Random Facts Blog: 15 Tips and Tricks that No One Thinks About Telling You

So, I decided to throw this blog together after I had a conversation with an old friend last night. Now that more and more people my age (around twenty) are beginning to have kids, I've noticed that quite a few of them are becoming pregnant, and then really not being told much about what parenthood is going to be like, what to expect, and what they aren't going to expect at all but is going to happen anyway. So this blog is going to be used for the random tips that are going to save money, time, and possibly your sanity.

1. Your baby shower is an important day. This is the day where all of your friends, family, and anyone else comes together to celebrate your pregnancy/baby with you. The tip? This event should be huge. Sure, a small intimate gathering would be more comfortable. But let's be honest, people bring gifts to baby showers and as a young mother, possibly in college, possibly working, you need as much stuff as you can possibly get. So, invite as many people as can possibly fit in your chosen venue and make sure you have enough room in your vehicle to fit everything.

2. If you're having a baby boy, you need to make the decision of either having a circumcision performed or leaving everything be. Seeing as I think circumcision is important, we went ahead with it. HOWEVER, there is a new procedure using a plastibell that I will recommend EVERYONE to stay away from. With a normal circumcision, they cut the foreskin off and it's over with. You run the risk of your baby getting an infection, but if you keep it clean, that's unlikely. With that damned plastibell? Your baby runs the risk of infection, yes, but it's also possible that it WON'T fall off, or that it will fall off partially and end up cutting things off that shouldn't be cut off! Your little man needs his big man parts someday, so as parents, we sort of need to take care of them NOW. I had no idea what the plastibell was before they performed his circumcision so when a few days later I opened his diaper and saw that his little baby parts were infected and just NOT looking right, I freaked out. It turns out that it had fallen off part of the way but was still attached and STILL 'working'. After going to a billion doctors and only finding ONE that knew what they were talking about, they told us that on top of being infected, the ring may or may not fall off all the way, but may still be cutting off areas it shouldn't be. If in the next few days most of it came off but part of it was still on there? They'd have to cut it off much like they would have with a normal circumcision, which is BOGUS. Luckily, James ended up being fine and it ended up falling off without too many problems. Regardless, this was the most stressful experience ever, and I truly advise just having the doctor do the NORMAL procedure.

3. Diapers. Diapers are a pretty huge thing seeing as your'e going to be dealing with them for the next two years of your child's life. The best way to buy diapers is in bulk. This is probably the only time I'll say this, but don't go to a Dollar Store for your diapers. They have a few boxes of diapers, but they're still pretty small packages. And paying ten dollars for a pack of 40 diapers isn't how I roll. Instead, Jesse and I always buy the biggest box available. Why? Because buying in bulk almost always lowers your Cost Per Unit, which is the price you SHOULD be looking at. An extra large box will last James over a month, (We use Pampers Baby Dry) costs around 40 dollars and they are AMAZING. We love Pampers and despise Huggies, simply because Huggies are EXTREMELY difficult to put on. You have to have three hands in order to put it on correctly. Pampers on the other hand are easy to put on and work really well. That, and if you happen to have a problem with your diapers? Give them a call! They almost always take care of it in the best possible fashion.

4. Formula. Formula is by far the most expensive thing you'll be buying for your baby if you decide that you don't want to breastfeed at all, or only breastfeed for a short time. If you qualify for WIC, tell your WIC provider that you plan on supplementing, which means that you want to Breastfeed most of the time, but formula feed on occasion. You can receive up to 8 cans of formula a month and if you breastfeed a bunch and only end up using one can that month? SAVE THE REST OF THEM FOR LATER MONTHS! This is THE biggest money saver. Now that James is nearly ten months old, he received 7 cans of formula a month from WIC, but he runs out about halfway through. Now we spend over 200 dollars a month out of pocket to pay for the rest of it and it definitely puts a damper on things. So again, if you qualify for WIC, try to supplement. Breastfeed as much as you can so you can stock up on formula, and then when you're ready to switch to just formula, you'll have your own little 800 dollar stock pile =]

5. Umbilical cords are weird to look at, especially if you haven't had a child before. You're afraid to touch it because it looks disgusting and you might even be afraid that your'e going to hurt your baby if you go anywhere near it. However, this needs to be kept CLEAN. Meaning, your baby should have regular baths and outfit changes, as well as diaper changes. Upon cleaning the umbilical cord, it needs to be dried. Just carefully dab it with a towel and wipe around it really well. What's more disgusting than the umbilical cord? Your babies belly button when it finally falls off. Their belly button may be tender, but it still needs cleaned. Give your baby a bath and pour water over the belly button several time to wash the gunk away.

6. Bath time is different for every baby, especially newborns. Some babies would rather have a wash cloth bath while you cradle them over the sink. Others just luke warm water, others like really warm water. Some like water an inch or two deep while others like to be almost completely submerged. Whatever the case may be, it's important to find out what your baby likes most. James absolutely HATES wash cloth baths, and instead likes really warm water and lots of it. Figuring out what your baby is like is going to make bath time a lot easier, and less loud. Also, Never in any point before your baby is a year old should your baby be on their stomach in a full with a few inches of water or more. Babies can literally drown in seconds and turning away for even a moment can be fatal. Why am I writing this? This tip goes to the mother that posted pictures of her 6 month old laying on his stomach in a tub with enough water to cover his back. YOU, my friend, are a special kind of stupid.

7. There are guidelines for what food you should feed your baby at what age for a reason. 6 and 7 month olds really should eat Thin Mints for multiple reasons. 1. Your baby may or may not have teeth, which are sort of crucial for hard foods like cookies. 2. Chocolate before one year old can cause your child to have an allergic reaction to chocolate, and may trigger them to adopt poor eating habits as adults. Not to mention, cookies and candies are complex foods. There are a lot of different ingredients rolled into that cookie and that goes against the whole 'introduce one food at a time' rule. As you can see with baby food, there are limited ingredients in each package. Apples, prunes, carrots, squash... the list goes on for quite some time. And then you have the packages with applies and cherries, or mixed vegetables, or even meat and potatoes. But you'll notice that the more complex foods are Stage 3 foods, which are baby foods that you'll give your baby as they get older. You introduce one ingredient at a time in order to know if they're allergic to it. So when you feed your baby a hand full of thin mints, a couple of Caramel Delights and a peanut butter patty, you have NO IDEA what they're allergic to if they have a reaction! Also, peanut butter? NOT okay for a baby.

