Pampers in the clear?
We haven’t had any problems with Pampers new DryMax diapers, but I admit I was concerned when I heard about parents complaining of possible chemical burns on their children.
I guess this kind of clears up the issue. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said they can’t verify any of the complaints. I guess no news is good news?
Wordless Wednesday
Sorry for my silence these past few days. We’ve had a stomach bug at our house. Alaina brought it home and her dad and I fell victim to it. I’m still recovering and trying to catch up after missing two days of work, so enjoy Wordless Wednesday. I’ll be back in a day or two.
Look at that sly smile
Tags: Wordless Wednesday
The great car seat debate
It is almost time for Alaina to move from her infant carrier to a big car seat. One has been ordered and when it arrives, Matt will get the fun job of installing her new Britax Marathon seat.
So the latest recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics want you to keep a child rear-facing until they’re 2 years of age (or reach the maximum rear-facing limits for their convertible seat) instead of the legal limit of 1 year and 20 lbs. As is, Alaina hasn’t quite reached the 20 lbs. mark, so we’ll be installing the new seat rear-facing until she at least reaches that weight.
But what about after?
I’m really worried about baking or freezing my child in the bigger seat, which likely will block all airflow from the front of the vehicle. I want to keep her safe, but I also don’t want the poor kid to be miserable.
So what have the rest of you moms done? And do you have any tips for making rear-facing a little less sweaty or cold for your kiddos?
Tags: car seats
Wordless Wednesday: Showers edition
As promised, here are some pictures from the showers for Heidi (Family Way) and Weeji.
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- The lovely Heidi
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- Candy — she is going to kill me over this picture :)
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- Jeremy and Alaina
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- Ava, Heidi and Alaina
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- Weeji, Craig and Katie
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- Katie helps Weeji open gifts
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- Felicia and Alaina
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- Jenny, Sheriann, Abby and Hayden; Della in back
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- Kelly, Willie and Charles
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- Alaina and Katie — they had so much fun together
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- Katie, Alaina and me
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- Sheriann and Alaina
Tags: Heidi, showers, Weeji, Wordless Wednesday
Cats of Istanbul
Nearly three years ago, I went on a trip to Turkey with a group of fellow journalists. We were all part of the International Reporting Project’s Gatekeeper Editors program, which selected us because of our role in choosing the international stories that are covered by our respective publications or radio/television broadcasts.
I really loved Turkey — the food, the sights, the ancient buildings, the shopping and the cats. Yup, the cats. They were everywhere, which was great for an animal lover like me who was missing my beasties.
So when I read this article, memories of my trip to Turkey came rushing back. I had to go look at my pictures, which featured so many cats that Jill, Kristin and I joked we were going to make a coffee table book entitled Cats of Istanbul. I thought I’d share a few of my favorites with you.
Cat on a wall
Orange tabbie at the Haggia Sophia -- could be the same one the president petted
Cat checks out a restaurant's pet turtle
Shop cat at the Grand Bazaar
Grand Bazaar shopkeeper and all of his cats
Showers, showers everywhere
For the Chase family, this was the weekend of baby showers. Two of our closest friends, In the Family Way’s Heidi and Weeji are due within a couple of weeks of each other.
First up on Saturday was a shower for Heidi. This bash was primarily thrown by our dear friend Candy, although a few of us helped out with the food.
It was a blast! I had so much fun seeing old friends and former co-workers. Several of these friends had never met Alaina, so she got tons of attention — just the way she likes it. And Heidi made out like a bandit — what more can you ask for from a shower?
After a couple of hours we dashed from Heidi’s shower in Benton to Weeji’s shower in Conway. (Tip — I-430 really does save a lot of time on that trip!)
Weeji’s shower — also waaaay too much fun. We hadn’t seen a number of our Conway buddies since Alaina was born, so we had a lot of catching up to do. Also, Alaina had a lot of new people to hold her — she just really doesn’t tire of that. 
Weeji and Craig were showered with lots of gifts to help them welcome their little boy in the world.
Weeji and Craig’s daughter Katie and Alaina had too much fun. Katie is going to be such a good big sister. She never tired of playing with Alaina, even though Alaina is 3 years younger and not nearly as mobile.
So it was an action-packed Saturday for the Chase family. Alaina did better than we expected — very little fussing even though we ran the child ragged. Thankfully, she got a little nap in the drive from Benton to Conway. Naps make for a much happier baby.
I’ll try to get some pictures of the events posted later this week!
A mother’s generosity
I stumbled across a story from the Kansas City Star that really touched me. Let me share it with you.
(A brief synopsis)
Nicole Hendrix pumped breast milk for weeks for her premature daughter, Lili. Sadly, Lili was never healthy enough to be able to eat much of the milk and she died in the hospital.
After her daughter’s death, Hendrix asked a nurse if she could donate the milk.
“It would have made me sick to throw it out,” she told the Star.
So she donated her gallons of breast milk to Jennifer Robinson and her son, Max. Robinson had tried to provide milk for Max, but her milk had dried up.
Like Lili, Max was a preemie who also suffered with necrotizing enterocolitis, where parts of the bowel die off because of poor blood circulation. Breast milk gives babies with the problem the best chance for survival and recovery.
With Hendrix’s milk, Max thrived. And this week, he got to go home.
Isn’t that some story? Hendrix is my hero because of her generous spirit. I can’t imagine the pain she was going through after losing her Lili, but she still thought of others. And because she was able to do that, she saved another little boy’s life.
The world needs more people like Nicole Hendrix.
Tags: breast milk, hero, In the news
Wordless Wednesday
As promised, I’ve got more pictures from Ollie’s birthday party. I think I saved the best for last.
Alaina loved the cookie cake
Behind the wheel of the tractormobile
Ollie and Alaina
Taking a joyride
Tags: Alaina, Ollie, Wordless Wednesday
Oh happy weight gain
Alaina has always been on the small side. As her growth checks progressed, she started slipping further down the weight percentile chart until she was barely hanging on.
When she hadn’t managed to pass 17 lbs. at a year old, we all started getting concerned. So when most kids are moving to whole milk, Alaina stayed on formula because it has more calories. We started loading up her meals with protein and basically feeding her as much as she was willing to eat. Alaina has even learned to shake her head ‘no’ when she doesn’t want any more.
Matt took Alaina to the doctor today to make sure that her ears had healed up from her last ear infection. While she was there, they weighed her. And oh happy day, she weighed in at 17 lbs., 11 ounces — a 19 ounce weight gain in three weeks! YAY!!
Party for Ollie
On Saturday, we celebrated my nephew Ollie’s second birthday! It was so much fun. There was tons of family there, including Robin’s (Ollie’s mom) family who I hadn’t seen since Alaina was born. Of course that meant they hadn’t seen Alaina either — so she had lots of fun meeting new people.
Ollie seemed to have the most fun. He had this beaming smile on his face most of the night — it was absolutely precious.
Enjoy the first batch of photos — I’ll have more on Wordless Wednesday.
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- Ollie, or should I say Batman
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- Marlee loves on Alaina
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- Ollie blows out the candle
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- Another fabulous cookie cake by Robin’s mom — these things are AWESOME
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- Robin and Ollie admire his new boots
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- Grandpa Glen and Alaina
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- More presents
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- Ollie on his new tractormobile
Yavonda Chase is the international editor for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. She and her husband, an English instructor at Pulaski Technical College, have just welcomed their first child, an adorable little girl, into the world. Two cats, Shadow and Chloe, and a puggle named Ginger round out their North Little Rock household.