Pharmacies and freesamples
Don't let the title confuse you, they are unrelated, but happened on the same day.
Is it a good thing when I walk up to the pharmacy window, and the pharmacy tech immediately turns around and grabs my refill out of the box- without me saying anything other than 'good morning?' Is that a good or bad thing that they know me? We have 5 family members who get prescriptions filled there, and it's not like it's a little corner pharmacy. It's inside a national chain store, so they have plenty of patients.
Of course, all 5 of us have allergies, and 4 of the 5 of us have asthma. But I didn't realize we were going in for refills THAT often. I guess it's a good thing that they know us, and can take care of us....
Later that day, we were at a warehouse store loading up on groceries. I managed to pry Kitty and Son #2 off the computer to accompany me. Lucky them, it was free sample day. I glanced at all the samples, none of them seemed a problem. But I turned around to say something to one of the kids, and noticed Son #2 was about to put a piece of a granola bar/power bar in his mouth. Think slow motion-me waving my arms and running towards him, fixated on the sample nearing his mouth, yelling 'nooooooooooo!' He was a little shocked, and quickly pulled the sample down from his mouth. I panted, 'did you check for tree nuts?' We examined the bar, but couldn't tell. We went back to the vender, but she didn't know what was in the sample. I snatched the box to read the label, and sure enough-there was a tree nut allergy warning.
That was a close call, Son #2 is usually good at checking for tree nuts. It's surprising how many places they show up.
That's the one scary thing about allergies and asthma, you can never let your guard down. I haven't had to use the Epi Pen yet, the time one of the kids had an anaphylactic reaction, we were only a block away from Asthma Doctor.
People laugh when I say my goal in life is to keep my kids alive, but if you have kids with food and other allergies, and asthma, you know what it's like. 12 hospitalizations for asthma have been 12 too many. No wonder I have gray hairs....
Flossing your Teeth is Critical...for kids and parents!
Cavities between the teeth are slow, insidious and begin showing up between age 3 and 5 years old. They account for 90% of cavities that I see; the majority of them happening between 5 and 9 years old. I cannot apply preventive sealants between teeth. Tooth brushing will not clean between the teeth. Flossing will, however, and will help protect those areas. Since brushing will not help prevent these cavities, lets make flossing easy and bring it up high in the parent priority list, higher than brushing.
Floss anywhere. At evening story time on the couch, they can lay with head on your lap, looking up with mouth open wide. It is easy to see in that mouth and the head is supported, making the job quick, easy and comfortable for the younger kids. It is part of snuggle time.
When my kids were 6 years old they were OK though not yet great brushers. Since flossing was the real important issue, I chose to let them brush and bring me a piece of floss afterward. They handed me the floss, turned their back to me and tipped their head way back against my stomach. Mouth is wide open, easy to see, took 10 – 15 seconds of my time, and if their brushing job was really poor I saw it and sent them back. They soon improved their brushing to avoid being sent back. By about 10 they were doing their own flossing.
Set up their flossers. Many kids want to floss themselves and can’t get the floss wound on the flossing handle tightly enough. So the flossing goes undone or severely lacking. How about winding up 7 days worth for them to have in their bathroom? Ask us for more handles if you want them. They are inexpensive and we would love to give you what you need.
There are pre-strung single use flossers in the stores which I caution against. Floss-Picks and Wild-Flossers and such are attractive, but the little piece of floss is limp and the handle is flexible. Caution: Kids get very independent minded and insist on flossing themselves. Many haven’t developed adequate hand skills yet. They go through the motions with the limp floss that does not get between the teeth and are rudely surprised later when cavities show up. It is too late then, when we point out to the parents that the children have not been using the floss effectively.
Floss anywhere. At evening story time on the couch, they can lay with head on your lap, looking up with mouth open wide. It is easy to see in that mouth and the head is supported, making the job quick, easy and comfortable for the younger kids. It is part of snuggle time.
When my kids were 6 years old they were OK though not yet great brushers. Since flossing was the real important issue, I chose to let them brush and bring me a piece of floss afterward. They handed me the floss, turned their back to me and tipped their head way back against my stomach. Mouth is wide open, easy to see, took 10 – 15 seconds of my time, and if their brushing job was really poor I saw it and sent them back. They soon improved their brushing to avoid being sent back. By about 10 they were doing their own flossing.
Set up their flossers. Many kids want to floss themselves and can’t get the floss wound on the flossing handle tightly enough. So the flossing goes undone or severely lacking. How about winding up 7 days worth for them to have in their bathroom? Ask us for more handles if you want them. They are inexpensive and we would love to give you what you need.
There are pre-strung single use flossers in the stores which I caution against. Floss-Picks and Wild-Flossers and such are attractive, but the little piece of floss is limp and the handle is flexible. Caution: Kids get very independent minded and insist on flossing themselves. Many haven’t developed adequate hand skills yet. They go through the motions with the limp floss that does not get between the teeth and are rudely surprised later when cavities show up. It is too late then, when we point out to the parents that the children have not been using the floss effectively.
Paranoid about sick people
I am paranoid about sick people
Yes, it's a fact. I was talking with a friend online last night about germs and sick people. She has it much worse than I do. She has a daughter with a rare muscular disorder that also affects her breathing. The daughter is dependent on a tracheotomy tube and is wheelchair bound. She is also hibernating for the winter inside her nice, safe house-away from sick people.
I can't say to her that "I know how you feel" because I don't. I can commiserate to a degree. And I'm not saying what we go through compares with their struggles. The problem with asthma is that any respiratory infection is magnified. There's no such thing as a simple cold-for us anyway. The minute I hear someone coughing, we get up and leave. I know it sounds dramatic, but I can't expose my kids to other sick people.
When my kids get sick, it means a trip to Asthma Doc (I love that man for keeping my kids alive the last 11 years!) Often times, we end up with antibiotics and steroids. Of course that's on top of their maintenance medication and additional breathing treatments with the nebulizer.
