Walk with the Heart of a Child

by Kate Peterson

Tomorrow is the Annual Children's Heart Foundation’s Walk with the Heart of a Child here in Las Vegas. It was only a year ago on Wednesday that my little man had a catheterization procedure done on his heart to help open up his aortic valve.

When I was fist told that he had a heart condition, I think I got one too. I was in shock and completely unprepared. I googled everything I could find (word to the wise, stick to the university websites). It helped to be able to have something in print to share with family, but the best information came from our own pediatric cardiologist. There is a good book too, called “It’s My Heart”.

What I found interesting was that the more my husband and I discussed Luke’s heart condition with friends, family and coworkers, we found many that had been in a similar circumstance, and some that had been worse. It seemed to mirror our IVF experience.

If you are in Las Vegas tomorrow morning, come to the Fashion Show Mall and Walk with the Heart of a Child. Registration begins at 7 and the walk begins at 8:30. For more information, go to http://chfn.org/events.html.

Feeling a little fat today!

Today marks my 21st week of being pregnant. I feel great - my ankles are swelling but I am still able to fit into my regular jeans (with them unbuttoned of course) ! But......... I feel fatter than ever! Do I look it? Well if you answered "no" I wonder if you are looking at the same picture I just took!

I realized how big my belly is getting today, as I was getting my 7 year old clothing from his bottom drawer of his dresser. As I was bending over, all I felt was the weight of a 5 pound bowling ball. As it turns out, it was my belly weighing me down. At that moment I realized just how big I am.

I of course freak out - as most women do in this position. I ran to my PC and started to google pictures of pregnant woman that are 21 weeks along. I found a few pictures of women that were smaller than me but the majority of the pictures I found of women 21 weeks along were about the same size or a little bigger than I am now. WOOHOO! I definitely felt a little better because I am not the only one that is this big at 21 weeks. I am grateful for all you out there that are proud of your pregnant bellies and are not afraid to show them.

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The things no one tells you when you are having a baby

By Judy Stone

Clothing: 0 - 3 months it's all about the footies/onesies. You only need about six or seven day outfits more for when the baby is about three months.

Based on my experience, here is info on baby brands:

• Baby Gap - Runs very big
• Koala Kids (this is sold at Babies R Us) - Runs big
• Little me - True to size
• Ralph Lauren - Runs small
• Just One Year - True to size

Shoes: As cute as they are, do not buy any 0-6 month shoes. If you get them, exchange them for 6 - 12months. Total waste.

Books: Just read Babywise. If you want your baby to sleep through the night by 2 months, this is the book you follow.

Essentials:

• Swing
• Bouncer
• Exersaucer ( this is when they are a bit older but essential if you want to shower)
• Jumper ( again this is for when they are about 6 months old)
• Playmat
• The soft books
• Saline drops: put some saline in the nose when stuffy and suck it out with the green sucky things
• Green Sucky thing
• Blankets for swaddling

The Hospital Prep: Make sure you get that overnight bag packed! We actually had one together about a month before my due date and it came in handy because I went into labor two weeks early. Make sure you have a camera and a video camera.

20 Weeks and the emotions are flowing

So as you can see I am about 20 weeks now. (pregnancy dress - makes me look a little bigger than I really am) I feel a little overweight - but only have gained 6 pounds in 5 months, per my doctor that is great. I have a low line placenta but I have been told that the placenta should move up shortly. I am scheduled to go back in a few weeks for another placenta check.

I admit I have yet to become an emotional wreck but am on the road to destruction. I have begun to take the little things more personal and taking them out on my husband. I feel like I don't have control of my emotions and once I flip out am unaware of the pain I may have caused him.

Does anyone know how to control such emotional outbursts?

Oh, The Places You'll Go

By: Regina Clark



When I became a mother my number one goal was to help my kids in any way that I can to be happy , healthy children and to be a contributing member of society when they grow up. I began reading to my daughter the first night I brought her home from the hospital. I read a little book full of nursery rhymes. It was at the end of the day. Just my baby and me in the rocking chair reading together.



It's been almost 15 years now. I read to her almost every night. Like most mothers I though she was the brightest child I had ever seen. She started picking out letters when she was 18 months old. She would say "there is a T, there is a B." One day we were playing in her room. She was 4 years old. She picked up a book and said, "I can ready this, Mommy." I said. "Ok read it." It was a book that we had not read before. She read it perfectly. I couldn't believe it. By the time she started Kindergarten she could read almost anything. This is not always a good thing. When she was 3, I had wrapped all the Christmas presents including the ones from Santa and put everything under the tree. One day she said, "Look mom, Santa has the same wrapping paper we do!" She had read all the name tags on the presents. No more presents under the tree from Santa.



When my daughter was 3, we gave her a little brother. Every child is unique and each has their own special abilities. My husband and I wondered if he would be as smart as we thought our daughter was, but we were not going to put any expectations on him. I read to him when I brought him home from the hospital. Just the same as my daughter he was picking out letters at an early age. He too could read anything before he went to Kindergarten. One day we were heading home and I said to my husband that the kids were good and I thought we should take them and get them a treat. Maybe we could go (as I spelled it out) to M-c-D-o-n-a-l-d-s. My son instantly got excited and shouted, "We get to go to McDonald's! Okay-now we can't spell anything in front of them.



These days there are sophisticated reading systems such as the one I saw at our BabyTime Expo "Your Baby Can Read". Systems like this teach kids word recognition as early as 3 months old. The most important part is your interaction with your child. As I remember those early days I can't help but feel a little sad that they don't need bedtime stories anymore. But I wouldn't trade those precious moments in the rocking chair reading to my babies for anything. I hope that by giving them the gift of loving to read, that they will continue to have happy, healthy lives and grow up to become contributing members of society. Reading to your child is a gift that you can give from the heart. The only cost is a little of your time. It could make a world of difference to your child. I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes by one of my favorite authors:

The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.

- Dr. Suess, "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!"

Parents for Life

By Regina Clark

I know our show is called “Baby”time Expo, but I have a thought that I would like to share. Being a new parent of children 4 and under can be challenging, I must say. However, parenting never stops. Once you make the decision to have kids, you are a parent for life.

I am the mother of a daughter who is about to turn 15 and a son who just turned 12. I can tell you that the challenges do not get easier they get different. I can remember when the kids were little and I told them to do something and they actually did it. One day I told the kids to pick up their toys, that it was time to clean up. My son, Ryan did it but my daughter, Rachel continued to play. Ryan looked at Rachel and said, “but Mom said!” These days Mom has to say about 10 times to get the result I want. The teen years definitely come with challenges. You just have to love them through them all.

Parenting is a full time job and although our concentration is on the 4 and younger crowd, I just wanted to say that we as parents face challenges with older kids, too. Don’t worry newbies, it isn’t that bad. It’s something to look forward to. We are all in this together. That’s what our show is all about: “helping parents know and children grow”. And grow they do into teenagers! We ARE parents for life.

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Children's product sellers get 1-year reprieve on lead testing

Submitted by Kate Peterson

The Consumer Product Safety Commission voted to hold off on some requirements that would have forced many companies to spend tens of thousands of dollars to check toys, clothing and other goods.

Companies have an additional year before they need to come into compliance per last Friday's ruling. The commission had already clarified a portion of the law that in effect exempted thrift stores from the law as it relates to children's clothing. Click here for the full article from the Los Angeles Times - http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-consumer-lead31-2009jan31,0,7966719.story