Is there any way to predict when I'm going to go into labor?

Experts don't fully understand what triggers the onset of labor, and there's no way to predict exactly when it will start. Your body actually starts "preparing" for labor up to a month before you give birth. You may be blissfully unaware of what's going on or you may begin to notice new symptoms as your due date draws near. Here are some things that may happen in the weeks or days before labor starts
* Your baby "drops."
If this is your first pregnancy, you may feel what's known as "lightening" a few weeks before labor starts. You might detect a heaviness in your pelvis as this happens and notice less pressure just below your ribcage, making it easier to catch your breath.
* You note an uptick in Braxton Hicks contractions.
More frequent and intense Braxton Hicks contractions can signal pre-labor, during which your cervix ripens and the stage is set for true labor. Some women experience a crampy, menstrual-like feeling during this time.
* Your cervix starts to ripen.
In the days and weeks before delivery, Braxton Hicks may do the preliminary work of softening, thinning, and perhaps opening your cervix a bit. (If you've given birth before, your cervix is more likely to dilate a centimeter or two before labor starts — but keep in mind that even being 40 weeks pregnant with your first baby and 1 centimeter dilated is no guarantee that labor's imminent.)
* Your water breaks.
When the fluid-filled amniotic sac surrounding your baby ruptures, the fluid leaks from your vagina. And whether it comes out in a large gush or a small trickle, you should call your doctor or midwife.
* You pass your mucus plug or notice "bloody show."
You may pass your mucus plug — the small amount of thickened mucus that's sealed your cervical canal during the last nine months — if your cervix begins to dilate as you get close to labor. The plug may come out all at once in a lump, or as increased vaginal discharge over the course of several days. The mucus may be tinged with blood (which may be brown, pink, or red), which is why it's referred to as "bloody show."

Insects in your garden

Believe it or not you can use insects to control pests in your garden! So get rid of those poisons and make your garden totally kid friendly!
This will be one of the hardest concepts for a person new to gardening to get used to: insects are not your enemies; they are your friends. For starters, butterflies are insects; who wouldn't want more of those in their garden? Also, roughly half of the birds (including warblers and even hummingbirds) eat insects, not seeds; if you want to attract them, you'll need to have something for them to eat.

Does this mean you have to sacrifice your plants? No. Well over 90% of all insects do no harm whatsoever to your plants. Indeed, many of these insects turn around and eat the other insects that are truly harmful!

Stop poisoning - now. It may take a couple of years to re-establish the ecological balance, but after you do, you'll probably have fewer insect problems than before, as ladybugs, lacewings, and other allies wipe out bothersome aphids and the such that attack your prize plants. You can jumpstart the process by adding these beneficial insects to your garden.

Once you do this, you may be amazed to find you start studying and enjoying the cool insects in your garden along with the flowers and wildlife. Not all spiders are those ugly black things that surprise you in your bathroom; many are quite colorful and interesting - such as the crab spider, which adapts to the color of the plant it is on. My daughter adores looking for bugs in the yard. We even have a bug magnifying glass so she can see them better. This is a really fun activity for kids of all ages!

We've even come to terms with bees: Don't get between them and the pollen, and everything will be alright! Not to mention there's a wide variety of bees beyond the normal honeybee; the big furry yellow and black bumblebees are our favorite.

Some fun bugs that one can buy at your nursery are:

Praying Mantis - You get a big pod from which hundreds of tiny praying mantis will emerge. This will amaze you little ones. Praying mantis eat most pest insects, mites, eggs, or any insect in reach.

Ladybugs- Who doesn’t love a ladybug? Both larvae and adults feed on soft-bodied insects such as aphids, mealybugs, scale insects and spider mites as well as insect eggs.

Lacewings- With their beautiful gossomer green wings this bugs are so pretty! Lacewing larvae and adults feed voraciously upon aphids and other small insects, insect eggs, and spider mites. They also eat leafhopper nymphs, whiteflies and small caterpillars.

