I'll have some grape juice with a splash of lead please!

It seems that as hard as you try you just can't ever get away from chemicals or impurities or even heavy metals!!

Some of you have probably read the recent reports released by The Environmental Law Foundation.  The articles have been passed all around Facebook but as usual, I am behind on blogging about it.  Apparently, the ELF tested some juices, fruits, baby food etc. and after testing some 148 products (mostly juices) they found that 85% contained LEAD!!  They contained enough lead actually, in one serving,  to warrant a warning label under the CA's Prop 65 (the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act).  And the shocker to me wasn't that it was juice in general (juice which is fairly natural with few additives) but that the ORGANIC juices had lead in them just like the regular stuff!!

For more information here is the ELF site where they have links to the products tested and which tested high for lead. 

My first thought was, oh crap!  Then I thought . . . OK, we get all freaked out over these little things, lead is naturally occurring, I'm sure it gets into things.  People get all worked up over minuscule amounts of lead or toxins when some of those things are almost unavoidable in nature.  Not to mention that government wants to over regulate us (product manufacturers) to death.  Which I found particularly ironic because here we are drinking lead with our juice, and yet the CPSIA seems more concerned that the fabric of our baby carriers may contain lead! (though thankfully they have backed off of many of their insane testing requirements)  Crazy!!  But I digress . . . 

Doesn't the FDA regulate juices (they regulate everything else) and aren't they tested for stuff like this?  Apparently they are, and the FDA's required min levels are supposedly higher than CA's Prop 65 which is .5 micrograms of lead per serving.  Of course I don't really trust the government to tell me what is safe to use or not.  I mean there is aluminum in antiperspirant (which many poeple are rubbing on their sensitive skin daily) and baking powder and cooking utensils etc.  along with a host of other 'toxic' items, and don't even get me started on the crap in vaccines that we inject into our (and our children's) bodies . . . these are apparently OK too.  I guess you just can't win no matter how you look at it (personal responsibility folks). 

Anyway, this is just my cynical side coming out here. 

But then I remembered . . . for children, any lead exposure is bad, and any lead ingestion is worse, no matter how much it is . . . it shouldn't be in there to begin with!!  And even in nature (untainted by man) we wouldn't be getting lead in our fruits and juices.  And any exposure to lead in nature under normal circumstances would be minuscule, we wouldn't be drinking it with our lunch (or shouldn't be). 

So my conclusion is that it doesn't matter what the recommended max levels are from any 'governing' body (CA prop 65, or the FDA) and how they may differ.  We, and especially our children, shouldn't be consuming lead in any amounts.  Because "No safe threshold for lead exposure has been discovered—that is, there is no known amount of lead that is too small to cause the body harm."  Wikipedia

So how would lead get into our fruits (and juices)?

Here is what I got from the FDA website, and I am sure there are other explanations as well (all man made)

Juice can become contaminated with lead if lead-contaminated produce is used to make the juice. Lead contamination of produce can occur as a result of past use of lead in agricultural settings. For example, past use of lead arsenate as a pesticide in what were apple orchards is believed to have caused persistent lead contamination of the soil causing carrots presently grown on these sites to contain elevated lead levels. Produce could also become contaminated with airborne lead if it is handled at sites where vehicles or equipment are operated that use leaded fuel, if the equipment is operated in a manner that exposes the produce to excessive emissions from the equipment.

So if lead comes from the fruit then what about fresh fruits?  If the lead is coming from the fruit then yes, fresh fruit would contain it as well.  But with fresh fruit you are getting fiber and other nutrients that actually help prevent the absorption of lead in your body.  That means that eating fresh fruit with traces of lead wouldn't impact your body in the same way as drinking juices from concentrates of the same fruits.  So basically I would say don't stop eating fruit!!

How does lead damage the body?

