Almost 2

Jamie will be 2 in May its very hard to believe. I remember her being born like it was yesterday. 

Everyone keeps asking me about having another baby.  Then the question pops in my head do you really get in enjoy your first child if you have another one right away? I know several people that are pregnant again with their second child and they had their first child around the time Jamie was born. I want to be able to enjoy Jamie's 1st. But there is a small chance that we might have another child.

But then I have to be concerned about stats like this "Men over 45 may have offspring which have a higher likelihood of a neuro-cognitive disorders, such as autism and schizophrenia. They could also be expected to have a slightly lower IQ."  Should something like that concern me since Jamie is happy and healthy?

What age should your first child be around before you think about having another one? I was thinking maybe when she is about to enter pre-K, but then I think will Brian be to old? He will be around 46? Should I just be happy with Jamie and not chance having another baby? Even though I want one pretty badly but I don't want to jeopardize missing anything in Jamie's life. OK I am on a soap box now... 

My mom's hat I made her.

But I did get to hold two very sweet babies this week. So I was excited about that. First, was Ms. Adrian Head welcome to the world! I held her on Tuesday and she was so tiny, Jamie was NEVER that tiny! Second, was Ms. Ansley Stevens Happy 1st Birthday!!!

Kids are great!

Car Seat Safety

First, I am obsessed with this stuff. I am really bad when walking through parking lots and see something wrong with a car seat I want to jump in the car and fix it. Or parents that put their infant only car seat on top of the buggie at the grocery store. That stuff DRIVES ME CRAZY.. LOL

Do you think your Child or Grandchild is riding safely?
"96% of parents and caregivers believe their child safety seats are installed correctly, research shows that 7 out of 10 children are improperly restrained" ---seatcheck.org

My husband and I are Georgia certified Child Safety seat Technician.

Yesterday, we went to a update class and learned information on New car seats LATCH, Airbags and transporting obese children.  Technology with new car seats is amazing.  I was shocked at some of the new features. 

Here are some of the brand new Car seats to hit the market if you are interested you should take a look at some of these.
Cybex Aton
Maxi-Cosi Pria 70
Diono Radian R120
Clek Foonf
Summer Infant Prodigy
Graco Smart Seat
Graco Nautilus

Ask yourself these questions

1. What are the weight and height limits on your child seat? Is your child in between those guidelines?
2.  Are you using LATCH or Seat belt? Are you using the correct belt path? If using LATCH are you over the weigh limit for the lower anchors for the vehicle (read your owners manual?)
3. Is your child that is under 13 riding in the backseat?
4. Is your child that is under 8 or shorter than 4'9 in a booster or car seat?
5. Has your child seat been in an accident? Do you know the history?
6. Does your car seat move less than an 1 inch side to side/front to back testing at belt path?
7. Is your car seat recalled? Is your car seat registered with manufacturer? Is your car seat expired?

I could go on and on. But I won't. However, please read your owners manual of you vehicle before installing your car seat and also read the owners manual for the car seat even if you have installed a car seat before. Every car seat is different and every vehicle is different.

If connect me if you have ANY questions!!

Great websites:
www.safekids.org
www.nhtsa.gov
https://www.usaaedfoundation.org/Safety/safety_544_child_safety_seats


Had to attach some pictures of Jamie styling in her car seat!!

Being a Mom and a Step Mom

 Juggling between being a step mom to 8 year old and a Mom to a 21 month old is becoming VERY hard on me. 
 My step daughter is a great kid and does mind most of the time. She does things that I really do not like or approve of and there are certain habbits I don't want my daugther to pick up on or start doing. 

I really don't know how to handle certain situation.  I know I can't be her mom she has a mom.  But when she is at our house she does need some guidance I feel like. But I know I am a much stricker mom than her mom.  I am just trying to level out the situation and make it easy my husband, my daughter, my step daugther and myself.  I feel like I am doing a pretty crappy job.


Well anyways, yesterday we went to the circus. Jamie LOVED seeing the animals especially the elephants she was amazed by them.   She is talking so much and is so funny. She loves to watch Blue's Clue and sing the song!! She knows some many songs and sings them to us. 



Her Clown NOSE!! HEHEHE



Attitude

I loved reading this so much I decided to post it so I could always look back on it and so other people could read it.  Mr. Sean Kaufman came to our work today and spoke and I have to say he is a very good speaker and teacher.  So I went to his website and I found this.  My mother taught me this ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING.  If you want into her office that is what your see in big BOLD letters. She lives by this.  Even what is going in her life right now, she knows if she doesn't have a good attitude than she is only hurting herself.  So I hope everyone gets as much out of this as I did. Enjoy

Attitude is Everything - THIS IS GOOD!

Written by Sean Kaufman.

