September 13, 2011 The day we found out Maddie was going to be a big sister. It was a day like I will never forget.
It was hard going through all her stuff in there but were are so glad my mom and brother were there for support! It took my mom and I half a day to go through everything. If I didn’t need it I put it in a Good Will pile or gave it to my nieces. Also a lot of stuff got thrown away. Some of Maddie's stuff that we can't reuse went into the attic.
Here is our before picture:
(Don’t freak..My OCD went crazy everytime I had to go in there).
Here is after all all our hard work:
We still have a LONG way to go. We are going to get the carpets steam cleaned and I am going to sanitize his room top to bottom. James and I are still trying to decide what color to paint the walls. I don't know if I have mentioned this before but I don't like themes in babies rooms so you will not see any here.
Jackson will be sleeping in his crib in our room for many months to come so we have a while to put the finishing touches on his room. But, it's 1 step in the right direction.
We are now keeping Jackson’s door open and it feels good. I can look down the hallway and see sunlight beaming in the hall way. I call that my “hope” light. It’s refreshing. It’s nice. It’s comforting.
Whats up with the baby this week:
I don't know which one I like better! They both leave my car smelling good for a VERY long time. I guess the tin is a little stronger. But I would DEFINITELY recommend these!
(Yes, I know she is sleeping with a blanket and there are lots of stuff that are wrong, but I didn't know! If I only knew back then. That's why I feel like I HAVE to educate my readers!)
YUMMY!!!!!!!!
Yuk!....Clutter. It just really bothered me! (Yes, that is a lingerie shower invitation. I should of taken that off before I took the picture huh?..Ha..Oh well!)
The metal sheet board is magnetic! So, I took all the stuff off the fridge. I stored some of the old stuff and re-organized. It's nice because you can hide all your take out menus, cleaning lists you never use lol ect.
Now I am thinking about doing it on another one of my cabinets, but for spices!
I love you and miss you so much Maddiebug girl. There is not a day that goes by that I dont think about you.
1. Don’t go crazy buying the most expensive equipment right away.It’s possible to get very nice photos with an inexpensive point and shoot. The more photos you take, the more you’ll know about what kind of camera to get when it’s time to upgrade. Plus, you can erase them if you are bad!
On the other hand, an inexpensive tripod is worth getting, especially if you have shaky hands like mine. When I got a tripod, my satisfaction with my shots skyrocketed. For even more stability, use your camera’s timer function with a tripod.
Photo ops often come when you least expect it. If you can keep your equipment relatively simple – just a small camera bag and a tripod – you might be able to take advantage of some of those unexpected opportunities. Or, if your phone has a camera, use it to take “notes” on scenes you’d like to return to with your regular camera.
For those times you can’t carry your camera around, keep a small notebook to jot down places you’d like to come back and photograph. Make sure to note any important details, like the lighting, so you can come back at the same time of day or when the weather’s right.
You might not see anything interesting to photograph in your living room or your backyard, but try looking at familiar surroundings with fresh eyes. You might catch an interesting trick of the light or find some unexpected wildflowers in your yard. Often a simple subject makes the best shot.
6. Enjoy the learning process.
The best part of having a hobby like photography is never running out of things to learn. Inspiration is all around you. Look at everything with the eyes of a photographer and you’ll see opportunities you never noticed before.
Browse through Flickr or websites like the Digital Photography School Forum for inspiration and tips. Also, your local library probably has a wealth of books on all types of photography. If you’re interested in learning about post-processing, give free software like the GIMP a try.
Your point and shoot may be more flexible and powerful than you know. Read the manual for help deciphering all those little symbols. As you explore, try shooting your subjects with multiple settings to learn what effects you like. When you’re looking at your photos on a computer, you can check the EXIF data (usually in the file’s properties) to recall the settings you used.
The amount of information about photography online can be overwhelming. Start with a few articles on composition. Be open to what more experienced photographers have to say about technique. You have to know the rules before you can break them.
Try to photograph something every day. If you can’t do that, make sure you take time to practice regularly, so you don’t forget what you’ve learned. An excellent way to motivate yourself is by doing the weekly assignments in the DPS Forum.
If you’re using a digital camera, the cost of errors is free. Go crazy – you might end up with something you like. You’ll certainly learn a lot in the process.
Your Baby
It comes with a little tube of gel and batteries.
October 21, 2011 (Boston, Massachusetts) — The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has expanded its recommendations to ensure a safe sleeping environment for infants and to further reduce the risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in a new policy statement.
The recommendations were announced here at the AAP 2011 National Conference and Exhibition by pediatrician and SIDS researcher Rachel Moon, MD, from the Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, who led the task force that updated the policy statement.
Since 1992, when the AAP recommended that all babies be placed on their backs to sleep, deaths from SIDS have declined dramatically; however, sleep-related deaths from other causes, including suffocation, entrapment, and asphyxia, have increased, Dr. Moon said.
She told Medscape Medical News that the new policy statement has 3 important changes.
First and foremost is the recognition that breastfeeding protects against SIDS.
"In 2005, there was a lot of evidence that breastfeeding was great for preventing infant mortality in general, but not SIDS specifically. But since 2005, there has been a lot of research that has shown that breastfeeding is protective against SIDS, and we wanted to emphasize that and make that change," Dr. Moon said.
The second change is an emphasis on immunization.
"There's been a lot of press out there about how immunizations may cause SIDS. Again, there's been research to show that this is absolutely not the case. In fact, if you are immunized, your risk of SIDS drops by 50%. We wanted to make that clear; we wanted to put that out there," she said.
The third big change, Dr. Moon said, is the recommendation against using bumper pads in cribs to reduce accidental smothering.
"We have expanded the recommendations in the policy statement to focus not only on SIDS, but on other deaths that can occur. That is why we are recommending against the cushions that go along the sides of the crib," she said. "Children can be suffocated by them."
Other key recommendations are:
Eve R. Colson, MD, from the Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, told Medscape Medical News that she is very happy to see this focus on preventing accidental deaths.
"As a director of our nursery and somebody who is really into medical education of families and of staff, I am glad to see this because we have seen lots of accidental deaths," Dr. Colson, who was not a member of the policy statement task force, said.
"We, at Yale, have been so upset by the increased number of deaths in beds happening in New Haven and surrounding areas. In my opinion, the adult bed is not a safe place and I'm glad they've come out with this recommendation."
Dr. Colson said she understands "totally" that parents like to be close to their babies, and she encourages this. She said she takes a very sensitive approach when explaining to parents why the adult bed is not safe for babies.
"We get SIDS deaths in our emergency room, but we also get babies who have suffocated because somebody rolled on them or they have ended up underneath a pillow or got trapped between the mattress and the wall. This is what we have seen and we want to prevent that."
Dr. Moon and Dr. Colson have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2011 National Conference and Exhibition. Presented October 17, 2011.
