EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS!

I was reading an article on AOL this evening about another theory on how to reduce the risk of SIDS. The article, which cited information from a published report in October's Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, said that researchers have found a link to fan use in a baby's bedroom as helping to reduce the chance that the baby will succumb to SIDS.

The study used data collected through comprehensive questionnaires and interviews of both parents who had sadly lost a child to SIDS, as well as parents who had not. The bulk of the questions surrounded the condition of the baby's sleeping area, including whether or not a fan was consistently used during sleep. The number of interviewees in both categories were in the hundreds, and this was the first study conducted on this theory, so there's still alot of research to be done.

As I hope all my fabulous readers know, the best place to start in the prevention of SIDS is to place your baby on his or her back to sleep. However, the additional suggestion they are making sounds like an easy one to accommodate in a "can't hurt, might help" sort of a way. It's nice to know that there are so many doctors and researchers continuing to put such a great emphasis on this important issue. Just thought you'd want to know!

THE PINK TOTEBAG IS GETTING A LITTLE BIT "PINK"ER - AND AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME...

Caroline's future sister!!!

When we went for our "big" ultrasound this week, we got some really wonderful news! In addition to the baby looking healthy, with all its parts well formed and apparently in good working order (thank God!), we also found out that we will be adding another little girl to our family. Caroline will be getting a sister, which is something I have always dreamt of for her. I have 3 younger sisters myself, and there is truly nothing that can compare to that kind of bond. I know that if the baby had been a boy, I would have been so happy that things were as they should be (not to mention - Steve would have been thrilled to have a son and is feeling a bit outnumbered in our house these days). Caroline would have been a terrific big sister to her little brother, but I can't even put into words how I feel now that I know that she is getting a gift that I feel so blessed to be giving her - that of a sister.

This wonderful news couldn't have come at a better time for us. This time of year is bittersweet for me, as it has been for an unbelievable 19 years. While September is typically filled with the sights, sounds, and smells of impending Fall and all the newness and change that it brings, it also happens to be the month when I sustained my spinal cord injury. In particular, today - September 28 - is my anniversary. When I was 13, I had a spinal fusion for scoliosis. During surgery, a number of complications arose and a portion of my spinal cord was deprived of oxygen. When the doctors realized that the monitoring they had been doing to prevent just such an issue was not working properly, they removed the rods that had been placed along my spine, but the damage had been done, and I was paralyzed from roughly the belly button down.

Recovery from something like this takes a long time, but my yardstick for measuring mine hasn't ever really focused on the physical side of things. Sure, it's important to work to regain as much movement as you can to optimize your situation, and I spent a great deal of time in physical therapy over the years to heal. However, for me, the emotional journey that this experience has set out for me has been a far more difficult path to navigate at times. The anxiety and anticipation of all life's wonderful rights of passage, like dating, high school dances, starting college, getting married, or having a baby to name but a few, has always been compounded by the fact that I have this extra baggage in the form of four wheels.

It is a journey that I would not be able to face day in and day out without the support of my own sisters (along with the rest of my family and friends). This makes me value the future relationship that Caroline will have with hers so much. I know that when I was injured, they too were hurt and had to begin their own healing processes. I have the physical scars from my surgery and its aftermath, but the three of them also lost alot on the day I got hurt. They have always been there to help pick me up when I've fallen, both emotionally and physically. They help me turn limits into opportunities, and for that I am so grateful. I only hope that I return the favor to them in my own way. I am so lucky to have them, and I am a better person because of them.

My sisters and me

Like a really bad college roommate (not that I've ever had that!), my injury and I have reached an uneasy tolerance of each other while at the same time maintaining an extremely close proximity. We get in each other's way at times, and are constantly having to find ways to coexist. My chair and the limits it attempts to place on me are what I deal with every day, although I like to think that I push back hard to not let it stop me or my family from living our lives. I have to say that at this point in my life, I have reached an appreciation for the experience that I've been through, as it has helped me to learn things about myself that I don't think I ever would have learned otherwise. That isn't to say that I would even wish it on my worst enemy, but at the very least I can frame what happened to me in some sort of positive light.

Anyway, tonight, I just wanted to give a little shout-out to all the sisters (and future sisters) out there. They get us through some tough times, and for me especially, I had the opportunity on this anniversary to not spend too much time being sad about what happened so long ago, but instead focus on the future and all the hope and promise that it brings...

SOME PICS FROM CAROLINE'S FIRST DAY...

Here are a few pictures that I finally got up from Caroline's first day last week. I know I mentioned this in my last post, but didn't want to just squeeze them in there as an afterthought! PS - The backpack was a birthday gift from Caroline's Aunt Lulu...

All smiles on the steps just before we left for the big first day!

A few pictures outside before we got in the car to go (Caroline was bummed she wasn't riding a school bus)...

