LikeaBike VS Skuut

Grant will turn two July 7th. We are already brewing with ideas for his gift. If money was not a problem...the $300 LikeaBike would definitely be it. Oohhhhhhhhh.....ahhhhhhhhhhhh.

Skutt....the $90 knock off still seems great although unfortunately they are built in China. Check out the videos on the Skuut website...looks like so much dang fun! Man...I sure do want him to have the likeabike...must save pennies.
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I CANNOT wait to see him with one...he already gets all excited just seeing them on their websites. Anyone have experience with one of these...or even a different version?

Friday Apples & Six Word Memoir

Here is my Six Word Memoir inspired by Alison over at Three Times Kewl

"Joy in Simplicity Rocks my World"

This boy looooooves apples
See the juice drippin from his lip? Its a juicy yum yum apple

How much you got in there? Open your mouth (he is SO good about this and it doubles as a nice trick for the doctors too). Chew chew chew.

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!!!! May ye all be blessed an merry this spring weekend.

Host a Green Cleaning Party!

Recent cord blood studies of infants at birth found over

200 different chemicals!

If that grabs your attention ( and I sure hope to goodness it does) please continue on to learn more about the plague of toxic chemicals we all deal with and what you can do about it!


Instead of trying to paraphrase what my amazing friend Imani over at Busy Moms Go Green wrote so perfectly...I just copied it here for your edutainment. Please read...and consider having your own green cleaning party! Mine is scheduled for April 12th.

Here's your chance to take action!
Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE) is a national, women-centered environmental health and justice organization that works to eliminate or substantially reduce environmental toxics impacting human health and to increase women’s participation in environmental decision-making. For the month of April they are helping women across the country host Green Cleaning parties for families and friends to inform them about the toxicity of products on the market and how to replace them with non-toxic cleaners they make themselves.

Toxic chemicals invade us in every arena of our lives. There are some 85,000 chemicals in the consumer marketplace and only a fraction of them have ever been tested for their impact on human health. Many of these chemicals are now known or suspected to contribute to a long list of diseases including cancer, developmental disabilities, heart disease, infertility, and reproductive harm. Many of us use cleaners to create a clean and healthy environment. But some of the products you use may actually be harmful to your health. Certain household cleaners contain toxic chemicals linked to birth defects, fertility problems, asthma and more.
EPA research has found that the air inside the typical house contains levels of pollution 2-5 times higher than the air outside and in extreme cases can be 100 times more polluted. Nowadays the average American spends about 90% of time indoors! According to a study of human fatty tissue samples, every American man, woman and child carries at least 700 pollutants in his or her body and the average sample in breast milk produced by American women contains over 100 contaminants. Recent cord blood studies of infants at birth found over 200 different chemicals!

The use of synthetic chemicals is a big industry: a 17 billion dollar cleaning product industry and a 35 billion dollar cosmetics industry with the majority of these chemicals being unregulated and untested. Currently there are over 80,000 chemical compounds in existence and less than 10% have been adequately evaluated for human or environmental safety.

In the US alone, more than 500,000 chemical products are available to consumers with more being produced each year and our government continues to overlook the severity of the issue. This is insane! Let’s use our dollars and demand products that are not damaging to us or the planet! Together, we are powerful!Mother Earth is speaking loud and clear these days in an attempt to communicate her distress. We need to take immediate action to remedy her ailments within our own homes. Seemingly harmless everyday items such as toilet bowl cleaners, laundry detergents, shampoos, cosmetics air fresheners, antibacterial soaps as well as the prescription medicines we take - are polluting our planet as they wash down our drains.

Consider hosting your very own Green Cleaning party! Get all the details HERE

Their website provides everything you need to know to host a party as well as informative fact, including WVE’s Household Hazard report. By hosting a party, you will help spread the word about an important environmental health issue.

SO when is your party???? Mine is April 13. You are invited of course...maybe a conference party???

Easter Dos

By the way....I DID NOT dye those eggs...it was SO totally someone else...seriously :)

Other things went swell.

Visited with Nana and Papa on Saturday

Created a magical land of flowers and eggs for the toddlers to hunt in (yes it looked like a bunny cemetary).

Grant totally ROCKED. He knew exactly what to do and did it well. It was hilarious.



Grant chilled with his cousins and learned to sissy fight (that should go over well at day care)



We had a wonderful visit..and although exhausting...it was great.

