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June 6, 2009
My father-in-law's mom passed away this week and the funeral was today. Even though we weren't very close to Grandma Spring, I know she loved us and treated us just like she did her own grandchildren (she is actually Jeff's step-grandma). While we were at the cemetery, Jeff noticed a huge monarch butterfly fluttering around all the flowers. It made me stop and reflect (after chasing it around to get a picture or two) about how grateful I am to know that this earthly life is just a small time in eternity, that families can be together forever, and that there is always hope in our Savior Jesus Christ, even in times of hardship and sadness. It was almost like Grandma Spring was saying goodbye as it flew away and wanted to remind us to take time to enjoy the beauty this life has to offer... even if it's as simple as a butterfly.
June 5, 2009
We took Pearl to Willow Park today because we were in Logan for a funeral and needed something a little more fun and lighthearted to do. Every year taking Pearl to the zoo gets more fun. She can see the animals better, understands what kind they are and the sounds they make, and loves to feed them. It took some encouraging at first but after the first handful of duck food, she couldn't be pulled away. There was even a pair of geese with three fluffy goslings swimming around that Pearl was thrilled to see. Kind of funny how doing something that seems so childlike, like feeding ducks, can bring entertainment to all! After wandering around and seeing all the animals - ok let's get serious, mostly ducks, turtles, birds, and a couple deer (what happened to the giant fish?) - we let Pearl get some wiggles out on the playground. Jeff was a good sport, squeezing into a tiny twisty slide with Pearl giggling the whole way down. I definitely couldn't have fit in it, so it's a good thing dad is around to get stuck in it! Topping off the adventure was a shaved ice, courtesy of Jeff's mom. Pearl's still not too sure about these fake "ice creams" which makes Jeff really happy because that means more for him.
June 4, 2009
Pearl turned two today and to celebrate, our neighbors surprised all of us with a birthday message for all to see. They said they called in a "favor" to the chiropractor's office across the street and had them put up a birthday greeting for Pearl on their monster sign. I didn't even notice it though, until they sent an email with a picture of it! I guess it was even up last night when Pearl and I went on our walk. Real observant, huh? I think it's the first time we haven't complained about "the sun," as we call the sign, and it's blinding lights. Now what two year old can say they've gotten this for their birthday? Apparently only a spoiled and very loved little girl can! As Pearl says, "Happy to You!" my sweet little girl! We love you so much!
June 3, 2009
I went to a press conference today at Primary Children's Medical Center for a new child safety campaign they launched called "Never Leave Your Child Alone" to help parents understand how dangerous it is to leave your kid in or around a car alone, even for a few minutes. Every year there are tragedies where a kid dies because they've been left in a hot car or been backed over and killed. I remember one last summer where a baby was left in the car and died which we had to cover in the news. While the numbers are small in comparison to other things, these deaths are completely preventable. I'll try to keep my health education and Violence and Injury Prevention Program shpill to a minimum but seriously, after today's press conference, I will NEVER, EVER leave my kid alone in a car!!! Not only is it dangerous because someone could steal your car with your kid in it (happened a few months ago in Salt Lake City), or that your kid could knock the car out of park or strangle themselves in a window, but the intense heat inside a car, even on a cloudy day would blow your mind.
As part of the press conference, they set up a thermometer to measure how hot the inside of a car got in the few minutes we were at the event. It was 80 degrees outside and over 155 degrees and still rising inside the car! When we opened the doors to "cool things down" (like so many of us might do with the windows, which does very little to lower the temperature inside a car by the way), the temperatures skyrocketed from 120 degrees to over 150 degrees in less than two minutes. It's seriously enough that you could bake cookies or fry an egg inside. I was shocked as I watched the temperature get higher and higher... and this is part of my job to help send messages to the public about how dangerous this is! You are literally frying your kid to death. As an ER doctor who spoke at the event put it, it's like sticking your child in the oven and it only takes minutes, not hours, to boil their brain and organs. I've never heard anyone describe so graphically what actually happens to their tiny bodies. I can't imagine how horrible it must be to be helplessly strapped in a car seat literally boiling to death as your body goes from sweating (which by the way, kids' bodies can't regulate temperatures like adults so they can't sweat efficiently), then gets clammy, and finally in a last ditch effort to cool down seizures followed by brain death. Sadly, I think it just might take this graphic description to get some people to change their behaviors.
