Who's bright idea was it?

Although after all is said and done, I do understand why these precautions had to be made, but I am frustrated with the fact that "they" pulled infant tylenol off the shelves.  I realize that there was confusion between the infant concentrated stuff (with a dropper), the infant liquid (with a syringe), and childrens liquid (with a cup)...and that people were giving the wrong dosages not realizing that some of those options are more or less concentrated than the next.  I can't tell you how much childrens tylenol I have used in my 11 years of parenting, and I STILL have to check the label to be sure I'm giving the correct amount.  I've never gotten to the point where I just remember.  Unfortunately, there are people who think they DO remember and have been overdosing, not realizing which concentrate they have.

So, with that issue, they are trying to minimize confusion by taking the infant stuff completely off the shelves.  The only problem with this, is that there are still times when an infant is in need of some pain relief.  Teething comes to mind first, shots all also come to mind and as of the last day or so, a general fever associated with a croupy baby.  I would love to have a little dropper of tylenol so that I can quickly give him a little relief, but that just can't happen because it doesn't exist!

Instead, I am found trying to scour the internet for proper dosage charts for the childrens tylenol that I DO have in the cabinet while I'm sleep deprived at 3 am,  holding a crying baby that sounds like a barking seal and is having trouble catching his breath...without my contacts in.  I am relatively educated and can manage simple math....but I'm pretty sure that even a physics major given this same scenario might find themselves a little overwhelmed and frustrated!  In my personal opinion, it seems that by taking the infant stuff off the shelves...the kind that has the dosage written on it and the measuring dropper attached to the cap...might cause even more of an issue with giving the wrong dosage!  If there are parents out there who can't get the dose correct when it is so plainly written out for them, what makes people think that they are going to do the math correctly in a situation similar to what I explained above?

I did, however, find some great information that now (the next day, with a little sleep under my belt and a sleeping baby in my lap) makes much more sense as I read it.  I know...it's really not THAT complicated...but still.  I figured I would share the dosage charts that I found for both acetaminophen and ibuprofen.  Those charts can be found if you click the following links...

Tylenol

Ibuprofen

It also looks like they are trying to remedy this confusion and are going to release a new version of infant Tylenol eventually...there is a great article about how to know the difference between the two....

How to recognize and use old and new infant tylenol.

Maybe this issue isn't an issue for anyone else and maybe I'm just over-reacting...but when you're dealing with a baby who looks like this:

you might be a little overwhelmed too!  

Benefit Dinner for Jenn Taylor

 Jenn is the mother of one of Jessalyn's best friends. Jenn and her entire family are dear to us. Please consider donating to this cause.

 I do have a limited amount of tickets. If you'd like me to put your name on one (or more) please let me know. The bracelets are being sold for $5. I have a handful of those as well. Let me know if you'd like one. 

For more information, this is the letter that was written by the family:

 Dear Neighbor,

 Jen and Chris live in Meredith with their 12 year old son and 11 year old daughter. Jen is a native of Meredith and Chris has lived in the Lakes Region since he was 3 years old. Chris has worked at American Eyecare in the Belknap mall for the past five years. Until Jen was diagnosed with extremely aggressive Multiple Sclerosis in March 2010, she worked at the memory support unit at Meredith Bay Colony Club in addition to a private care giver for area residents. At the time she was diagnosed Jen lost the ability to drive, work and many other things a 38 year old wife and mother usually do. Jen has deteriorated at an astounding pace with no end in sight. They have tried several very aggressive treatments, yet Jen continues to show rapid progression. Jen spent most of the summer in LRGH and Health South Rehabilitation Hospital in Concord, with occasional stays at Concord Hospital. While in Concord she developed a blood clot in her leg that required bed rest for several weeks. She has continued to weaken since then. At Various times she can’t move her arms or legs, open her eyes or speak. Fatigue really affects her condition so even the easiest of tasks, like getting out of the car or showering, cause her issues.

 Jen goes to the Doctor often and has many therapies outside of the home in an effort to regain her strength. She was able to borrow a scooter from the wife of a former patient and her church helped purchase a used handicap accessible van. The van worked great and Chris put $3000.00 into the van so it would last for some time. As Jen’s condition worsened she needed a custom power chair that offered her more comfort and mobility. In August 2011 she received her new chair which was a blessing, unfortunately the new chair is taller and heavier and does not work with the van they have. The chair lift is not substantial enough to safely lift Jen in the chair and the roof is not tall enough so Jen must tilt the chair back and ride with her face 5 inches from the ceiling. This has made their current van useless for comfortable, reasonable transportation.

