Colors & Carseats

The kids are eating goldfish crackers and listening to kids songs (100 songs on iTunes for $9.99). I look in Mr N's bowl and he had eaten out all of the yellow and orange goldfish, leaving the green and red ones. I am just so happy to see that he recognizes different colors and seems to have a preference.

Therapy went pretty well this morning, Mr N has been pretty clingy and cuddly the last couple of days, I'm starting to think he's coming down with something. He doesn't have a fever and isn't complaining or acting like anything hurts, but he doesn't complain when he falls and skins his knees and elbows either.

We did some bubbles outside, Mr N did some fruit cutting, balloon play, dancing, and ball play, of course. Mr N loves to throw stuff, I'm not sure if he gets sensory input from it or if he's just like his uncle who threw anything and everything (and most likely still does). As much as Mr N looks like his Daddy, I certainly see my brothers in him quite often.

Nap time came a bit before therapy was over, but he seemed to really need the rest today so we didn't fight Mr N on it.

While baby napped, I tried to teach sissy how to play "Mary Had A Little Lamb" on our wooden xylophone. I took the liberty of using permanent marker to help her learn her notes. Like this...

She doesn't quite have it down, but she thinks it's awesome when Mommy plays it, so that's a good start.

Now I'm gonna climb up on my soap box for just a minute. This week is Child Passenger Safety Week, so I'd like to raise awareness for all parents. Motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of death among children in the United States. THIS IS HUGE! Seriously, this is a huge problem. Parents are constantly running their kids to the doctor for minor bumps, bruises, fever, etc. Parents take precautions by vaccinating, baby proofing their homes, putting in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors....yet fail to properly keep their child restrained in a vehicle. It's unfathomable how this is overlooked by so many parents. It's estimated that 72% of child restraints are misused and could increase the risk of a child being injured in an accident. There is no excuse, if you are a parent, read your car seat or booster seat owner's manual. Watch YouTube videos that have been made by professionals. Take your vehicle and car seat to an inspection station. Here is a link, search by your location....it's right HERE again!

You thought I was done? No, I'm not done. Here is a link http://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/child_passenger_safety/cps-factsheet.html
to more facts and guidelines for parents and caregivers. Laws are finally changing to help protect our precious children. I'm actually going to post some of the guidelines. This is the information hospitals should be forcing parents to watch before they leave the hospital.

~ Birth through Age 2 - Rear-facing child safety seat. For the best possible protection, infants and children should be kept in a rear-facing child safety seat, in the back seat buckled with the seats harness, until they reach the upper weight or height limits of their particular seat. The weight and height limits on rear-facing child safety seats can accommodate most children through age 2, check the seat's owner's manual for details.

~ Between Ages 2-4/ Until 40 lbs - Forward-facing child safety seat. When children outgrow their rear-facing seats (the weight and height limits on rear-facing car seats can accommodate most children through age 2) they should ride in forward-facing child safety seats, in the back seat buckled with the seat's harness, until they reach the upper weight or height limit of their particular seat (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds; many newer seats have higher weight limits-check the seat's owner's manual for details.

~ Between ages 4-8 OR until 4'9" Tall - Booster seat. Once children outgrow their forward-facing seats (by reaching the upper height and weight limits of their seat), they should ride in belt positioning booster seats. Remember to keep children in the back seat for the best possible protection.

~ After age 8 and/or 4'9" Tall - Seat belts. Children should use booster seats until adult seat belts fit them properly. Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs (not the stomach) and the shoulder belt fits across the chest (not the neck). When adult seat belts fit children properly they can use the adult seat belts without booster seats. For the best possible protection keep children in the back seat and use lap-and-shoulder belts.

~ All children younger than 13 years should ride in the back seat. Airbags can kill young children riding in the front seat. Never place a rear-facing car seat in the front seat or in front of an air bag.

~ Place children in the middle of the back seat when possible, because it is the safest spot in the vehicle.

Okay, I might be done now. I had to edit out a lot so I didn't sound so heartless and judgmental. But these are precious, innocent lives being lost for absolutely no reason. Please, please, please keep your children safe.

Edit: I wasn't quite done. Here is an image that will help guide you on where the chest clip goes (should be even with the armpits) and to determine how snug the harness should be. Just remember, it's a chest clip, not a belly clip.