Children consume juice in huge amounts and they are the ones most vulnerable.  There is really no safe level of lead for kids, and it is also especially bad for pregnant women (and babies in utero too).  Lead toxicity can cause problems ranging from irritability and aggressive behavior, developmental issues, headaches, tremors, insomnia, seizures, coma and even death.  Children with lead poisoning are often diagnosed with autism.  HERE is one such story (and you can google to find more info about it).  Heavy metals in general (which include mercury and aluminum) can overcome children's bodies, especially considering they are more susceptible to them.  I know several kids personally who have tested high for heavy metals, for no apparent reason (not obvious exposure).  I have never tested my kids as I have never had a reason or felt that they exhibited symptoms that may be attributed to heavy metals in their body.  But I know that heavy metal testing testing has proven to be a life saver and eye opener for many, so it is definitely something to be considered as part of troubleshooting potential health issues.

What what do we do now?

For some of us, there is really very little to do.  Check the lists of products that tested high for lead and those that didn't, and buy accordingly while we wait for more info.  For others . . . DRINK MORE WATER!!  If you ever had an excuse to stop giving your kids juice in favor of water this is probably the best one.  I have never understood those kids walking around with sippy cups full of juice that they chug like it is going out of style.  First of all I don't get why they have to have a drink in their hands at all times (though granted, my 12mo old does nurse whenever he wants, LOL), maybe it is a security thing like some kids have with their paci?  Who knows.  But avoiding juice is good and it isn't just because of the lead issue.  Unlike fresh squeezed juice that you drink immediately, store bought juice has very little nutritional value . . . it is mostly just sugar. It has loads of calories.  It is horrible for the teeth and if kids drink too much it can even interfere with development (they are filling up on juice and not getting the other stuff they need in their diet).

Don't get me wrong, I am not all anti juice.  I'll give my kids juice occasionally, but literally, it is a special occasion thing (just like the occasional Gatorade or sprite when we are out).  I like them to be able to have fun stuff occasionally but they know as a rule, we drink water (or raw milk or kefir).  They get juice to drink maybe 1-2x a month and then I dilute it with water.  We use juice far more often to flavor our kefir (which we drink more often) but again, we use so little that they are getting only 1-2oz per cup of kefir.  I'll also let them have a few sips of juice to chase down any herbs or CLO I give them that taste icky (though most taste pretty good).

I definitely drink the most juice in the family.  Ever since having kids I have craved juice, particularly grape juice.  I think it is a nursing thing (since I am always nursing 2) and I think it is not just the liquid but the sugar that my body needs.  I love my grape juice!! But I ALWAYS mix it 50/50 with water (and lots of ice so it is really cold . . . mmmmm).  So if I chug a glass a day (usually the most I drink, many days I don't drink any) it is still only maybe 1/2 cup of juice.   Basically between me and the kids the most juice we will go through is a bottle every other week (sometimes a bottle of juice lasts us a month!!).  

Because we already consume very little juice I am not too worried, but you can bet I am going to be a bit more picky about the juice (and canned fruits) that we do buy.  The foods we put into our body are vital to our overall health, and being a responsible parent means that I will never cease to research and learn and be informed to try to make the best choices possible for my family (while still letting them have some fun . . . I did make regular old chocolate chip cookies last night . . . does it make it any better that we dipped them in raw milk?  LOL!!)

For more information check out these articles on lead in juices (along with the links included above)
NY Daily News
Inhabitots (has a list of the lead tainted products)

RED straps and New Limited Edition Patriotic Prints!!

So we just flew back home yesterday.  I have been gone all week at the Babywearing Conference in Rigby Idaho.  We had a blast!!!  Such a beautiful area of the country out there!! (and much nicer weather than muggy VA, ugh).  I'll post info and pictures from the conference soon. 

But for now let me introduce to you . . . .

Star

 Liberty

Just in time for the 4th!!  Both can be put on natural or new RED canvas. 

(for a limited time, red is in short supply around here)

 Here is our sister Kim and her daughter Shiloh (who is 6 wks younger than Thrace), with Kristi and Jackson (yes he is getting big!)

Order by June 25 to ensure delivery by July 4th.

