Rees' Pieces

New Booster Seat Laws

2012-01-04T13:39:00.006-06:00

California just passed a law requiring all children under the age of 8 (unless 4'9") to use a booster seat in the car. I applaud California for taking this step, but this new law has been very controversial and it has a lot of parents upset. I want to clear up some misconceptions and to show you just how important it is for your school-age child to be using a booster seat. Also, let me clarify from the start that boosters seats are really intended for children at least 4 years old and older. I will talk about that later.

Really, I would feel guilty if I DIDN'T share this information with you. You have the right to have this information so that you can make an informed decision as a parent, rather than be pushed into something you don't want to do because the law says you have to. I would really feel heartbroken to hear of a family who had a child seriously hurt or killed in a car accident because they didn't know to use a booster seat. Even though they thought that they were doing their best to protect their child when they buckled them in just the seat belt. Unfortunately this type of situation happens all the time.

Let my start by a quote from C. Everett Koop, M.D., Sc.D., former US Surgeon General:

"If a disease were killing our children at the rate unintentional injuries are, the public would be outraged and demanded that this killer be stopped."

Motor vehicle crashes ARE THE #1 KILLER OF KIDS IN AMERICA!

Your child is more likely to die from being in a car crash than from anything else. That's really scary to me. What if this was a disease? What if the flu was the number one killer of kids in America? Wouldn't parents demand that doctors and hospitals give them a vaccine or medicine to lessen the risk? What if there was a medicine that would reduce a child's risk of dying by 60% if they caught the flu? Wouldn't parents do almost anything to give their child that medicine?

This is what's going on today, but instead of killer flu, it's car crashes. And there is way to prevent most of these fatalities. And you can get it for $20 or less. It's called a booster seat.

The other scary statistic is that fatalities are just a tip of the iceberg. Many more injuries occur than deaths every year. Some of the injuries have life-long effects and can be very costly. Most of these too can be prevented with the proper use of a booster seat.

Seat belts are made for adult bodies. All that a booster seat does is sits a child up higher so that the seat belt fits them properly.

I think the best way to get the message across is by video. CHOP (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia) has fantastic research when it comes to injury and prevention. They have a website that's all about keeping kids safe during crashes as well as their own YouTube channel. I trust and value CHOP's research.

Here is the a video made from CHOP. Sorry, I completely left it out of my original post.

This video is a simulation of a 6-year-old child properly restrained in a belt-positioning booster seat in a 35 mph frontal impact crash versus the same child improperly restrained in an adult seat belt. The movement of the child in the booster seat is thrown forward in the same crash. The inappropriate fit of the seat belt puts the child at risk of sever head, spine, and abdominal injury.

This video is a crash test of a 6-year-old dummy weighing 48lbs wearing just a lap belt.

As you can see, seat belts are meant for adults. When can a child fit properly in a seat belt alone? Each car is different, but a child should be able to pass the five step test (adapted from The Car Seat Lady):

Kids who can answer “yes” to all 5 questions can ride safely without a booster (most kids are close to 5 feet tall before they pass).
For kids who still need a booster to ride safely, make sure you can answer “yes” to questions #3-5 with the child sitting in the booster (if you can’t, try a different booster).

The 5-Step Test ©SafetyBeltSafe USA

Does the child easily sit all the way back against the auto seat?
Do the child’s knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm (not touching the neck)?
Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs (not across the stomach)?
Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip? (For squirmy kids, try switching the seatbelt into the locking mode – click here for more info)

If you answer “no” to any of these questions, your child STILL needs a booster seat to make both the shoulder belt and the lap belt fit right and to keep them safest.

Common questions and concerns:

1. Car seats are for babies and there's no way my son would go back to using a booster!

Car seats are for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Booster seats are for older children. Children's attitudes reflect their parent's. When a parent truly understands the safety reasons behind using a booster, that can be taught to the child. Most parents who lovingly convey this message of safety generally find cooperative children. You are the adult and set the rules. Sorry, but when it comes to safety, there's just no compromising.