Plants that attract beneficial insects include angelica, bee balm, buckwheat, calendula ,candytuft, ceanothus, chervil, cilantro, clover, daisy, dill, erigeron, evening primrose, fennel, goldenrod, gypsophila, lovage, parsley, Queen Anne's lace, rue, snowberry, sunflower, sweet alyssum, sweet cicely, thyme, valerian, and yarrow.

G.I. Joe scares me

I am fascinated with boy dolls and GI Joe is a little scary…
A lot of people seem to have issues with letting their boys play with “dolls” but playing with “action figures” is OK. Hasbro overcame boys' dislike of dolls by making G.I. Joe a military figure. G.I. Joe was everything Barbie was not: rugged, bearded, and with a scar on his face to let everyone know that G.I. Joe was a man of action. Like Barbie, Hasbro offered countless accessories for the G.I. Joe dolls. G.I. Joe drove a military jeep, carried guns and grenades, and wore combat boots. In this way, Hasbro made the G.I. Joe attractive to boys and overcame the stigma of playing with dolls. G.I. Joe was not a doll, Hasbro said, but rather an "action figure." Hasbro kept interest in the action figure by introducing ever more elaborate accessories, including other military vehicles, space capsules, a talking version of the doll, and a "kungfu grip" that let the figure hold things in its hands more easily.

I have written about Ken before and my frustration with his refusal to come out of the closet. GI Joe seems to be the opposite extreme. If Barbie was my daughter I would MUCH rather she come home with Ken then GI Joe. I think I myself would rather see my son playing with Teaparty Ken then G.I. Joe with a big scary gun! Is G.I. Joe a nice guy or a gun-toting maniac? If kids HAVE to play with military action figures can they at least look ike they give a damn about life? There is a line of G.I. Joe's called the Real American Heroes. Ummmm...oooookay. So does this mean if you are handy with a bazooka and have a name like Sargent Savage that you are a hero?

I am concerned about toys like GI Joe. I am not sure they are a positive influence on our kids. I am REALLY against guns and don't like the idea of kids pretending to kill anything. So Ken- bring on the tea!

Food No-nos

In the days of super sizing and obesity I think we should all be aware of these no-nos. I personally do not eat fast food unless I absolutely have to and prefer fresh no-sugar snacks- BUT I do understand that many people DO eat these things...so the best I can do is shed a little light on a few items.

5 foods you should NEVER eat!
1. STARBUCKS Venti Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino Blended crème with whipped cream. Few people have room in their diet for the 770 calories and 19 grams of fat (10 of them saturated- 1/2 a days quota). I shutter to think of the fat content of their new Banana Coconut Frappuccino…
2. Salt’s on! Campbell’s Red and White label soups. HALF a can averages about half of a person’s daily quota of salt.
3. Haagen-Dazs Mint Chip Dazzler (or any other dazzler) has 1270 calories and 38 grams of saturated fat- That is TWO days worth. You could have a T-bone steak with a Caesar salad and baked potato with sour cream and have the same nutritional intake. YIKES!
4. Coronary King: Burger King makes some of the worst French fries you can buy. A king size order packs 600 calories and 3 quarters of your daily maximum for heart unhealthy fat.
5. Out in Left Field: A single Mrs. Fields Milk Chocolate and walnuts cookie has more then 300 calories and as much saturated fat as a 12 ounce sirloin steak It also has 6 teaspoons of sugar. Eww…

Desi's Book Pick 5.25.06

"When I was a Boy, I Dreamed" by Justin Matott, illustrated by Mark Ludy. I picked this book up recently at the UCLA Book Fair and it's just the sort of thing I would've loved to read when I was a kid. First of all it's about make-believe and dreaming up adventures and secondly, the illustrations are so rich and wonderful that you can look at them dozens of times and find new things within the picture.