Sometimes that isn't enough, and we go to the next step-which is a shot of Decadron. More steroids! Often times that will keep the kids out of the Emergency Department or out of the hospital.
Sometimes I know I'm in over my head, so we head to the Emergency Department. I am more than happy to let the professionals take over (of course I watch them like a hawk to make sure the kids have oxygen on, then I quiz the medical personnel about what medication and doses they're giving. We have had medication errors)
Admittance to the hospital always means more steroids (usually a Salumederol IV) and oxygen.
So, if I get up and leave an activity because someone is coughing, don't take it personnally. Some of us have had more experience than we would like with hospitals. If you are sick, please stay home! You may just be irritated by a little sniffle and cough, but for some of us it can turn deadly.
Please keep your germs to yourself.
Thank you,
Signed
My life as an asthma mom
Yes, it's a fact. I was talking with a friend online last night about germs and sick people. She has it much worse than I do. She has a daughter with a rare muscular disorder that also affects her breathing. The daughter is dependent on a tracheotomy tube and is wheelchair bound. She is also hibernating for the winter inside her nice, safe house-away from sick people.
I can't say to her that "I know how you feel" because I don't. I can commiserate to a degree. And I'm not saying what we go through compares with their struggles. The problem with asthma is that any respiratory infection is magnified. There's no such thing as a simple cold-for us anyway. The minute I hear someone coughing, we get up and leave. I know it sounds dramatic, but I can't expose my kids to other sick people.
When my kids get sick, it means a trip to Asthma Doc (I love that man for keeping my kids alive the last 11 years!) Often times, we end up with antibiotics and steroids. Of course that's on top of their maintenance medication and additional breathing treatments with the nebulizer.
Sometimes that isn't enough, and we go to the next step-which is a shot of Decadron. More steroids! Often times that will keep the kids out of the Emergency Department or out of the hospital.
Sometimes I know I'm in over my head, so we head to the Emergency Department. I am more than happy to let the professionals take over (of course I watch them like a hawk to make sure the kids have oxygen on, then I quiz the medical personnel about what medication and doses they're giving. We have had medication errors)
Admittance to the hospital always means more steroids (usually a Salumederol IV) and oxygen.
So, if I get up and leave an activity because someone is coughing, don't take it personnally. Some of us have had more experience than we would like with hospitals. If you are sick, please stay home! You may just be irritated by a little sniffle and cough, but for some of us it can turn deadly.
Please keep your germs to yourself.
Thank you,
Signed
My life as an asthma mom
Happy Monday
You are my sunshine.
You make everyday worth living to to fullest.
You bring joy to everyone you meet.
Your laugh is infectious,
It brightens my soul.
You are my little girl
I wish for you, that you may always be this happy and carefree.
Love,
Jules
Treasure Hunting
Saturday was a cold day, and though we weren't in the mood to go out in it, we were in the mood to do something. Jason had suggested we take a trip to Jamie's Flea Market in South Amherst. It was full of everything vintage and antique and so much more.
The thing I love about flea markets is that the stuff inside practically beckons you to hold it in your hands and explore it up close. It is so exciting to find so many vintage treasures all in one place. Since there were so many breakable items Jason and I took turns hanging out with Lily while one of us would go inside and check everything out. Great Teamwork on our part, we didn't miss a thing.
This trip we were hoping to find a few old nintendo games to add to Jasons' collection, a Van Morrison record, and a silver platter for my next project, but we only managed to make out with a sweet frock for Lily and a circa 1930 "Pokey Puppy" photo. Oh and Jason did managed to find a saturn game that he has been looking for, for a very reasonable price.
On our way home we stopped at a few different consignment shops, which were all very nice. We ended up coming home with a very beautiful Hearthside Classics Stoneware plate set and a bread box.
To end our day of treasure hunting we met up with Jason's parents at the California Pizza Kitchen (if you haven't had there club pizza yet, you are definetley missing out on pure goodness.) enjoyed a wonderful dinner, and headed back to their house where we relaxed and watched Lily run off all of her pent up energy from the day.
I would say we had a very successful Saturday.
Here is a peak at some of the things that we saw:
Love,
Jules
The thing I love about flea markets is that the stuff inside practically beckons you to hold it in your hands and explore it up close. It is so exciting to find so many vintage treasures all in one place. Since there were so many breakable items Jason and I took turns hanging out with Lily while one of us would go inside and check everything out. Great Teamwork on our part, we didn't miss a thing.
This trip we were hoping to find a few old nintendo games to add to Jasons' collection, a Van Morrison record, and a silver platter for my next project, but we only managed to make out with a sweet frock for Lily and a circa 1930 "Pokey Puppy" photo. Oh and Jason did managed to find a saturn game that he has been looking for, for a very reasonable price.
On our way home we stopped at a few different consignment shops, which were all very nice. We ended up coming home with a very beautiful Hearthside Classics Stoneware plate set and a bread box.
To end our day of treasure hunting we met up with Jason's parents at the California Pizza Kitchen (if you haven't had there club pizza yet, you are definetley missing out on pure goodness.) enjoyed a wonderful dinner, and headed back to their house where we relaxed and watched Lily run off all of her pent up energy from the day.
Here is a peak at some of the things that we saw:
Love,
Jules
Sick again
Sick again
Or as Son #2 says, "What else is new?" We were out of town and returned to find Son #2 coughing. I asked him how long he had been coughing, and he said,
"I dunno." He seems so used to it, it's not a big deal.
Of course for me, it's a warning that he's about to have a big drop on his peak flow meter. When I hear him cough, it instantly makes me anxious, I start quizzing him on his peak flow number and ask him if he's taking all his medications. About a week later, we were at Asthma Doctor's office, getting Son #2's Xolair shot. Asthma Doctor could tell something was wrong by the way Son #2 was acting. He was listless and not his usual joking self. He was starting to cough up some yummy colored phlegm too.
