty well on her own. Every now and then we have to go back in and settle her down, but we rarely put her to sleep first, then to bed.

[FrogMan]

Yeah, no sleeping in your bed.

At first, we always rocked the kids to sleep, but even with the 11-month old, we put her in after her last bottle, whether she's awake or not, and she falls asleep pretty well on her own. Every now and then we have to go back in and settle her down, but we rarely put her to sleep first, then to bed.
oh, same here, we stopped putting Matty to sleep before going to bed when he was about 9, 10 months old I'd say. When I said we rock/walk him, it's like a minute or three, simply bring him to a calm state, mostly that he puts his head on my shoulder (I'm the one with the magic beer belly, on which he can rest easily ;) ). Now at 14, almost 15 months, it's almost more magical for me than it is for him, I just love holding him in my arms when he's quiet and ready to go to bed like that :)

FM

[Wolfpack]

Actually I was thinking about putting the naming rights to the baby up for auction on eBay.

Oh, so the baby's name is going to be GoldenPalace.com Rahn, then....