Two quick pictures with Daddy before heading inside!

Back home, and still all smiles after our first day!

BACK TO SCHOOL... AND BACK FROM HIATUS!

So we've been more than a little MIA over the past few months! I am so sorry for that - it seems that being a blogger and dealing with a busy summer were a bit too much for me! Things are finally settling down though, and I am back and running - just gotta bite the bullet and not let any more time pass before writing in again. If I wait any longer, I might never be able to catch up! So here's what we've been up to this summer...



1) We've finally moved! Although we're still dealing with some construction (more on that in another post...), unpacking, and decorating, we've got the basic bones of what we need (mainly, an elevator... more on that in another post, too!), and that's what counts. I feel like our workers are going to move in with us and live here forever, but at least they are nice and really good with Caroline. :) BTW, if anyone in the DC Metro area is looking for a really good builder/renovator, we definitely reccommend Hemingway Homes in Bethesda - they have been beyond fabulous! I promise to post some pictures soon, especially of some of the before and after.



2) We sold our other house! We were lucky - even in this market, we got an offer after about 40 days. We went to settlement the Monday after we moved in to our new home. We felt good because it was going to a really nice older couple who could benefit from the one-floor living that the house provided us, and the fact that they had no plans to tear it down and build a McMansion (which is common in our old neighborhood) made me happy - I don't like change, so it's nice to imagine that our house is like the one in one of my favorite children's books, The Little House, where everything around the house changes but the house for the most part stays the same.



3) Steve finished his thesis and is officially finished with his MS in Engineering at Hopkins! It has been a REALLY long road for all of us (him, in particular!), and the past 8 months while he was writing what turned out to be an over-400-page document has been hard. I didn't realize how much I missed him until I had him back again! He even got an A - not that I'm surprised! I am so happy for him about that - it's nice to know that all your hard work and time away from work, family, and friends has paid off. We were really smart with our timing - he defended his thesis on a Friday afternoon, we moved on Saturday, and sold our house on Monday. Nothing like cramming in all the life changes into one weekend, which brings me to my next bit of news...



4) We're expecting our second baby! I'm a little over 16 weeks, or 4 months, along, and I'm due in February. I held back about posting the news when we first found out earlier this summer because I wanted to wait a bit, and then time just got away and life got crazy for me. I'm feeling good after a long first trimester - not sure if it was the baby or the move or both, but I'm glad it's better. We are really excited and although I'm a bit nervous about the whole two-kid thing, I'm sure we'll figure it out. Caroline taught me that. I'll keep you posted on how things are going in the upcoming weeks and months!



5) ...And finally, last but not least, our baby girl Caroline turned two in August and started pre-school last week! I can't believe how fast time has flown - she is such a little person now and totally not a baby. On the first day, after we got her out of the car, she bolted straight for the front door and didn't even notice us following her because she was so excited to get in there. While I have to admit part of me was hoping she'd at least realize that she and I would no longer be hanging out together every day like the wacky sidekicks we've become, I was also really proud of her for jumping right in and gearing up for her next adventure. Ultimately, that's the kind of kid that we are trying so hard to raise, and it was cool to see that spirit in her, even so early in her little life.



Aside from a few trips to the Bay here and there, that's what our summer has basically been all about - house, thesis, baby, getting ready for school. I can't wait until things are put together and we can all calm down - which will probably be just in time for Number 2's arrival. Isn't that the way it's supposed to be, though?!



Until next time - and I promise it won't be too long...

WE'RE OFFICIALLY REAL ESTATE MOGULS!

Our current house, prior to the landscaping done this weekend, and another shot of our new house, with plants in bloom (yay!)

Hee hee... Just kidding. That's what Steve and I have been calling ourselves to help distract ourselves from the fact that we now own two homes (one of which will be sold soon, hopefully!). Our closing this past Friday was uneventful, thank goodness, and we took ownership around 4:00. We have spent this past weekend packing up and moving some stuff to empty out our current house so that it will show better when we put it on the market in the next week.

Fabulous weather made this weekend just perfect. Our current house is looking great, thanks to some contractors who have been making some of the minor cosmetic repairs we needed to make, as well as Steve's best friend Marc, who not only helped him move 2 large U-Haul loads to the new house starting at 8:30 this morning, but also helped us to update landscape the front of the house to give it a bit more curb appeal - all after he spent all day drinking at a wedding in Annapolis yesterday. Tomorrow, the contractors will be back to tinker, and the granite guy will be here to put in new counter tops (the one part of the kitchen that hasn't been updated). Hopefully all this hard work will help us to sell quickly so that Steve and I can breathe a sigh of relief (and I can start thinking about furniture for the new house!).