Easter Don'ts

Using food coloring to dye the filling in deviled eggs will leave you with many deviled eggs Easter night hehe.

Why Don't They Blog?

Why don't more people blog? I wish I had more in real life friends that blogged. Its sad to say, but I only have one friend who actually blogs (myspace does NOT count). Its just such a wonderful way to stay in touch, and even get to know each other on a new level. Don't get me wrong, I love meeting new bloggy friends and love reading into the mind of strangers....but I just cannot figure out what is holding some people back from this free medium. And extrovert vs introvert cant explain it either...because blogging is a perfect podium for a shy private person - well unless you are really THAT shy. Maybe they don't like to write. Maybe they don't have time (who does). Maybe they are afraid. Who knows...but I sure wish my friends would blog. Hell...most of them don't even read my blog so who am I kidding. HA

ROAD TRIP TONIGHT!!!! WHOO HOOOOOOO. Have a great weekend.

Toe Fuzz Obsession

My sweet, adorable and industrious (nice word for....ummm...busy ya busy) son Grant is a passionate child (I have no idea where he gets that from :0 ). He is obsessed with cooking and music and birds and motorcycles and..................TOE FUZZ!

No not toe jam...toe fuzz....the kind from newer socks etc. So every time he takes his socks off he spend countless minutes inspecting his feet and toes. He does this to anyone who is taking their socks off as well. Its pretty darn hilarious...if not a bit yucky...I'm just thankful it is not toe jam. Turns out, lots of 20 something month olds are into toe fuzz. Just ask.

Check In

Wowza this day has been COMPLETELY crazy. We were excited to be showing our home to a potential buyer for their SECOND viewing!!!!! Last night we cleaned the house and I left what I thought to be a few things for this morning. Well holy bejeezus....I left toooooo much. I was running around with my head cut off. Then I ran to a program I had to start at 10AM...a Teddy Bear Tea Party for little girls. My hair was still wet when I arrived...but we pulled it off and it was a huge success! TWO count them TWO newspapers were there! The KS Star the the local paper. I was floored. Little girls are sooo darn cute and love to play dress up so they had a blast. After it was all cleaned up I just about passed out in my desk chair. I cant believe its only 1PM!!!! Feels like 6PM!!!
Does'nt help that Grant cried on and off all night last night with what I am guessing is rabid teething.

Long Term Effects of a Toddler Sharing her Parents' Bed

I was thrilled to find the following information on the very mainstream, very common website: Baby Center. Its so nice to see such rational advice being given out...sometimes I feel so overwhelmed by the lack of the opposite in today's world.

What are the long-term effects on a toddler of sharing her parents' bed?

In Western societies, toddlers typically sleep alone. But there doesn't seem to be any health or development benefit to solitary sleep, and some recent studies show the opposite is true. Researchers around the world have discovered that children who sleep share are more independent, more outgoing, and more confident. As adults, they have higher self-esteem, better stress-management skills, and are more comfortable with intimacy than adults who slept alone as young children. Of course, sleeping arrangements by themselves cannot produce a particular type of person. Think of this decision as one of many you'll make to help your toddler feel loved and secure.
James McKenna, sleep expert

Metamorphis in Progress: Career out SAHM in

Happy St. Patricks Day people. Are you wearing your green underwear? I sure hope so lest you get abducted by Leprechauns and forced to drink green beer till you are green in the face.....hmmm...Im thinking now I need to try for the latter. But no..here I sit in my professional cage staring at the screen day dreaming about the future. Hey I love my job, but I would still rather be somewhere else.

We are planning to move...waiting for the house to sell. Its so much fun being in limbo. Please do feel the sarcasm in that font. Besides the typical pre move jitters and stress, there are a host of rather large decisions to be made which have me taking handfuls of xanax. No sarcasm there. But maybe there. Anyhoo, I need to decide between career advancement and being a stay at home mom slash stay at home taking care of elderly parents kinda person. The choice would be made easier if the monetary equation was not so sketchy, but it is.

Point being I have wanted to stay at home with Grant since he was born. Yes I know it is harder than working outside the home I serious do. I also know I would get sick of it fast, but more importantly I want to savor his toddlerhood. There are only 3.5 short years before he is off to school...where the world will find him ho hum.

I also want to help my Mom and Dad. We have not lived in the same city for almost a decade but now they are getting to the age where they could use some help. This is exponentially intensified by the fact that my dear old pop has Alzheimer's. It has really become an issue lately. So they are considering moving with us to this new place and living as neighbors so we can help them and they can be with Grant more.

