We used to love listening to our neighbors fight over ours, and approach information for airlines (no kidding). Never much use for hearing the kids however... Hopefully the technology has advanced.

I can vouch for advancements. Our niece's is fantastic. Cordless, charges on a base, picks up sound great, big screen, night vision. At one point they were able to see that although she wasn't crying, she had stuck her leg in the crib slats. Not life threatening but pretty damn cool.

They also get to see how she plays and talks to herself before going to sleep. The images tell much more of a story than the noises.

Now I'm sure theirs cost a pretty penny, but I am hoping we are able to get something with a cam.

The video one's are awesome because if you hear something you can glance at the monitor and tell if it's just them being fussy or if there's really a reason to go in.

That's exactly why we got a video monitor. A lot of times Olivia would make sleep noises or wake up but not need us to come in.

Ours was a stand alone model but I have had friends who have security-like cameras that broadcast directly to their tvs so that they could watch picture in picture style.

We had a monitor but actually turned it off a lot of the time. You'd wake up every 10 seconds when she made every little sound.

Stupid Parent Tricks -101.

When Moonie Jr. was an infant, he would often cry during the night. One day I thought to myself, hey he doesn't like the dark. So I installed a sound activated light switch in the nursery. That way if he stared crying a nice comforting light would come on.

In truth, "comforting" was not quite the result. His response was more "Oh, it's morning. Time to get up!" and not go back to sleep for hours totally messing up his sleep patterns.

Compounding this was the effect on Mrs. Moonie. Who for days got up with him in the middle of the night and sat with him for hours trying to get him back to sleep (while of course seriously mucking up her own sleep schedule) and always wondering who left the light on in the nursery. :blush:

Moonie - that's funny.

CP - you can probably pick up a used baby monitor at children's orchard (that I've already mentioned.) That's just the sort of thing that they would have as it doesn't get used up or worn out easily and isn't likely to have been recalled.

I know when I was preggo with my first that I looked down a bit on my friend who frequented the used kids stores and visited yard sales for toys. By the time Amy was a few months old I had a whole new outlook on used things.

I can second the used kids stores. They blow through sizes so quickly - Maddie did once in a day - literally I went to change her and couldn't get the jammies back on her. A lot of the stuff is barely worn or new. We spent lots of time there.

Oh and things that work on all kids - might not work on yours. They suggest you wrap the baby tightly, like a burrito, in their blankets when they're really small. Yeah if you wanted to hear Madz cry from space you could do that. It would totally piss her off. Other kids love it. She still doesn't sleep under the covers much. Her dad was always re-covering her and she'd kick it off. The Pediatrician explained that we don't live in Antartica, if she's cold she'll let you know otherwise don't worry. She still hates anything on her feet when she sleeps as well.

Also if you have friends/family that have kids a littler older they may have things for you. I got a ton - literally from a friend who was done having more. In turn the Swanies got two carloads of stuff after Maddie started growing. Eveyone's happy to get rid of stuff.

We had something similar happen. We were late getting home from some event and I just put Amy to bed with totally undressing her and waking her up. It was sooo late and I was sooo tired.

The next morning the shirt wouldn't fit over her head. After struggling with it and her crying I finally just cut the darn thing off. It's not like she was ever going to wear it again - and why torture her trying to get it off in one piece.

They really do grow - even just overnight.

Okay, is the Ghoulish Pair registered anyplace yet?