Spring is...

long afternoon walks with my favorites...

baby shades...

budding trees against blue skies...

the first dandelions...

plump blackberries on vanilla ice cream...

fresh air and sunshine all afternoon...

outside gear...

open windows...

bare baby toes...

spots of color popping up through the leaves...

sweaty hugs...

warm nights...

What is spring to you??

Benzocaine.

I've never been a big advocate for Orajel numbing products. Yes, I know that their products are supposed to work well to reduce a teething baby's pain. But, just how effective is that pink gel? How dangerous? The FDA has recently released a safety alert for Benzocaine (the main ingrediant in Orajel), recommending that it not be used on children under the age of 2 years because of a severe and potentially fatal side effect called methemogloinemia (a condition in which the amount of oxygen carried through the blood stream is greatly reduced). This scares me! Orajel has been the most common teething product used by parents for years and years--and its main ingrediant is potentially fatal?! Granted, it is supposed to only be dangerous when administered in large doses or for longer than recommended periods. But, when a baby is in pain for days on end, when does a parent stop giving him relief?
Before Nathaniel was born, I worked at the daycare, where we were not legally allowed to administer any medication (including Orajel) to the children. Very often, we had babies who were painfully teething, and I can't tell you how many times, we had parents ask us to use Orajel, or even parents who popped in on their lunch breaks to rub some on their little one's sore gums. And, after seeing this happen many times, I can tell you that it might provide a numbing relief for a little while...but not for long! Maybe 15 minutes?
When I had my baby, I received a packet of Orajel from a friend; I didn't think much of it, I just tucked it away for later. And, when my little man started drooling everywhere, gumming anything he could get his hands on, and waking up crying, I pulling out the Orajel. I used it on him once. And, he SCREAMED even louder! My first thought was that he just didn't like the numbing feeling, but the more I thought about it, the more I wondered. The next day, I popped open one of the Orajel applicators and tried it on myself. The stuff BURNS! And, yes, my mouth did go numb shortly thereafter, but, oh, it burned first! And, while I give that I'm an adult and much bigger than a baby, I think that the numbing only lasted maybe 6 or 7 minutes. In my opinion, the intense burning pain would not make up for a few minutes of numbed relief. I've never used Orajel on my boy again; he's much happier gnawing on a cool washcloth anyway!

After realizing that Orajel (a "baby-friendly" product from a decades old company) was definately not for us, I started looking things up online about it. And, I found out that I'm absolutely not the first mother to toss the stuff out! Apparently, there is a long-standing risk of giving a baby too much of a Benzocaine product, numbing the entire mouth and throat, and causing the baby to suffocate. WHAT?! This stuff is being sold for babies in every store around!!! I found tons of research and recommendations that Orajel (and other Benzocaine products) not be given to babies.
At one point, I mentioned all of this to my mother, who immediately told me why she had never used Orajel on any of her babies. Once upon a time (long before I was born), my mom was riding in the back of a car with her little niece (who was teething). My aunt (Mom's sister/baby's mother) asked my mom to apply a little Orajel to her daughter's gums. As my mom squeezed a drop out of the tube, the car hit a bump, causing her to get a dab on the front of her sweater. Thinking nothing of it, she applied the Orajel to the baby's gums, and they continued on their merry way. By the end of the day, the spot on her sweater where the Orajel had landed had eaten a hole through the fabric. True story. Is that the sort of product that babies need in their mouths? I think not... And, apparently, the FDA finally agrees!
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm250264.htm

*I do think that it is worth noting that Orajel now offeres a "natural" (Benzocaine-free) product for teething pain relief that uses clove oil as the numbing agent. Worth a try? Perhaps...?

Wordless Wednesday.

Fierce Love.

I recently read a blog entry by a woman who described her love for her children as "fierce". I've never thought of love in that manner before, but I like it. As a mother, I do feel a fierce love for my son. We've all heard about mama grizzly bears and their "fierce love"/protectiveness for their cubs. And, I must admit, as a human mother, I feel that same way for my baby. I cannot imagine anyone/anything ever hurting my little one, but, oh, if I ever saw it, I have a feeling that I could do some damage. I completely understand now why there are stories of mommies pulling cars off of their little ones, and daddies running into burning buildings for their babies. I would give up my own life in a split second for my son--no doubt about it!

Before Nathaniel was born, I loved him. I was terrified that something might go wrong, or that I wouldn't be able to carry him full-term. I loved that little heartbeat on the monitor, and I cherished those fluttery kicks in my belly. I knew that my son would change my whole outlook, and I knew that he would become my life, and I knew that I would love him more than words could describe. But, I didn't know just how incredibly true those things really would be!