Click HERE for more information


 WooHoo!!




We also have a new fabric that I love . . . . .

Owl Trap

Here is Jackson cruisn in an Owl Trap on black canvas

I have it on brown and I wore it at the conference more than any other print!  Love it!

You can see more of it HERE

So anyway, I woke up sick this morning and though I feel a little better now I am still a bit out of it (headache, tired, achy etc.).  But I will get some pictures and stuff from our trip when I can.  I am just SO glad I wasn't sick like this yesterday flying home . . . that would have been horrible (I try to avoid airplane bathrooms if at all possible, LOL)

Tribute to my Uncle Stacey, May 26, 2010

My Uncle Stacey

He was always our favorite uncle growing up (and still today).  My dads brother, one of 4 boys in their family, he was the baby and I always thought he looked a bit different from his brothers.

1953 My dad is on the right with his brothers and my late grandpa
. . . uncle Stacey is of course the little one

He was the cool one, with his long hair, smooth voice, and that look in his eye . . . a real charmer (and boy did the ladies love him!)  

He had this 'glow' about him (family knows what I am talking about).  We called it the "Davis Glow"

He always made you feel welcome, like you were special, and he gave the best hugs!  I regret that he lived in GA and we in VA . . . didn't get to see him often and wish I knew him better.

Oct 09 at my sister Karla's wedding in GA.  My uncles Duron and Jerry
. . . my dad and Uncle Stacey on the right.

He had a beautiful singing voice.  Coming from a musical family, to their dismay, he was too shy to sing when he was younger.  He made up for that in the last several years.  He loved going out to sing and proved that he was the most talented of all the brothers!

He was a brother, a father of 3, a grandfather and a friend to many.

He loved life, was a hard worker and took excellent care of himself. He struggled with his health but he never complained.  Having found out he had type I Diabetes at age 21, he was told he would not make it past 40

. . . . he was 57

 We love you and will miss you Uncle Stacey and we look forward to seeing you again!!



Here he is singing.  See what good shape he was in!  The cigarette was fake (part of the act)

  

Here is a video of him singing with my cousin Ryan.  His "performance" name was Spencer Lang.

Our prayers go out to Casey, Courtney and April and their families.  As well as with my Dad and his 2 brothers.

Penile Adhesions

Ha!!  Did that title get your attention??  But seriously, this is good info for those who may have a baby boy who is circed or who may be considering circumcising future children . . . 

First Do No Harm

Whenever I think of that creed that Dr's strive to abide by I can't help but think circumcision, and how ironic it is that the goal is to FIRST do NO harm . . . yet they are performing elective cosmetic surgery on a baby.  Without the procedure there is no harm, things are left perfect as they are, as God created them when He declared "it is good" (they have disproved supposed health benefits from circumcising).  The procedure has the potential to cause harm (or I would argue doesn't have the potential to not cause harm) . . . so it seems like there is a conflict here.

We all know there are complications with any surgery or any medical procedure period.  I am not talking about trauma or lingering pain or mental issues (much of which is also experienced)  . . . but actual physical issues as a result of the procedure.  Among the many potential complications you have things like infection, hemorrhage, buried penis, phimosis, deformity (can be caused by removing too much foreskin or actually cutting into the penis) along with more serious complications like amputation and even death.  Of course the more serious complications are very rare.  But rare or not, they do occur, and wouldn't otherwise, so it is right to acknowledge their existence.  In this article on the Estimated Incidence of Circumcision Complications in the US from 1940-1990 they estimate . . . 

At the present rate of over 1.25 million infant circumcisions annually, the estimated death rate of 1 in 24,000 translates to one infant death per week (52 deaths annually). An estimated death rate of 1 in 500,000 translates to one infant death every 152 days (between 2 and 3 deaths annually).

I know babies can die from any number of things, it is so terribly tragic, heartbreaking . . . but because this is due to an elective cosmetic surgery gives me pause.  In this case I refer you back to the first bold line of this blog post above.
Like I said though, serious life threatening complications from circ are rare.  But there are complications that are much more common, and adhesions are often either overlooked or catch parents by surprise.