However, financially we would be regressing. We actually would be legally poor. I know lots of families who take a financial hit in order to have a stay at home parent...and I for one am willing to do so. I have plans to bring in some income through piano lessons, running errands for home bound seniors, walking dogs and pet sitting and even working a few hours at the family business. I do have to make enough money to pay for insurance and any savings we hope to accumulate. It is hard to think of being poor...but it is even more difficult to think of changing jobs & working more hours (because right now I am spoiled with a 35 hour a week schedule) while uprooting my 20 month old from his beloved day care, leaving the home he has ever known and throwing him into a totally new day care. Sounds TERRIBLE. I just wont do it.

So this of course means that I am taking a career hiatus. I'm fine with it. I know that life is more than titles and income. I know that the next 3 years are ridiculously precious and that never again in my life will I have a chance to relive them. It is scary....to put aside what I have worked so hard to create career wise...but I am willing and ready. Now I just have to convince my husband!

Happy St Patricks Day weekend

Funky Cold Biiiitch

Ya that's me...I am in a funk. PMS induced, complete with spring fever and the agony associated with having a home for sale in this purgatory of a market! Yesterday was the longest one in recent memory. I did not want to work...at all. I managed to be a tad productive but all I was thinking about was how everyone was really annoying and how I wanted to just lay on the grass at the park and day dream on a sky canvass......ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

At least pansies are available now....so today I am going to make an excuse to run to Lawrence (work related) and pop by the nursery and grab up a tray. Cant wait to fill the planter out front....surely THAT will sell our home hehe. Hey at least a divorced woman really liked our house when she toured it 2 days ago...fingers crossed.

OH and I must say that PMS and nursing make me CRAZY. Once a month it seems, I do not enjoy nursing as much. In fact last night I wanted to jump off a bridge. PMS = sore nipples + intense sleepy latch = misery. Seems like this round of PMS is just so much worse than usual. Ok...I will stop bitchin now.

Peace

Chiropractic Care for Children

Grant has been seeing our wonderful Chiropractor since he was 4 months old. I would have taken him sooner if I had known the benefits! He really enjoys the gentle adjustment as you can see...

The birthing process...vaginal and even cesareans can leave babies subluxated - where the bones of the spine are misaligned which decreases proper nerve and joint function. If there was any pulling of the baby's head or the use of forceps, Idefinitely recommend taking the babe in for a gentle adjustment by a qualified pediatric chiropractor. It is common at the practice we visit, for moms to bring in their newborn babies for a spinal alignment check. Especially for those babies who cry continually.

10 Reasons parents now take their children to see a chiropractor:
1 To maximise their child's plasticity (brain and nerve development)
2 To enhance their child’s overall well-being
3 To strengthen immunity and reduce the incidence of colds, ear-aches and general illness
4 To help with colic and Irritable Baby Syndrome
5 To help with asthma, breathing difficulties and allergies
6 To improve spinal posture
7 To improve their child’s ability to concentrate
8 To assist with behavioural disorders and offer greater emotional well-being
9 To help alleviate bed wetting and digestive problems
10 To assist with sleep issues

Grant is the poster child for bumps and bruises from the risks associated with running and jumping (and tripping and falling). When the spine is jarred it can cause misalignment. So anytime Grant gets injured (like his recent cranial hematoma) we take him in. We also take him on a regular, monthly basis, to just check his overall health. We originally took him for the breathing challenges & reflux. Although it did not heal him, it did lessen the symptoms and I do believe it helps him feel better overall. They always say (the chiropractors), that misalignment causes dis ease...and alignment thus creates ease and health.

We are so blessed that not only is Grant's chiropractor amazingly talented and experienced with children, but they also DO NOT CHARGE for children! How beautiful is that? They want children to be served and they know that most parents will not or cannot spend the cash to take them. Thank you Dr Chris and Dr Colleen!

Breastfeeding Questions Addressed

Heather (link unknown) commented on the "Why Breastfeed a Toddler" post with the following:

"I have been looking everywhere for information about why we encourage weaning to cow's milk (whole milk) at one year instead of continuing with breastmilk.