8. No, you don't have to buy hundreds of dollars worth of baby proofing equipment in order to baby proof your home. However, thirty dollars could go a long way. You can buy a package of 75 outlet plugs as well as cabinet locks for like, five dollars. Believe me, you aren't going to use all of the outlet covers, so feel free to give them to relatives and friends so they can make their homes safe too. That, and furniture straps are a must. A child is sent to the emergency room every 45 minutes because of a dresser or TV falling on top of them. Many of these children don't walk away from this. Furniture straps are around seven dollars and will take only a few minutes of your time to install. Attach these to ALL of the heavy furniture. It doesn't matter if the dresser is so short it doesn't even touch your knees, it can still tip over. How do I know? Because James was playing in his bedroom and decided to pull out both of the two drawers on his tiny little dresser. The weight of both the drawers being pulled out caused it to tip over. The piggy bank broke in half, a picture frame shattered, and baby James bumped his chin. We were LUCKY that James wasn't underneath the dresser, had we not been so lucky? I'm not sure that James would be with us today. So even the shortest of furniture really does need to be secured. To cut your baby proofing costs, block off rooms that you don't want your baby to get into. Whether you simply close the door, or buy baby gates, blocking off the room can save you a little bit of money, and keep your little one safe.

9. This one is pretty simple. Vacuum daily. I'm dead serious when I say that your baby can find THE most microscopic piece of fuzz, and this fuzz immediately gets put in their mouths. Now, a tiny little piece of fuzz really isn't a big deal, but when your baby finds coins, or wrappers, or pieces of plastic, these can cause a choking hazard. Your baby is going to put things in their mouth, that's just the truth, and you're not going to be able to get everything out of their mouths. So if you know that hey, that tiny itty bitty crumb from last nights dinner really isn't a choking hazard, then let it slide. But if your baby picks up something larger than a pea, a wrapper, or something that's large and ISN'T food, that's when you fish it out of their mouth and throw it away. To recap, itty bitty teeny tiny crumbs aren't going to hurt your baby, other non-food items should be taken away.

10. Pop cans are the devil. Little fingers have a funny way of making their way inside the can and this is a MAJOR cut hazard. The solution? Pop bottles. When you're finished with the soda, screw the lid back on reaaaaaaaaaally tight, and not only is your baby going to be safe, but they will seriously love playing with that empty pop bottle of yours.

11. A lot of parents worry if their baby is hitting the milestones for their age limit. They worry that their baby isn't developing fast enough, or if they're ever going to do anything that they're 'supposed' to for that age. But you can't rush crawling, or teething, or walking, or talking, and that's the end of it. Your baby is going to do these things in their own time, it'll happen when it happens! I have a good friend who's little boy just turned one and he still hasn't spoken any words yet, while James is a little chatter box at 10 months old. Her doctor told her that as long as he starts to talk before he's 2, there really isn't a problem. The reason her doctor told her this? Because although there isn't a set date that your baby should learn a skill, but there's a pretty open time frame. For example, most babies learn to crawl between 5-10 months, and if they haven't learned the skill quite yet after that five month period, then it may be time to start asking questions. All babies develop at different rates and though you can help the process by demonstrating the skill that you want them to learn, there really is no need to rush it. So again, don't rush it! But if you're noticing that your baby still hasn't gotten the hang of certain things yet and you're starting to get worried, then ask your doctor about it to see what they think and what you may be able to do to help your baby along.

12. Choking is a scary thing. A REALLY scary thing. Just yesterday Jesse and I went out to eat, were feeding James a few of his Graduate's Puffs, as well as some crackers, and he started to choke. Choking is not necessarily coughing and when a baby is truly choking, they aren't making any noise. So to give you a visual of what it may look like, your baby's mouth may be open, they may look like they're about to throw up, and they might not be able to make any noise at all. If this is what it looks like, they're choking. Because I do NOT want to give the wrong information on this, or have someone interpret something the wrong way and then incorrectly handle the situation, I'm going to copy and paste an article about Infant First Aid for Choking.

Choking

Step 1: Assess the situation quickly.

If a baby is suddenly unable to cry or cough, something is probably blocking her airway, and you'll need to help her get it out. She may make odd noises or no sound at all while opening her mouth. Her skin may turn bright red or blue.

If she's coughing or gagging, it means her airway is only partially blocked. If that's the case, let her continue to cough. Coughing is the most effective way to dislodge a blockage.

If the baby isn't able to cough up the object, ask someone to call 911 or the local emergency number while you begin back blows and chest thrusts (see step 2, below).

If you're alone with the baby, give two minutes of care, then call 911.

On the other hand, if you suspect that the baby's airway is closed because her throat has swollen shut, call 911 immediately. She may be having an allergic reaction – to food or to an insect bite, for example – or she may have an illness, such as croup.

Also call 911 right away if the baby is at high risk for heart problems.

Step 2: Try to dislodge the object with back blows and chest thrusts.

First do back blows

If a baby is conscious but can't cough, cry, or breathe and you believe something is trapped in his airway, carefully position him faceup on one forearm, cradling the back of his head with that hand.

Place the other hand and forearm on his front. He is now sandwiched between your forearms.

Use your thumb and fingers to hold his jaw and turn him over so that he's facedown along the other forearm. Lower your arm onto your thigh so that the baby's head is lower than his chest.

Using the heel of your hand, deliver five firm and distinct back blows between the baby's shoulder blades to try to dislodge the object. Maintain support of his head and neck by firmly holding his jaw between your thumb and forefinger.

Next, place your free hand (the one that had been delivering the back blows) on the back of the baby's head with your arm along his spine. Carefully turn him over while keeping your other hand and forearm on his front.

Then do chest thrusts

Use your thumb and fingers to hold his jaw while sandwiching him between your forearms to support his head and neck. Lower your arm that is supporting his back onto your opposite thigh, still keeping the baby's head lower than the rest of his body.

Place the pads of two or three fingers in the center of the baby's chest, just below an imaginary line running between his nipples. To do a chest thrust, push straight down on the chest about 1 1/2 inches. Then allow the chest to come back to its normal position.

Do five chest thrusts. Keep your fingers in contact with the baby's breastbone. The chest thrusts should be smooth, not jerky.

Repeat back blows and chest thrusts

Continue alternating five back blows and five chest thrusts until the object is forced out or the baby starts to cough forcefully, cry, or breathe on his own. If he's coughing, let him try to cough up the object.

If the baby becomes unconscious

If a baby who is choking on something becomes unconscious, you'll need to do what's called modified CPR. Here's how to do modified CPR on a baby:

Open his mouth and look for an object. If you can see an object, remove it with your little finger.