 Jen’s mom, Sharyn Childs, has left her position at the Laconia Clinic after 30 years to be Jen’s caregiver when Chris is at work. Jen’s father Irv was a local police officer for more than 20 years and now works part time for 911. Chris’ father passed away in April 2011 and his mother has been disabled since 1985. Jen thankfully receives Social Security Disability but it is only a portion of what she made when she was working.

 A 1999 Ford handicap accessible van has been offered to Jen and Chris for $8500.00. This van has a stronger lift, custom raised roof and many other features which would be perfect for Jen. This is a great opportunity for them and would allow Jen a fraction of the independence and normalcy she has lost.

 She is also in need of various modifications around her home. A kitchen that she could use while in her chair, a bathroom she could use independently and a bedroom she can have privacy and easy access too. These would allow her to do some of the daily tasks we take for granted.

 Please consider a monetary, tax deductible donation for Jen, any amount would be appreciated.

 We will also be holding a fund raiser dinner at Camp restaurant in Meredith from 4-8 pm on January 29th. Tickets for the event can be purchased from any family member or just show up the night of the event. The $20 pp ticket price, half will go to Jen, includes salad, bread, choice of 3 entrées, dessert and non-alcoholic beverage. A raffle will also be held that night, so any product or gift certificate donations are greatly appreciated.

 Thank you from the bottom of our heart.

For any questions or to send your donation please contact,
 JENNFUND@HOTMAIL.COM

A catch up photo post

Just a quick catch up post with a few of my favorite pics from a bunch of photo shoots I did over the last couple of months.

A Christmas card for the Carrolls
The Snyder family



The Jameson family







The Keniston Family

The Haskins Family



My Owen:)



My Truett:)





Zach!



Emma!

Just thinking

It is crazy to me how different raising the fifth kid is compared to the first few.  I mean this with all honesty, that I LOVE each of my kids equally as much and have treated them all with the same amount of love and attention.  (I'm not just saying that because I know Jessalyn reads this blog either....Hi Jessalyn:)   I think all parents of more than one child can understand what I'm saying.  I suppose I will just explain the difference between the first and the fifth as far as my perspective.

Jessalyn was the one that taught me this love...the kind of love that only a mother has for her children.  This is something that can not be explained but is completely understood the second (well..maybe not right that second) you have a baby.  My love for her was new to me and I was 'in her face' as much as I am with Truett and am equally in love with her as I am with Truett.

With your firstborn you tend to look forward to milestones more.  I remember always wondering what it will be like to have a baby that can sit up, or crawl, or eat breakfast by herself, or pull up on stuff...or walk, talk, learn to read, lose teeth, go to school, play sports...etc etc.  That list could go on and on.  It seems that as they get older you start to dread the future milestones...like...Junior High, High School, driving, and most of all college!!  There comes a point when you realize that you want life to slooooow down, and that point for me is right now.

Besides Jessalyn, every other "baby" that I had, had a two year old sibling.  That in and of itself is a life that can't be explained until you experience it.  Fun?  Yes.  Crazy?  Yes!  Does it take away from how much you love the youngest?  No.  Like I said, I have loved each of my babies the same.  But you learn to love the youngest in the midst of a certain sense of chaos.  For me this meant, while potty training an older sibling or eventually, while potty training one sibling and dragging another to and from school and sports.  I wouldn't change a single thing about the spacing between my kids.

I guess I've just realized that "how" I am able to love Truett does seem a little different from the rest.  Being that  there is four years between Truett and Owen it's almost like having my first again, but without the anticipation of what life will be like when they hit all the major milestones.  And honestly, it's awesome.  I do feel like I spent much of the day's with Jessalyn anticipating and looking forward to a new stage of life...both for her excitement and my own.  It IS fun to watch your kids learn new things and fun to be proud to watch them as THEY are proud of their own new accomplishments.  And with that said, I am just as proud and practice certain "tricks" with Truett just the same way I have with all the other kids.  It's not that I want to slow it down....but I have learned that with Truett I am able to just live in the moment a bit better.

He's learning to sit now..which is fun.  It's fun for him, its fun for all the bigger siblings..and it's a new way to entertain him for me.  I enjoy it...and will help him master this, but only because that is where he is now.  I am able to just enjoy this stage as it comes...and really, we've lived through many of the milestones that a child can have and it's kind of less of a big deal (to me) as they reach them.  And this concept alone is what allows me to "love" Truett a little differently.  Not MORE...but just different.

