H1N1-This was passed around in school. Seems reasonable...

Good advice
Subject: H1N1


Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Internist and Thyroid specialist), having clinical experience of over 20 years. The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is. While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).

3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't under estimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. Not everybody may be good at using a Neti pot, but blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton swabs dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.

5. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C. If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

I suggest you pass this on to your entire e-list; you never know who might pay attention to it - and STAY ALIVE because of it -

Friday Questions and Realizations?

Okay, someone dear lord help me with the title of this post! I want to make it a weekly thing if possible and need a better title- something with a ring to it. The posts will be things that I have questions to or things that I have realized during the week. I am actually laughing out loud right now...because I was just so damn creative with the title wasn't I? So anyway here goes:

Number 1: What do you think about- Tip Jars at Dunkin Donuts and other various service establishments? Now, I find this to be very weird. I never did a job and got paid for it full salary and then also asked for a tip. Waitressing is a different story. I think leaving a tip cup out at a place like this is like me leaving a tip jar outside my door and you having to tip if you come over for dinner or have a playdate...or...me leaving a tip jar outside my classroom. What do you think?

Number 2: How DO they do it? Every Wednesday I drop of Brooke to preschool. She has to be there at 9:45. Lets just say today is the first day I got her there on time lol. Now we are not totally late...only 4-8 minutes depending on how long we(she) sit on the potty. So today I took a shower at night instead of the am and had everyone ready even after an "orange day" photo shoot, which you will see in a minute. Shower in the pm and other pointers like that are the tips I think I need from moms of two that have perfected the morning routine. So if anyone knows someone pass this blogsite on! So...back to the point lol... When I arrived at the school I see some moms that each and every time they have themselves all dressed nice (nice=no sweatpants), their hair done, their kids all ready and the infants they are holding all done up too. I'm going to speculate that their houses are not a mess and they don't have to run home, in the two short hours the kids are there, to make lunch for the next place you are going. So my questions is how do they do it...? Along with my realization that they must go to bed earlier and probably wake much earlier than I do to. lol

Number 3: I am typically the frugal mom but the other day I splurged and bought the kids matching Halloween pumpkin shirts. Brooke had to wear an orange shirt to school today so this is what she wore. Well. Brooke thought this was the BEST thing since realizing she can take Barbies clothes off (that sounds weird but you know what I mean). She woke this morning saying "Mom, hurry we have to put our pumpkin shirts on-Go get Lukey Dukey." So my realization- spendthe extra twenty on the pumpkin shirt, the matching x-mas pajamas and so on...it makes them happy, which makes you happy.

Christened Cutie

I really just want to eat him up!!!!

A Funny Blowing Experience

I was trying to show Brooke how to blow her nose. Here's what happened:
Me- "Brooke you have to blow really hard out of your nose"
Brooke - "Okay mommy"
Me- "harder" All she was doing was blowing out of her mouth
Me- "Brooke, I want you to try and close your mouth and blow just out of your nose"
Brooke- "Okay mommy"
Me-Laughing Hysterically
Brooke- "OH NO MOMMY - The wind came out of my butt!"
lol....
Me- Laughing Hysterically

She's Back...

And is ready to do bodily harm. The flu? No. It's my PMS. Okay so yes, I have had the good ole friend come to visit since giving birth but it seems that she has read up on her old ways and the old hormones are back. I seriously may have eaten a whole GIANT bag (BJ's size)of peanut M & M's. I can't seem to control my eating and have no urge to workout. Today I am getting the wonderful bloating and extreme tired feeling. I hate how this time can totally knock me out of my normal routine. So here are my questions to you all- Do you get these types of out-of-control eating feelings and extreme feeling of being tired and lethargic? and Are you able to brush it off as pms and ignore it or do you cave and eat uncontrollably? If you are able to brush it off...please share HOW????!!!!

