Not Me! Monday - The Witch Strikes Again!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I thought this would be perfect for Not Me! Monday...

I did NOT take my son back to Lowe's and I did NOT show him the witch and try to show him it was pretend.

He wasn't quite as scared as last week, but he was still worried. This past week has been a bit interesting though. Jimmy did NOT see my last blog post about his encounter with the witch and he did NOT see the picture of her. He has NOT been scared and worried the entire last week! He does NOT keep pointing at the guest room where the computer is, and he was NOT so worried that he would not eat his dinner a couple times. It is really NOT starting to get a little annoying lol. But I will say it is also NOT pretty cute to see him worried. He points to the room and covers his little mouth and says "Oh no" in such a sweet little voice! I thought he would forget, but he didn't. And I did NOT print out a picture of said witch from the Lowe's website so that Jimmy might get used to her and not be afraid anymore. At least he has been sleeping fine, thank the Lord!

Here is a video of him worrying about the witch and our attempt at a solution (you will want to hit pause on my playlist so you can hear the dialog).

Jimmy's First Scary Encounter

So we went to Lowe's today, like we often do on the weekends. We were just walking along, looking for mousetraps (that's a whole 'nother story!) when little Jimmy starts kind of whimpering/whining, not really crying but definitely upset...what on earth is wrong bud? Well, I turn around and there at the end of the aisle is this:(if you click on the picture if will take you to the Lowe's web page with her description)

We had walked right by her and I didn't even think about the fact that, hey, my little guy just MIGHT be afraid of that big scary life sized thing that is motion activated and starts moving and cackling when you walk by. Nope, not me, I just walk right in front of her, and I did notice her, but i being afraid of her never even crossed my mind. I actually even thought he might be entertained. Nah ah. He was squirming and panicking and was just plain worried about her the whole rest of the time we were in the store. We walked waaaay down the front of the store to the other end where the lumber is and he was STILL looking back at her, making sure she hadn't followed us. We even let him hold the mousetraps and told him they were witch traps, so he was safe if she came near (after trying to explain that she was pretend and she couldn't move of course). That helped a little. Then we went down an aisle and were looking at hardware for a bit and he forgot about her. As soon as we went to check out though, he spotted her and started hollering! So Jim tossed me the keys and out we went to the truck. And thus ended our first experience with Jimmy being scared of something. He has never done anything like that that I can remember, he wasn't scared of anything last year around Halloween, so I guess we have entered a new stage of awareness. Poor little guy =(

Oh and PS - I have to admit, that witch did kind of creep me out too, lol! Must be that ugly face and the fact that she is motion activated, that kind of stuff always catches me off guard a little! I mean, come on, lets look at that again shall we?
U - G - L - Y, you ugly, yeaaaah you ugly!! A face only a mother could love (or something lol). Goodnight!

Toddler Meal Idea

I had some leftover brown rice and ground beef so I made this up. Sorry, I do not have any amounts to give you, I just added stuff together until it looked like the amount I wanted. But its easy, no big deal!

Here is what I used:

Ground beef (already cooked)
Brown Rice (already cooked)
Frozen Peas
Shredded Cheese
Wheat Germ
Whole Wheat Flour
Milk

All I did was mix the beef, rice & peas together with a little bit of milk, then I microwaved it for about 2 minutes. Then I added in the wheat germ & flour to thicken it up, kind of like make your own "cream of whatever" soup. Then I microwaved it a little more until it was thickened up, maybe only 30-40 seconds. I added the cheese in, microwaved for about 15 seconds, mixed it up again and it was done. Jimmy loved it and I thought it was pretty good too (I added some salt to mine though, I know SHAME!!).

You can change this around any way you want to. You could use chicken or beans instead of beef. Broccoli instead of peas, etc. Its a great "leftovers" concoction. Or you could make up a batch and freeze it in ice cube trays or small containers for later use.

Baby Sign Language

I have been teaching Jimmy baby sign language. We are using the book and dvd "Sign with Your Baby" by Joseph Garcia. I haven't exactly been a stickler about it, but I at least wanted to teach Jimmy the basics and helpful signs such as "pain" so he can show where it hurts it he gets an owie. Well a couple days ago, he started showing me the sign for "please" and it is just the sweetest thing! You rub your chest in a circular motion and he has it down pat! So here is a pic of him doing it.


