Health: The Take-Charge Guide to Allergies

Spring has arrived! and so have the allergy triggers!



The Take-Charge Guide to Allergies

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The Little Princess' New Bed........

My little princess has pestered(I say this with love of course) me for weeks to get her new bed. On Wednesday, her new bed was delivered. When she arrived home from school, her bed was perfectly made and adorned with her new pillows. She said "mommy thanks for making my bed, I love it". I felt so warm & toasty inside as well as appreciated. Well, as bedtime approached I was excited for her to finally sleep in her new bed.

To my surprise she went to bed finally after midnight( I laid down with her)and she was up 3 hours and 45 minutes later. You guessed it, she was co-sleeping with me....This is going to be a work in progress!

Wordless Wednesday: The Kids Want a Dog?

Am I thinking clearly? Who can say no to that face?

Parenting.com Recent Recall List & GM Recall

Recent Product Recall List

Parenting Recent Recall List

GM recall of 1.3 M cars for power steering failures

GM Recall

Health: Bedtime Is So Much Better Now........

Today is Night #5 since I started my "tough love" bedtime routine and it is working like a charm. I found these tips on Parents.com and tips 2,3,4, and especially 6 are definitely worth using at bedtime. Routine, Routine is so critical. Both kids are sound asleep at 10:00 each night, woo hoo!

For my little one, allowing her to cry and soothe herself back to sleep was definitely key in our new routine.

Tips to Make Bedtime Easier

Co-Sleeping -A Good Night's Sleep Please!

This weekend it dawned on me that my little one has become my middle of the night bedmate for the past 5 months. Shortly after the binky fairy took her binky away she insisted on sleeping together in the middle of the night.

Initially I thought it was just the transition of losing the binky. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks the transition was lasting a bit too long for mommy. I still did not insist she try to soothe herself back to sleep. When I counted the number of nights she slept through the night in her room, I realized in 5 months it was less than 5 nights.

I think this weekend was my breaking point and I needed to institute some real tough love. On Saturday, we did a bath, a book and bedtime. She went to bed with no problems however when she realized there was no more "mommy rock me to sleep" or "can I go into your room for 5 minutes" she proceeded to cry for almost 2 hours. It was tough for me to listen to her crying but I thought it was absolutely necessary. I found myself not getting a full night's sleep because every night as I relaxed she was up calling for me and wanting to come into my room. Night #2 was a little easier and she spent less time crying. When she woke up in the wee hours of the morning I told her to turn over and try to go back to sleep. I worked and she slept until our morning wake up. Night #3 was definitely easier so my fingers are crossed going forward.

Now that I am planning to transition her to a big girl bed I think we both will have a better night's sleep in the end.

Health: 3 year Well Visit

On Monday, my little princess was scheduled for her 3 year checkup. After weighing and measuring, the nurse told me she is in the 50% percentile for weight and the 80% percentile for height. She is such a picky eater after moving from baby food to solid foods but I just chalked it up to her being a typical toddler. During this transition, her pediatrician told me it was not uncommon for toddlers to have smaller appetites or be very selective on food choices.

During our visit, I wanted her pediatrician to offer some suggestions on providing a more balanced and nutritional diet. One thing I discovered is the amount of juice I allowed her to drink on a daily basis. I believed as long as the juice was organic, 100% juice, 25% less sugar or diluted with water it was acceptable. Her pediatrician instructed me to only allow 4-6 oz of juice per day. She said the juice consumption was more than likely filling her tummy and causing her to refuse solid foods. I know that in addition to juice the rest of her liquids should be milk or water. One thing I did resolve to do with my kids this year is to encourage more water consumption.

If my little princess had her way she would eat cheese, yogurt, peanut butter, chicken nuggets and drink milk. Her pediatrician suggested giving her a fruit/vegetable juice blend, veggies with a dip, hummus or guacamole. I also wanted to confirm whether a multi-vitamin is necessary and of course her pediatrician said absolutely. My fingers are crossed as I attempt to get creative with her meals.

This is going to be an interesting journey and I welcome any and all suggestions from other mommies who may have meal planning ideas that work for their picky eaters.

Health: Asthma & African Americans Tips For Parents With Asthmatic Children

Both of my children were diagnosed with asthma. My little man has outgrown his asthma although I look for signs of the condition recurring especially when the seasons change.