The love that I have for my son is incredible. It's the reason that his pudgy little arms clinging to my neck makes my heart melt into a puddle. It's the reason that I can't read "Just In Case You Ever Wonder" or "Guess How Much I Love You" or even the last page of "Night-Night, Little Pookie" without getting a lump in my throat. It's the reason that I take approximately 800 photos every week. It's the reason that a single wail sends me flying across the house. It's the reason that I'll dance around like a goof just to hear him giggle--over and over again! It's the reason that I'll keep wearing a shirt with applesauce on the front and spit on the sleeve. It's the reason that I can't hold him for 30 seconds without kissing those adorable cheeks. It's the reason that I think my baby is the cutest baby EVER. It's the reason that after Nate falls asleep, I'll check on him multiple times every hour. It's the reason that I don't mind waking up in the morning to two little fists pummeling my head--and that little toothy grin as soon I open my eyes makes every night waking worth it!

Sometimes I can't imagine that I'll ever be able to love another baby as much as I love Nate. I've heard that when {theoretical/future} baby #2 arrives, the mother's heart grows a million times over, and she is suddenly capable of loving both children with that immense love. I believe that it's true, and I'm sure that I'll love all of our children equally--an intense, fierce love. But, right now, I cannot imagine it. Nathaniel will someday become a big brother, and he won't be my littlest baby then. But, he will always be special because he was my first. He is the one who made me a mother--the one who gave me my proudest moment. He's the one who made me what I always wanted to be: a mommy.

My love for Nathaniel is so strong, so fierce that I can't even stand to think about bad things happening to him. And, when I say "bad things", I mean scraped knees and bee stings--I can't make my mind go further than that. I can totally relate to Mama Grizzly and her protective instincts now...I think it's just a mom instinct; there is no species division.

Sometimes I think about when Nathaniel grows up; I hope he finds a wonderful, Christian woman to marry. But, sometimes I think about the search to find that woman--will there be girls in high school who turn him down? Will his college girlfriend who he thinks is the one, turn out to be a fraud? Will he have a broken heart at times? Probably. Maybe I'm too much of a sap, but I could just cry when I think of a girl hurting my baby--even though he'll be a big boy! {Wait, is this how terrible mother-in-laws start out???? Haha!)

I know that it's totally unrealistic and impossible, but I just want to protect my boy from the world! There are so many things/people who hurt, and I don't want to ever see him in any pain. And, while I might be coming across as a crazy, over-protective momma right now, it's all that fierce love showing. I know that I won't always be able to shield him from the world, but, for now, I can. And, I will. He's my baby, and I'm his momma--and this fierce love is what we share.

84 degrees.

Hello, warm weather!! We hope you're here to stay for a while...!

Compassion Sunday.

As you know, there are millions of innocent young children who face hunger, disease, a lack of education, inadequate shelter, abuse and neglect on a daily basis. What you might not know is that one third of the world’s children live in extreme poverty. Every single day, 1,600 women and more than 10,000 newborns die due to complications that could have been prevented. More than 10 million children under the age of 5 die each year. Two-thirds of these deaths--more than 6 million every year, are from malnutrition and other preventable causes. Approximately 143 million children in the developing world are orphans. Every five seconds, a child dies from hunger.
Imagine how helpless and hopeless children must feel while living in the shadow of the “mountain” of poverty. Imagine how it overpowers their daily lives and crushes their hope for the future. Many of these children have never heard hear that there is a God who loves them. But, he does love them, and together, we can move the “mountain” of poverty from their lives, one child at a time.
Compassion International is a non-profit organization that gives us the opportunity to help some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable children. Through Compassion’s one-to-one sponsorship ministry, more than one million children are being given real help for today, and a hope for their future. Most importantly, they are learning how much God loves them.
I made the decision to become a child sponsor 2 and a half years ago. That small step led me to sponsor a little boy from El Salvador named Yonathan. Yonathan is 6 years old, and he lives with his mother, who is only sometimes employed as a maid. Sponsorship has blessed my life in ways that I couldn’t have imagined—I’ve become so close to a little boy whom I’ve never even met in person! We exchange letters and photos, and Yonathan often draws pictures that he sends. Since he is so young, Yonathan is assisted by a tutor when writing letters, which are written in Spanish (the language spoken in El Salvador). Through Compassion, the letters are translated into English before I receive them, and then my English letters are translated into Spanish. Most importantly, we exchange prayers for one another.
Sponsorship has also made a big, life-changing difference to Yonathan. He is able to attend kindergarten at the Buenas Nuevas Student Center, where his favorite subjects are Bible class and art class. In El Salvador, it is common for up to 62% of children in rural areas to stop attending school in order to work as laborers. Since Yonathan is sponsored, he will be able to continue his education, as well as be provided with Bible teaching, medical exams, health and hygiene instruction, social events, moral teaching, computer training, literacy, academic support and nutritious snacks. The center staff will also provide educational discussions for the parents of the sponsored children.
Through Compassion’s ministry, sponsored children are equipped to defeat the “mountain” of poverty in their lives. Beyond the practical help that Compassion offers—such as medical, nutritional, and educational assistance, each sponsored child also has the opportunity to learn about the love of God and the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, Last year alone, nearly 150,000 Compassion-assisted children put their faith in Jesus Christ!