What are Penile Adhesions

Penile adhesions occur when the foreskin, that has been ripped away from the glans of the penis during the circumcision procedure, adheres back to the glans in the days/weeks following the procedure.  Or if you want the words of a professional, here is a description by a nurse

When a circumcision is done, tissue which would normally be intact is split. Unless proper care is taken, the epithelium of the inner prepuce at the point where the foreskin was removed can reattach to the epithelium of the glans. The result of this is a penile adhesion.

 This has always been a complication, however I really believe that it is becoming more common. A study by Dr Van Howe showed that some 25.6% of circumcised babies had problems with adhesions and 4.1% had skin bridges.

With circumcision not being recommended by any medical establishment, and with the current trends in the culture today, I understand that a lot of Dr's are becoming more conservative and cutting off less of the foreskin.  At least this is what I am hearing from others as well as seeing first hand on children I know who have been circed and have much more of their foreskin remaining (especially compared to the dozens and dozens of preschool kids I worked with 15 yrs ago).  This is a step in the right direction, the less you cut off the better, however you are going to have the same recovery and pain issues as well as many other potential complications no matter how much is cut off.  So cutting off less doesn't make it "right" or somehow ok.  Nor can it serve as a compromise . . . a circumcision is a circumcision . . . period. 

The issue is that they are ripping the foreskin away from the glans to perform the circumcision (on an intact penis the foreskin will naturally separate in time, and should never be forced).  Then, instead of doing a "high and tight" as we may call it, and removing most of the foreskin (which can cause it's own problems like painful erections, harry penis and bent penis because, for some, there isn't enough skin left to allow for full or normal erection as adults) they are leaving more of the foreskin on.  This skin then adheres back to the penis wherever it may fall, which is where you have your adhesion issues.  The ultimate result of these more conservative circumcisions is a penis which requires the special care of a circumcised penis (especially in the first days and weeks) but you also have a good bit of foreskin remaining, that eventually, once healed and separated, must be cleaned like an intact penis (ultimately retracted and cleaned under).  I don't think parents realize this.  The circumcised penis requires more care than the intact penis during the first 3 years of life. 

As mentioned, the excess foreskin, if left alone, will adhere back to the glans causing adhesions.  Basically the remaining foreskin is just trying to do what it is supposed to do and what it would have done before it was forcefully retracted from the glans.  There are also other types of adhesions that are more serious, those involving the actual scar and the forming of bridges. Some dr's recommend constantly retracting the foreskin after birth, and doing it daily to prevent adhesionsa baby's intact penis is self cleaning and completely protected and requires no special care whatsoever . . . and I have 4 boys so I know this to be true from experience).

So it is a catch 22.  If you cut off a lot of foreskin you risk deformities, issues with function etc.  If you leave some on you have a good chance of having adhesions and it requires special care.  Seems that either way you slice it there are issues (OK bad pun, LOL, but you get the picture).

So what do you do if your baby has adhesions?   Many Dr's recommend forcibly retracting the foreskin (which would be excruciating initially unless some topical numbing cream was used) and applying ointment and repeating daily till the foreskin no longer adheres.  Remember, this is raw skin that is sticking together, I can't help but think that separating it over and over would have to be painful, especially if it is starting to 'stick'.  In my research on this I have read some message boards where parents have said that they have had to retract at ever diaper change till their child was out of diapers in order to prevent the adhesions from forming.  Yikes!!  This is backed up by a statement by Dr Van Howe . . .

There is little medical advice available on this problem but Dr. Van Howe writes that "the circumcised boy needs to have any skin overlaying the glans pulled back and cleaned regularly until 15-18 months of age to prevent adhesions from reforming and debris from accumulating." He says the debris consists of "lint, dirt, talc, stool and detritus." He found strong association between coronal adhesions and the presence of subpreputial debris. Dr. Van Howe state sthat most preputial adhesions in circumcised boys resolve by 24 months "afterparents were instructed to apply gentle retraction on the adhesion.