I highly recommend teaching baby sign language to your little one, it is so much fun and it is just so cute when they start doing it back to you! It can also be a huge help if they get hurt and you don't see it happen because if they know the "pain" sign (tap your two index fingers together over the area of pain) they can show you where it hurts. It also helps lessen frustration when they want or need something (which means less crying!) because they can tell you what they need, such as to eat, drink, have milk, have a diaper change, etc. So get to your library and check out this book!

Down to 3

As some of you may know, I have been breastfeeding my son. We did it exclusively for about the first 6 months and then added in some food here and there because he was very interested in it and so he could get used to different textures, flavors, etc. Well, now he is 13 months old and we have dwindled the nursing down to about 3 times a day - morning, noonish and before bed. It is kind of bittersweet. I wanted to follow his cues and we made it well into a year so I am happy about that, but I am going to miss the bonding time. Oh well, he is an active little guy now, soon he won't have any time for mommy at all! ;-) Breastfeeding has been such a wonderful experience and I hope to be able to do it with our future little one(s)!

Oops I Crapped My Pants...for babies

I got a new nighttime diaper for Jimmy. We were starting to have some oversaturating problems with his regular bumGenius 3.0's (even with extra inserts) so I decided to get some hemp inserts and a Drybee's fleece diaper. We used it for the first time last night with 1 microfleece insert and 1 Happy Heiny hemp insert. Annnnd....It didn't leak! Yay! Jimmy usually goes to bed around 7:30 pm and wakes up once or twice to nurse and then wakes up around 9 in the morning. We didn't have any problems with leaking for a long time, but he has been having more liquids during the day and holding it in more, and with the nursing at night (he went a long time without nursing at night, from about 3 months to 9 or 10!) he has become a heavy wetter. The only thing about the Drybee's fleece is that it is so bulky once you get the inserts in. It gave Jimmy quite a bubble butt! I just couldn't stop laughing. If you have ever seen the SNL skit for Oops I Crapped My Pants, you will understand! Oh what the heck, here is the video!





(Sorry if the video offends anyone, not meant to do that! Anyone that knows me personally will know that I have personal experience with a family member needing to use this type of product and would never laugh about it to hurt someone's feelings!)

WFMW - Babesafe Mattress Cover

This week I want to share a product called the Babesafe Mattress Cover. It is a polythene cover made to slip over a crib mattress (comes in different sizes) to block harmful gases that can release out of the mattress from getting to your child, possibly causing crib death, or SIDs. Please read more about the toxic gas theory in my previous posts here and here. A great blog is Prevent SIDs. Evie says it much better than I do! And she has put together some info concerning misconceptions about the theory.

I have been using the cover for almost a year now, and it has been wonderful for my nerves! I have been a very worried new mommy and before I learned about the whole toxic gas theory, I worried even more because there were no real reasons for SIDs. Finding the Babesafe Mattress Cover Worked For Me to give me the peace of mind I needed.

If you are interested in purchasing one of these covers after you do your own research and decide it might also Work For You, please consider Eve's Best as your online source. I have purchased 4 or 5 covers (a couple for myself and my sister and sister-in-law) through Evie and she has been wonderful.

PS - Along with wrapping the mattress, you should also use 100% cotton bedding and no waterproof, padded anything. I use a flannel blanket I made or 100% cotton bath towels to go under the 100% cotton sheet. We also only use 100% cotton pj's, to avoid overheating and really, who wants their baby sleeping in flameretardant, chemical laden pajamas? Changing over to all cotton is really very easy to get used to! We do however use cloth diapers made out of polyester, but with the cover blocking the mattress gases, it should be fine. No flame retardants in the diapers!

Thanks to Rocks In My Dryer for hosting Works-For-Me Wednesday!

New Research Relating to Toxic Gas Theory

Check it out! New Research in the US shows that having a fan going in the baby's room reduced the rate of SIDs 72% in a study of 500 infants. This could be in line with the toxic gas theory. We have been using a fan every night along with having the mattress wrapped. This is very exciting news!