My son is 10 months old and have 8 teeth. I am weening him to a cup (he will already use a bottle) because he is a biter and I can't take the pain any longer.But I still think that breastmilk is best and want to continue to give him the milk that nature makes for him. I've had no problem with pumping so I don't think it should be a problem.My big question (that I can't find info on anywhere) is if I still give him breastmilk, but don't breastfeed how much do I give him a day? And for how long? How do I know when to start him on other liquids and then do you start them on cow milk when they're around 2 or 3?"

So far I have not had any leads on finding solid information to answer her first question regarding the wean from breastmilk to cows milk at 12 months. I know from talking to other mamas that doctors love to insist that this happens, however I am more familiar with the transition from formula to cows milk at 1 year. The hunt goes on for more information on this subject. Please chime in with any leads!

To address her question about how much expressed breastmilk to give her 10 month old I copied the following from kellymom:

"The research tells us that exclusively breastfed babies take in an average of 25 oz (750 mL) per day between the ages of 1 month and 6 months. Different babies take in different amounts of milk; a typical range of milk intakes is 19-30 oz per day (570-900 mL per day).

We can use this information to estimate the average amount of milk baby will need at a feeding:

Estimate the number of times that baby nurses per day (24 hours).
Then divide 25 oz by the number of nursings.
This gives you a "ballpark" figure for the amount of expressed milk your exclusively breastfed baby will need at one feeding.

Example: If baby usually nurses around 8 times per day, you can guess that baby might need around 3 ounces per feeding when mom is away. (25/8=3.1).

........

Sometime between six months and a year (as solids are introduced and slowly increased) baby's milk intake may begin to decrease, but breastmilk should provide the majority of baby's nutrition through the first year. Because of the great variability in the amount of solids that babies take during the second six months, the amount of milk will vary, too. One study found average breastmilk intake to be 30 oz per day (875 ml/day; 93% of total intake) at 7 months and 19 oz (550 ml/day; 50% of total energy intake) at 11-16 months.

Several studies have measured breastmilk intake for babies between 12 and 24 months and found typical amounts to be 14-19 oz per day (400-550 mL per day). Studies looking at breastmilk intake between 24 and 36 months have found typical amounts to be 10-12 oz per day (300-360 mL per day)."

There is also a handy dandy milk calculator

to help you with the math!

Regarding when to start other liquids besides breastmilk :

"For babies over six months

Juice intake, like water intake, can interfere with breastfeeding because it fills baby up so that he nurses less.
Juice should be introduced just like any other new food. For example, applesauce and apple juice should be introduced separately.
Limit juice intake to no more than 3-4 ounces per day so that baby is not filling up on it to the extent that he has no appetite for other foods.
Offer the juice from a cup rather than a bottle.
Dilute the juice with equal amounts of water, or try using juice just to flavor water.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has recently released a

policy statement recommending that babies younger than 6 months should not be given any juice, children aged 6 months to 6 years should get no more than 4-6 ounces per day, and children older than 7 should have no more than 8-12 ounces of juice daily. "

I am not going to spend a lot of time right now finding other links to support the advice found on Kellymom because these are the views I share (and I am super busy). I think it is wonderful that you are going to express milk Heather, for your child even though nursing is no longer mutually beneficial! KUDOS to you! I did my share of pumping while at work and I can say from experience its no day at the park....but it is indeed a beautiful expression (pun intended) of love!

Regarding her question about whether to start cows milk at 2 or 3 years of age, I found this kellymom (however there is PLENTY of controversy over cows milk being just terrible for us - google and peruse):

How much additional milk does baby need during the weaning process?

If your baby is older than 9-10 months and still breastfeeds regularly (at least a few times a day), and is expanding his interest in solid foods, he does not require any additional milk (formula, cow's milk, soy milk, rice milk or the equivalent nutrients from other foods).
Instead of additional milk you can offer your child solids, with water or juice (no more than 3-4 ounces a day) and any expressed milk you may have stored.

The dairy industry has done a great job at convincing us that our diet is lacking in something if we don't drink cow's milk! Cow's milk is really just a convenient source of calcium and other nutrients - it's not required. There are many people in many parts of the world who do not drink cow's milk and still manage to get all the calcium, protein, fats, vitamin D, etc. that milk has to offer. Too much cow's milk in a child's diet can (1) put him at risk for iron-deficiency anemia (because cow's milk can interfere with the absorption of iron) and (2) decrease the child's desire for other foods.