Why am I sharing this?  I'm not really sure.  I guess it's just something that I've been thinking about and trying to wrap my brain around lately.  I guess I can't say enough how much I am enjoying Truett.  Just plain enjoying him.  There are lots of people who have had a few kids and then taken a break and thought "well...I'd love to have another but the thought of 'starting over'.....".  I personally highly recommend it.  I remember thinking this of other families...thinking "wow, I can't imagine having such an age gap between my kids"  (only because what I 'knew' was an approximately 2 year space).  Now that I've experienced it I know that there is nothing like it!  Especially if you've experienced family life and parenting as I have...having the first few (or four:) kids just about every two years.  The dynamic of our family has changed for sure.  It is difficult at times as we experience "baby life" along side of "elementary school life".  I just know there are some out there who think they might want another but hesitate because it's "too late" and the older kids are too old....for me, there has been nothing better!  Having my fifth baby is just the opposite of "been there, done that"...in reality it's a whole new experience, one very different from the last four.  

New Year

Wow.  It's been so long since my last post, that it seems everything here on blogspot has changed!

I've thought of many things that I would like to strive for in 2012...you know, the usual things like 'play my drums more', and 'read more' etc.  I even thought about starting a 365 picture thing..which really, would be pretty easy (using instagram)....but I decided that overall I just really want to be able to focus on my family.  Somehow Josh and I manage to fit a TON of stuff into our lives....and often times, even though kids are with us, they are sort of in the background of what is going on.  I honestly don't think this is a bad thing all the time.  There are things that we do that are important and that are good for our kids to see us involved in.

Really though, right now is an intense time in raising our kids!  Between having a baby AND elementary school kids it's just tough.  Sometimes our lives are so busy and we find ourselves doing 6 different things at a time...and one thing that gets neglected is really listening to them.  They all come home from school with many things to say and stories to tell..mostly about what they did in gym that day or on the playground.  These stories usually come out during times that are busy..like for example, Ethan LOVES to chit chat while he's in the shower.  This is fine, but when we have to get four kids through the shower it gives them each about a 7 minute (yes..we use a timer) limit each before we run out of hot water!  Ethan can't chit chat and wash his hair at the same time..multitasking is not one of his strong suits!  Anyway...not only is Ethan trying to multitask, but so am I..often helping him in the shower, while cutting someone else's nails and holding a baby at the same time.  So when he starts talking...I'm honestly like "uh huh...yep...ohhhh" and not actually hearing a single thing he's saying.  That's what I want to work on.  I want to work on looking my kids in the eyes when they are talking to me...even if I'm trying to do a gazillion other things at the same time.  What I really want to do is drop the other things I'm doing (well..not literally "drop" them...pooooor Truett:)...but I want to stop and focus on what they are telling me.  Trust me when I tell you that this is hard for me...when I have four kids that all want to tell me something at the same time, while I'm in the middle of something else....it's difficult.  Not because I don't want to hear what they have to say..I DO, I really really do...it's just that the busyness of life really gets in the way.  Sadly.

I read a blog post from a friend recently about choosing a Theme Word for 2012...you can read her take on this subject HERE .  My initial thought was the word "patience".  I definitely need that, but honestly, I don't think that will change from year to year.  I need to work on that every second of my life!  But, as I typed my thoughts above I am thinking that my theme word for this year should be "listen"...because there's a whole lot more in my life that I could spend more time listening to than just my kids!  I can listen more in prayer, while reading God's word...I can listen more intently to my husband and to the people I come in contact with on a daily basis.  There is a lot of listening to be done...and not just listening, but actually HEARING.  So that's it..my theme word for 2012 is LISTEN.

And with that said, yes, I do have some of the usual "resolutions" in mind.  I really really do need to get playing the drums more often.  I don't practice.  I've now been playing the drums for 6 years so I can't really live on the "I'm a new drummer" excuse anymore.  I really need to be improving...I want to be improving.  I also want to write in this blog more often.  I just love having this as a journal of sorts for the family.  As for the 365 idea...I will likely share a picture a day all year (I do this without thinking about it)...but just to keep the things that I "have to do" to a minimum...I'm not committing to that:)  Oh, and I have this little idea for a children's book that I would actually love to get written.  I definitely do NOT claim to be a writer and have no clue as to how one might go about writing a book...but I have an idea that I think is original (I think?) and really would like to run with it if at all possible.  We'll see if that actually happens....

And just because I can't post a blog entry without a picture....who wouldn't want to focus on looking into these eyes and listening to what they have to say to me?!?!