Now I'm sure after reading this, you're thinking that you would never do that but I'm sure more of us have in the past left our kids in the car to run back inside for something we forgot or for that quick run into the store. What is more precious than a child? You'd never dream of leaving $1 million dollars (heck, let's get serious, probably $100) on the back seat of your car so why on earth would you leave a priceless child there while you ran into the store for what you anticipate to only be minutes? It's all too common to hear concerns from parents about waking their kid up or having to re-buckle them in their car seats rather than concern that they are putting their child's life in danger by leaving them alone in the car. A firefighter who spoke said when they get calls about kids being alone in cars, most parents are more upset that they had to bash in a window to pull their limp and lifeless kid out of the car than they are for the health of their child.
Take a few minutes to watch these public safety announcements on Primary Children's Medical Center website about this new campaign. The website also has some prevention tips, statistics, and materials you can download and share. Please, please, please NEVER LEAVE YOUR CHILD ALONE and share this message with other parents. It could very well save the life of a child.
June 2, 2009
Tuesday night is now church softball night at our house. Pearl loves going to the ballgames but tonight we had an actual job to do instead of just eating nachos and cheering for daddy (and praying he doesn't get nailed in the head again). Jeff was in charge of dishing out hot dogs and nachos to grubby handed kids, gangly teenagers, and old men reliving the glory days. I decided this was my chance to fulfill my wifely duties by supporting Jeff with his calling and helping at the stand. While we served, Pearl ran back and forth between the bleachers and dugout. She poked a few people with some sticks she found, gave her nachos to another little girl, and screamed when her "hat" (jacket hood) came off. We hadn't even made it through the first game when the clouds opened and the downpour came. I'll probably lose all brownie points for admitting this, but I was glad it rained! I really didn't want to stay there until 10 trying to keep Pearl happy while scooping up nacho cheese and some really gross looking hot dogs.
June 1, 2009
We've resorted to bribery in an attempt to get Pearl interested in potty training again. Several months ago I thought she'd go for it. We'd read a gazillion books on going potty, bought a potty chair, and she even used it for a couple days. But then all of a sudden she was scared of it and hasn't wanted anything do with it since. I'm sure it's normal but maybe with a few stickers to entice her she'll give it another try 'cause when you ask for a clean diaper or stick your hand down it and pull out poop, it's time to get rid of diapers!
May 31, 2009
We are spoiled rotten by our neighbors! Seriously, we don't deserve them and if we ever moved, would have to take them with us. Today in addition to our weekly Sunday cookies - yes we've gotten cookies every week since we moved next door five years ago - they brought us a Sno Cone machine, complete with flavored syrups to try! How cool is that? I think it was really for Pearl but I knew she would have to pry it out of Jeff's hands first. Jeff was so excited to try it out that he didn't even change out of his church shirt and tie. It worked great and I can already imagine Jeff plopping Pearl outside with it and a sign that reads "Sno Cones $.50" as a way to help build up her college fund.
May 30, 2009
We made a desperate attempt to finish our "curbside appeal" project Saturday. Sigh... we still have a few hours to go though until we can add the soil and plants. Pearl was a good sport about the whole thing but after a few hours of being ignored decided enough was enough. We tried everything to keep her entertained while we sweated and leveled and re-leveled again... pulling out the pool (I think she just wanted to wear her Nemo swim diapers), getting out her golf clubs, drawing pictures with sidewalk chalk, and even bringing the portable DVD player outside. But in the end, we figured our aching backs, dusty clothes, and screaming child were a sign to call it quits for the day, order a pizza, plop down on the couch, and watch a movie. All-in-all we had a very productive day (Did I also mention Jeff did a 30 mile bike ride, I took an hour walk, and we found Pearl a $2 birthday gift at a garage sale today too?). I was even able to get the cute pictures of Pearl splashing in the pool I should have posted yesterday. I just didn't anticipated having water spit at me in the process, which is what she did just after I snapped this shot.
June 6, 2009