Some say leave it be and it will separate on it's own as they get older.  I tend to think the 2nd advice is the most sound (no surprise, I tend to take the most natural route).  Eventually, hormones will naturally cause the skin to separate as it does for an intact penis.  But there is the potential for more complications since it has been altered from it's natural state and excess skin may adhere anywhere.  Infections and debris getting caught inside, (see quote above)  skin bridges and pain etc. are all potential complications  There have been times where there have been referrals to urologists and a 2nd circumcision is recommended, HERE is one such story.  I don't know if these are always necessary or just the medical profession trying to 'fix' something they think needs fixing (something they messed up to begin with).  In fact 1 of my 5 brothers in law (who shall remain nameless) was circumcised for a 2nd time as a baby, because there were problems after the first circumcision.  His mother told me the heartbreaking story of hearing him screaming from down the hall as it was being done again. . . and 20+ yrs later she is still regretful and saddened by how needless it all was.  From the Van Howe study linked to several times above . . .

According to past studies, between 1%[2,3] and 9.5%[4] of boys circumcised at birth will have the procedure revised or redone

 I think many people think that circumcision is supposed to make things easier, it is supposed to be cleaner, it is supposed to look better (all of which is untrue by the way) and I am sure plenty of people have seen no outward issues at all after their sons circumcisions . . . but what we are doing is altering the body.  We are taking a functioning organ and removing it for no medical reason.  And we are doing it on a baby when the organ is 1/10th (shoot even smaller than that) the size it will be when that child is an adult.  Plastic surgeons won't even do many surgeries on children with deformities until they are older, because they know how much children's bodies change as they grow.

We humans try to improve on Gods design, but we can't!!  It is one thing if a child is born with an anomaly, but to alter a beautiful, perfect creation . . . there are often consequences, great or small (mental or physical).  I think back to the saying First Do No Harm and I can't imagine any procedure it applies to better than performing cosmetic surgery on a baby who is not deformed.

Here are some first hand accounts online from parents who have had to go through this, as well as some of the recommendations from their Dr's (which you will see vary greatly)

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=899206
http://pediatrics.about.com/od/weeklyquestion/a/05_pnl_adhesion.htm
http://www.henryfordhealth.org/19160.cfm
http://www.mothersagainstcirc.org/adhesions.htm (bottom of the page)

If you have a son who is circumcised and has adhesions, do your research and make sure to get a 2nd (or 3rd) opinion before deciding on something drastic like a 2nd surgery.
If you are pregnant or contemplating circumcising future sons, I encourage you to also research. While I can understand and respect that certain religions feel bound to circ (and any Christians reading need to understand that we are NOT commanded to circumcise in the Bible, nor is Circumcision spoken about positively under the new covenant), the fact is that no medical society in the world recommends circumcision.  I encourage everyone to consider their child and his rights, and consider allowing him to make this very sensitive and personal decision for himself.

More information

There is more information about circumcision and adhesions at the links included throughout the post.  More info can also be found at these links below (some are duplicates from above)
Penile Adhesion: The hidden complication of circumcision
Adhesions, what are they
Post Operative Complications of Circumcision 
Penile Adhesions after Neonatal Circumcision

Doctors Opposing Circumcision
Mothers Against Circumcision
Circumcision Information and Resource Pages


p.s. . . . If anyone wonders why there are sometimes weeks between my posts . . . it is because it sometimes takes me weeks to write them, LOL!!! (can't recall the number of times I fell asleep in bed trying to finish this one, I am only 1/2 awake right now, LOL!).

Homemade Natural Playdough

OK if you are brave (like me) then you give in and let your kids play with playdough despite the huge mess it makes!  And there is no denying that it makes a mess . . . pretty much every time!  But they just love it so much!  My kids have always loved it and lately they have been loving playing with their pokemon figurines in the playdough.