2. Why should a child be at least four to be in a booster?

The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) recommends that a child should stay in a five-point harness until they outgrow it by according the manufacturer's guidelines. This is also a rule that I agree with. For some (like my own child), this may not be until five or six years old. A car seat (unlike a booster seat) is designed to protect your child in a crash. You will see that a car seat offers full body protection, unlike many booster seats. A booster seat just sits the child up higher so that the seat belt is correctly placed. It is the seat belt that protects the child in a crash. When using a car seat, the force of the crash is spread out all over the body, to the strongest parts of the body. A booster seat had a few contact points, but it would take an older and stronger body to withstand this force. A child who is over the age of four has stronger bones and muscles than younger children. A younger child in a booster seat might not be able to withstand the crash or could even be ejected from the booster seat. Watch this video to demonstrate the difference between using a booster seat and a five-point harness:

3. I am 40 years old and am 4'9", shouldn't I still ride in a booster seat?

I see this snappy comment from parents all the time. Obviously an adult's body is much stronger than a child's body. And an adult can make a conscious decision to use a seat belt properly. Also, a child may be 4'9" and still need to use a booster seat. It all depends on the car, how they fit, age, and development level.

4. What if I'm not sure if my child needs a booster seat?

You can contact a CPST (certified child passenger safety technician) for assistance. Go HERE to find an inspection station. Most children's hospitals have inspection stations or CPST's that can help you.

I hope I helped you understand the main points. Please leave me a comment if you have any questions or concerns!

One last thought. If you knew you were going to get it a car accident today what would you do differently (besides staying home!)?

A New Year

2012-01-02T18:52:00.005-06:00

We have never really done anything big for New Years, but I think I like it that way. Up until this year, we have always spend that night at Ryan's parents house playing games and eating junk food. This year we had the Kanooth's over for homemade pizza, games, and sparkling cider. Leif (who is doing his medical residency) had to be to work at 6am the next morning, so they only stayed until 9pm. It was still fun to have dinner and play for a bit. After they left Ryan and I watched a movie and hung out until we went to bed at 1am.

Ryan had today off of work too. Since he has started his new job, we haven't been able to spend very much time with him. Even when he is not out-of-town, he often has to stay late at work. This holiday time has been bliss! Ryan finished his last trip the first week of December. And although he had to work this week and last week, the office was slow and he was able to come home early or at least by 6pm. Last night Cannon went to bed at 7pm. Ryan and I just talked on the couch for three hours! It was just what I needed to reconnect with him.

Today I am feeling a bit sentimental. Instead of talking about our goals for this coming year, I am going talk about the things I love about Ryan and Cannon.

Ryan is a good match for me because he balances me. When I am feeling irrational and scattered, he is clam and organized. We sometimes joke that he is a better housekeeper than I am. He can watch Cannon and keep the house clean at the same time. He doesn't mind doing housework and has admitted that he finds doing the laundry relaxing (it's now his eternal chore). When I am feeling stressed and neglect the house duties, he will pick of the slack without EVER complaining. Even though I am much better at the details in housework and cleaning, he is much better at the overall keeping things picked-up. I was never one to talk about my feelings and problems (it's something I'm working on), but I have learned that I can talk to Ryan. He is a good listener and will often say just exactly the thing I need to hear. He really is my best friend. I love that we think the same random things are funny. We can agree on most things or at least find a good compromise. Ryan has so much faith and always keeps a good perspective of things. Again, when I am feeling that life is hard or crazy, he is good at reminding me what's important. I love that he still finds me utterly attractive even when I look gross or don't feel very pretty. Ryan is very smart. He has intelligence in things that I don't understand, so sometimes he seems like a genius to me. I call him a scriptorian, although he won't admit to being one. I can tell him I need a scripture on a certain subject and he knows immediately where to look. This is very helpful to him as the gospel doctrine instructor at church. I like to watch Ryan learn. He wants to better himself and recognizes the need to grow. It has been especially fun since he has started his new job. He has found so much joy in learning and I love to see him happy. Ryan is patient and willing to go along with my ideas. We usually aren't very spontaneous, but if I ever wanted to be he would be right there with me. Ryan is a really good gift-giver. He has bought things for me that I never thought of, but that I have loved. Ryan is a great husband and father, I love him!