The story follows the memory of an old man as he tells of his past dreams, weaving through common scenarios of a young boys' thoughts. He digs a hole to China, lives in the ultimate tree house (my favorite), builds a rocket ship (Desi's favorite), finds the end of a rainbow, owns an outrageous ice cream shop, saves people from burning buildings and other fantastical scenes. As the dream-telling draws to a close, the reader sees the man surrounded by mementos of all his adventures, bringing to question whether or not those dreams came true, but leaving no doubt that the man still dreams. For the girls, there's also a companion book called "When I was a Girl, I Dreamed." Enjoy!

Traveling lighter

Now that Summer is upon us and many of you will be going on trips, I wanted to share this with you!
I just discovered this great website today courtesy of Urban Baby. www.madallie.com.
All your travels needs for the little ones are covered here. There are books on destinations and travel gear, which is all well and good, but what I really like about this site is all the great portable toys. How many of us have been totally inundated with kid krap at the airport? This website has some ingenious little things that are light and more manageable. For instance:
Your child can earn of other cultures and lifestyles while practicing lacing skills with the Children of the World sewing cards. The Children of the World sewing kit includes 5 sturdy 8"x5" laminated sewing cards, each featuring a different child in native costume. This is a perfect choice for those long plane, train and car trips.

Or

A Lap Doodle Board To Go dry erase game board. It features four pre-printed games, a secret code and a plain white drawing surface for children to express their own creativity. The dry erase board surface wipes clean with the included eraser and the dry-erase markers are easy to use and virtually mistake proof! The convenient snap on storage pouch keeps the 6 dry erase markers and eraser within reach. Provides hours of fun, games and creativity while on the move.

They also have an abundance of sticker related books and activities as well as games for the other kids like magnetic checkers and magnetic Slides and Ladders, knitting projects and other cool crafts.

Even though you are lugging a pack n’play, four suitcases a stroller and car seat if like to look really chic at the airport then you can also “outfit” your kid with one of the cool backpacks offered on this site as well…

If anything this site offers some great IDEAS on what to bring in the car and airport to minimize your load….

So have a great trip! I am home all summer taking care of my baby due in just a couple weeks!

War Vs. Children

We normally don't go crazy on editorial comments or opinions on public policy, but this really got me:

The cost of the Iraq war TODAY is
282 BILLION DOLLARS - and climbing by the second!

Three things crossed my mind as I read this report:
1. Is this where all my hard-earned tax dollars are going? 2. Where is all the extra money coming from because I know my tax rate (nor my salary) is going up as fast as this exponential counter and 3. That for all this money, the United States could have paid for:

•37 million children to attend Head Start for 1 year.
•health insurance for 169 million children for 1 year.
•the hiring of 5 million additional public school teachers for 1 year.
•13 million 4 yr. scholarships at public universities.
•the funding of global anti- hunger efforts for 11 years.
•world-wide AIDS programs for 28 years.
•every child in the world to receive basic immunizations for 94 years.

So you tell me, what is our money better spent on? Think about your vote in the next election. Click here for

The Cost of the Iraq War TODAY.

Birds in your Garden

I’ve talked about edible gardens for you and me…I’ve talked about edible gardens for butterflies. So it only seems appropriate to talk about ways of enticing birds to your garden! My daughter absolutely LOVES looking at the birds out in our garden…she also loves chasing them...!

The obvious “lure” is a BIRDFEEDER. Around here in Southern California I get a lot of finches and sparrows at my birdfeeder. I ALSO get squirrels who seem to like nothing better then to gnaw their way through the feeder to get to the seeds. I recommend getting a squirrel proof feeder. They are a little more expensive but save you in the long run! There are many different types of feeders available online…Many birds don't eat seed - they eat insects! Indeed, birds can be one of your best forms of pest control, as colorful warblers and flocks of bush tits come through scavenging for dinner. Therefore, it's important that you don't try to poison every insect that enters your garden: At best, you'll be missing out on half the birds that might visit you; at worst, you may be harming them.