Give him two rescue breaths. If the air doesn't go in (you don't see his chest rise), tilt his head and try two rescue breaths again.

If his chest still doesn't rise, do 30 chest compressions.

Look in his mouth and remove the object if you see it. Give him two more rescue breaths.

Repeat the chest compressions and so on, until help arrives.

Jesse and I haven't ever had to do back blows on James, because his airway has only ever been partially blocked, but regardless, this information is extremely useful and should be referenced in case of choking. 

13. Read as much as you possibly can. Take in every ounce of information possible so you know exactly what to do, what to look outfox, and how to react to any possible situation. Knowing what to do when a baby is choking, what should an shouldn't be in a babies crib, what kinds of foods are safe and not safe are all crucial to keeping your baby happy, healthy, and out of harms way. 

14. Don't take advice from people just because they're older than you. There's this strange phenomenon happening that involves childless people giving parenting advice. Strange, eh? That, and often times people that had children 20 years ago, aren't up to date on today's parenting world. Children's health and safety guidelines change EVERY DAY. Carseats get recalled, cribs become illegal, and things just change in general. Sure, we survived the age of sleeping on our tummies, but there are many babies that didn't, which is why the new safety guideline calls to keep babies on their backs, in an empty crib, with no blankets or toys. Why? Because suffocation was and still is a really big deal! Things, for the most part, are changed for a reason. Reason being, to prevent infant death and to promote safety. So sure, that carseat at that garage is only 3 dollars, but does it meet safety guidelines? Probably not!

15. Ultimately, you know best. You know which foods your baby likes and doesn't like, when they like to nap, if they like to cuddle or play, you know which blankies are the softest and which bottles your baby likes to use the most. In the first few weeks especially, you're learning all sorts of stuff about your baby, and you're learning about yourself, and who you are as a parent. Are you thinking about what's best for your baby? Are you putting your baby's needs before your own in order to secure their well being? Well, then you're trying, and that's something that everyone can appreciate. =]

Did you ever have a question and you didn't really know who to ask? Feel free to post a comment and I'll try to give you an answer from my own experience. If I have absolutely no idea? I'll try to find an answer for you! Comment or follow us at amazingjames.blogspot.com !

Motherhood as Told By Moms

(This is one of James's birthday Invitation pictures! More to see in the next blog!)

Alrighty folks, so this blog took a little bit longer for me to get to than I originally planned, but because of that, I'll try to make it long and elaborate and hopefully awesome.

So to prep for this blog I rounded up a few fellow moms on Facebook to get their opinions on a few things. I wanted to see if some of my theories proved true, as well as just take in how many different parenting styles there are. So with that said, below I'm going to post all of the questions that I asked in my Q&A, with my own thoughts and answers, as well as a few answers from the mothers that took this survey (They will remain anonymous.)

Q: What age do you think people should be before planning to have children?

To be honest, I think this was almost a trick question. "Planning" is one thing, a "surprise!" is quite another. Babies happen, obviously, or there wouldn't be so many teen mother's and we wouldn't be having this discussion. But the point of this question was to see if, IF we were to actually sit down with our partners and say "Hey, let's have babies." what age would we start to do that? My answer? I don't think there really is an age. Sure, let's wait until after high school, and maybe until after college, but mostly I think that if you know you're financially stable and you can look at a baby and not just see how cute it is, but also see the puke, poop, diaper rash, and your money being flushed down the drain, then you're ready for a baby!

A few more answers included....

" I don't think age has anything to do with it. I think that the parents should have their life pretty well together, they aren't dysfunctional, and have the right financials to start a family. Once the basic essentials for a family have been covered, then consideration of a child being brought into this world should be discussed. Age shouldn't be what we should think about. Maturity should be what we should go off of."

"I think it all depends on the person. Logically you should wait til you graduate college or start a career and have been with your partner for several years and think the relationship can handle a baby. So probable about 25-30"

Q: Upon finding out that you were pregnant, were you nervous about informing your friends and family? Why or why not?

I think the long answer to this is "I bawled my eyes out for hours freaking out about how I was going to tell my parents, my grandparents, and everyone who ever thought that I was a good person because now they're going to look down at me and think I'm not going to make it anywhere in life, and oh my god I can't breathe." The short answer is yes, it was terrifying. However, there was one person above all else that I was really scared to tell, and that's my Grandpa. In my family, I've always been the one with the good grades, I've never been in trouble, I never partied, and my grandpa was proud of me for that. I was always the one that he talked about on his fishing trips or whenever he was handing out with his buddies. So when that dreaded phone call came I couldn't speak, I just blubbered and sobbed as I tried to answer his questions. I was finally able to muster up enough sense to say sorry for disappointing him, which is when the conversation changed. He said, "I'm not disappointed in you. Babies are always a gift. I just wish you would've been married first."So I obviously cried more, but it gave me some relief to know that hey, I'm pregnant, but I'm still loved. 

Answers to this question included...

"Upon finding out that you were pregnant, were you nervous about informing your friends and family? Why or why not? I was nervous about telling my family cuz i had always been the one to be the trouble maker and to mess everything up but i was emancipated and lived on my own so i was the only person to rely on and to figure it out and i did it ."

" I was excited, but nervous to tell my mom. I thought she would be mad and disappointed cuzni wasnt married and hadnt got through college. But turns out she was happy and excited for a grand baby."

Another thing I wanted to mention about this question is that nearly everyone that submitted an answer said that they were really nervous to tell at least someone. At the same token, nearly everyone said that that person wasn't mad, at least not forever, and was eventually excited for the baby to arrive.

Q: What was your pregnancy like? Was it how you expected it would be?

Seeing as I have an entire blog dedicated to this answer, I'll keep is short and sweet. I had heartburn and morning sickness my whole pregnancy and I was a hormonal wreck. I thought by 'glowing' I'd be happy when in reality I was just sweating. No, it was not AT ALL what I expected.

Other answers included...
"Mine was pretty easy, except 3 days before the due date found out he was breech."

"My pregnancy was really easy. What made me take a pregnancy test was because I was randomly throwing up but i felt fine. So I had morning sickness till I got on the prenatal vitamins and than it stopped. I expected pregnancy to be worse."

"I had gestational diabetes my whole pregnancy and morning sickness for the first 5 months and heartburn the whole time..it wasnt what i expected but my 1st one was way better then my other 3 were. I'm a mother of four."

Q: Was your baby premature, right on schedule, or over due? Did you have a natural birth or a c-section? 