Never Again

Never again will I EVER judge another mom on how she is handling a certain situation (unless of course it is down right child abuse!) You know the situations I am talking about- you're in the mall, or grocery store, maybe the park- You see a mom, who is obviously at the end of her rope and the little angel (how we see it) is not being so angelic. I have, especially coming from my teaching background, been known to have an opinion. "Hmmm, maybe she could have done this, or if she would have only tried that...and ooohhh I would never get that heated". WELL....let me set the scene.
I bring my little angel to a new park. It is open and airy. Wonderful brand new playground toys,soccer fields,places to ride your strollers and bikes AND no barrier from the open area to the car lot. So we are having a great time. We play on the playground, we walk and run a bit and then we go to have lunch. This was great until Brooke thought it would be fun and apparently funny to run away from mommy. Well mommy was feeding Lucas with one hand and holding her peanut butter sandwich in the other. She took off so quick and WOULD NOT respond to my LOUD call for her to come back. All she would do is look back and giggle. Okay...I breathe at this point and say it is a two year old...and I am going to reprimand her when I actually reach her. Long story short and five minutes later I am running up a hill with lucas dangling from one arm screaming "GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW OR YOU'RE GOING TO GET HIT BY A CAR!" She was going right for the open lot...so this is where safety kicked in and I didn't care about the 5-6 parents starring at me probably thinking they would have handled it a better way! I sped up and grabbed her by the arm. This is when she decided to play "Look at Me- I'm Limp"! I hate the Limp game! So now, i am barely holding onto Lucas and I'm dragging Brooke with one arm as she is playing "Look at Me-I'm Limp" and screaming "I want to play near the cars- I want to play near the cars!". I'm thinking, "Really?" So I finally drag her down to where we had our blanket and she threatens to run away again so I have to literally put my knee on her to keep her there (this is when the park worker was looking at me lol). I then propped Lucas up and then strapped her into the stroller all while she is screaming BLOODY MURDER!!! I buckled her in so tight she had to stay there. I also found myself telling her that she would be buckled until she was 20 if she EVER ran away from me like that again. UGH...I will never judge another parent...ever.
Some pictures I took BEFORE the incident!

Things That Make Me Smile

This post is to honor the requests of my Mari "a's" and "e's". It has been really busy around here so haven't had much time to post but will get back on track tonight.

Shrink Wrap Baby/Kid

Okay people! Here's my idea- Baby Shrink. One of the hardest things about cold weather and having an infant is fitting them into the carseat after you have bundled them up. It is truly an event to watch! My idea is that I can put a vacuum suction thingy and suck all the air out of the coat, coat sack...whatever! Finally, The GAP realized that they have to make a spot for the seat belt to go through...so now all I need them to think of is how to fit the damn kid in the seat after they are all bundled! I truly wanted to just go back in the house after getting them out today lol.

The Finger

What do you think is happening here:

A) Brooke is saying "This food is no &(*^%$ing good"
B) "Mom my nailpolish is chipped can you fix it?"
C) Brooke's way of pointing to a cookie that she wants
D) Brooke is counting using her fingers

ROAD TRIP (in a loud yelling voice)

So in less then 4 days we will be on our way to VA. I have a lot of preparing to do! I have to pack for 3 kids...did I say 3? I meant two... ha ha (totally meant as a joke scott lol). As much work as it is, when I am sitting in the car the first five minutes i feel like I have completed and won an olympic event. The second five minutes I begin to enter a panic state realizing that it is impossible that I remembered everything and trying to figure out what it is that I forgot. Now, no joke, there have been small-during-the-day road trips that I have taken where this has happened and I had to turn around and make sure BOTH kids were in the car with me. lol Okay don't call CPS just yet...I hear from a lot of moms that this is normal once you have your first or second...any new addition that is.

So off we go to visit the uncles and aunts and to celebrate the adorable bump which is growing into an even more adorable baby boy due to arrive in February. February I'll be packing again!

How I feel today

Dear God,
Make me a bird
So I can fly far
Far, Far away

The cranky flu has hit my family

Too Many Firsts

Lately the 'firsts' with Brooke have been coming way too quickly for me. I have not always been one to be quick to an emotional tear...but once the little bugger implants into you, you're done! Down for the count...now its just a matter of how many times a week or day they pull at your heartstrings. Brooke will be going with us (we go today only) to her first day of preschool. It is two days a week for two hours. Not too much, not too little. As I was cutting her bangs (I know Scott- I promise this is the last time!) I got a little choked up. She was asking if she could bring Barbie, pony, bunny, her videos, her sippy cup, her potty, her cereal, her blankets, etc. etc... I explained to her that she is only going for "a little bit". She says "Oh, a little bit? Oh, can I bring my brother". :( tear. My little baby girl is now saying not so little girl things and doing big girl things and even though I know my main goal as a parent is to guide her, protect her and love her while allowing her to become independent and self-sufficient...I secretely wish I could just hold her forever!

So ....

Are we stilling saying he looks like ME????



Side note: the left ear is me, the right ear is Scott...notice the size difference?