Asthma doctor knows Son #2 all too well. So does Pediatrician. We don't see the pediatrican that often, but he says, "I know what he's like, I wouldn't be too concerned about other kids who are sick like this, but I know he drops really hard really fast."
So, we're back on steroids and an antibiotic. He is feeling lousy, but doesn't want to miss high school. (Who would want to stay home when you can hang out with your buddies?!) I am making sure he is doing his nebulizer treatment before school starts. Otherwise, I know I'll just get to work and he'll call because he's not feeling well and he'll tell me his inhaler doesn't seem to be working.
Funny thing about kids, they're all different. Son #2 doesn't seem to do well using inhalers. He gets so sick so quickly, he just seems to do better on the nebulizer. Oftentimes, he can't breathe deep enough to use his inhaler.
The other thing is that even though it's been 11 years since he was diagnosed with asthma, I don't think it ever gets easier. Not for us, not when his asthma is so severe. We have had way too many bad outcomes when he gets sick. I sometimes envy parents whose kids get a cold, and that's all it is-just a cold. With asthma, everything is worse.
Oh well, it could always be worse, right?!
Or as Son #2 says, "What else is new?" We were out of town and returned to find Son #2 coughing. I asked him how long he had been coughing, and he said,
"I dunno." He seems so used to it, it's not a big deal.
Of course for me, it's a warning that he's about to have a big drop on his peak flow meter. When I hear him cough, it instantly makes me anxious, I start quizzing him on his peak flow number and ask him if he's taking all his medications. About a week later, we were at Asthma Doctor's office, getting Son #2's Xolair shot. Asthma Doctor could tell something was wrong by the way Son #2 was acting. He was listless and not his usual joking self. He was starting to cough up some yummy colored phlegm too.
Asthma doctor knows Son #2 all too well. So does Pediatrician. We don't see the pediatrican that often, but he says, "I know what he's like, I wouldn't be too concerned about other kids who are sick like this, but I know he drops really hard really fast."
So, we're back on steroids and an antibiotic. He is feeling lousy, but doesn't want to miss high school. (Who would want to stay home when you can hang out with your buddies?!) I am making sure he is doing his nebulizer treatment before school starts. Otherwise, I know I'll just get to work and he'll call because he's not feeling well and he'll tell me his inhaler doesn't seem to be working.
Funny thing about kids, they're all different. Son #2 doesn't seem to do well using inhalers. He gets so sick so quickly, he just seems to do better on the nebulizer. Oftentimes, he can't breathe deep enough to use his inhaler.
The other thing is that even though it's been 11 years since he was diagnosed with asthma, I don't think it ever gets easier. Not for us, not when his asthma is so severe. We have had way too many bad outcomes when he gets sick. I sometimes envy parents whose kids get a cold, and that's all it is-just a cold. With asthma, everything is worse.
Oh well, it could always be worse, right?!
For snack, you guessed it, we indulged in delicious sugar free popsicles ( Lilys all time favorite treat in the world). We laughed so hard the whole time.
And the rest of our celebration was spent listening to Van Morrison and just enjoying each others company. Who would have thought, spending a whole day celebrating a new tooth would be a day I know I will keep close to my heart forever.
Jules
The Farmparks
We were nose to nose with so many animals - little one week old piglets, big pigs, goats, sheep, chickens, cows,horses, and mules. It was a blast! Lily and Alexis were filled with so much excitement the whole time. It was so rewarding to just stand back and watch them interact with the animals, so innocent and pure. At one point a goat even decided Alexis was a tasty treat, it was so funny she would squeal in delight every time he would lick her jacket.Days like these make me really wish we lived in the country. To see the joy that the farm and the animals bring to Lily. To live and breath in the fresh country air. To feel free. Someday, hopefully not to far from now, we hope to fulfill that wish. But, for now we have our wonderful Metroparks and Farmpark to escape to whenever we please
Mama
Is juice a problem for my child's teeth?
Juice now sits on the top of the list as a probable causative agent for the medical chronic disease pandemic facing our children; namely diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis, among others. The journals of the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics have in recent years recommended that juice be avoided in an infant’s diet. They also recommend that if it is introduced to a toddler that it be limited to 6 oz. daily (a small glass) and consumed with a meal.
Juice is at the top of the list of causative agents for dental disease for our children and youth. For that matter, in today’s culture it probably is equally at cause for adult dental decay.
Juice is worse than soda! That doesn’t mean soda is good; it is also terrible for teeth and health. But, juice is worse. If you look at nutrition data for foods and compare juice with whole fruit, you quickly see what is lost when juice is squeezed from fruit. A couple highlights:
You do get water and calories; i.e., an 8 oz glass of orange juice has the calories squeezed from about 5 oranges. Who ever heard of eating 5 oranges in one sitting? And today we often do this at breakfast and again in the afternoon. Yikes… all those empty calories!
Lost with the fruit when we make juice is a) nearly all the vitamins except some of the water soluble vitamin C, b) insoluble fiber, roughage, c) soluble fiber, unique to fruit and an important aid in digestion, d) and minerals, key components to our enzyme systems that process our body functions. Without the minerals the enzymes cannot use the calories we consume so the calories get stored as fat.
Rarely mentioned about juice is the acid. Acid that will dissolve your teeth. Those of us that took analytical and organic chemistry in college know the issue here. Though organic acids are often called “weak” acids, they are far more effective in organic systems like mouths because of their sustaining power. They don’t register in the pH scale as strong (lower number) as inorganic acids because they hold their acid potential in “reserve.” As the acid is used (dissolving calcium out of teeth) the reserve releases more acid out of solution. This is part of the steady state (homeostasis) systems that sustain organic (life supporting) systems. When misused (juice rather than fruit) the power released can be devastating. It turns out the acid potential (titrateable acid) of juice is nearly twice that of colas!
So put juice at the very top of the destructive beverage list that includes: juice, sports drinks like Gatorade, sodas, juicers and sweet energy teas.