Baby James was overdue! (As I've mentioned in previous blogs) and due to being 9 pounds seven and a half ounces, we had to have a c-section. It's a different kind of pain, and my scar is still numb ten months later, but I think I handled it pretty well.

" I had to have a last minute c section cuz he was breech, and I went into labor at 12am the night before. "

"My baby was 6 1/2 weeks early due to me having gestational diabetes and I delivered naturally with no pain meds "

" The doctor had given me two due dates and my baby was born right in between the two. I had an easy labor. I went to the hospital at 9:30am and had my baby at 12:07pm. I had him naturally with no epidural. "


Q: Were you happy with the care you received while in the hospital?
No. Just no. I had a doctor who made me feel extremely stupid every single time I asked a question. Had I been able to reach the scalpel, he may not have lived. Also, if a doctor EVER tells you that Pitocin doesn't make your labor more painful, he's f****** lying. 

"Yes Mercy was wonderful and very helpful"

"I had him in my home town and I had a midwife. I was really pleased with the care I received by my midwife and the nurses."

Q: The first few moments you spend with your child can be confusing. What were your first thoughts upon holding your child? Did the reality that you were now a parent sink in right away?

For me, no. I was still stunned. I've always had a really tough time developing bonds, so it took me a few minutes to really grasp the fact that this little person was my blood, my responsibility, and my baby, when I still called my mom to know how long to bake pork chops in the oven. At the same time, even though I was unsure of my new role as a parent, I know that if anyone would have tried to take James away, I would've been outraged.

"My first thought when I held my baby was how i was going to make sure to be the best mom I could and make everything right for her. Reality hit when I her in my arms that she was mine and going to need me and that I was going to be doing it all on my own"

"The reality sank in right away that I was a mom but I was so happy. That was the best moment in my life seeing my son for the first time"

Q: The first few weeks at home are the hardest. What kinds of things did you learn during this time? Was there anything that you weren’t expecting at all during this time?

As much as my mom had told me that I wasn't going to sleep, I didn't realize that it would be THAT bad. I require eight hours of sleep to function, so the fact that I was getting 2 or 3 hours a night for the first several months was enough to push me to the edge of insanity. Even with James being nearly ten months old, we still have nights where James wakes up 5 or more times a night. This, is where having a boyfriend/fiance/spouse comes in handy. Jesse does most of the footwork at night, for which I'm eternally grateful. 

"I learned how to do about 5 things at once all while holding a newborn"

"I learned to sleep when she did and not to hold her all the time and to put her on a schedule..I didn't expect to feel so drained and depressed."

Q: It takes two to tango! Has your baby’s father shown his support through out this process, whether you’re together or not? If you aren’t together, does he still actively participate in your child’s life?

Seeing as Jesse's in my life and I've made that clear, we'll jump straight to the anonymous answers.

"Even though I have been a single mother since day one I had friends and family help me out soooo much the first few weeks. I was very thankful and lucky. I didn't expect him to steal my heart so quickly that's the only thing that was unexpected"

" He [My husband] works a lot, so he gets to spend the evenings with our son, but I do most of the care."

And an answer from a currently expecting mother...

"My baby's father has been amazing through the process so far. He has 2 prior children and knows the routine. He's helping out more, tries to make it to my doctor appointments, and tries to limit the stress on me."


Q: What’s something that you found difficult to deal with the first few months your child was home? (Whether it be jobs, family issues, or a cranky baby)

All of the above. We moved, had to find new jobs, had a ton of trouble with relatives and bills, and James was a handful at times to top it all off. I also found it really difficult to cope with stress after letting it build up so much. To cope, we try to handle our issues as they occur and talk about them as soon as possible to avoid a major fight down the road. 

(This next answer refers to family issues) "His dad chooses not to be a part of my sons life and that's OK. And I also don't make him pay child support, I figure if he doesn't want to be a part of his life then I'll support and raise him 100% alone and he can just act like he doesn't have a son."

"Trying to plan ahead for meals and when I could get a shower in" (This couldn't be more true)

"I had a hard time getting a job after he was born. I didn't go to work until he was almost 4 months old"



Q: Alright. So especially with younger people, the recreational use of drugs and under age drinking about become quite the fad. In theory or in reality, if you were to do either of these things, how do you think your actions would affect your child? Is it something you promote for your child?

Now these questions are the ones that I was really interested in seeing answers for. We've all heard the expression "Do as I say, not as I do." and I think with this subject especially, it couldn't be any closer to the truth. Now that we're older, our parents have probably admitted to using drugs when they were younger or drinking with friends when they were in high school, even when most of them told us that 'you're better than that' and 'drinking is for idiots'. But didn't most of us do it anyway? Sure, I never drank, nor have I ever done drugs, but I know that in these times, I'm in the minority. So I wanted to see if those who have admitted to drug use as a teenager, would be for or against it now that they have their own children. Would they still have the mindset of "It's only high school." or would they be against it now? Here's the results...

"You could lose your children, your children could get hurt or injured, not including the emotional and psychological pain the child goes through as they grow up from being exposed to it. They grow up thinking that is the norm and its not.."

"The child would be affected in several different ways. When you are ready to be a parent, you aren't going to want think of when you get to drink next, or do any kind of drug. You're [hopefully] going to think of your child first. If you do think of these things, your head isn't going to be clear. Even if you haven't done them for a day or two, it takes longer to get out of your system. It's not a healthy way for a child to grow up."

"[If I did drugs] I would probably start letting anybody watch him and wouldn't care. Anything could happen to babies when you get wreckless. And I couldn't do that to my son."

All of the answers I received for this question looked similar to the ones above. I was almost hoping to see one that said 'power to ya, drugs are cool' but it's clear that even those who may have participated in drug use in the past, don't promote it to their children, and don't believe that drugs belong in a home where children dwell.

Q: During parenthood, what’s one of the greatest moments you’ve had with your child?

I still have to say that one of the greatest moments, or the moment that still sticks out the most to me, has to be at the hospital when James was only a few days old. The nurse was about to give him a bath and Jesse and I were watching so we would know how to do it safely in the future. James was screaming so much that his entire little body was shaking. Jesse and I were both just standing there with that "I don't know what I should do" look on our faces. James was still screaming when the nurse put on his diaper, wrapped him up in a blanket, and said "Here ya go, mama." The moment I had him in my arms he stopped screaming. It was instantaneous. It was the very first time that I knew for certain that James and I had created a bond, and it was the closest thing to magic that I've ever seen.

" Every time my son smiles at me. Those are the greatest moments ever. And when he learned how to crawl I cried. Being a parent is so emotional."