 
If you are thrifty (like me) then you like to make your own playdough.  I started making playdough like 15 yrs ago when I worked at an Early Learning Center (long before having my own kids).  I have seen many, many recipes on the web and I have tried many.  I like to stay away from Alum which many recipes use.  But the ones that use Cream of Tartar call for SO much of it that it seems almost wasteful.  And the natural recipes I came across talked about using natural food colorings or making your own natural food coloring to add to the playdough after it was finished and that seemed too complicated.  

So I decided to kind of wing it and take some ideas from several recipes and come up with something easy and still natural . . . and to my surprise . . . it worked!! 

What I did was start with a good recipe I knew worked.  They all call for water, so instead of water in the recipe I replaced it with some type of natural liquid that was colored. 
Then I used less cream of tarter than what is usually called for (trying to conserve it) and it turned out great!!
Here is the final recipe I came up with.  I am giving you the full recipe but after my first batch I ended up cutting it in 1/2 because I had a lot of different colors I wanted to try.  Most of the pictures you see here are of this recipe cut in 1/2 and it still makes a nice sized ball of dough.

The Recipe

• 1 cup of flour
• 1/2 cup of salt
• 1 cup of liquid*
• 2 Tbsp Oil
• 1 Tbsp Cream of Tartar

* For liquid I used what I happened to have on hand that would make color.  I used raspberry juice concentrate, grape juice (either full strength or diluted if I thought it was needed) blueberry juice (from boiling blueberries) strong tea (coffee would have worked too).  I also used paprika and cocoa, which I just mixed in with some water.  If I would have had some liquid chlorophyll (or even spinach that I could have boiled to make green water) it would have rocked the green!!  Next time.  Not sure what I would use for blue but really, you can use anything.   Some more ideas, carrot juice, beet juice, shoot any juice you have on hand or any liquid left after boiling veggies or whatever can be used in place of water, and any powder (herb, spice etc) as well.  The raspberry, grape and blueberry turned out very similar in color, just slightly different shades. 

In a pot, mix the flour, salt, cream of tartar, and oil . . . slowly add your liquid

Put your pot over med heat and stir.  As it warms up it will start to thicken.

Continue to stir until the dough gets thick, forms a ball and separates from the sides and bottom of the pan.

Turn onto something like wax paper or floured surface.  Keep in mind that it is hot!!

As it cools you can kneed it to a nice smooth consistency (the kids are usually anxious to help with this part)

For these I added cocoa (left) and paprika (right) to the mix

I was concerned that using juices and stuff would make it go bad quicker, and you can always store it in the fridge if needed.  But I made this stuff over a month ago and it is still good.  I keep it in ziplock sandwich bags and make sure that I squeeze all the air out.  It still works great after a month (homemade playdough usually lasts several months for me).  If it starts to get a bit dry just put some oil on your hands before playing with it.

Paprika

Grape Juice

Cocoa

Blueberry Juice

Tea

Raspberry Juice

ENJOY!!

How can we save the lives of 900 babies a year?

BREASTFEED

Yep, that's it.

There was a study published a few wks ago in the journal "Pediatrics" (yes folks, I am late, don't count on me for current events, LOL) that concluded that "The lives of nearly 900 babies would be saved each year, along with billions of dollars, if 90 percent of U.S. women fed their babies breast milk only for the first six months of life"  HERE is the article from the AP.

As if we needed one more reason to prove that breastfeeding is best.

Seems that people are finally starting to see breastfeeding as more than simply a choice that moms have, but rather, as a vital aspect of health.  From the article . . . 

"The magnitude of health benefits linked to breast-feeding is vastly underappreciated, said lead author Dr. Melissa Bartick, an internist and instructor at Harvard Medical School. Breast-feeding is sometimes considered a lifestyle choice, but Bartick calls it a public health issue."