On the elevator front, we met with a great builder last Wednesday who not only had great ideas for the shaft and elevator, but also helped us think about things we could incorporate into the design so that we could make our new house even more user-friendly in the future. It was really nice to hear the architect ask questions about what my needs were before I even had the chance to bring them up. Hopefully, their estimate will come in at a reasonable enough level that we can work with them!

All in all, it's been a busy but productive weekend! I think the fact that we are heading forward has helped both Steve and me to feel more confident in our decision to move. As I get a chance to take more pictures, I'll put them up! I hope everyone had a great weekend...

A NEW PLACE TO WASTE...ER...SPEND TIME WITH THE KIDDIES IN ROCKVILLE!

A staple on the New York City family scene, Kidville is the place to find lots of the resources that savvy parents and children from birth until age 5 need and want. I've been seeing it mentioned for awhile now in Cookie Magazine, and occasionally mentioned in US Weekly (aka "my newspaper") when different celebs and their kids have stopped by. The company, which has four locations throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn, is taking the next step by expanding their franchise so that those of us who live outside of NYC can take advantage of their creative classes, kid-friendly facilities, and more.


Kidville is coming to Rockville, Maryland in September 2008. For those of you who are familiar with the area, it will be located in Congressional Plaza, in the space above The Container Store that was formerly occupied by Tower Records. Although their national website doesn't have updated information about the location, the program guide that arrived at my house already has me excited about what it's going to be like.


They are going to have really fun-sounding classes that have gotten great reviews at the NYC locations, including "Ballet Tea Party" (dance), "Construction Junction" (building and creativity), "Savvy Scientists" (experiments), and "Silver Spoons and Plastic Plates" (cooking), plus lots more. The facility will also house a full-service kids' salon and a boutique. Although the classes are a bit pricey, their sessions are long (16 weeks), and come with a free annual membership so that you can take advantage of any special programs they hold, or use their indoor playground for a full year. They also will have Kidville University (pre-school), host birthday parties, and have several different summer camps (think "Superhero Training Camp"!). I personally can't wait to try it, and it will be closer to our new house. If you're in the area, be sure to check it out!

KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL...

So we are moving. I haven't posted about this yet, as my husband is completely superstitious about it and didn't want me to jinx it or something by writing about it before we went to closing. Something about things going smoothly or whatever.

We found our new house almost by accident. One of our good friends emailed us about a sale that popped up on her neighborhood's listserve, and if I hadn't looked in my spam folder I would have missed it. It was being sold because the couple who lived there were relocating for work and family. It's adorable - a large cape cod that has much more space than it seems from the outside, has 4/5 bedrooms and 4 full baths, has been mainly renovated or updated (and what hasn't been updated is in good shape). The yard is so much bigger than our current house's, with flat land that will be easy on kids and my chair. I can get to all parts of the house, including storage, after we install an elevator (which I am THRILLED about!!!). Steve fell in love with it after we went to see it, and so we were sold. An offer was made, a contract was signed, and that was that! I breathed a huge sigh of relief about not having to live through a renovation here...

Well, as we approach Friday (closing day!!!), things are not as placid as they were when we started this process almost 3 months ago. Living though the stress of waiting for final mortgage approval, changes in the cost of the elevator (one potential contractor seemingly "forgot" to include the reconstruction of an outside stairwell in his initial estimate which is oh, just a piddly little 11-grand more...), packing with a toddler unpacking everything that you put into a box, trying to get this house ready to put on the market, and doing all of the above while Steve is writing his thesis and I'm getting us ready for a trip to Florida for a wedding... Oh, sigh. It's exhausting just thinking about it. Cocktails help. My mom and aunt help. I just can't wait until it's all done and settled and put away. Meanwhile, I am going to go pour myself a glass of wine. I'll keep you posted...

INFORMATION = POWER

This morning, I came across a really well-written, concise summary of the candidates' stances on the issues that are most pressing to families today - including education, health care, and medical leave. As this year's election is already being called historic for many reasons, I'm certain all TPT readers are going to be voting (and some may still have upcoming primaries in their states). I thought this was worth passing along!

AND "THE BIGGEST IDIOT" AWARD GOES TO...

...this woman in rural Wisconsin! (Be sure to stop the music player at the bottom of this page before playing the video)

I think that my favorite part about this whole story is that this woman isn't at all upset about the fact that she was being stupid and endangering peoples' lives, but that she listened to her idiot boyfriend. Even better was when the dispatcher let her get off the phone because the woman didn't like to talk on the phone while driving (although she has no qualms about downing a 6-pack of Beast before getting behind the wheel), or that the sherriff's office thought the judge would be lenient on her for being honest... I mean, really. Call a cab. Designate a driver. Sleep it off in your car. Dump the loser. Lady, enjoy your cocktails, but for God's sake, don't drive! Thanks to my good friend Kristy for the tip...