The other bird attraction is WATER. All birds need to drink; many love to bathe. A birdbath is a good idea, but many are designed wrong: Their steep rims and slippery surfaces are too treacherous for many birds, who prefer to warily dip their toes before jumping into the deep end. Use gravel to make it more shallow; use rocks or more gravel to create a “beach” that gently slopes in from the rim to the bottom of the bath. I have a few goldfinches that love to bath in the water on the plant's leaves so I always give the bigger leafed plants a good spray. Butterflies also like to drink this way.....

My favorite is attracting hummingbirds. I think most people go with the hummingbird feeders- those glass bottles filled with red sugar water. What people forget is that you have to clean them ALL the time because they get bacteria ridden and can actually be deadly to the little critters. I prefer to attract with plants. Hummingbirds are attracted to bright red or orange, tubular flowers. While the tubular shape compliments their bills, they also feed on other types of flowers, as well as other plants that may contain the insects that satisfy their fat and protein needs.
My top 3 plant choices for attracting hummingbirds are:
Mexican Sage: A fast grower with fuzzy purple stalks. This is a drought tolerant plant as well. I have seen hummingbirds practically swarm this plant! This is also a great plant to add to your butterfly garden!
Fuchsia- There are many varieties of fuchsia but the ones they like the best are, of course, the red ones. These are the ones with the highest sugar content. This is an attractive shrub with long red fuchsia flowers and shiny dark green leaves.
Penstemon- A great plant for gardens and can be quite “showy”. They come in reds, pink and purples and grow in spikes not unlike a snapdragon or foxglove. Another one for butterflies as well.

We are not perfect

Here is a photo of a mother- a young mother- who CLEARLY loves her child. She cradles his head as he sleeps and holds him close. She is naive and makes mistakes. Imagine your every move is watched, recorded and scrutinized. That time you put your kid in their car seat and didn’t realize until you got to your destination that you forgot to strap them in, that time you turned for a second and the baby rolled off the changing table onto the floor, that time they got rambunctious in their chair and fell backwards…. We have ALL been guilty of mothering “mistakes” Then you are pregnant and your head is well- up your ass and still your every move is watched and you are constantly being judged. Your belly is getting larger and your pants WILL NOT stay up so you are constantly tripping on the hem because well your balance isn’t what it was.
So I say enough is enough. Leave Britney alone. I can’t even imagine being in her shoes. Yes she has made some mistakes, yes some of them are questionable but ultimately it is her business and her mistakes are for her to learn from on her own. It just seems so unfair and so mean to keep targeting her over and over again with our holier then thou attitudes. I have seen plenty of mothers doing awful things in public with their kids. Those reprehensible mom’s smacking their kids in target and yelling at them. That mom I saw years ago in a New York Subway who’s 4ish year old daughter was crying with snot running down her face- clearly not feeling well and her mom telling her to shut up. And then of course there are most of OUR moms who plopped us in the car with no car seats and no seatbelts. My mother used to let me sit on her lap and steer at the ripe age of 5.
For all the flaws that everyone is pointing out in Britney I am sure she has plenty of good things too. At least she is spending time with her baby and not having a nanny raise him 24/7 like some other celebs/ rich people do. I know someone who only ever saw her parents at night for a few minutes. Seen and not heard. This is MUCH worse in my opinion then facing forward in the car.
So Britney- I feel for you and hope at some point people will start pointing out your better mothering moments.
What we should be questioning is her choice of husband. Beyond his other undesirable attributes - clearly he is an absent father.

Birthing plan giggles

I realized this morning how incredibly different the whole experience of having a second child is. All the drama with a first born is gone. There are no parties, no packing and repacking of the hospital bag, no grand preparations. It is just so blase. As my second is due in a few weeks, I REwrote my birthing plan this morning. I got a good laugh out of my first one because it is so damn important. Then I got a second good laugh by the new one which is basically a third as long and lacks the severity of the first.
My favorite is:
In the first birthing plan it says "I am interested in pain medication only if I am unable to handle the pain...I would like to handle the pain in the following ways: Massage, breathing techniques, shower, bath." The second says; "I would like an epidural as soon as possible." Then I have all this stuff about the positions I would like to try during delivery and the "equipment" I would like available to me. Oh please....Just get him out.