After the age of 12 months (or sometimes later, depending upon your child), milk becomes a more minor part of your child's diet. If you have a child who refuses to drink regular milk and is no longer nursing regularly, you can offer yogurt, cheese, and ice-cream as substitutes. Also, you might put milk into various food products: pancakes, waffles, French toast, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, and baked goods. Added protein may be offered via creamy peanut butter and a well-cooked egg yolk; calcium may be derived from calcium-fortified juice or green vegetables.

More info here on many other nondairy sources of calcium

If you find your way back to this blog Heather, ( she did not leave a good link) please comment!

Playing Around

While I work on answering Heather's breastmilk questions, here are some fun pics from over the weekend. We had a wonderful time with Grant - on a warm sunny day at the park and at a birthday party at Googols of Fun! Hope your Monday was more than decent.

Why Breastfeed a toddler?

Do you think it is strange or even dysfunctional that I am nursing a 20 month old? If so, I beg to differ. I think it is WEIRD and even FREAKISH that specifically American parents prefer their children to drink (nurse) another mammals milk..the cow! How is this normal? Yes it is culturally accepted...but when you think about it....we are the only mammal (I know of ) to encourage the consumption of another's milk instead of their own. Now that is strange.

The fact that I nurse my toddler is something that often gets mentioned within my writing. However, it has been quite some time since I have defined WHY we still nurse. When Grant was 15 months old I wrote a poetic 2 parter that really sums up the experience. Part 1. Part 2 .But today I want to share with you the referenced benefits of extended nursing, as it is commonly called in the west.

When Grant was born I knew I wanted to nurse him because everyone knows that breast is best. I set my goal at 6 months. Well 6 months came and went and I set a new goal of 12 months. Today I don't set any goals...I'm just nursing as long as it is mutual desirable. Although I will admit that many days I have moments where I just do NOT want to nurse anymore. I want my body back etc. However, these moments are overwhelmingly surpassed by the joyful connection my son and I have through this healthy exchange.

Here are some stats collected by http://www.kellymom.com/. Kelly mom is a wonderful breastfeeding resource that I encourage anyone interested in the subject to visit.

"In the second year (12-23 months), 448 mL of breastmilk provides:
29% of energy requirements
43% of protein requirements
36% of calcium requirements
75% of vitamin A requirements
76% of folate requirements
94% of vitamin B12 requirements
60% of vitamin C requirements -- Dewey 2001 "

I must say this is FABULOUS especially considering the finicky eating behavior that many toddlers exhibit. If Grant is having a day where he doesn't eat a balanced diet, I can be assured that he is getting enough supplemental nutrition from breast milk.

"Nursing toddlers between the ages of 16 and 30 months have been found to have fewer illnesses and illnesses of shorter duration than their non-nursing peers (Gulick 1986)."

Even though my little Grant has had over his fair share of health challenges, I know that without breastmilk the situation would have been worse. I will say that since he turned 16 months he has been healthier than ever.

"Antibodies are abundant in human milk throughout lactation" (Nutrition During Lactation 1991; p. 134). In fact, some of the immune factors in breastmilk increase in concentration during the second year and also during the weaning process. (Goldman 1983, Goldman & Goldblum 1983, Institute of Medicine 1991)."

I've had another mom tell me that the benefits of nursing are only good for the first few weeks. HA. She could not be more incorrect. The chemical makeup of the milk actually changes with the babies needs. Isn't that amazing?

Since I send Grant to day care where he is exposed to 14 other children (5 of them are in school all day so they bring back school germs everyday ugh) the fact that breastmilk has antibodies is reason enough for me to continue! Vaccinations have nothing on mama milk.

"Extensive research on the relationship between cognitive achievement (IQ scores, grades in school) and breastfeeding has shown the greatest gains for those children breastfed the longest."

Although this is not a reason I still nurse, it isn't a bad thing now is it?

According to Elizabeth N. Baldwin, Esq. in "Extended Breastfeeding and the Law":

"Breastfeeding is a warm and loving way to meet the needs of toddlers and young children. It not only perks them up and energizes them; it also soothes the frustrations, bumps and bruises, and daily stresses of early childhood. In addition, nursing past infancy helps little ones make a gradual transition to childhood."

I could not agree more! Grant can nurse and be a whole new boy...like a 30 minute nap. He can come to me sour and leave a super hero.

Baldwin continues: "Meeting a child's dependency needs is the key to helping that child achieve independence. And children outgrow these needs according to their own unique timetable." Children who achieve independence at their own pace are more secure in that independence then children forced into independence prematurely.