Here is a release from Dr.Sprott:

7 October 2008

MEDIA RELEASE FOR PUBLICATION

NEW RESEARCH CONFIRMS TOXIC GAS THEORY FOR COT DEATH (SIDS)

New US research confirms the toxic gas theory for the cause of cot death, stated New Zealand cot death prevention expert Dr Jim Sprott OBE today.

Research published in the October 2008 issue of Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine (1) found that having a fan on during sleep was associated with a 72% decreased risk of cot death among babies, as compared with sleeping without a fan in operation. The reduction in risk was greatest for babies sleeping in warm rooms (temperature above 21 degrees Celsius); and fan use also decreased cot death risk among babies who slept on their stomachs or sides.

"These findings are very strong confirmation of the toxic gas theory for cot death", stated Dr Sprott. "An operating fan dissipates gases generated in the baby's sleeping environment. In particular, the highly toxic gas phosphine (generated from phosphorus, which is very common in bedding) is likely to remain around a baby in the cot owing to the density of this gas, so it is no surprise that research has found that fan use greatly reduces cot death risk.

"The finding that fan use reduces the risk even more in warmer rooms is also consistent with the toxic gas theory for cot death", stated Dr Sprott. "If a baby's bedding is capable of toxic gas generation, overheating in the cot greatly increases the likelihood of fungal generation of the gases in question."

"Crucially, the fact that fan use greatly reduces cot death risk among babies sleeping face-down or on their sides demonstrates that the partial protective effect of face-up sleeping against cot death is not related to any medical condition or physical defect in the baby. So once again we have further demonstration that cot death does not have a medical or physiological cause.

"Face-up sleeping reduces cot death risk because the toxic gases which cause cot death are all more dense than air. They diffuse away from a baby's face, and therefore a baby sleeping face-up is less likely to ingest them."

The researchers' suggestion that fan use may reduce cot death risk by preventing a baby from re-breathing exhaled carbon dioxide is already disproved, stated Dr Sprott. "Longstanding epidemiology demonstrates that cot death is not caused by babies re-breathing exhaled air in the cot."

Dr Sprott called on the New Zealand Ministry of Health to immediately endorse mattress-wrapping for cot death prevention.

Since 1995 a mattress-wrapping protocol for cot death prevention has been publicised nationwide in New Zealand. On the basis of three studies into the incidence of mattress-wrapping (2), it is calculated that at least 170,000 New Zealand babies have slept on "wrapped mattresses". There has been no reported cot death among those babies.

Since the commencement of mattress-wrapping the New Zealand cot death rate has fallen by 68%; and the cot death rate of the population group most likely to wrap babies' mattresses (European/Paheka) has fallen by around 85%. (3)

Notes:
1. Coleman-Phox, K, et al, "Use of a fan during sleep and the risk of sudden infant death syndrome", Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2008; 162: 963-968.
2. NZ Med J 2000; 113: 8-10; NZ Med J 2000; 113: 326-327; Eur J Pediatrics 2008; 167(2): 251-252 (Short Report).
3. Source of statistics: New Zealand Ministry of Health.

Media release issued by:
T J Sprott OBE MSc PhD FNZIC
Consulting chemist & forensic scientist
10 Combes Road
Remuera
Auckland 1050
NEW ZEALAND
Phone/fax: +64-9-5231150
e-mail: sprott@iconz.co.nz

A Cause of SIDs

Here are my thoughts and findings on SIDS (previously posted on my Myspace blog).

It all started last year when Jimmy was around 2 months old. I was worrying about him getting a flat spot on his head from sleeping on his back all the time. I started letting him nap on his tummy while on a blanket on the floor (with my watching VERY closely). Thoughts crossed my mind - is SIDs preventable? The things they recommend doing aren’t for sure going to prevent it. Why do some babies just "forget" to breathe? Can you revive them if you catch it right away? No? Why not? What is it that triggers in their brain?

So I looked and looked and I found a website with answers. It provided REASONS why the babies couldn’t be revived. It presents a study that involves wrapping mattresses because of the toxic gas theory - deadly gases are released when heat and household fungus combine with compounds of phosphorus, arsenic and/or antimony present in many baby mattresses and other items of baby bedding. If you wrap the mattress with a pure polythene wrap, it prevents the gases from escaping and getting to your baby lying on top of the mattress. The gases are vented from the bottom so they are able to dissipate.