First time visitors of motherhood are so prepared and so serious in their plans. But it is very sweet and adds to the overall excitement of the whole "event." It is maybe a little sad that this is lost on the second and those following, but I am sure that the newborn is loved just as much and with as much passion as the first.

Safety First While Driving!

Reminder mamas - please read the booklet you get with your childseat purchase! Once again we re-iterate: federal regulations on carseats say it should be rear facing until the child is at least 1 year old and 20 pounds. Britney Spears pictured here, could be cited for violating Section 27360 of the California Vehicle Code, which says child safety seats must be installed to comply with the federal standard. "It's far safer if the seat is facing backwards to avoid head-on injuries and whiplash in case of a collision," said California Highway Patrol spokesman Tom Marshall. I'm really hoping there is sunscreen on this child!

666 Babies

I hadn't QUITE made the connection that our baby was due to be born around 06-06-06 until just the other day. "666" is popular with nervous fundamentalists and devil worshippers.

The 666 phenomenon is based on a disputed passage from the Book of Revelation, which in several popular versions declares the “number of the beast” to be 666 — although some biblical scholars claim there was a mistranslation and the number should really be 616.
Revelation 13:16-18 states:

"He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666."

Even in England, where almost nobody takes Christianity seriously, expectant moms are nervous about giving birth on the dreaded day. They are refusing to have C-sections on this day or trying to schedule it for the day before or day after.

Some moms-to-be planning on natural birth have even made appointments to have labor induced on June 5, while others mock the whole superstition with plans to name their cursed little ones Damien (from "The Omen") or Regan (from "The Exorcist").

Some good things about this number are able to be found as well.
In Judiasm, the number 666 is considered a mystical and holy number. 6 represents the six directions (up, down, north, south, east, and west). Six is considered God's number since it is the numeric value of Waw (letter). It also refers to creation, since the world was created in 6 days.

The fear of the number 666 is known as "Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia”

So- as far as my impending labor, he will be born when he is born. I could always hang upside down on the 6th to keep him in there....or jump up and down to get him out. Regardless- we will NOT be naming him Damian or Beelzebub or Mephistopheles.

The Butterfly Garden

Last week I wrote about the edible garden that you and your family can enjoy. This week I am writing about the edible garden for butterflies! A butterfly garden is an easy way to both see more butterflies and to contribute towards their conservation, since many natural butterfly habitats have been lost to urbanization and other development.
There are many plants one can plant to attract various types of butterflies. In our garden I have only planted things that will attract butterflies and hummingbirds. My daughter, Lulu, loves to chase the butterflies around and goes out there looking for them. It is a great way to get the kids outside and more interested in nature- rather then watching the same episode of Dora for the 47th time.
Generally speaking, the best butterfly nectar plants are those that are sun loving, purple, pink, yellow or white in color, and single-flowered rather than double flowered. Butterflies will seek nectar from many types of plants: ground covers (clover, alfalfa, and periwinkle), annuals (marigolds, petunias, verbena, and zinnia), perennials (butterfly weed, coneflowers, daisies, phlox, and many others), shrubs (azalea, butterfly bush, and lilac), and trees (plum, pear, and cherry).
My top 4 choices for butterflies are:
Buddleia or Butterfly bush- True to it’s name it is a real butterfly magnet. It comes in shades of purple, pink and white. Some people say that certain butterflies like certain types of buddleia but I am not an expert…this shrub can get rather large and isn’t the neatest of plants. I trim mine back a lot to keep it more compact and less leggy. The blooms resemble lilac and smell amazing.
Salvia- You could create an entire garden around salvia/sage because there are hundreds of varieties, from annuals to biennials to tender or hardy perennials. Some are tall and stalky, others are more bushy. Blooms very from trumpet like to heart shaped. The possibilities seem endless! My personal favorites are Mexican sage and Salvia coccinea ‘Bicolor’. Both of these also attract hummingbirds. Some species of salvia are edible for example common sage and pineapple sage.
Passionflowers- These amazing vines look like they come from another plant. They are so lovely and their flowers smell divine! There are many many varieties to choose from but the most common ones available are the white and purple. This is a fast growing vine and can cover a lot of area….also a great attractant for hummingbirds.