This is where so many are mistaken. They push the child away...to force Independence at such an early age. Babies are many times not allowed to be babies. They are put on schedules ,trained to sleep alone & weaned way before they are emotionally ready. I fully believe the secure foundation of nursing Grant into toddler hood has fostered an exceptional level of independence for his age. In no way is it keeping him a baby or delaying his development.


The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that "Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child... Increased duration of breastfeeding confers significant health and developmental benefits for the child and the mother... There is no upper limit to the duration of breastfeeding and no evidence of psychologic or developmental harm from breastfeeding into the third year of life or longer." (AAP 2005)

The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends thatbreastfeeding continue throughout the first year of life and that "Breastfeeding beyond the first year offers considerable benefits to both mother and child, and should continue as long as mutually desired." They also note that "If the child is younger than two years of age, the child is at increased risk of illness if weaned." (AAFP 2001)

A US Surgeon General has stated that it is a lucky baby who continues to nurse until age two. (Novello 1990)

The World Health Organization emphasizes the importance of nursing up to two years of age or beyond (WHO 1992, WHO 2002).

I found this synopsis at the Natural Child Project that expresses exactly how I feel.

"Given social criticism, people who are unfamiliar with the practice of nursing beyond infancy may wonder why mothers would want to continue to nurse through toddlerhood and beyond. As Leaders we can help mothers answer this question confidently. Mothers find many practical advantages in nursing. As a parenting tool it is useful when easing the exhausted child into sleep or soothing both mother and child after the storm of a tantrum has passed by. During illness, breast milk may be the only food or drink that a child will take or can keep down and digest. It can make the difference between a dehydrated child needing hospitalization and a sick, but well-hydrated, child at home in mother's arms nursing through a potentially serious illness."

"Though it is clear that the majority of women worldwide and throughout history have nursed their children into toddlerhood and beyond, women who choose to do so today may face an uninformed and frequently critical audience. Therefore many choose to make sure that they limit who sees and who knows, taking greater care as the child grows older. Given this climate it is a highly select group of mothers who nurse their children beyond toddlerhood."

Thanks to Alexandra at Watching Clouds for inspiring this post with the comment:

"I've been a regular reader of your Blog.I truly enjoy reading it.However,I'm wondering how long you plan to nurse?I mean isn't it time for a child this age to stop nursing?"

This is not an uncommon thought process in this country so you speak for the masses. Hopefully, though with time and access to information and research, we can learn and embrace extended nursing. We need to educate our doctors (who spend very very little time on nutrition and breastfeeding in medical school) and stand up for our rights to nurture our children the way nature intended.

Housekeeping

Good Morning good people. Hope this fine Friday finds you chipper and kean. I want to just do a bit of Olive Juice housekeeping...a few odd and end things that need to be accounted for.

First I want to give a holla out to Eddy at Magpies Zone who created my new header. I found him in the entrecard shop...and for a mere 500 credits...he gave me a new header, banner and entrecard. What a steal. He was good enough to consult with me about what I wanted. I must admit at first I was not sure his male sporty testosteroney self would be able to pull off a feminine and whimsical design...but he did! Thanks Eddy for your time and talent.

Second I want give Bjorke a shout out for her recent dissident display in China of all places! After singing "Declare Independence" she screamed "Tibet! Tibet!". What courage. Tibet has been controlled by China for 48 years now and it is a crying shame. If you haven't seen the movie 7 Years in Tibet...you best go rent that now. Save Tibet.

Last but not least I want to thank everyone who has been commenting and for those entrecard folks who are dropping on me. I appreciate you coming by to visit and I hope that a bit of Olive Juice soaks into your thoughts as you go about your busy life. You guys ROCK. Its nice having so many people stop by these days.

"Why Nurse Beyond 12 Months" is a post I am polishing up right now and should be posted within a couple hours. So ya'll come back now.

Hi! Thanks for visiting my mom's blog. Her very technot savvy self is working on posting an adorable video of yours truly. So please do come back to check out my debut as a finger styling pro.

Handling Disappointment - perfect for those with challenging children

Someone shared with me this analogy about the disappointment that comes when you have a child with any kind of health or behavioral problems, either at birth or later on in life. And I would encourage you to pass this on to anyone who may be in this situation. But I have been thinking all morning about how this analogy really applies to all of the plans that we make for ourselves in life.