Oh Cannon, there's so much I can say about him! Cannon amazes me. When I truly listen to and observe him, instead of trying to push my own ideas on him, he tells me what he really needs at that moment. He teaches me patience. He teaches me forgiveness. I love to watch him play. I love to watch him invent new ways of playing and to work out things in his play. I have learned so much about him just by watching him. Cannon has a lot of energy and curiosity, but he can also be very calm and quiet. Ordinarily I am not very social, but because of Cannon I have to be and I am grateful for that. He needs to have time with friends and he likes to interact with other people. Cannon is balanced and doesn't have extremes with things. From time to time problems arise, but with love and patience they always get resolved. He can be flexible, but will let me know when he has had enough of something. Cannon is learning to be gentle and kind to people and animals. I have witnessed him show tenderness to his friends and animals. That always makes my mommy heart happy. He doesn't like it when people are unhappy. He doesn't like it when he is unhappy. Ryan and I don't "fight" in front of him (we don't really fight all that often anyway), but occasionally we have argued with Cannon around and it immediately stresses him out. When it's quiet again he asks me if I am happy and then that makes me feel bad that I made him feel that way. Ryan and I try show appropriate affection for each other in front of him. I can tell that when Ryan and I hug, hold hands, or kiss that it makes Cannon feel secure. We do a family hug with Cannon in the middle and call it a "Cannon sandwich." He loves it and it's a way that we all feel connected to each other. When people are upset I have seen him try to help them feel better. He might offer them a toy or try to talk to them. Cannon loves to make people laugh. Recently he has started making faces in an attempt to get me to laugh. I have to admit that it works every time! All he has to do is smile and it will melt you. I think that every mother worries about her parenting and has doubts that she has done the right thing. I know that I don't always make the right choice (even if I know what the right thing to do is), but I so very much appreciate the resiliency in him and how quick he is to forgive me when I apologize. Cannon has been a huge blessing in our life and everyday I am so grateful to have him. I love everything about him. Sometimes I tell him, "Cannon, I love you just the way you are." He always smiles when I say that. I should tell him that more often.

How blessed I am!

A new year and a new haircut. I only cut the sides and the back, but left the magnificent curls on top.

Christmastime!

2011-12-28T10:45:00.016-06:00

I intended this post to be several smaller posts, but I just never got around to it. So now it's just a big long one.

December 15

My friend Rachel had a gift exchange party. It was great to dress up, be with our friends, eat lots of yummy treats, and have a fun white elephant game. And this was a girls only party, so even better! Everyone brought neat gifts and I would have been happy taking home any one of them. I ended up with a hot cocoa and mug set with a book and a Woodstock stuffed animal. I wanted to steal a certain pair of earrings, but Jessica threatened me with her eyes!

From the left: Tiffany, Yvonne, Sheralyn, Me, Jessica, Katie, Dawn (holding Tiffany's baby Tyler), Maribel, Rachel

December 16

Friday night we had our ward Christmas party at the church, complete with turkey and all the fixings! They also had a little program and a sing-a-long which was surprisingly really fun. Near the end all the kids sang a song to usher in Santa Clause. I wish, Wish, WISH I had a video of Cannon's reaction! He was beyond excited! I was holding him up and as soon as he saw Santa his eyes got huge and he raised both his arms high with one hand opened and the other hand holding up two fingers and he starts shouting, "Yeah, Santa! SANTA!" Just picture someone at the concert of lives and that would be Cannon! He ran to Santa to get in line with the other kids. Despite his total awe, the picture of him would suggest otherwise. This was his third time sitting on Santa's lap this year and it never got old for him.

These are the infamous green earrings that I wanted to steal from Jessica. When I got to the ward Christmas party, Sheralyn had bought them for me! She's the one who originally brought the gift for the white elephant party. I thought that was so nice of her!

December 19

For family home evening, we went to see the lights at Largo Central Park. Actually I got there early with Cannon so he could play on the playground first. We got there around 4:00 and played until Ryan got there at around 6:00. Cannon was happy to see the lights, but he was most excited to walk on the train tracks. Afterwards we got $2 subs at Subway.

December 20

My birthday! I got to open my presents in the morning before Ryan left for work. Ryan's parents got me a watch (I left my other one back in Austin). My mom got me a Willow Tree figurine of a husband and wife and also a Visa giftcard. Ryan got me a shirt from Old Navy and Burts Bees chapstick (I was impressed that he attempted to buy me clothes). And he surprised me with an iPOD Touch! I LOVE it, but I feel so guilty for having it. But with all the giftcards we got, it more than makes up for it.