So how do we get 90% of moms nursing exclusively for 6mo?  Support and education.  There are still hospitals out there that are not baby friendly.  There are still hospitals who don't have trained lactation specialists (preferably IBCLC's) available to help moms establish nursing, make sure baby has the proper latch, make sure mom knows how supply and demand works.  We still have friends, family and others who are downplaying the importance of nursing and don't know how to help or support the mom as they try to establish nursing with their baby.  Well meaning moms or dads who tell the flustered new mom "it is OK to give a bottle of formula if you are too tired to nurse at 3am".  Shoot, we still have dr's who are clueless about how to keep milk supply up and tell the new mom that her baby, only nursed for 20 min every 4 hrs, has failure to thrive and must be supplemented (WTH? I have heard this before).  For the mother with no education and no support it is easy to see why they quit.

If we make ourselves available to our friends and family members, nurse in public where it will become more common and accepted and talk about the benefits of nursing to anyone and everyone that will listen then maybe things will change.

As for this new article . . . I guess it takes science and studies to finally make people wake up and see what to me seems only logical.  God doesn't make mistakes.  Our bodies are not insufficient.  Man cannot do better than nature.  This body that can grow a child perfectly, produces the most perfect nutrition for that child.  The fact that anyone would think that man could improve upon what God has designed to be a perfect system of creation and nurture is . . . well . . . pretty pompous of us isn't it?

 Is it too much of me to hope that maybe one day we will wake up to realize that our bodies are not broken when it comes to childbirth too?  That God, the author of birth, doesn't need to be edited?  That the body that grows the child without intervention, can birth the child without intervention?

 But I digress . . .

After reading the above article I found the comments below pretty enlightening.  Mostly the comments from women who couldn't nurse and were angry at the article and study, saying that articles like this are bullying them into feeling guilty . . . what?  How can stating facts be bullying someone?  The truth is the truth, but if the facts are beyond your control then you work with what you can control. Should we edit the truth for fear of hurt feelings?  That is a bit too PC for me.  If you truly cannot nurse your baby for whatever reason (and there are a small percentage of women who can't) then an article that states the facts shouldn't make you feel like a bad mother.  You take what is within your control and do the best you can with it!!

In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt . . . "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent"

Interview with yours truly and a giveaway!!

Rachel over at the Clean blog (also of LuSa Organics) is doing a Babywearing Celebration this week.  People have sent in poems, pictures etc.
She has some great giveaways including a Kozy!!   She also did an interview with me (super long winded of course) which she put up today, check it out HERE!! (bottom of the page) Make sure to leave a comment!

Infantino Sling Rider Recalled . . . Finally!!!

Y'all may have already heard about this (been trying to blog about it for days but my internet connection is still in and out).  After being told by some babywearing 'experts' for years Infantino has finally recalled their "bag" style sling, the SlingRider, on Wed (3.24).  The video above is from our 'local' fox station.  It is an excellent report giving good accurate information, plus Ann Marie is wearing a Kozy . . . gotta love it!!

Anyway, it was a voluntary recall, and probably as a result of the CPSC's warning about slings. Here is information from Infantion about their recall http://service.infantino.com/SlingRider.pdf  Here is a statement from Infantino.  Apparently, they are replacing it with their mei tai (yes you read that right) or another baby product.  Their mei tai doesn't look bad actually (haven't tried it, but it 'looks' ok) though on their site they say they have been working with 'babywearing experts' for 15 yrs . . . kind of curious who those experts are, LOL!!  (as I am sure there are experts I don't know ;0)  But anyway, they do have a link to The Babywear, which is excellent.  And bringing Mei Tais (even if they were inspired by those of us who made them 'popular') to the mainstream is a GOOD thing . . . so I digress . . .

As I explained in my previous post about Babywearing Safety the issue is with 'bag' style slings specifically, not all slings in general.  Information on how the design is flawed, as well as some O2 studies done with the SlingRider specifically, can be found HERE

While the recall is wonderful, and it is long overdue, it brings with it, yet again, issues surrounding sling safety in general.  Not all news stations or papers are reporting as accurately as the one above and people are getting confused and slings are bring misrepresented.  I have heard from vendors who have been contacted by distributors about 'nationwide recalls of all slings' and people are still getting hounded by strangers about their slings being recalled and dangerous! It is impacting business, not to mention the overall view of babywearing. It is insane!! 