"When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans... the Coliseum, the Sistine Chapel, Gondolas. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After several months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland!" "Holland?" you say. "What do you mean, Holland? I signed up for Italy. I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy." But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay. The important thing is is that your plane didn't crash or anything like that.....you were just taken to a different place. So, you must go out and buy new guidebooks. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met. It's just a different place. It's slower paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around. You begin to notice that Holland has windmills. Holland has tulips. And Holland even has Rembrandts. But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy, and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life you will say, " Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned." And the pain of that experience will never, ever, ever, go away. The loss of that dream is a very significant loss. But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things about Holland."

Can I get an Amen?

Memory..the entrecard game

Hey entrecard dorks.. ya you....do you ever feel that entrecard is similar to the childhood game of Memory? Remember....flipping over cards to find matches...but to do so you must remember where you saw that last one? I just find myself forgetting who I already dropped on sometimes...and then getting that "1 per day" slap on the wrist. This especially happens when I do my droppin sporadically throughout the day. Im not a pro dropper...I don't use bookmarks..I actually use my drop inbox, stats & adverts... and try to give to the givers...and I also meander quite a bit from card to card. So my method is full of clickin and branding (familiar cards almost always get a drop from me...well if I have good feelings for them)...and it is very much a game. Ever feel that way?

Glue Ear?

at the surgery center - he really wants some milk here...the dr was already 25 minutes late!

Last night was quite bizarre....from setting my alarm for 4:15am (to make sure he had a belly full of milk before npo (nothing by mouth) set in.....to moving to the guest bed so I did not tempt him for more...setting the alarm again but this time for 5:40am to leave for outpatient...and then oh my the dreams were crazy! one time Grant was choking on a ball (thats relaxing)...another time we were at the surgery center and it was toy heaven and I was super happy because I had been concerned about not having the procedure at children's hospital. Between the controlled wakings and the uncontrolled dreamworld...it is no surprise that today I am a bit lucid.




Let me just set the record straight...GRANT ROCKED. He is such a trooper. He makes me look like a quivering bag of you name it. Last night I offered him a snack before bed...to fill up that belly..and he ate like a hungry beast! It was awesome. I was like..who is this kid? How does he know?



This morning he did request milk many dozens of times...but each time we were able to distract him so he never ever started screaming and crying in agony. I admit...the last hour I was wearing down. I did remove myself a few times to maintain that distraction..but thank goodness I never had to leave for good. If the Dr had not been 30 minutes late...the stress would not have elevated to the level it eventually rose too.

The icing on the Grant cake..was when Grant voluntarily went with the nurses to surgery...he did not cry...he did not look back for me with pleading eyes...he did not rip my heart out thank you son. They even said that he laid on the bed and just accepted the mask like its not big thing. He is something else.



15 minutes later the Dr came out to the waiting room(the size of a cracker box but I wont bore you with the bitching) and told us Grant did great. He did have fluid in both ears and it was thick like snot. I asked if it was considered glue ear and she said yes but acted like that was not a word she uses often (maybe it is slang...I need to research glue ear better). She did not do a culture...which as of this writing I don't know exactly why. I guess she did not think it was infected with anything. As I was asking to go back to be by his side while he woke...the nurse came around the corner and I leaped up right in the middle of the Dr talking. Oh well. I ran back to him (no exaggeration). He was crying and tossing about in another nurse's arms. I immediately offered him the breast and he settled in for what he had wanted since 5:40am. Ahh the power of nursing! Such a perfectly suited relationship.




Within 20 minutes he was giggling and tapping his feet to "this little light of mine". Within 40 minutes we were in the car going home. Since then he has napped and been especially cute! The pics were taken today. You can tell by the super silly smiles that he is feeling pretty darn good!

I'm excited to have his ear all cleaned up. Hopefully with any luck...we can now have super clean ears on a regular basis with no unfortunate mishappenings. Im so glad that surgery part is over!

Back home from ear tube placement

Just wanted to pop in and say that all is good! We are home and Grant is his normal delightful and spunky self. Everything went perfect minus the surgeon being 30 minutes late (because the darn secretary failed to tell her that she moved us to 7:30). GRRRR.

Turned out he had the likes of glue ear...a very thick fluid in the inner ear. Its unlikely to leave on its own anytime soon...so I feel like we did indeed do the right thing by having the ear tube placement. More on all of this later. I need to go change a poopy diaper for now!

Thanks for your support during this stressful time!

Kite Flyin

Today Grant flew his first kite!