More oxygen
More about oxygen
We were with a family member again in the hospital this weekend. I was happy to see he had a bubbler with his oxygen (it helps keep the nasal passages moist which helps prevent bloody noses and irritation).
I also noticed the oxygen tubing now comes with short gray padded coverings which fit over the ear area. Often times when someone is on oxygen, the ears can get irritated from the tubing.
It reminded me of one of the times one of the kids were in the hospital. When the kids are little, often times they will have little sticky pads on their cheeks which allows the tubing to adhere. That way, the tubing isn't sliding all over their face. The only problem comes in removing the thick pads from the kid's cheeks.
One of the times Son #2 was in the hospital, it came time for discharge. The male nurse came up and grabbed and edge and ripped the pads of Son #2's cheeks. You might imagine how painful it was, it left a welt and a red mark for several days.
Of course I complained about it the next time Son #2 was in the hospital. One of the female nurses said, "Oh! That's terrible. A better way to do it is to soak a washcloth in warm water and hold that over the pads for about 10 minutes. Then they'll peel right off." When it came time to discharge, the male nurse came in and reached for the pads. Not so fast! I told him. I explained what the other nurse had told us and he was a little miffed and walked out of the room. Is he crazy? There's a less painful way to remove the pads, but I'm going to let him rip them off Son #2's pads so the nurse doesn't get hurt feelings? Wrong.
This is where you protect your kids. I don't care if the nurse had hurt feelings, I'm doing what's best for my kis. We applied the warm wash cloth first, then the pads gently peeled right off.
Don't be afraid to ask questions or be a part of the decision making process. Question what medication they're giving your kids, and what doses too. People make mistakes. One new respiratory therapist came in to give Kitty a treatment and used the wrong dose.
It's your children and it's your insurance money. You have a right to ask questions and see if there's another way to do things, not to mention double checking what the staff is doing.
Hopefully none of you have little ones in the hospital right now. Every one of the 12 times our kids were admitted was heartwrenching, not to mention scary. But this is why I'm doing this blog-to give out a little advice of things we have learned over the years.
Luck to all
We were with a family member again in the hospital this weekend. I was happy to see he had a bubbler with his oxygen (it helps keep the nasal passages moist which helps prevent bloody noses and irritation).
I also noticed the oxygen tubing now comes with short gray padded coverings which fit over the ear area. Often times when someone is on oxygen, the ears can get irritated from the tubing.
It reminded me of one of the times one of the kids were in the hospital. When the kids are little, often times they will have little sticky pads on their cheeks which allows the tubing to adhere. That way, the tubing isn't sliding all over their face. The only problem comes in removing the thick pads from the kid's cheeks.
One of the times Son #2 was in the hospital, it came time for discharge. The male nurse came up and grabbed and edge and ripped the pads of Son #2's cheeks. You might imagine how painful it was, it left a welt and a red mark for several days.
Of course I complained about it the next time Son #2 was in the hospital. One of the female nurses said, "Oh! That's terrible. A better way to do it is to soak a washcloth in warm water and hold that over the pads for about 10 minutes. Then they'll peel right off." When it came time to discharge, the male nurse came in and reached for the pads. Not so fast! I told him. I explained what the other nurse had told us and he was a little miffed and walked out of the room. Is he crazy? There's a less painful way to remove the pads, but I'm going to let him rip them off Son #2's pads so the nurse doesn't get hurt feelings? Wrong.
This is where you protect your kids. I don't care if the nurse had hurt feelings, I'm doing what's best for my kis. We applied the warm wash cloth first, then the pads gently peeled right off.
Don't be afraid to ask questions or be a part of the decision making process. Question what medication they're giving your kids, and what doses too. People make mistakes. One new respiratory therapist came in to give Kitty a treatment and used the wrong dose.
It's your children and it's your insurance money. You have a right to ask questions and see if there's another way to do things, not to mention double checking what the staff is doing.
Hopefully none of you have little ones in the hospital right now. Every one of the 12 times our kids were admitted was heartwrenching, not to mention scary. But this is why I'm doing this blog-to give out a little advice of things we have learned over the years.
Luck to all
 |
| At the start of her dance |
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| Lily in the middle of dancing |
I will say that "Wildflowers" is the happiest song I have heard in a long time, and i currently have to listen to it a minimum of three times per day. I just can't help it, it puts the biggest smile on my face. I would say it puts me in Raleigh NC, right where i long to be.
Potty Talk
Your Child's First Dental Visit Before the First Birthday
As an aside, from the 1950s through the 1980s the efforts of our dental profession to educate (and the use of fluorides in drinking water and toothpastes) created an incredible reduction in cavities. We dentists talked jokingly about putting ourselves out of business. Seriously, the American Dental Association put on their business agenda the suggestion that Pediatric Dentistry was in decreasing demand and should be considered for elimination as a recognized specialty. Then came the 1990s and a skyrocketing increase in cavities in children. We now see cavities surpassing the levels we saw in the 1940s and 50s and increasing at an alarming rate. (The cultural shift in adult society that is feeding this problem is a subject for a different article.)
So, that is all disturbing news, but it still doesn’t explain the first dental visit before the first birthday. The reality is, all cavities are 100% preventable and of course you need to know how before the cavities start. Preventing cavities is easy while stopping cavities and preventing cavities in a mouth of already existing cavities is immensely more difficult.
And for your pocket book, a study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, showed overall dental costs in the first 5 years to be 40% lower for children who started with the dentist before age one.
The first visit at age 3 is just too late. To become a believer, you need only step into a pediatric dental office and see the 3 year olds having cavities filled. Or accompany me to the hospital operating room where, with general anesthesia, I treat 12 young children (average age 3 yrs old) per month. These children have cavities so extensive I could not accomplish the work with the child awake in the office.
An appropriate age one dental visit will include:
- A visual examination to assess growth and development.
- An oral health risk assessment to determine if the child has high or low risk for cavities.