In the morning I met a couple of friends, Rachel and Jessica, at the park. Rachel made me some earrings and Jessica got me journal and chocolate cupcakes. It was such a nice day at the park and fun to let the kids run around.

Later that day Cannon and I met Ryan at his office around 5:15. I had never seen his office, so he gave us a tour and introduced us to a few co-workers. Then we headed out for a dinner at Maggianos. On the way there we saw two dolphins in the bay! I always complain to Ryan that he gets to see all the good animals, so I was so happy that I finally got to see some dolphins!

December 24

For Christmas Eve we went the beach! We decided that needs to be our new tradition. It's been really warm, like in the 80's, so we felt that the beach was the perfect way to spend the day. It's always a little cooler once you get to the shore. We didn't have any intentions of fully swimming, but we wore our swim suits anyway. Cannon found a stick and just wanted to play in the sand. We stood in the water, which actually wasn't that cold, but the wind was cold. It was so nice and relaxing. We also saw a few seals out in the distance.

Christmas!

Christmas was so much fun this year! Cannon "got" it and that made it so fun! The first thing he said when he woke up in the morning was, "Is Santa here?" He kept thinking that he was going to see Santa. I kept explaining that he wasn't going to see Santa and that he had already come. We let him open his stocking and a couple of presents before church. We had church at 10:00 and so we waited to open everything until after church. I kind of liked the delayed gratification. When we did open presents, we took our time. Cannon liked to play with each toy for a bit before opening the next one. Our families definitely spoiled all of us, especially Cannon!

Later that day our friends, the Kanooths, came for Christmas dinner. I made a turkey, stuffing, and rolls. And Rachel made mashed potatoes and a super delicious blackberry pie! Dinner was great and the kids had fun playing together.

Here is a video of Cannon coming down on Christmas morning:

I love how he calls his trampoline a "bounce-a-leen!"

The dogs got their Christmas bones and their toys. Trixy is the other dog and we are watching her while her family is in Utah for the holidays.

The aftermath!

Christmas dinner with everyone, except Micah. He was asleep in Cannon's crib.

How many babies can you fit into a dog crate?

After dinner I cut Micah's hair. Doesn't he look so handsome?

I was really good this year and cleaned out things before Christmas to make room for the new stuff. When Cannon went down for his nap we were able to clean up and organize the toys before he woke up. Today we are going to take the tree down and put away all the decorations.

Here is a random video of this house right by our church. They have the most decorations I have ever seen!

Cannon's First Race

2011-12-17T20:59:00.005-06:00

My good friend Rachel talked me into yet another race. But this one was only a mile, so I knew I could do it easily. I decided I would take Cannon this time and let him run it. This run only cost $8 and you got a nice long-sleeved running shirt, backpack, and a pancake breakfast. The race was at Coachman Park in downtown Clearwater. We were right by the pier and had a beautiful view. The 5k and 10k runners got to run over the bridge that takes you to Clearwater Beach.

I had to wake up Cannon in the morning, but he was excited to run the race. Once we were there he was a bit clingy and not very enthusiastic. Once our race started he didn't really understand what we were doing. Our course went around the block twice. He did much better on the second half actually. By that time most of the people had passed us and we were left alone. I turned it into a game and we chased each other (one of his most favorite things to do!). That got him really pumped! We would run for a bit and then he would tell me when he wanted to walk. Since everyone was ahead of us with their strollers, they were waiting for us at the finish line. They started to cheer for Cannon and that made me feel so proud of him. We came in at 21 minutes and Cannon felt so proud of himself too. And then he asked for water! They gave him a ribbon (which he proudly wore) and a nap-sack type backpack with a couple Sesame Street toys and bottled water. Then we ate at the pancake breakfast which was delicious! We had a really fun time and I hope that Cannon and I can do more races together.

Here's everyone, from the left: Tiffany with Dylan (5) and baby Tyler (3m), Yvonne with Everest (15m), me and Cannon, Rachel with Micah and Savannah (18m)

Cannon Update and Stuff

2011-12-13T12:30:00.009-06:00

Cannon is really turning into his own self. He just seems to be growing up so much, which is why I'm attempting to write it all down.

Here at the top 11 things about Cannon:

1. He has the memory of an elephant. He doesn't forget things or places, ever. For example, we went to Khols one day and he played with some Thomas trains there. This was about a month ago. Then last week we went again and as soon as we pulled in the parking lot he asked to play with Thomas! Things like this happen a lot. He is also really good at remembering names and faces.