"When she graduated high school it was a struggle and a challenge but she did it and it was one of the greatest days of my life"

"Seeing her smile at me after I've been struggling to calm her down. Her smile is like she's rewarding me for trying, and it feels great"

Q: Is their anything about teen parenthood especially that you think most people really don’t understand? Are there any misconceptions that you’d like to clear up?

Below are two answers that really stuck out for me. It pretty much sums up what I feel about teen parenthood, as well as the common misconceptions that people have.

"People think its how to get their highschool sweetheart to stay with them. They want to play house but that isn't the case. Most young parents don't stay together."

"Teen parenthood is not like what they show on TV. Its not easy but it is one of the most rewarding jobs you'll ever have. Its not all the glitz and glamour like they make it out to be. The state doesnt pay your way when you get pregnant like a lot of young girls think around here. It doesnt work that way, a baby is hard work. There are teen moms that do go to school and work and raise their child to make sure their baby will have a better life and those are the ones that have seen that life isnt just handed to them; that if they want things to get better they have to change it. They dont rely on anyone else and have their childs best interest first."

I want to give a HUGE thank you to all of the mothers that participated in this survey. It gave me a lot of insight into what's important to other moms, their fears, their accomplishments, and got me to see a few things in a different light! Parenting is hard, even with Jesse around, and to see a lot of these women doing it on their own??? I give them mad props.



Also, if you're going to comment on any of my blogs (I would totally appreciate it) definitely comment on this one! I would LOOOOOVE to hear what you have to say and hear some of your own answers! Follow us at amazingjames.blogspot.com =]

Valentines Day Photo Blog!

Alright. So I'm taking the time in this blog to talk about what is, and what is not, appropriate when taking photos of your child, especially photos that you plan on posting on the world wide web. Seeing as the list of Don'ts is much longer that the list of Do's, we'll start with the Don'ts first.

ABSOLUTELY NOTS:
1. A full frontal view of a naked child. This, is considered child pornography. Don't do this.
2. Your child peeing. This is also inappropriate. If you listen closely on movies (The Help is a good example) Whenever a child is going to the bathroom, even a little girl, the noise is often cut out. If a boy is going to the bathroom, the photo is either from the back, or chest up.
3. Bathtub shots. Again, if you can see their private areas, these aren't pictures to post online.
4. Your child in 'risqué' or risky positions. When I say risqué, I mean, people are going to look at it and question why exactly a baby or toddler is in such a provocative position. When I say risky, it's when people may look at this photo and question your parenting methods. For example, if your child is smiling away in a photo, but right behind him the oven door is wide open, that might be questionable. Other questionable photo ops may be in a very dirty room. Dirty can be dangerous. Pick up the floor.
5. And for the sake of people not turning you in for child abuse, don't post pictures of your baby right after they ran headlong into a door, or fell down and bloodied their lip.
6. Anything within the photo that could possibly give away your location needs to be removed. T-shirts that have the local football team on it, city limit signs, park signs that give an exactly location, don't put them in the shot! These are DEAD giveaways as to where you are and maybe I'm paranoid, but I really don't want the local child molester joining James and I on our days out.

Let me make clear now, that these are NOT photos for the INTERNET. A lot of people take pictures constantly, much like myself. That's not to say these pictures can't be put into the photo album for family and close relatives to view, but again, anyone can see any photo you post on the internet and there are too many weirdos in the world that would be happy to creep on that innocent bathtub photo.

Do It!
1. Butt shots. Not full on, JUST THE BUTT pictures. But if your baby just ran away from getting his or her diaper on and their little tooshie just needs to be photographed, knock yourself out! As long as the manly spot isn't showing, there really isn't too much to worry about. That, and if you think the picture is cute how it is and you want to share it but don't want to show too much? Print the original and crop to post it on the internet!
2.There's really only one other thing to say about this. If your child is fully clothed and doesn't look like they're in a dangerous/risky situation, go ahead and take the picture and post it!

Alright, so now that the BASIC rules are out of the way, here are some pictures I took of James for our Valentines day Cards! Right now Shutterfly has a deal great deal! You get 10 rounded edge cards for FREE, all you pay is shipping! I saved 26 dollars and only had to pay 6 for shipping! Below, I've posted the pictures I took of James, as well as the finished card. Below each photo I'll post why it's appropriate enough to be on this blog.

 This first one is adorable! This one is appropriate because it's chest up. You're not seeing anything provocative and the background isn't dangerous, nor is it showing anything that could give away where we're at.

 Same thing on this one! You see a liiiiittle bit more of the chest, but nothing that's provocative at this age.

 This one shows a little bit more skin and is probably the most exposed your baby should be. You can see his little legs and maybe even the top of his bottom, but other than that, you really don't see much. Also, he just got out of the bath, which is why the towel is present!

 Whata dork! Again, this is a chest up angle and is pretty safe!

And here is the finished product! It's totally adorable and so much fun! Not to mention FREE.

For more photo tips and to throw in your own opinion feel free to comment and follow us at amazingjames.blogspot.com!

The Birth Control Blog

Alright, so being a teen parent and knowing without a doubt that I am NOT ready for another child, I'm obviously on birth control. In fact, most hospitals recommend you get on some form of birth control a day or two after having a baby. Why? Because as teen parents, we aren't well equipped to take care of one child, let alone two!

So, what are the advantages of birth control?

1. Baby. Prevention. Obviously.
2. Some forms of birth control can help with acne. An extra bonus!
3. If ever you have a 'slip up' and forget to use a physical barrier as protection (condoms) you'll be medically covered!
4. Being on birth control takes most of the guess work out of everything. Schedule an appointment, go to the appointments, and you're good to go!


There are a billion different kinds of birth control, some that work better than others. One of the forms that I REALLY don't think anyone should be on, especially teenagers, is the pill. If your family was anything like mine when I was young, my parents always told us to remember to take our vitamin before school. Did we EVER remember? No. Never. And back when I was that young, my biggest priority was making it to the sandbox before anyone else and making sure my mom packed the right sandwich. As a teenager, I had a billion and a half more commitments and obligations that constantly whirled around in my head so taking a pill would have been the least of my worries. Sure, I've never been on the pill, I've always preferred the Depo Shot (We'll talk about that later) but after seeing so many of my friends take the pill, I'm pretty much terrified of it. Firstly, they all forget to take it sometimes, whether it be once or three times in a row. And what did most of them do upon forgetting to take it???? The next day they'd double the dose!!!!!! SERIOUSLY????!!!! That's called overdosing folks, and it doesn't work. So, after seeing how teens easily abuse it, I've found that it's probably not the best thing to supply to a teenager who you don't want to get pregnant.