- A discussion of diet with emphasis on the common mistakes that cause cavities.
- A discussion of habits that affect both oral disease and growth.
- Simple techniques to take the hassle out of cleaning a child’s teeth so you know they are clean in a matter of seconds.
- And ultimately a prevention plan appropriate to the child’s risk of disease.
16 Month Rundown
Stats: You are still so tiny. I put you on the scale this morning and it said you were 21 pounds. I measured you against the wall by getting you to look at a dent and by making a mark where your head was; 30 inches and your head measured at 18 inches. That puts you in the 25% percentile for your age.
Teeth: Slowly but surely your teeth are emerging. Your two front teeth and two bottom teeth are all the way in, and have been for about a month or so. Currently your poor little mouth has been working hard on three new teeth which have broken the surface for about a week, but have ceased to progress since then. Your little teeth make you look so grown up, though i miss your baby gummy smile it tickles me to see all of those big white teeth in your mouth when you smile. Also, about your teeth you LOVE to brush them, we can not walk past the bathroom with out you wanting to brush your teeth.
Feeding: You are Picky now. For the past 15 months you have loved and enjoyed anything that we have given you to eat, but now you just pick at everything and pretty much just push any meat we give you to the side of the plate. You do still love all of your fruits and veggies, which i am very thankful for .
Words: Your favorite things to say right now are: Up.Down which sounds like uh down uh down...more ....please which sounds like pweese.... potty which sounds exactly like potty.....stinky.....elmo which sounds like mo mo just the your uncle Alex used to say it when he was a baby.... Buh Bye, Hello which is like Helwo...... and Chicken which sounds exactly like chicken but you say it really really fast it is so cute, by far one of my favorite Lily words... You are into repeating Everything we ask you to say or just anything you hear.
Awesome stuff you're doing now: Coloring: You are so artistic our fridge is covered with all of your wonderful finger paintings, sticker pictures, and drawings. You get so excited when you see me pull out your art box with all of your crayons. We are still working on NOT eating the crayons while we color though.
You are such a big helper. You love to help me do whatever it is that I am doing. You help me fold laundry by sitting in the laundry basket and kindly throw clothes at me, and once I have the clothes folded in piles you love to rearrange the piles. Though it takes a lot longer then it used to I love our laundry dates.
You love music, anytime you hear any kind of music you immediately will start clapping and dancing. More recently you picked up the ballerina dance, you spin and spin and spin i have caught it on video countless times. I just can not get enough of your dancing.
Your Loves: Mama and Dada we are still by far your favorites, I can not get enough of how your face lights up when one of us walks into a room, even if we were only gone a moment.
Bathtime: Oh how you love your baths. The other night you actually asked me to give you a bath before bed, You signed bath and said BAF BAF. I didn't even know you knew the sign for bath, but you showed me.
Bunny is still your ultimate security item. Bunny goes everywhere with us, but now stays in the car when we go into stores.
You love to put things away, which I love. We play the clean up game all of the time. Anytime you see a box or anything you can fit anything else inside, you better believe that is exactly what you are doing. Then after you have filled whatever it is that you were filling up you like to smash your little feet into it and sit down. Like a little birdie making a nest and then laying in it.
Your Dislikes: Snow, you love to watch it fall from the sky and walk in it. But please do not let it touch your skin. You hate the coldness of the snow.
You do not like for anyone to touch anyone else unless it is you. Mama and Dada can not even give each other a hug or snuggle on the couch in front of you anymore, you get so upset. It is kind of funny, but I hope you grow out of it soon.
We are so proud of you Liliana. Watching you grow everyday is the greatest delight of our lives.
Love,
Mama
Winter and cold air
Winter and cold air
I am officially tired of winter, and especially since this is an abnormally cold spell for us.
One of my triggers is cold temperatures, not just the cold weather, but anything cold. Ice cream, smoothies, etc. However, I am NOT giving up my beloved Baskin Robbins chocolate peanut butter ice cream.
Lately, I have been having a hard time in the mornings, when the temperature is hovering around 10 degrees. I can get about five steps outside my car, and instantly can feel my lungs tighten up and I start coughing. Usually, I wear a scarf and can breathe through that. I forgot yesterday, so here's a fun tip. It looks a little strange on adults, but the kids love it.
Call it what you will, but you cup one or both hands over your nose and mouth and breath in like Darth Vader. It's just enough to warm up the air before you breath it, which helps stop the coughing and asthma overreaction of my lungs.
If you're in a pinch, it works great to allow you to get from your car to the building you are traveling to. Kids can even do it out on the playground if they're having a hard time.
We have several more months of cold weather, but it should be warming up to above freezing this week! Heat wave! Better grab the sunscreen-
Seriously, just another fun tip if cold temperatures happen to be a trigger for you. Happy breathing!
I am officially tired of winter, and especially since this is an abnormally cold spell for us.
One of my triggers is cold temperatures, not just the cold weather, but anything cold. Ice cream, smoothies, etc. However, I am NOT giving up my beloved Baskin Robbins chocolate peanut butter ice cream.
Lately, I have been having a hard time in the mornings, when the temperature is hovering around 10 degrees. I can get about five steps outside my car, and instantly can feel my lungs tighten up and I start coughing. Usually, I wear a scarf and can breathe through that. I forgot yesterday, so here's a fun tip. It looks a little strange on adults, but the kids love it.
Call it what you will, but you cup one or both hands over your nose and mouth and breath in like Darth Vader. It's just enough to warm up the air before you breath it, which helps stop the coughing and asthma overreaction of my lungs.
If you're in a pinch, it works great to allow you to get from your car to the building you are traveling to. Kids can even do it out on the playground if they're having a hard time.
We have several more months of cold weather, but it should be warming up to above freezing this week! Heat wave! Better grab the sunscreen-
Seriously, just another fun tip if cold temperatures happen to be a trigger for you. Happy breathing!