For my little princess I was a little more persistent with her pediatrician when I concluded the prescribed regimen was not effective. I asked our pediatrician to refer an allergist because I was convinced my little princess' congestion was being triggered by something in our home or outside of the home. The allergist conducted an allergy skin test for a variety of environmental triggers. The skin test was negative for all the environmental triggers . The allergist concluded her asthma was triggered whenever she experienced cold symptoms. One of the recommendations he made was to discontinue using the nebulizer for her daily treatments and switch to an inhaler spacer. The spacer was very effective in administering her medication and within weeks I saw improvement. It has been a year and a half under the allergist's care and she is doing very well. I am happy I took the initiative to ask her pediatrician to refer us to a specialist.

In an effort to reduce the triggers in our home, I avoid using sprays such as air fresheners, carpet deodorizers, perfumes and minimize stuffed animals in bed. Also avoid any environments where there is second hand smoke. The ideal situation is to remove the carpet but for right now it is cost-prohibitive. We did invest in a vacuum cleaner with a high suction power to minimize the dirt and dust with the carpet.

The below gives great tips on controlling your child's asthma:

Asthma & African Americans - BlackDoctor.org - Tips For Parents With Asthmatic Children

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Health: First Dental Appointment

For my little diva, I usually schedule her "firsts" as I did with my little man. I remembered his first dental appointment was at the age of 3 so I scheduled her appointment 2 weeks ago.

I started to reschedule because she was not feeling so great in the beginning of the week but after her doctor's visit and 4 prescriptions later she was on the road to recovery. We spent about an 1 1/2 in the doctor's office and I insisted she take a nap in preparation for her dental appointment. The nap never happened. On the our way to the dentist's office, she fell into a deep sleep in the car, dozed off again in the waiting area and was still asleep in the dental chair. Finally, she realized it was time for her exam and woke up for the exam.

The dental hygienist worked very well with her and she finally got a burst of energy. The cleaning and examination by the dentist were uneventful much to the surprise of our dental hygienist. My little diva resisted when it was time to apply fluoride to her teeth. A little coaxing and the idea of taking home a prize made convincing her a little easier. I was really bummed because I forgot my camera and unfortunately the doctor's office did not provide a 1st time visit picture.

The dentist mentioned there is a possibility she will need orthodontic work. My little diva's teeth are very close together and in some cases this makes it difficult for the permanent teeth to come in. I had braces eons ago during middle school, yuck! All I could hear in my head was a cash register going cha-ching, cha-ching! I believe braces are somewhere around $5K. It will be worth it to keep this smile beaming!

A battery operated toothbrush is now my favorite gadget with her. It makes brushing a lot more interactive and fun.

The website for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry has very helpful information.
FAQs

If you want to find a pediatric dentist in your area:
Pediatric Dentist Directory

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Health: Ear Infections & Ear Tubes

Wow February is around the corner and I realized we are approaching 1 year with ear tubes. In 2008, my little diva's pediarician was concerned with her inability to thoroughly assess the condition of her inner ear. The little patient was not always cooperative during her checkup when it was time for her ear exam. Our pediatrician prescribed antibiotics to treat an ear infection as a preventive measure. In order to get a more in depth study of her ears, she suggested we see an ENT doctor at one of CHOP's specialty centers.

During our visit at the specialty center, the first step was to meet with the audiologist to complete a hearing test. The hearing test indicated hearing difficulty at specific decibels. Next, the ENT doctor performed an ear exam with a high powered scope that allowed him to get an in depth look at her inner ear. I was a little concerned with her fussiness during the exam but the little patients are placed on an exam bed and gently swaddled to prevent interruption of the exam. The ENT doctor recommended that she get tubes due to the build-up of fluid in both ears as well as indictions of slight hearing loss. I was a little apprehensive after learning she was going to have outpatient surgery but relieved to know we were at one of the best children's hospitals in the country.

In February of 2009, we were put on the schedule for her surgery. CHOP does an excellent job in providing all the necessary information related to prepping for the outpatient surgery the day before and what to expect the morning of your surgery. The nursing staff was really great in making her feel comfortable before the surgery as well as after the surgery. The surgery was about 15-20 minutes. She was a little irritable during the recovery period as the anesthesia begins to wear off. We received a thumbs up during our 3 month and 6 month follow-up appointments. No surgery is required to remove the tubes as they eventually come out of the ears. The tubes can remain in the ears from 6-12 months.

I am grateful our pediatrician suggested we visit a specialist and she is doing extremely well. After meeting other parents on the morning of her surgery I realized that in addition to hearing loss, some children experience delays with language development. It is very important to address this medical condition with your healthcare professional and take the necessary steps for treatment.

The article below from Parents.com contains some valuable information related to ear ://www.parents.cinfections.

Health 101: Ear Infections: Does my child need ear tubes?