Though Kimber (creator of the Ball Baby Mei Tai) who is working on the upcoming Babywearing Conference (at which I am teaching and amazingly the key note speaker . . . go figure, LOL) gave me a new perspective.  Apparently the conference and babywearing in general is getting more exposure and if we can turn things around it may end up being a positive thing afte rall (God works like that sometimes ;0)

We need to keep doing our best to educate the public about not just babywearing but the safety of slings in general.  They are IMO safer than most baby products.  I was reading a mainstream baby magazine the other day (maybe Parents?) which listed that there were 14,000 injuries from strollers last year!!  In comparison, we are talking about 14 infant deaths from slings in 20 YEARS!!  Don't get me wrong, any death is horribly, horribly tragic, and to that parent that lost a child it is the most profound thing in the world.  But if we put it in perspective as to overall safety and risk . . . well geez, 14 deaths in 20 yrs is not enough to label something as 'dangerous'. And for baby products (think cribs, car seats, strollers, walkers, even toys) those are not bad odds (is that horrible to say, even if it is true?).  If you take out things like user error and poorly designed products (like the SlingRider) our numbers would probably be closer to 0 in 20 yrs.  Life itself is full of much greater risks.  I mean shoot, in 1999, 64 people were killed by lightening!!  There is an interesting 'death chart' HERE Including things like how many people die from falling, or drowning, or exposure to hot tap water!  Kind of makes you wary of simply waking up every morning.

On another kind of interesting note . . . on Wed the term 'baby sling' was one of the most searched on the yahoo website (or something like that).  So Charlie noticed and clicked around and ended up on the Wikipedia "Baby Sling" page.  Imagine his surprise when he saw, at the top of the page, a picture of HIMSELF, wearing Arah in a Maya Wrap ring sling (if I remember right, that is what it looks like) at the 1st Babywearing Conference in Portland in 06!!  Too much!!  It is the first picture on the right.

Spaghetti Tacos

If any of you have older kids who watch the show I Carly then you know what these are!  I don't know what took us so long to make them but one day Charlie just said hey, lets make spaghetti tacos!  So of course the kids were all about it!

I had wanted to just do them like regular tacos, but put the spaghetti on the bottom. So it would have been spaghetti with tomatoes and lettuce and cheese on top etc. (maybe some salsa too, who knows) but Charlie thought it best to just stuff tacos with spaghetti.  He was probably right, well meaning that surely the kids would prefer that.  So that is what we did.

We cooked up some regular spaghetti, added to it sauce and ground beef and mixed it all up in a large bowl
Then we took some hard taco shells and stuffed it with the pre-mixed spaghetti, and then sprinkled some cheese on top.

That's it!  Super easy!

The kids LOVED it! (as you can see below) It was a fun meal and it was surprisingly good.  I mean it was really good!  Who would have thought that spaghetti in taco shells would be so tasty!

Let me whisper my last goodbyes . . . I know, it's serious!

I try to stay away from posting political stuff . . . mostly because I don't really enjoy debating it online (in person is a bit different . . . though I tend to get a bit worked up either way, LOL).  Being a born again Christian, you can probably guess what my political opinions are ;0)

So rather than waxing poetic about all my many thoughts on current events I will simply share some profound words from Queen Amidala . . .(wow, Star Wars . . . who knew it was so prophetic). 

"So this is how liberty dies . . . with thunderous applause"

If any of you ARE interested in political commentary from a Conservative Libertarian perspective, with a lot of wit and sarcasm, my husband Charlie has a great blog that is mostly political.  And I will say he is (and always has been) a very talented writer!  In fact much of what he writes is over my head, LOL!  (meaning my mom brain can't comprehend it without having to read it a 2nd or 3rd time, LOL).  So I prefer to leave the irrevrent, politically incorrect rants up to him . . . Virtue and Tyranny