Winter Exploration
I love the way a fresh blanket of snow can make everything feel so pure and peaceful. We have spent the morning snuggled up on the couch, snacking on apples and cheerios. Just sitting back and watching the snow fall.
This afternoon Liliana and I decided it would be in our best interests to go for a nice walk outside in the snow. So i bundled us up and out we went. It fills my mommy heart with so much joy watching Lily interact with nature. We could not walk two steps without stopping to examine a mysterious footprint in the snow or a lost stick that had fallen from a tree. I am truly grateful for all of the little stops and explorations along our walk today, and everyday. Lily brings a much simpler appreciation to everything, she reminds me everyday to stop a examine the footprints in the snow.
My Lily Bear Exploring in the Snow
Asthma Video Game
Asthma Video Game
I am always on the look out for something new, and I found a fun video game called Bronkie the Bronchiasaurus, it's a Super Nintendo video game. This isn't a new game, it came out in 1996, but it's new to me.
Players assume the role of a dinosaur with asthma and must keep their asthma under control. But there is always evil lurking, and this comes in the form of deadly dust clouds. There are even cold viruses shot through the air by Sneezers.
The dinosaur goes through a series of activities; monitoring their peak flow, taking their medication when needed, using an inhaler correctly, following a sick day plan and avoiding triggers like dust, smoke and pollen. And of course those nasty cold viruses.
One study showed that kids with asthma who played this video game at home were able to reduce urgent care and emergency department visits by 40%! Now I wouldn't mind if my kids were playing video games if they were learning at the same time, having better health and less emergency visits.
Everytime one of the kids were discharged from the hospital, I used to tell the nurses in Pediatrics, "It's not that I don't love you, but I hope I don't see you again for a LONG time!"
I looked for this game online, there was a good selection of games available for sale. I wouldn't mind getting one for my kid and letting them try it out.
The main thing is to keep our kids healthy and alive when they have asthma, right? And if it involves them having to play a video game to learn how to manage their asthma, then so be it! Just as long as they practice their piano lessons first.....
I am always on the look out for something new, and I found a fun video game called Bronkie the Bronchiasaurus, it's a Super Nintendo video game. This isn't a new game, it came out in 1996, but it's new to me.
Players assume the role of a dinosaur with asthma and must keep their asthma under control. But there is always evil lurking, and this comes in the form of deadly dust clouds. There are even cold viruses shot through the air by Sneezers.
The dinosaur goes through a series of activities; monitoring their peak flow, taking their medication when needed, using an inhaler correctly, following a sick day plan and avoiding triggers like dust, smoke and pollen. And of course those nasty cold viruses.
One study showed that kids with asthma who played this video game at home were able to reduce urgent care and emergency department visits by 40%! Now I wouldn't mind if my kids were playing video games if they were learning at the same time, having better health and less emergency visits.
Everytime one of the kids were discharged from the hospital, I used to tell the nurses in Pediatrics, "It's not that I don't love you, but I hope I don't see you again for a LONG time!"
I looked for this game online, there was a good selection of games available for sale. I wouldn't mind getting one for my kid and letting them try it out.
The main thing is to keep our kids healthy and alive when they have asthma, right? And if it involves them having to play a video game to learn how to manage their asthma, then so be it! Just as long as they practice their piano lessons first.....
Dr. Lily
Well it happened AGAIN..... We caught that nasty stomach virus for the second time this Month (knock on wood Lily has managed to dodge this one). Luckly it has only been a 24 hour bug, but still it is not fun. Lily has been taking such good care of us while we have been sick.
She is such the Little Mommy. Here is a picture of her comforting Daddy.
She trully is so Sweet.
Flash back Friday- mold
Flash Back Friday - mold
So,this is what you get when you let leaking water problems go for too long. We had an attached sunroom on our previous house and found out (too late) that the roof was leaking. It affected the ceiling and walls as well. Our historic home was built with cinderblock, so the wallboard and insulation were removed so the workers could get to the cinderblock. The cinderblock was sanded and bleached, and a negative air pressure machine was installed in the room. (It apparently draws moisture out of a room.) Then the cinderblock was sanded and bleached again.
The sunroom was sealed off from the rest of the house, and the outside entrance was covered in heavy duty plastic and the biohazard sticker. The workers also wore bio hazard suits and high end respirators. And my kids used that as a playroom?!
I discovered the leak one day while it was raining. Kitty had just been released from the hospital for asthma and pneumonia. While in the sunroom, I noticed water dripping from the INSIDE of the upper window ledge. Hhmm, I'm no expert, but that didn't look good. I climbed on a chair and pushed on the ceiling, which felt soft. Again, not a good sign.
I called Hubby (out of town of course, everything always happens when he travels for work....) Then I called the insurance company because I thought it was more than we could fix on our own.
Funny thing about insurance companies. After an assessor came out and they began the repairs, we received a cancellation notice! So, they can take my money for 20 years, but if I make a claim, they cancel me?!
Just a word of warning, insurance companies don't like to deal with mold. Get an estimate if you have water damage. If you can fix it for less than your deductible, consider doing it so they don't cancel your coverage. We also found out other insurance companies would cover us, but with a rate increase. They actually black-balled us for 3 years, even after we moved. We were considered a risk for some reason.
So, if you happen to see any of those orange colored water spots on your ceiling, get them checked out-pronto! The longer the leak goes, the worse it is.
And the last thing you need when it comes to asthma is mold.
Hypocalcified Teeth: White, Yellow and Brown Blemishes
When this anomaly occurs on the front teeth, there may be some cosmetic concerns to address. In its mildest form it shows as white marks on the teeth, typically near the chewing edge, though it may be anywhere on the tooth. They are often hydration dependent meaning if the tooth dries out the white spots become prominent and when the tooth remains wet the spots diminish or disappear. These are a cosmetic concern only and since an adult’s facial posture keeps lips closed more than children, these blemishes typically remain wet and diminish. We do not recommend any treatment procedures until at least the mid teen years when a more adult facial posture has developed.