Dorel Asia Cribs Recall - Product Recalls - Parents.com

These cribs are sold at K-Mart, Sears and Wal-mart stores. Please forward!


Dorel Asia Cribs Recall - Product Recalls - Parents.com

Graco Product Recall- 2010 Alana and Spree Stroller

I wanted to pass this on because as a mom I tried to buy everything Graco. While watching GMA I heard this recall notice. There were 5 amputations reported as a result of the problem with the stroller. Please forward!

Graco Stroller Safety and Recall

Isn't She Lovely?

When discovered I was having a girl, it was a huge surprise. The first thing I thought about was doing her hair, buying frilly dresses and who will she look like. For 6 years I had functioned in a boy only world with Tonka trucks, hot wheels cars, khakis & polo shirts and full throttle energy!

Now that she has arrived and quickly transforming into her personality, how can you refrain from admiring the cuteness? Is it ok to crown her with names of adoration? such as princess and diva. Harmless or so I thought! It dawned on me a few weeks ago, when I told my little lady that she was going to time out and she replied "I can't go to time out because I am a diva and a princess". My reply, "yes even a princess and a diva can do time out".

This hit me like a ton of bricks, maybe the princess and diva comments are a little too much. However I want her to know without a doubt, she was created to do marvelous things in our dynamic world. I feel now more than ever our girls need this reinforced. Pride in self = High Self Confidence.

My hope is.......

My hope is that she grows up believing she is special in every way imaginable

My hope is that when she looks in the mirror; she truly loves her reflection

My hope is that she believes in her heart; she is capable of soaring to great heights

My hope is that she never settles for less if it compromises who she is

My hope is that she feels beautiful and exudes that beautify positively in the universe

Is this too much to ask for?

The Prissy Mommy Chronicles Elmo Loves You DVD Giveaway

Both of my kids have literally grown up with Sesame Street(little do they know mommy and Sesame Street are the same age this year)and their favorite character is Elmo of course. We have been through everything Elmo- stuffed toys, Tickle Me Elmo, books and movies. I am really excited about this giveaway and my little diva is still giddy when she sees Elmo on Sesame Street. What amazes me the most about Sesame Street is the number of characters added over the past 30+ years.

Another one of my favorite mommy blogs, The Prissy Mommy Chronicles is hosting a giveaway for the Elmo Loves You DVD. The DVD is a sing-along adventure about love, emotions and friendship. For your chance to win this DVD, here's the link below:

The Prissy Mommy Chronicles Elmo Loves You DVD

The Princess and the Frog

On Friday, December 11 The Princess and the Frog will hit theaters nationwide.

My little diva screams to the top of her lungs each time the commercial airs. Thank goodness for her and my ears, we plan to see the movie on Sunday afternoon. I want to plan a special afternoon because I get to share a snippet of history with my little one. We will experience the Disney's first African -American princess together. My little princess is soooo excited beyond words. I love the fact she gets to see an onscreen princess with brown skin.

Here's to hoping we have a blast as we celebrate such a special day! Thanks, Denene for the Fandango tip. If you order tickets from Fandango you can register for a Princess Tiana Echanted Call , click the link below for details(limited offer ends on 12/16):

PRINCESS TIANA ENCHANTED CALL

Sesame Street Celebrates 40th Anniversary

I can't believe Sesame Street is 40 years old. Heck, I cannot believe I just celebrated this milestone birthday. It feels like yesterday when I was watching Maria, Big Bird, Grover, Oscar the Grouch, Bert, Ernie, Mr. Hooper's store, The Count, and my favorite Cookie Monster(this could be why I am a cookie fanatic). My kids would never believe me if I told them Elmo is the new kid on the block.....Their Sesame Street was and still is everything red and Elmo.

Tomorrow is the premiere of the new season, check your local listings for the channel and ti mes in your area. Local Listings

Here's a sneak peek at tomorrow's episode:

http://www.sesamestreet.org/video_player?p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_id=videoPlayer_WAR_sesameportlets4369&p_p_uid=e592adb4-2848-48a8-b4cc-ab7b156169f2&t=1257496496183&

Wow, is that Maria?

Sunny Days to you!

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Children's and Infant's Tylenol Product Recall

This was posted at my little diva's daycare on Friday. My apologies for not posting sooner. McNeil Healthcare Consumer Products has issued a voluntary recall of Children's and Infant's Tylenol liquid products manufactured between April 2008 and June 2008. The following link contains the lot#s of the recalled products as well as a toll free number for the consumer call center if you have any questions or concerns.

Children's and Infant's Tylenol Recall