Fennel/Anise- This is a fun one because it mainly attracts Swallowtails. The caterpillars are amazing and will thrill your little ones. This plant also seems to attract ladybugs which is yet ANOTHER bonus! These plants can get rather tall and spread quickly by seeding itself. This plant is also edible and a good addition to a summer salad.

Save the Childrens' Best and Worst Places to be a Mother

The seventh annual Mothers’ Index helps document conditions for mothers and children in 125 countries – 26 developed nations and 99 in the developing world – and shows where mothers fare best and where they face the greatest hardships. All countries for which sufficient data were available are included in the Index. Below are the countries that ranked highest and lowest on the list.
Top Ten

1. Sweden
2. Denmark
3. Finland
4. Austria
5. Germany
6. Norway
7. Australia
8. Netherlands
9. Canada
10. United Kingdom/ United States (tie)

Bottom Ten

1. Congo, Dem. Rep. of Liberia
2. Central African Republic
3. Yemen
4. Ethiopia
5. Sierra Leone
6. Guinea-Bissau
7. Chad
8. Mali
9. Burkina Faso
10. Niger
    

For an explanation of the ranking system and to see a full listing, download

Learn more about the State of the World's Mothers 2006 report

Save the Children recognizes the inextricable link between the wellbeing and survival of mothers and that of their children. Research has consistently shown that when mothers have health care, education and economic opportunities, both they and their children have the best chance to survive and thrive.

Through groundbreaking programs, global advocacy and citizen mobilization, Save the Children creates lasting and positive change for children in need around the world through programs in health, HIV/AIDS, education, and economic opportunities.

Lulu's book pick- 5/8/06

Author- Margaret Wise Brown
Illustrations- Clement Hurd
1947

This is THE perfect children's bedtime book! This is a classic I remember having as a kid. First published in 1947, this one has been helping children drift off to slumber land for over 50 years!

A bunny prepares for bed and postpones it by saying goodnight to everything in sight. Clement Hurd's illustrations are simple and effective, alternating between small ink drawings and wide, brightly colored views of the little rabbit's room.

Finding all of the items mentioned throughout the book within the pictures is a good bedtime activity--a reappearing little mouse is particularly fun to spot. My daughter loves to find the two kittens and points to them every time so that I will say, “meow” (A different tone for each cat). She also likes the line- “and goodnight to the old lady whispering hush." (She says the “hush” part.)
By the end of the little rabbit's goodnight poem, the story has quieted to a whisper, and the drawings have darkened with nightfall. When we finish the book we say goodnight to the stuffed animals she sleeps with and finish it off by saying goodnight to each other.
I have been reading this one to her for almost all of her 33 months. It got so worn out that we are actually on our second copy!

Note: There are some people who are upset by certain images in the room- an uncovered fireplace complete with a fire blazing in it, vermin running around freely, a phone by the young rabbit’s bed…I personally think that is a little silly. It’s a BUNNY and it IS make believe. If these people actually think that MAYBE a bunny has a fancy room with, among other things, a fireplace and what would, in reality, have to be either incredibly small cats or a very large scary bunny, then I worry about them.

This is a definite must for your child’s bedtime library.
Available from Amazon for 6.99 for the paperback, $7.99 for the board book and $17.89 for the hardcover. Also available as a paperback and CD set!

Eat your garden!