White blemishes that are larger and more opaque will likely need removal of the blemish and filling with a cosmetic filling material.
Blemishes of a more yellow or brown nature are often improved with bleaching techniques that can be done at any age. If the blemish does not respond to bleaching we can offer other cosmetic procedures to remove discolorations and refill the blemishes with cosmetic filling materials
If the aberration is severe enough it will result in soft enamel that chips and/or decays easily. It may also result in an atypical shape for the tooth. I usually observe this on the molar teeth. When this occurs, it is important to remove the very soft enamel and place a filling in the area. I do this in a conservative fashion by bonding on a filling material to replace the lost or decayed portion of the tooth. This usually needs “touching up” as the tooth grows and exposes more of the compromised enamel. The soft enamel may also chip around the bonded filling necessitating occasional repairs. Occasionally the aberration in the enamel is extensive enough that we recommend a stainless steel crown as a temporary crown during the growing years. A large percentage of these molar teeth will be best served with a full crown restoration after all permanent teeth have emerged, growth is finished and the occlusion has stabilized (age 18 or older). In the mean time we will maintain the integrity of the teeth with conservative repairs.
These teeth can also be very sensitive teeth for reasons we do not know. Restoring or covering the hypocalcified enamel will occasionally help this. Toothpastes for sensitive teeth (i.e. Sensodyne, Thermodent) can also be helpful. Avoiding highly acidic snack patterns (carbonated beverages, fruit juices, sour candies) will likely be very helpful as well.
15 Step Program......
Oh my Gosh I laughed so hard when I read this, and I just had to share it with everyone. Im not exactly sure who is the author of this brillant program but i found it on MomaRoos site. I hope everyone enjoys this as much I did, And be glad we have the internet because if we didn't i would be printing this out and mailing to everyone. ENJOY!
Thinking of having kids? Do this 15 step program first!
Lesson 1:
Go to the grocery store.
Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
Go home.
Pick up the paper.
Read it for the last time.
Lesson 2:
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their…
Methods of discipline.
Lack of patience.
Appallingly low tolerance levels.
Allowing their children to run wild.
Suggest ways in which they might improve their child’s breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.
Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.
Lesson 3:
A really good way to discover how the nights might feel…
Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
Set the alarm for 3AM.
As you can’t get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
Go to bed at 2:45AM.
Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive)
Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.
Lesson 4:
Can you stand the mess children make? To find out…
Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
Then rub them on the clean walls.
Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?
Lesson 5:
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.
Time allowed for this – all morning.
Lesson 6:
Take an egg carton. Using a pair of scissors and a jar of paint, turn it into an alligator.
Now take the tube from a roll of toilet paper. Using only Scotch tape and a piece of aluminum foil, turn it into an attractive Christmas candle.
Last, take a milk carton, a ping-pong ball, and an empty packet of Cocoa Puffs. Make an exact replica of the Eiffel Tower.
Lesson 7:
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don’t think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don’t look like that.
Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there.
Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.
Lesson 8:
Get ready to go out.
Sit on the floor of your bathroom reading picture books for half an hour.
Go out the front door.
Come in again. Go out.
Come back in.
Go out again.
Walk down the front path.
Walk back up it.
Walk down it again.
Walk very slowly down the sidewalk for five minutes.
Stop, inspect minutely, and ask at least 6 questions about every cigarette butt, piece of used chewing gum, dirty tissue, and dead insect along the way.
Retrace your steps.
Scream that you have had as much as you can stand until the neighbors come out and stare at you.
Give up and go back into the house.
You are now just about ready to try taking a small child for a walk.
Lesson 9:
Repeat everything you have learned at least (if not more than) five times.
Lesson 10:
Go to the local grocery store.
Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat.
Buy your week’s groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys.
Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.
Lesson 11:
Hollow out a melon.
Make a small hole in the side.
Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.
You are now ready to feed a nine-month-old baby.
Lesson 12:
Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street, Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney Channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you’re thinking, What’s ‘Noggin’? Exactly the point.)
Lesson 13:
Move to the tropics. Find or make a compost pile. Dig down about halfway and stick your nose in it. Do this 3-5 times a day for at least two years.
Lesson 14:
Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying ‘mommy’ repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each ‘mommy’; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.
Lesson 15:
Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt-sleeve, or elbow while playing the ‘mommy’ tape made from Lesson 14 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.
Thinking of having kids? Do this 15 step program first!
Lesson 1:
Go to the grocery store.
Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
Go home.
Pick up the paper.
Read it for the last time.
Lesson 2:
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their…
Methods of discipline.
Lack of patience.
Appallingly low tolerance levels.
Allowing their children to run wild.
Suggest ways in which they might improve their child’s breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.
Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.
Lesson 3:
A really good way to discover how the nights might feel…
Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
Set the alarm for 3AM.
As you can’t get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
Go to bed at 2:45AM.
Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive)
Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.
Lesson 4:
Can you stand the mess children make? To find out…
Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
Then rub them on the clean walls.
Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?
Lesson 5:
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.
Time allowed for this – all morning.
Lesson 6:
Take an egg carton. Using a pair of scissors and a jar of paint, turn it into an alligator.
Now take the tube from a roll of toilet paper. Using only Scotch tape and a piece of aluminum foil, turn it into an attractive Christmas candle.
Last, take a milk carton, a ping-pong ball, and an empty packet of Cocoa Puffs. Make an exact replica of the Eiffel Tower.
Lesson 7:
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don’t think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don’t look like that.
Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there.
Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.
Lesson 8:
Get ready to go out.
Sit on the floor of your bathroom reading picture books for half an hour.
Go out the front door.
Come in again. Go out.
Come back in.
Go out again.
Walk down the front path.
Walk back up it.
Walk down it again.
Walk very slowly down the sidewalk for five minutes.
Stop, inspect minutely, and ask at least 6 questions about every cigarette butt, piece of used chewing gum, dirty tissue, and dead insect along the way.
Retrace your steps.