However, I'm a fan of the Depo shot. It's a three month birth control and for the most part, it's pretty effective! However, it's essential that you go the exact day that your next appointment is scheduled. If you're late on the shot, then you're vulnerable to become pregnant. So it's best that if you ARE late, you be cautious and use an additional form of birth control for a month or so to be safe.

These days there are more advanced methods such as the IUD and the Nexplanon. Each have their positives and negatives. The IUD can be used for up to ten years depending on which one you get and apart from being a bit invasive when it comes to getting it inserted, it's pretty effective. On occasion, the IUD's DO slip, and may cause pain. If you do experience extreme pain in your pelvic region, it would be best to call your doctor.

The Nexplanon is another thing entirely. It had the exact same chemicals that are in the shot (so if you weren't a fan of the Depo Shot, it wouldn't be a good idea to get the Nexplanon) but it's released for 3 years from a tiny little bar that they insert into your arm. I recently got this form of birth control and to be honest, it hurts horribly. This is the third day that I've had it and though my arm is still really bruised, the pain has gone down quite a bit as compared to yesterday and the day before. In order to insert the Nexplanon, your doctor will make a tiny incision in your arm (less than a centimeter) and will then inject a numbing solution, and then the Nexplanon bar that has a watery solution of some kind to make the insertion easier. Then they wrap up your arm and suggest you leave it wrapped for at least 24 hours to keep the swelling down. Your arm WILL be bruised and will swell quite a bit regardless. My doctor told me not to do much heavy lifting to avoid irritating the muscles in my arm, but seeing as I had to carry James as well as his diaper bag and my purse (probably should've left the purse at home) up three flights of stairs by myself, I really wasn't able to get around the whole heavy lifting thing. When we reached the apartment, I sat James down, got him out of his carseat and then tried not to die. When I took off my coat, I saw that the gauze had rolled into a coil and was digging into my incision. YOUCH! So I unwrapped the gauze before I was supposed to because it hurt like crazy. So in short, the Nexplanon isn't that painful to have inserted, but is really sore for a few days after so take plenty of time to rest and heal so you don't irritate your arm. However, I think a little bit of pain for a few days is worth the 3 years of coverage.

And then of course the one form of birth control that no one thinks of, ABSTINENCE! It's really the only FULL PROOF method of birth control that works every time. If you don't have sex, you don't get pregnant (obviously) and that's the only way to make sure that a baby isn't going to bless your womb any time soon.

On another note, I think that a lot of people think that abstinence is for single people. That's really not the case. Abstaining from sex is a choice even people in a relationship can make believe it or not and even happens between people that are MARRIED! Who'dathunk right? Not to throw out my personal business or anything, but after having James, he's made it pretty easy to not even think about intimacy. A screaming, crying, teething baby in his crib across the room is a really great way to stay away from 'the mood'. Sure, Jesse may be bummed out and in need of some lovin on occasion, but that doesn't stop him from falling asleep the moment his head hits the pillow.

So, this was an awkward blog right? Sure it was! But it could be worse. Wouldn't you rather read this blog and know everything about birth control than get pregnant? Maybe not everything... but still.

Why You Should Never Get A Ticket. Ever.

Alright. So I'm not perfect. No one is. And within the past year I unknowingly did something pretty bad. How can I do something without knowing it? Pretty easily according to some.

Anyway, I didn't have a babysitter for James set up and had to work at 8 that morning. So I drove James about thirty minutes away to my grandmother's house so my aunt could watch him there. On my way to work, it was roughly seven, seven thirty in the morning and I was driving through a town where it's speed limit was ten miles an hour. At this hour of day, the sun is pretty blinding. I was driving towards the sun, didn't have my sunglasses (that's my luck) and instead continued to drive ten miles an hour through this town while squinting like crazy so I didn't go blind. While driving, I could tell there was a large vehicle driving by me on the other side of the road. I didn't really think much of it seeing as plows, dump trucks, and busses drive past fairly often. I got to work just fine, no harm done! It doesn't seem to bad yet right?

Well, a few days after this incident my mom called me telling me that the cops were looking for me. WHAT?!?!?! WHY!?!?!?! She told me that they were telling her that I passed a stopped school bus. I almost laughed. What do you mean? I didn't even SEE a school bus, nor did I drive around one. Apparently that vehicle on the other side of the road driving towards me was a stopped school bus. She asked me if I saw any flashing lights. NO I DIDNT SEE ANY FLASHING LIGHTS THE SUN WAS BLINDING ME! All I COULD see was the side of the road, beneath the trees where there was shade. I'm assuming this is where the children would stand to get on the bus and I KNEW there hadn't been any children standing there.

Seeing as there's no such thing as winning a case against the oh-so-powerful town of Burg, I didn't fight it. I plead guilty, simply to avoid having to go to court again and miss work, on top of having to find another babysitter for James. So I just said 'okay, I'll pay the ticket. How much?'

FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS?!?!?! SERIOUSLY??? Seeing as the judge originally told me sixty dollars, I would've been fine with that one. But illegally passing a school bus has become a serious offense, and for good reason. Had I seen the school bus was stopped, had I seen a sign, anything, I would have stopped, I don't know what I would do if anything ever happened to James and I'm truly sorry to any of the parents that have lost their loved once due to the negligence of drivers that are in too much of a hurry to stop for no more than a minute to allow children to get on and off of busses. I'm not upset at the law. I'm upset at the system. I'm outraged that me, who maintained a 3.6 average in high school an a 3.2 average in college, who always tries to do the right thing even when it's dumb, who is TRULY not a criminal, is being charged 500 dollars, getting my license taken away, has to be on probation for a year, and has to have special insurance for 2 years, because of my very first ever traffic violation EVER.

On top of that, the courthouse where this all occurred lost all of the documents they needed to give me the stinking ticket! They lost their copy, lost the judge's order, EVERYTHING. And what did I do? I was the good samaritan owning up to what happened and saying "hey, here are my copies, I'll pay the ticket even though you guys don't have the documents to even keep me here." HOW STUPID WAS THAT?!?!?! I can't BELIEVE I even did that now!

Anyway, for those of you that don't know. When you get a ticket or a serious violation like an OWI, DUI, or any of that fun stuff, (as well as serious traffic violations) Not only is your license taken away for a good chunk of time, you also have to have sr-22, high risk insurance. This is EXPENSIVE. And on top of car payments, my current insurance payments, health care, AND a baby? I can't afford it.