2. He is incredibly social. He LOVES people and children. He makes friends with everyone, even strangers at the grocery store. People notice him too, with his curly hair and smiles. He will play with any kid, but he really likes boys that are a little older than him because he likes to wrestle and run. I have noticed that he makes friends with girls too. Florida offers free (some schools charge) preschool to four-year-olds regardless of your income. We will definitely be enrolling him, not because I think he needs academics, but because he would have so much fun playing with other kids his age.

3. Despite being so outgoing, he likes his private time too. Often times he will go to his room and read every book on his bookshelf. He likes to have some quiet time and time alone each day.

4. He is slowly starting to give up naps. Last week I attempted to get him back on his regular sleep schedule and put him to bed a lot earlier. He ended up sleeping 12-13 hours at night, but didn't want to take a nap everyday. He's not ready to give up naps all together, but a couple times a week he'll go without one. We just have to make sure that he goes to bed a little earlier on the days he doesn't nap. I'm fine with him not taking naps, as long as he's happy. Yesterday he didn't take one and we ended up going to the beach. Today, he protested one, but ended up falling asleep. Some days he'll just play in his crib for an hour or two. We've been putting him to bed around 7:30 and I love it! He used to go to bed at that time, but we somehow got away from it. I realized that I need my time in the evening to relax.

5. He loves trains, school buses, and motorcycles!

6. He is caring towards others. We are starting to get past the stage of "MINE!" Well, not completely. It has peaked, which means it's going to get better. What's mine is mine, what's yours in mine-that's still his philosophy. But I have seen some positive moments that make me hopeful. On Sunday I stayed in his nursery of a bit to help the teachers. Cannon had three cars and was deep into his play. His friend walked in the room, but you could tell that he had reservations about being there. Cannon immediately ran over to him and gave him one of the cars he was playing with. It made me feel good that he would think to do that without being prompted. I thanked him for sharing and told him that it made Aiden feel happy. I have never pushed Cannon to share or take turns, because that stuff comes with time. I don't like interrupting other children's play so that Cannon can have a turn and likewise, I wouldn't want someone interrupting Cannon's play. When I see that Cannon wants something someone else has I will tell him, "Wait until he's done or choose something else." This has worked pretty well. Or if someone is trying to take his toy I tell him to tell the kid, "I'm still using it." He's still working on that one though. If a kid tries to take a toy from him, Cannon will usually give it to the kid after he is finished playing with it. I love to watch moments like that.

7. Cannon and I bond over chocolate milk. It's our secret addiction. Really, it's slimfast. I LOVE slimfast, not because I'm trying to lose weight, but I like the way it tastes and it's a good quick snack or addition to a PB&J. I ask Cannon if he wants chocolate milk and we both get so excited we can hardly contain it! He has his choice of two special cups, specifically set aside for chocolate milk. We sit at the table and drink it together. He moves his straw when I move mine. We only treat ourselves a couple times a week, but it's heaven for a few minutes.

8. When it comes to eating vegetables, he is hit or miss, but I can always count on him eating avocados or sweet potatoes.

9. I love the way he says sandwich (samich) and giraffe (gee-raf).

10. He is very sentimental about his old baby things and clothes he's outgrown. Recently, I got rid of some of his baby things that I don't think we'll need when the next one comes along. He was so excited when I got them out of the closet and he seemed to remember them. I had to prepare him in advanced that we were going to give them to a baby who needed them. We had to talk about how he used to use them and I let him play with some of the stuff for awhile. In the end he was okay with it. I know he inherited that gene from me, because Ryan doesn't give a second thought to throwing things away.

11. He loves to give kisses! He is famous for giving unsolicited kisses. One night when I was putting him to bed, he just kept kissing me! He wouldn't stop! I loved it.

That's all that I have for Cannon. Now onto the rest of us.