I’d like to invite you to take the small step of sponsorship to transform the world for one girl or or. It costs only $38 a month—a little more than one dollar a day—to make a big difference in the life of a child in need. More than 80% of all Compassion expenditures go to support program activities for children. Compassion’s financial integrity continues to be recognized by Charity Navigator—giving it the most four-star ratings of any organization of its kind in the United States.
As Christians, God can take our small steps and use them to bring great and lasting change to the lives of children who would otherwise face a lifetime of suffering, hardship, and hopelessness. You can visit Compassion's website at www.compassion.com to see photos of real children who are awaiting sponsorship.
Many scriptures call us as Christians to speak out and care for the poor. For example, in Matthew 25:40, Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Matthew 10 : 42 says, “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”
You may not be able to change the world, but you certainly can change the world for one child! Please prayerfully consider becoming a sponsor for a boy or girl in need today.

Prayer.

Please keep friends of ours in your prayers. I just received word that they very unexpectedly lost their beautiful 4-month-old daughter. My heart breaks for them right now; I cannot even begin to find the words that could describe what they must be feeling. Pray that they receive strength and peace.

Wordless Wednesday.

Baltimore, part 2.

The last stop of our afternoon was this GIANT Barnes & Noble that we had seen when we'd driven into town. We're generally fans of any new bookstore, but this place was really phenomenal!

It was huge, and had a gloriously BIG section for everything!

Eric, of course, made a beeline for the international travel section (which was a tad bigger than the one shelf at our local store). Nate and I checked out the children's section for a while, and I was amazed to find practically every book that I'd ever owned as a child! This was not your average children's section with a shelf of baby books, a shelf of chapter books, etc. This place had a whole aisle of baby board books! A whole aisle of games! A whole section of Dr Seuss!

There was even whole shelf full of Spanish books for kids. {Nate has quite a collection of Spanish books, but none were found in our local book store}. Nathaniel finally decided that he'd had enough of the bookstore, which was probably a good thing, as we were just getting into the cookbook area! So we were on our way again...but not before a few purchases were made!

After our big day out, we decided a swim in the hotel pool would be fun before bed. Nathaniel had never been swimming before, so we had no idea how he would react.

At first, he wasn't quite sure what to think of the pool, but he quickly warmed up to it and was splashing like a crazy man!

We all had a good time swimming, and Nate was exhausted by bedtime. After a quick shower, he only made it through half of one of his new storybooks before he was asleep!

The next day, Eric attended a few more sessions at the conference, and Nathaniel and I packed up our belongings. After we checked out of the hotel, we stopped at UNO Chicago grille for lunch.

After craving this pizza for appromately a month, I was a little disappointed that it was borderline cold. Nathaniel, on the other hand, was determined to have his first taste of pizza!

Our trip home was uneventful. Nate slept for almost 3 hours, which was nice since he isn't the world's biggest fan of the carseat.

Overall, we had a fabulous trip, and we can't wait to try another destination!

Baltimore, part 1.

We're back! We made our very first trip with Baby, and it was wonderful! We "did" Baltimore in style, all without missing too many naps! Nathaniel was wonderful throughout the entire trip (Really, why do I even worry about this baby?! He's always perfect!).

Our trip started out with a car ride to drop off the dog to my father-in-law, our resident dog sitter. Grover (who hasn't ridden in the car much {at all?} since Nate was born) settled himself down as soon as we rolled out of the driveway.

After dropping off the pooch, we continued on our journey into snowy Maryland. Up the mountain, and down the mountain...repeat about 67 times.
Nathaniel was a little fussy, as the elevation bothered his ears--but it was nothing that a sippy cup of juice couldn't help! We finally arrived in Baltimore around 7:30 pm.

By the time that we checked into our hotel and Nate checked out the room, he was ready for bed. I was a little nervous about bedtime in a strange, new place with lots of people {who probably didn't want to hear a fussy baby} nearby, but everything went smoothly!

The next morning, Eric attended the NECTFL conference while Nathaniel and I hung out in the hotel room. He played with his toys, looked at books, napped, and admired the view from our 12 floor balcony.

We met Eric for lunch in the hotel restaurant, then went back to the room for an afternoon nap. When Nate woke up, we were off to explore Baltimore!

We had a cool, but gorgeous day! Downtown Baltimore is very easily navigated, even with a baby stroller. We admired the sights and the harbor for most of the afternoon. We saw lots of boats and seagulls, but opted to wait until next time to visit the National Aquarium (when Nate is a little older).

*to be continued...*