The kicker is, I wasn't even told at my hearing that I'd have this crazy insurance, or have to be on probation. Why wasn't I told? Because the DOT is in charge of it and that isn't related to the court system. If THAT'S the case? The DOT should be required to sit in on ALL traffic hearings and tell the person who received the ticket what kinds of repercussions come along OTHER than the criminal punishments. I'm sorry, but it's absolutely bogus that I didn't even know about this until Yesterday, and only had until TODAY to appeal the decision. AGAIN, The government needs to get their shit together! Excuse my language, but seriously. It's stressful enough to know that your license may be taken away, but to be told that you'll have to pay hundreds and hundreds of dollars for the next two years on top of everything else? Well that's just crap. Oh, and just to punch you a liiiiittle bit harder, there's a 50 dollar fee to get your license reinstated. Whatever court system, just whatever.

My point of this blog was not just to rant, but to inform people that the court system is really cracking down on some of these traffic laws. A few years ago, passing a stopped school bus wasn't a big deal. But because of how many children that have been killed, the punishment has been increased dramatically. Even since MY ticket, a few months ago, the minimum ticket costs has risen to 700 dollars. And that's just been in the past few months! Drive safe, and if you question what's going on, just stop, even if you feel dumb about it. I really wish I'd just stopped when I couldn't see the vehicle, that way I wouldn't be going through what I am now. I get it's a pain to deal with for me, but I do know that there is reason. I can earn back the money I spend on all of these expenses. Had I hit a child, thank god I didn't, there's nothing I could do, no amount of money I could spend, to get that life back for that family.

So yeah, my rant is over for today. Sorry I haven't posted pictures in a while! I'll try to get on it in the next few days.

Tips For Planning A Baby Shower!

Alright! So you're pregnant! Or maybe thinking about getting pregnant with the person that you've been married to for five years because you wouldn't dare think about getting pregnant as a teenager, right? Anyway, it's your first beautiful baby and it's time to celebrate! A baby shower, the most common method for celebration, is supposed to be fun, but that's not to say it can't be stressful for those involved. So below are ten tips to planning a baby shower so that the party, as well as your life afterwards with baby and all the cool stuff you received, is as pain free as possible.

1. Sure, you can have a baby shower before or after the baby is born. However, I suggest that you have the baby shower before the baby arrives, so you have an idea of what you need to buy before the baby arrives. For example, a lot of my family members pitched in to buy the essentials: A crib, carseat, pack'n'play, bath, and a lot of other things. Seeing as I didn't know about a lot of these gifts, it would have been strange to say "Oh! I bought that car seat a few months ago! Thanks anyway, Grandma!"

2. With that said, write down all of the gifts that you receive, as well as how many of each you receive (diapers, wipes, different sizes of outfits) so that you know what exactly you need to buy. If you only received one or two newborn outfits, you might want to buy a few more. And if you only got a 20 pack of newborn diapers, you best go get more!

3. This is a big one. Invite everyone that you know. Literally. I invited over 100 people to my baby shower and a VAST majority of them showed up! Not only was it great to see people I hadn't seen in a really long time, James also got a TON of stuff. As horrible as it sounds, the more stuff you get at your baby shower, the less you have to buy. If I remember correctly, Jesse and I had received 7 boxes of diapers, 30 packages of wipes, and a BILLION outfits. Sure, he's outgrown most of the outfits, and we've had to buy diapers and wipes since the shower, but we were pretty much set for the first two months of James's life.

4. Send out invites and have people RSVP at least a month and a half before the day of the shower. A month and a half will allow people to have enough heads up to plan on attending, or to figure out if they have a previous engagement elsewhere. With these RSVP's you can plan on how much food needs to be prepared (if you're feeding everyone) and how much space you need, so that you know if you're house will work, or if you need to rent a space in your community for the event.

5. Don't feel pressured to have a million games at the event. Games are stressful, especially if your baby shower has 50 or more people, and most of the time, people are content mingling with others. If your event is relatively small, a few games may be alright. But if your event is pretty big, try to have games that don't require every single person to pay attention at once. For my baby shower, I bought two big baby bottles, a few bags of M&Ms, and a couple of bags of candy bars. I counted all of the M&Ms and put them in one bottle, writing down the number on a piece of paper and keeping it to myself. Then I counted all of the candy bars and did the same thing, writing down the number as well. At the baby shower, people were free to cast their guess as to how many candies were in each bottle, and towards the end of the party my family members looked through the guesses to find who was closest to the amount, and the two winners were able to keep whichever bottle that they had guessed correctly! This was inexpensive, stress free, but was still fun for the party goers.

6. Plan the event at least two months before your due date. This will give you plenty of time to go shopping for what you still need, even if you may go into labor a couple of weeks early. I had my baby shower March 10th (try to choose a day during the weekend) and James was born in early May. We were also able to exchange items before James got here. For example, as I neared my due date and had more and more sonogram appointments, I knew that James wasn't going to be premature. My grandma had accidentally bought me premie clothes, so I took them back and exchanged them for a different size! Also, if you have an idea of what kind of diapers you want to use (Jesse and I love Pampers) you can exchange the brands that you don't want, for the brands that you do want.

7. Wash all the clothes and assemble everything before the baby arrives. Now is for the hard part. Sometimes, babies have really sensitive skin, and clothes sometimes have chemicals on them in order to keep them in good shape on the racks. Dreft, a baby laundry detergent, is a great detergent to use in order to avoid your newborn breaking out or developing rashes. Along with washing everything, start assembling everything a few weeks before the baby arrives. The crib, the rocking chair, the car seat, large toys. A swing and bouncy are essentials to a newborn's happiness, and are also essential to you being able to put the baby down when you're busy. Assembling these in advance will let you relax your first few days home with the baby.

8. At your party, try to mingle as much as possible and say hello to everyone who comes. They took time out of their day, and money out of their pockets to be there, the very least you could do is say hello. I get it, it's hard to catch everyone, but make your best effort. I had seventy people at my baby shower and though the hello's were short, I still thought it important to say hello, thanks for coming, and goodbye, to each and every person.

9. A lot of people feel like a baby shower is JUST for women. Why is that? Jesse attended the event, obviously, and invited a few of his friends. I also found it really important that my stepdad and grandpa were there, seeing as they're both important figures in my life. So don't limit yourself to just women at the baby shower, let your boyfriend/significant other invite who he wants, as well as any men that you may want to invite. If your boyfriend has people there he can talk to, he's not going to feel nearly as awkward than if it were just him in a room of 70 women with him being the only man.