We got our Christmas tree on Saturday. I really didn't want to spend very much money on one and I had set aside $25 expecting to probably only get a Charlie Brown tree. We went to a lot just up the street from us. The trees were fresh from Wisconsin and they all looked healthy and full. We found one for $29. It is a little bit short, but it is full and nice looking. It exceeded my expectations for that price so we are pretty happy with it. I knew we couldn't have a big tree in our little place anyway. I was super excited to decorate it! Ryan is a bit of a bah-humbug when it comes to holidays, but he happily goes along with my plans anyway. I thought Cannon would get excited about decorating, but he seems to have his dad's laissez-faire approach. He hung a couple of ornaments, but really just wanted to play with the nativity set. This works out because he leaves the tree alone, a stark contrast from last year. However, he does like the lights and asks that they be turned on all the time. Actually, he know about the plug so he turns them on himself.

Cannon does know about presents and is getting excited about that part! I have been ordering a lot of his presents from Amazon. Each time a package arrives he gets so excited! I open it alone and then hide it upstairs. He always goes upstairs to look for it and then laughs! I know he's going to be one of those kids that finds his presents. Speaking of finding presents, I found something that Ryan got me. I wasn't trying to snoop, I was actually looking for something else. Besides, I am the type that likes to be surprised. I didn't tell him, but maybe I will after Christmas.

Also on Saturday, we were invited to have breakfast with Santa at the YMCA in Palm Harbor. Cannon eagerly waited to sit on Santa's lap and then proceeded to tell him lots of stories including, "Daddy is home sleeping," which was true. I was impressed with the breakfast spread and then afterwards there were Christmas crafts. Cannon did a couple of simple crafts, but then he saw the big child care room and that's all he wanted to do! They said he could play in it and I sat in the corner for an hour and a half while he played. That's another indication that tells me he will enjoy preschool. I meant to take pictures, but I left my camera in my car and I didn't feel like going back and getting it.

On December 2, Ryan's work had their annual Christmas party and the Florida Aquarium in Tampa. We got all dressed up and hit the town! Ryan has never been to the aquarium, but I have been there with Cannon. They had the whole thing rented out just for us. They set up tables downstairs for eating. For dinner they had a salad station, pasta bar, and prime rib. Really good food! The best part was that we had full access to the aquarium so we didn't have to mingle with people we don't know. I did get to meet Ryan's boss and a few of his co-workers. They had the dessert station next to the sharks. So we got to eat our cake while watching the sharks. We were so needing a date and we had a great time. Afterwards, we went and saw the new Twilight movie (Ryan's suggestion). We figured that since we had a sitter, we might as well put two dates into one. My friend Jessica was so nice to keep Cannon overnight. She kept Blue too. Cannon slept in Ayden's room, so that makes it his first official sleepover with a friend. Jessica even made breakfast for us when we came to get Cannon in the morning!

We felt like real grown-ups going to a real party.

I bought an overhead projector for $25 on craigslist. Cannon loves to play with it and now he calls it Shadow. He loves to watch his shadow dance and he likes to move the light. I have been reading this blog, Play at Home Mom and they do lots of neat things with their overhead projector. That blog is so inspiring to me. I wish we had a playroom in our house!

Blue always has to be part of the action too!

I Don't Need a White Christmas

2011-12-12T14:34:00.006-06:00

Ryan and I are in total agreement that we have no desire to ever live where it gets cold! It makes me happy that it is December and we are wearing shorts and flip flops. The weather is just gorgeous right now and I am so happy we moved here! This is our time to be outside since I know we will be complaining of the heat come summer time.

Today we went to Belleair Beach. I didn't bring our swim suits because I thought it would be too cold to swim. The weather is warm, but the water is too cold for me. There were two families there, one from Canada and the other from New York, and they went in the water. I guess if you live up north and are used to cold water, then it might be okay for you.

Cannon mostly wanted to feel the sand and walk around.

We did decide to dip our feet in and Cannon inevitably fell in all the way. At first he was upset, but then laughed about it.

I love days like this!

Stick

2011-12-04T22:30:00.004-06:00

Cannon's new favorite kind of toy is a stick. Any kind. If we are outside he will find one and he will play forever! There are lots of things you can do with a stick.

This picture is my favorite.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-27T14:38:00.007-06:00

This was our first big holiday away from our family and I have to say that it couldn't have been better!