Now that it is warm outside and we find ourselves spending more time in our gardens, patios and balconies. It is also a great opportunity to teach our kids about gardening and grow some plants. There are many things that are really easy to grow in either a planter box or right in the ground. You can also try growing things from seed or just buy a little container at your local nursery. This month I will devote Sundays to gardening ideas that are great for our children.
This week I planted a little edible garden with my daughter, Lulu. She loved digging in the dirt and tossing the seeds. She also liked patting the soil around the small plants. (And covering them….)I don’t know how many of you have ever eaten flowers but some of them are actually really nice additions to a summer salad. I also like that they are safe and Lulu can eat them. If your garden/patio/balcony/window sill is buggy there are many safe products available to spray on the plants. Soapy water is always a good deterrent.

My top 4 choices for a kid friendly EDIBLE garden:
Pansy’s- they come in many colors and grow easily and abundantly. They can be used in salads and also are great for cake decorating.
Violets/Violas- These are really easy to grow and are really pretty. They have a string sweet flowery taste. They are great for desserts, salads, garnish, tea sandwiches an also look great frozen in ice cubes! Lulu liked them so much that she ate all of them off the plant in one sitting. Good thing they grow really fast! Not to be confused with African violets….
Squash- An impressive plant that can get quite big. They can spread to about 3 feet and need full sun. The blossoms can be eaten- stuffed and baked or fried is my favorite. If you chose not to eat the blossom then you will later get a squash! This is a fun process for children to watch. I remember growing them with MY father!
Tomatoes- Another really easy thing to grow. There are so many varieties available. I planted some hybrids. They are viney and require interaction to train their growth. When they are ripe your kids will love picking them.

Remember to teach your kids that not ALL flowers can be eaten. Some of them are poisonous! A couple popular flowers that are definatley NOT edible around the US are: Azaleas, Buttercups, Foxglove, Iris, Sweet Pea and Oleander. Always ask about your edible (or nonedible) plants before you buy them.....

What is YOUR priority?

Okay…mamasnap gripe……………….

At the time of writing this it, the war in Iraq has cost over 277 BILLION dollars.
The cost of the war goes up about $100,000 every 30 seconds.

Some 3,000 African children die of malaria each day, which is equivalent to one death every 30 seconds.

Malaria costs Africa about $12 billion a year.
According to WHO and Unicef, proper treatment and prevention efforts could reduce malaria transmission by up to 60 percent and lower death rates in young children by around one-fifth.
Imagine if we dumped all the war money into Africa instead? Presently, that would be about 23 years worth of prevention and treatment efforts.
We could save countless lives there, as well as saved 17648 American soldiers from being wounded, 2404 from being killed and saved 34711 Iraqi civilians who have died as a result of military intervention. (according to www.iraqbodycount.net)

Instead of this war we could have:

• Paid for 36776 children to attend a year of head start preschool or

• Paid for a year of health insurance for 166,262 children or

• Hired 4,811,829 additional school teachers for one year or

• Provided 13,460,207 students 4-year scholarships at public universities.

Info for these number came from http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=182

What is this world coming to?

Exercising control

I am constantly struggling with the right way to "control" my child and how to nurture her sense of self without imposing my own concept of what I envision her "self" to be. None of us want to be control freaks but it can be tough sometimes, especially when they are screaming that they want to watch TV and you just don't want them to. I often feel like the bad guy but it is up to us to set limits.
Beyond the annoying demands that they make I think it is important to indulge them in the things that they can really benefit from. My daughter loves to dress like a princess or in her lion costume and though sometimes she looks ridiculous and it isn't the most practical thing to wear to the playground, I allow her to do it. How does this benefit her? I feel it encourages her sense of individuality, allows her to make a decision on her own and she also learns consequence when she realizes climbing at the playground is tough in a tutu and lion paws. I haven't controlled her actions and she is happy. I guess this is the best I can do!

From- "The Prophet"

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you, and though they are with you, and yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love, but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls, for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward, not tarries with yesterday.

- Kahlil Gibran

Baby Einstein and Brainy Baby - BAD too?