10. This last one isn't really a tip, but more like an idea. Before my baby shower, I hadn't told anyone what Jesse and I were planning to name the baby. We hadn't told a soul. So the day before the shower, I went to dollar general and bought a large piece of tag board (it will only cost a dollar or two) and then I went home and painted "James Hollis" on funky letters, and even drew a little monster on it, seeing as that was the theme of the shower. I then wrapped it up and wrote my mother and Jesse's mom's names on it. When all of our presents were unwrapped, Jesse and I announced that we had one more gift. We called up the moms to stand in front of everyone. My mom was suspicious and started tearing up before they even started opening it. My sister's, who sat next to Jesse and I while we'd opened our presents, started crying as well when my mom and Amy (Jesse's mother) announced "It's the baby's name" and turned it around for everyone to see. The room was filled with oooh's and awww's and my mom, sister's, and just about every other female in the room, including myself, began to cry. It was an emotional moment for us, and seeing as my hormones were out of whack, I cried, in front of an entire room of people, like I had never done before. It was emotional and I think all of us felt that with the baby name revealed, it was just that much more real that he'd be joining us soon.

Will Post Pictures As Soon as I can of my Own Baby Shower!

Children's Safety Blog

This blog is one I'm choosing to write after being inspired by a tragic story. Yesterday, I opened my laptop attempting to wake up with a few games of Candy Crush before really getting on with my day. I flipped through my social networking sites, messaged back a few friends, checked to see if there was anything funny on Pinterest, and then stumbled upon an article about a woman grieving. Kim and her baby girl Meggie, were the victims of tragedy when Meggie's dresser, one of the only pieces of furniture in the entire home that wasn't secured, fell on top of her while she was playing in her room. Seeing as the entire household has slept in, it wasn't until her father had walked into her room and checked on her, and yelled for Kim, did the family realize that their precious loved one was dead. This blog hit me... I teared up as I watched James playing on the floor in front of me in the living room. I was so touched, that I scooped James up into my lap before continuing to read the blog. The main message, I thought, was that it takes five dollars and just a minute of your time in order to save your children's lives. And that's what this blog is about. I'm going to give a few of the main children's safety tips so you can start proofing your home today so not one more child is harmed, or killed, in the 'safety' of their own home.

To read Kim and Meggie's story for yourself, click the following link. Have the Kleenex ready!

http://lovelightlaughterandchocolate.blogspot.com/2012/12/be-with-me-just-for-today.html

1. The book case, the flat screen TV, computer monitor, the dresser, the DVD shelf, all of these things need to be secured to the wall or onto the things that they sit! Industrial velcro, furniture straps, there are a ton of ways to proof these things for cheap and it only takes a few minutes to do. Another tip is to not put anything that your child is going to reach for, on top of anything that can topple over. Put your children's things in the lowest drawer of the computer desk, as close to the floor as you possibly can so they aren't tempted to crawl up onto things!

2. The kitchen is a dangerous place. When cooking on the stove make sure to turn all handled inward to prevent your children from grabbing the pot handle and pulling it down on top of themselves. In all, it would be best to keep your children out of the kitchen entirely. For instance, the second I open the fridge, James comes running. If he did the same thing with the oven? We'd be in a lot of trouble! Keep them occupied in the other room with a movie, activity, or toys, to keep them entertained while you're in the kitchen.

3. One of the simplest things you could possibly do is to childproof electric sockets. At the VERY least, go to Walmart, buy a three dollar package of socket plugs, and put them into each socket you come across. Electrocution is dangerous (trust me) and it HURTS. Something so simple and inexpensive as a socket cover is worth it to keep your child safe.

4. You don't need a baby gate in every room. If the rooms have doors, CLOSE THEM! However, you DO need a baby gate at the top and bottom of any stairs you may have in the house. If you don't like hopping over these, yet you think it's a pain to take them down and put them up again each time you walk up and down the stairs, invest in a mounted gate! Press the latch, open the gate, and close it behind you! That makes taking laundry downstairs much easier.

5. Teen parents especially are guilty of leaving EVERYTHING plugged in. Hair dryers, straighteners, cellphone and laptop chargers, you name it, we forget about it. WELL STOP IT! James is completely capable of pulling my chargers out of the wall, so I've learned to wrap them up when my devices are charged, put them away, and put an outlet cover in it's place. A curious baby is a happy baby and the last thing you want is for your curious baby to get zapped, burned, or seriously hurt because of a straightener or uncovered outlet.

6. We just moved into a new apartment relatively recently and I've just recently noticed that our fire alarm doesn't have working batteries! You'd think that the landlords would have checked them before we moved in, but apparently not! So while you should have a smoking smoke alarm (we're getting batteries ASAP) also think about investing in a carbon monoxide, and even a radon monitor!

7. Keep your chemicals up high and out of reach! Febreze, toilet bowl cleaner, Pledge, bleach, ALL OF IT, either lock up your cabinets or MOVE IT! Seeing as our landlord won't allow us to install cabinet locks, we moved all of our chemicals into a storage area at the top of a closet we have in our kitchen. Seeing as I have to stand on my toes to reach it, I know James won't be able to reach in in a long time. If your child Does ingest chemicals call poison control immediately!

8. Here's a tip I didn't even think of for quite some time. When I get home, I put my purse down either on the table or on the couch and it usually stays where I put it until I leave again. In my purse, I have my wallet, a billion coupons, some loose change, and Advil. Much like chemicals, all medicines need to be put far out of a child's reach! James has pretty easy access to my purse, and god forbid I didn't screw the lid back on correctly! Keep your purse zipped up and out of reach to help your child avoid choking on a penny, or getting into a medicine bottle.

9. Pop cans. It doesn't seem too harmful does it? Imagine what would happen if you stuck your finger inside an aluminum pop can. Now imagine if you grabbed it with force, much like a child might. Getting cut my aluminum is not fun (I had many an art project go awry when I was working with aluminum) and with such tiny fingers, your little one may lose a digit if you don't pick up all of the pop cans around the house and put them in the recycling! It takes two seconds to pick up a pop can and is much better than an emergency room visit because your little one won't stop bleeding after they ripped it off of the end table and started banging it around.

10. My last tip today is simple. Use common sense. Get down on your knees, which would be eye level with a child, and look around! Are there electrical cords peaking out from behind the TV? Are the cords to the window blinds dangling to the floor? Did daddy forget a pop can in the living room? All of these things would only take a moment to fix, but would keep your child from being harmed. Tuck away all electrical cords out of sight, tie up or cut off window blind cords, and keep anything sharp or small enough to choke on out of reach of children.