If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude. 
~ Colin Powell

 A king and his assistant were best friends.  The king loved his friend very much, but was bothered by something his friend frequently said.  Every time something seemed to go wrong – his friend would put his arm around the king and yell, “THIS IS GOOD”.  Over time, the king just accepted his friend’s habit.
One day, the assistant loaded the king’s rifle during a hunting trip.  When the king fired the weapon, it backfired causing the king to lose his thumb.  His friend looked at the king and yelled, “THIS IS GOOD” – and the king became so angry he ordered his friend to prison.
A year later, the king is on another hunt when his group was ambushed by a group of cannibals.  As the cannibals prepared for their feast – they noticed the king was missing a thumb.  Being very superstitious, they released the king because it was bad luck to eat someone who was missing a body part.
The king returned home and immediately summoned his friend from prison.  When his friend entered the room – he told him the story, fell to his knees, and asked him for forgiveness.  His friend looked at the king and yelled, “THIS IS GOOD”.  The king recanted – “I put you in prison, kept you away from your family – how can you say this is good?”
His friend said, “This is good because if I was there with you – they would have eaten me!”
So many times in life things don’t go the way we wished they would.  Life happens and your attitude about what is happening in life can determine whether you stay in a valley or begin climbing to the next peak.  I find that when you face a tough time, when you begin feeling that something or someone has wronged you – do what the King’s friend does.  Instead of getting down, yell as loud as you can, “THIS IS GOOD” – believe that it is and look for the good in all adversity.
Colin Powell’s quote above sums it up perfectly.  Excellence is not an exception – it is a prevailing attitude.   Start to peak again by simply yelling – THIS IS GOOD!   Move forward accepting all that is good.  By shifting your attention away from what is bad – to what is good – you begin a form of best thinking and start developing a prevailing positive attitude.
THIS IS GOOD!

Saving a Life!!

What can we do for other people?

How often do we think about other people's life that isn't in our family? Strangers?
Do we think about ways we can help them?

Have you ever thought about donating blood, platelets or bone marrow? Just doing one of these you could save someones life.

Before Jamie was born I used to give platelets as often as I could. I think I was up to around 25 donations.  I would LOVE to start doing that again but it takes around 2-3 hours depending.  I just need to make the time and DO IT!  I have never thought about donating Bone Marrow until mom starting going through all of this.

So I would encourage EVERYONE to think and try to at least donate blood twice a year or more. Mom has received blood and platelets so I am thankful for whomever donated those.

Mom is doing GREAT!!! In great spirits and always a GREAT attitude about her recovery. I am so proud of her. I got some items off choose hope website for Leukemia.  I got this button (My Mom is my Hero), 2 orange bracelets and a pin. 

If you read this blog think about if one of your family members got sick and needed blood, platelets or even bone marrow would you do it? Why not help someone that needs to right now!!!

Ok, I am OFF my soap box!!

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/types-donations/platelet-donation

http://marrow.org/Home.aspx

Wish We Could Start 2013 Over!

Not to excited about 2013 right about now.  But I know God has his plans for this year and its in His hands.
So here is why I would like to start 2013 over again! The first week in the year my mom had blood work taken and they found some abnormal stuff in her blood so they asked her to come back for a second set of blood work to make sure it wasn't a mistake. So after the second set of blood work they told her that she needed to go to the hospital right away.  They told her that she was anemic. At Kennestone hospital they started running a bunch of test. On Tuesday Jan 8th my dad called me and told me I needed to come up to the hospital.  When Brian and I got there my mom told me she had Leukemia.  She explained everything to us saying that they were going to be transporting her to Northside tomorrow the 9th.  At Northside hospital one of the best in the country for Leukemia patients they started running more test and said she had ALL Leukemia.  They started Chemo on Saturday the 12th and they finished with the first round 2 days ago.  Her immune system is now breaking down and they will start the second round on the 21st.
Yesterday, the doctors says she is on the right track for a good recovery.

Mom in the hospital this picture was taken on  the Jan 16th. 

Also, at the beginning of 2013 Jamie was sick and had to get an inhaler and so antibiotics. Now this morning I take her temp and its 104.0 and I take her straight to the doctor and wait for somebody to see her.  Well they tell me she has the flu.. :( Poor baby. Can't stay healthy.  SO now that she has the flu I can't see mom for a while because she can't have any GERMS it would not be good if she got sick because her body couldn't fight it off.  

If you read this please say a quick prayer for my family. I don't know how much more I can take.  I feel like the earth is closing in on me FAST.

Again, leave a comment if you read this.

Christmas/New Years

Christmas started really early for us this year.  We got our Christmas Tree the day after Thanksgiving and Brian and I were done with the kids shopping early in December.  We went and saw Santa early and everything wrapped early!! We were ready!



Jamie Turning On the Tree after getting home



Jamie loves to turn on the Christmas tree and the blow up Eeyore we have at the front door.  She knows we are supposed to plug in the wreath at the front door and then go inside and turn the tree and Eeyore on.  She is so proud of herself when she does that. 

Christmas Eve Brian and I open our present with each other and we also let Jamie open a Christmas Book before she went to bed she got " The Night Before Christmas"

For Christmas I got a stand up mixer and Brian got a Keurig machine

SURVERY:  IN YOUR HOUSE DOES SANTA WRAP OR NOT WRAP...PLEASE RESPOND

On New Years Eve we went to Renaissance Hotel at the Atlanta Airport and watched planes land and take off like we did last year.  I was fun and loved watching the planes.  Happy New Year....Bring it on 2013