I hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

Palo, the town I grew up was evacuated, and is on lockdown.  No one is allowed in.  Folks with the National Guard are at every entrance to the town turning people away, whether they are homeowners, or potential looters.  I’m not even sure if there is anything left to loot.  Maybe the shingles.  I think that’s about all you can see.

Cedar Rapids, where I went to school and spent most of my days is also under water.  The downtown area is totally shut down.  Rescue boats drift where cars once drove.  The devastation is unbelievable.  I’m trying to wrap my brain around it, but it’s hard to internalize all of the photos I see on news websites.

I have several family members and friends who have lost everything (thankfully, my parents are still dry).  I wish there was something I could do, but for now the best thing is to pray for the people whose lives have been forever changed by the flood.

I know everyone has their problems.  Gas prices are high and we’re all trying to make ends meet.  But I’d be grateful if you could throw a few prayers and well-wishes toward the Mid-West.  Thank you!

Happier topics to come!

As a parent, one of the tools I need (and at times have to remind myself to use) is PATIENCE.
Other things:
Snacks and water on hand at all times!
An extra pacifier
I’ll add more as we go.

Add yours in the comments section.  You may inspire others! 

FDA informed consumers not to use or purchase Mommy’s Bliss Nipple Cream, marketed by MOM Enterprises, Inc., because the product contains potentially harmful ingredients that may cause respiratory distress or vomiting and diarrhea in infants. The product is promoted to nursing mothers to help soothe and heal dry or cracked nipples. Potentially harmful ingredients in the product are chlorphenesin and phenoxyethanol. Chlorphenesin relaxes skeletal muscle and can depress the central nervous system and cause slow or shallow breathing in infants. Phenoxyenthanol, a preservative that is primarily used in cosmetics and medications, can also depress the central nervous system and may cause vomiting and diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration in infants. Mothers and caregivers should seek immediate medical attention if their child shows signs and symptoms of a decrease in appetite, difficulty in awakening, limpness of extremities or a decrease in an infant’s strength of grip and a change in skin color.

Read the entire 2008 MedWatch Safety Summary, including a link to the FDA News Release regarding this issue at:

http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Bliss

How did you celebrate the weekend?  Did you go to the lake?  Boone Lake is REALLY low this year.  I hope we get some rain.  Not during the day, though.  Wouldn’t it be nice if it could rain at night, while everyone is sleeping (or at work, for you 3rd shifters out there!), then turn nice and sunny during the day?  That way, everyone gets what they want!

Sickness while young can prevent serious disease later
Manuel Gallegus
CBS News

Sounds strange but researchers now think the common cold and other viruses may actually save young kids from a potentially deadly disease.

Daycare may protect children from a form of cancer.

According to a recent study kids in daycare could have a 30 percent lower risk of developing childhood leukemia. 

Dr. Adrienne Morgan, of Children with Leukemia Charity says, “Send your children to daycare, let them eat dirt, let them have lots of early infections.  It’s good for them.”

Another doctor, Saint Luke’s Kenneth Gottesman explains why it’s good for kids.  He says the theory goes like this:  Unlike stay at home kids, young children in daycare are exposed to plenty of colds and other illnesses, including pathogens, germs, viruses and bacteria.  So, their immune system is challenged at a very early age.

“That might help the body produce certain antibodies,” Gottesman says.

And that might protect against childhood leukemia, which usually strikes between the ages of two and five.

Childhood leukemia only affects a small percentage of kids so doctors say parents shouldn’t purposely expose their children to illness.  But going to daycare or hanging out at the playground on a regular basis should do the trick.

Gottesman adds, “I think these exposures are part of growing up and in general they’re minor, mild illnesses.”

And early exposure may benefit kids by helping their general immunity by exposing them to illnesses before they begin school.

In other words, getting sick now may keep them from getting sick later.

What do you think?  Post your comments!

Before I was a Mom:

I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn’t worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom:

I had never been puked on. Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom:
I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests. Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late h ours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom:

I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn’t want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn’t stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom:
I didn’t know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn’t know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn’t know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn’t know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom:

I had never r gotten up in the middle of the night every
10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn’t know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

Okay.  The lemon story Nate Morabito did this past week was fascinating and really gross at the same time.  Since his story, I have passed on the lemon in my water and tea.  I haven’t eaten seafood yet, so I don’t know what I’ll do in that situation.  Maybe I’ll buy lemon juice in the little plastic lemon at the grocery store, and take it with me.
Usually, I don’t over-react to stories like this, but when fecal bacteria and YEAST was found on the lemons, I decided to hold off on the garnish for a while.

What was your reaction to the story?  Let’s hear it!

My son is very excited.  He can’t wait to go to ‘big school’.

As his mommy, I’m torn.  On one hand, I am excited for him to begin this new chapter in his young life.  He is going to experience so many wonderful things, make new friends and learn so much. But this next step is a doozy for me.  I’m not ready to send him off to school. 

I’m really not worried that it makes me sound old (I don’t think it does).  I think it’s hard to see my ‘baby’ boy as a big kid, and ready to go to school.

I am excited, however, to watch him grow intellectually as well as physically this coming year. 

There are a lot of changes to come.

With a big smile, and a little tear in my eye, I’ll be ready for them!

We did a story last night about trade ministry leaders in Japan complaining about Crocs.  Evidently, the trade ministry received 65 complaints of Crocs wearers (and similar shoes) getting stuck in elevators.  The people at Crocs say (and the folks in Japan neglected to mention), is that the Japanese government has asked the escalator industry to improve awareness of safety issues. 

I guess that means they need to post those “escalator guidelines” at the entrance of the escalators like we see here in the states.  So, maybe people who ride escalators in Japan need to be taught how to pick up their feet when they step off the escalator!

For some reason, I found this story amusing.

I own a few different styles of Crocs, and I find them rather comfy.

Do you wear Crocs?