OH I've had about enough of parents who use videos as a babysitting tool. Any idiot can tell you that too much television is a BAD THING for children. A children's advocacy group called The Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood has now filed complaints with the FTC and is asking them to prohibit the companies from making claims about the videos' educational benefits and putting the American Association of Pediatrics recommendation sticker on their products recommending no TV and video watching for children under 2. Just like labeling a pack of cigarettes is bad for your health! Apparently the parents complaining about the packaging are upset their children haven't become 'genius' or 'gifted' yet from watching the videos. Look mamas, I hope that we can all decide on our own what is education or not - HOW can classical music and shapes and planets be bad for children to view? How can watching colors and words be bad for kids recite? I can assure you I'm not into television 24/7 for my kids, almost 3 and 4 mo., but my almost 3 yr old has his knowledge reinforced of his shapes and colors and words and planets from watching Baby Einstein and he loves finding shapes and colors and using his imagination from reading the Brainy Baby books. Oh and I can tell you from experience that Baby Mozart in the car is the ONLY thing that calms the kids down on roadtrips. So while I am in full support of the basics of a commercial-free childhood, I also crave tools that help me through the day. Let's hope the FTC gives us all the benefit of the doubt on good parenting choices.

Desi's book pick 5/1/06

Hugville by Court Crandall. I happen to be working with Court at the moment and ran into him at the UCLA book fair over the weekend, so I bought his book and he signed it. The Mayor of Hugville gives us a tour through his town and shows us all the different kinds of hugs available there. It's a very sweet book and my toddler particularly liked the illustrations which are very Ren and Stimpy like and the little tidbits about hugs and other trivia found elsewhere on each page. The best part of is the ending where the book urges the reader of the book to hug the person next to them with a big gluey hug! Hugs out...

Morning Sickness Meds

So who ever knew that pregnancy-for some of us- is just about the worst thing ever????? As a younger person I fantasized about it and how great it would be- lovingly rubbing my growing tummy, glowing and smiling. Little did I know I would spend a good few months with my face in the toilet wishing I was dead- or at least in a coma until I had the baby.

I know there are many many women who actually think being pregnant is great- which would explain those people who have 12 children. But for some of us it is really REALLY awful.
When you have severe morning sickness or hyperemesis, which I have been blessed with for both pregnancies- there are a few medications that are prescribed. The big ones are Reglan and Zofran.
Reglan increases the contractions of the stomach and small intestine, helping the passage of food. Not only is it given to treat the symptoms of diabetic gastroparesis, a condition in which the stomach does not contract, but to those suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disorder (backflow of stomach contents into the esophagus). In addition, it is given to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy and surgery.

Zofran is used for the prevention of nausea and vomiting caused by radiation therapy and chemotherapy for cancer, and, in some cases, to prevent these problems following surgery.
OK, so it is great that they have these medications but there are side effects to everything.
One of my worst pregnancy experiences was ending up in the ER because I had vomited 17 times that day. I was immediately administered Reglan. How was I to know that this drug SHOULD not be given to people on antidepressants (I take Lexapro- perfectly safe for baby) or who have history of anxiety. And worst of all why wasn’t I asked? Literally a minute after I was given the drug via IV, I started getting anxious and couldn’t keep still. I was left alone and basically felt like I went psychotic. So the poor little fetus thought his mom had gone crazy with all the cortisol that must have been pumped into his little developing arteries and organs. Well ol’ Mama ripped out the IV and ended up walking out of the hospital. Fight or flight. So basically my message here is beware of the medications and make sure your history is really discussed before they start injecting you and turning you into Mr. Hyde..or is it Dr. Jekyl?.

I ended up taking Zofran… First by a pump that delivered me a squirt every few minutes into my leg and then finally when I had too much scar tissue to poke myself anymore –the pill form. The worst part about taking this medication is severe constipation. So I guess I have to wait until Junior here is born and then I can go…
These medications won’t keep you from throwing up- BUT they keep it to a minimum. Just remember that the more often you eat the less likely you are to get nauseous. I know that doesn’t sound good when everything you eat ends up on the floor, or in the toilet but you gotta try….smoothies worked for me. And the one positive thing….yes, there is one….you get skinny! Oh and you also get a baby in the end.

SBH