Did you know that SIDS gets more likely with each each child you have? And it is more common with young single mothers? Why? Because they are most likely using used mattresses which can contain fungus from being spit up on, etc. by previous babies.

Why do more deaths occur in the winter/cold months? One reason is less air movement. Windows are closed and fans are off so the air in cribs can just sit and the gases aren’t dissipated.

Crib bumper pads are dangerous because they help contain the gases!

Putting a baby to sleep on its back puts its nose and mouth more out of the reach of the gases that hover right on top of the mattress! But that still isn't 100% safe.

The toxic gas theory for crib death explains every risk factor which medical researchers associate with crib death. I am not the best person to explain things so read about it for yourself if I have spiked your interest.
Go to www.thecauseofsids.com
This is not the only website, there is also www.cotlife2000.com (related) and a few others. A lot of people know about this, it kinda surprised me.

Do your own research. I have always been taught not to believe everything I hear! I am not saying that this is the absolute #1 reason for SIDS but I am not willing to take a chance. It makes sense to me so I am going take precautions.

I got a mattress wrap for the crib and one for the pack ’n play. I am so much more at ease now, it is great! I let Jimmy sleep on his tummy on a firm flat surface (a blanket on the floor) for naps while I am watching him closely, just in case. I DO NOT let him sleep on his tummy at night (at least not until he can choose for himself), but according to the study it is ok with the mattress wrap and proper 100% cotton bedding.
Edit: Jimmy has been sleeping on his wrapped mattress for almost a year now, and I am so glad I did it. I still worried about him and checked on him A LOT when he was sleeping, but I have had a peace of mind that would not have existed without the knowledge of the toxic gas theory and the Babesafe mattress cover. I highly recommend getting one, even if only for added peace of mind!

Oh and by the way, the study was done in New Zealand and out of the 100,000+ babies that slept on a Babesafe wrapped mattress with proper bedding, NOT ONE died!

Thanks for reading!

Feeding the Wee One

Here is a sampling of what my little Jimmy usually eats. Thought I would post it in case anyone is having a hard time coming up with ideas.

Breakfast:
- Oatmeal or Cream of Wheat with fruit
- Pancakes or waffles and fruit
- Scrambled eggs, whole wheat bread
(not toast, toasting removes some nutrients) and fruit
- Whatever whole grain "O" cereal we have and fruit

Snack:
- Fruit
- Cottage Cheese
- Cheese
- Slice of bread
- Fruit leather
- Whole grain crackers

Lunch (or dinner if not cooking a meal for whatever reason):
- Grilled Cheese on whole grain bread and some veggies
- Pasta and veggies
- Quesadilla and some fruit
- Peanut butter sandwich (over a year old and not allergic!), plain or maybe with some all natural fruit spread
(try pureeing some fruit in the blender)
- Leftovers from dinner
- This is gonna sound gross, but he loves it: Hard boiled egg yolk mixed in cottage cheese =)

Another snack

Dinner: Usually whatever we are having. I separate his own portion out before adding strong spices/salt etc.

I try to make sure he gets a grain & veggie or grain & fruit in every meal, and a protein (beans, lentils, cheese, meat) in at least 1 meal, but try for 2 meals a day.

Jimmy is still breastfeeding about 6 times a day and I offer him water (sometimes with a little apple juice mixed in) as well. I hope this is helpful to someone. I know it is helpful to me to just see it "written down"!

Lunchtime!

Today we had a cheesy-veggie quesadilla. I found a similar recipe here along with a bunch of other great toddler recipes.

To make the quesadilla you will need:

2 whole wheat tortillas
Shredded cheddar cheese (or whatever kind you like)
chopped cooked veggies
Add in some chopped cooked chicken breast if you like. We didn't because I didn't have any pre-made.

Sprinkle the cheese on one tortilla, add the veggies and/or chicken and top with the second tortilla.
Bake or broil until cheese has melted
(If you broil, watch it to make sure it doesn't burn!)

I cut it into triangles (like a pizza) and then cut the triangles into little bitty pieces that Jimmy could handle.
This makes more than enough for a little one, so you may want to "help" them eat it. I did, it was pretty tasty dipped in some salsa. =)