Scream that you have had as much as you can stand until the neighbors come out and stare at you.
Give up and go back into the house.
You are now just about ready to try taking a small child for a walk.
Lesson 9:
Repeat everything you have learned at least (if not more than) five times.
Lesson 10:
Go to the local grocery store.
Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat.
Buy your week’s groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys.
Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.
Lesson 11:
Hollow out a melon.
Make a small hole in the side.
Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.
You are now ready to feed a nine-month-old baby.
Lesson 12:
Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street, Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney Channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you’re thinking, What’s ‘Noggin’? Exactly the point.)
Lesson 13:
Move to the tropics. Find or make a compost pile. Dig down about halfway and stick your nose in it. Do this 3-5 times a day for at least two years.
Lesson 14:
Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying ‘mommy’ repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each ‘mommy’; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.
Lesson 15:
Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt-sleeve, or elbow while playing the ‘mommy’ tape made from Lesson 14 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.
Tip 5- New pillows!
Tip #5- New pillows
Cause and effect are a difficult thing to try to figure out. One of the things we still struggle with is what is causing allergies and asthma, often we have little flare ups in sneezing and wheezing.
I've noticed that lately I have been waking up every morning with a tight chest and a few coughs.
Kitty is also sneezing and wheezing, so I have gone through her room to try and determine the cause. The bedset has been freshly laundered, the curtains have been washed, of course I vacuum a couple of times a week, especially under the bed.
I started researching online about how often we should replace our pillows. Most websites recommended replacing pillows once a year. Apparently, body and hair oils accumulate on your pillow. Not to mention sweat and drool. Doesn't that sound fun?!
So, I decided to try new pillows. Of course Hubby said, "Didn't we just buy new pillows?" Well, 'just' to him has a different meaning to me. As in, didn't you 'just' cut your hair (yes, 6 months ago!)
So, off we went to the store for new hypoallergenic pillows. I actually decided to get new pillows for the whole family. This time of year, everyone is doing 'white sales' which includes sheets, towels and pillows. So, they were fairly inexpensive.
And I think we have success! I actually woke up this morning without a tight chest and without coughing.
So, just another tip, try new pillows. I feel like I have a second job as a detective, always trying to figure out what's causing the lastest problem. And I think this one may have worked.
Happy shopping!
Cause and effect are a difficult thing to try to figure out. One of the things we still struggle with is what is causing allergies and asthma, often we have little flare ups in sneezing and wheezing.
I've noticed that lately I have been waking up every morning with a tight chest and a few coughs.
Kitty is also sneezing and wheezing, so I have gone through her room to try and determine the cause. The bedset has been freshly laundered, the curtains have been washed, of course I vacuum a couple of times a week, especially under the bed.
I started researching online about how often we should replace our pillows. Most websites recommended replacing pillows once a year. Apparently, body and hair oils accumulate on your pillow. Not to mention sweat and drool. Doesn't that sound fun?!
So, I decided to try new pillows. Of course Hubby said, "Didn't we just buy new pillows?" Well, 'just' to him has a different meaning to me. As in, didn't you 'just' cut your hair (yes, 6 months ago!)
So, off we went to the store for new hypoallergenic pillows. I actually decided to get new pillows for the whole family. This time of year, everyone is doing 'white sales' which includes sheets, towels and pillows. So, they were fairly inexpensive.
And I think we have success! I actually woke up this morning without a tight chest and without coughing.
So, just another tip, try new pillows. I feel like I have a second job as a detective, always trying to figure out what's causing the lastest problem. And I think this one may have worked.
Happy shopping!
Tip#4 roller shades in bedrooms
Tip #4 - Roller shades in bedrooms
This may not be for everyone, but it's something that seems to help our family with asthma. They're simple and functional, and when they roll up, there's no where for dust to settle.
The problem with having beautiful plantation shutters or 2" wood blinds, is that the horizontal surface is an unbelievable dust magnet. I don't know about you, but my weekend to-d0 list doesn't include 'spend 3 hours cleaning all the blinds in the house'.
I do have 2" wood blinds in my kitchen, but they came with the house. It's a little different having them in the kitchen versus having them in a bedroom and sleeping directly underneath them.
The roller shades are quick to wipe down, and it's easy to wash the windows too because the blinds roll up most of the way.
There are different options for roller shades. Some people adorn them with striped fabric, old maps, etc. I sewed pom pom fringe on the bottom of Kitty's blinds. As long as they can still roll up, I say let your imagination run wild.
I think it's fairly obvious to use roller shades in bedrooms when dealing with allergies and asthma. I am surprised by how many people have never thought of all the dust building up on horizontal blinds. Take a peek at yours and run your finger along the slat, see what you find. As an Interior Designer, I pick apart every nuance of my house, looking for cleaner and better options as far as furnishings and decorating. I'll continue to share any little tidbits I have found along our journey.
Keep checking back!
Bring on 2011
2011
THANK GOODNESS!!
I am so glad to see 2010 END
Although, we did have some good moments such as Lily turning one, Jason getting hired into Steris, and Jason and I FINALLY getting engaged.
But, as a whole it pretty much was a very trying and emotionally up and down type of year.
A real life learning experience if you will.
I said goodbye to my Grandmother, I watched my Grandfather suffer a long hard fight, and eventually pass away. I quit a good paying job for a unstable job, and to top the year off we had to say goodbye to Bear, one of our Fur-babies, a ferret whom was very close to all of our hearts, and Lilys best buddy.
So here is to a very happy healthy New Year. Full of success, education, and love.
I am so excited for 2011. My resolutions for the coming year are simple:
- Organize and Stick to a Family Budget
- Worry less and Pray More
- Go back to School
- Get a Better paying job
- Exercise everyday, start jogging again
- Potty train Lily
- Make everyday a learning and discovery experience for Lily
- Love more argue less
- Make my bed everyday
- Succesfully have our wedding planned and ready to go before June 3rd 2011 hahah
Happy New Years Everyone!
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