First of all, I ran my first 5K! For those of you who know me really well know that I despise running with all that I am. Yet, my friend Rachel was able to convince me that I needed to run the Turkey Trot with her. She actually ran the competitive one, just before my race. I ran with her sister, Kjersti, in the "Fun Run" and it nice to talk with someone while we ran and she helped me keep my pace. Although my time wasn't anything like a real runner, I was pretty proud of myself. I did the race in 35 minutes. I ran my first mile in eight minutes (my fastest time ever) and I ran the first 2.5 miles with out stopping or walking! I have never run more than 1.5 miles at a time and I have always had to walk part of it. I felt really good after the race. I can't say that I like running, but I don't despise it anymore. Ryan and Cannon stayed home this time since I had to be there at 6:30 am and they were both still sleeping when I left.

Kjersti, Rachel, and me

We were invited to spend the rest of the day with the Patricks, a family from church. They have six kids ranging from 4-16 years old. They also invited their friends from Orlando, who have seven kids ranging from 5-17 years old! All together, including Cannon, there were 14 kids! It sounds like a lot, but actually all the kids were so well behaved and had fun playing with each other. They were all so nice to include Cannon and look after him. They have a playground next to their home, so all the kids played there until it was time to eat.

Cannon didn't eat much at all, too much excitement being in a new place I guess. All the kids got a kick out of my rainbow jello. After we ate, we headed for the beach! That's the beauty of living in Florida! They live just one mile from the beach, so you really can just pick up and go. I didn't have a swim suit for Cannon, but he was content just to walk around and play in the sand. I think the water would have been to cold for him anyway. The beach was perfect! Warm and sunny, but not hot. I felt so relaxed. Afterward, we headed back to the Patricks to enjoy some pie. We didn't head home until 8pm.

It was such a relaxing day and we really felt loved and welcomed by the Patricks. We had such a fun day that there was no time to miss our family.

All the kids from oldest to youngest:

Tallest to shortest:

One of Those Days!

2011-11-16T20:23:00.002-06:00

Since Ryan left on early Monday morning, things seem to have fallen apart around here! We have been doing pretty well when he is gone, I've started to become used to it by now. But Cannon has just been driving me crazy this week! I usually don't start feeling like this until Friday and then I think only one more day until Ryan comes home.

I'm kinda at the point where I just laugh now because I know things are so not in my control. Cannon has been into everything this week. I was just commenting to someone the other day how nicely Cannon has been playing by himself. But this is the week he has chosen to get into mischief. While I am cleaning up after some mishap, he's doing something else!

I think the icing on the cake today was when he drenched his hair, clothes,and carpet in lavender vanilla febreze. He has had his eye on that one for at least a month now, so I should have known better than to keep it where he could reach it. Then I lost my only house key in the grass outside. Oh yeah, and Cannon doesn't have any green flip-flops anymore because he somehow lost them at the church this evening.

Tomorrow we're going to get out the house and burn some of this energy!

This was after he lotioned his face and hair with his dinner.

Hug a Puppy, Walk a Dog

2011-11-16T15:08:00.013-06:00

We were invited to attend a birthday party for Kate, a friend of Cannon's. The party was last Saturday in Palmetto, FL. It took us about an hour to get there, but it was fun to get off our "island." The party was at Southeastern Guide dogs and all the dogs and puppies there are in training to be guide dogs. First, we went into a room with our group and they let the puppies loose on us! Oh you could not resist them! After that we got to walk the bigger dogs. Then we had cup cakes and a little party outside. It was a creative idea for a two-year-old party and we had the best time!

I think Ryan was having just as much fun as the kids!

How can you resist these faces?

This one, with the evil face, fell asleep in my lap. He let me cuddle him until my heart's content. I was in baby heaven!

We took Star for a walk. She was quite strong so I let Ryan handle her.

Here's the birthday girl.

Cannon figured out how to make this thing blow.

Ryan had informed me that we were really close to the outlet mall. He fully knew what he was doing when he told me that. Since we were already far from home, we decided to make a day out of it. While on our way to the outlets, Cannon ate his lunch that I had packed for him. Our intent was to do some Christmas shopping, which we did. It ended up that the two things we actually purchases were both for Ryan. He got a new suitcase and a backpack. The backpack he picked out was the exact one I was going to get for him for Christmas anyway. I would have talked him out of it (I like to surprise people), but the price was $30 less at the outlets. I still feel good knowing that I had already picked out the very backpack he would have chosen. I let him use his suitcase now, since he had to go to Houston this week. But I am making him save his backpack until Christmas.

Disney World, again!

2011-11-09T12:25:00.010-06:00

Yesterday Cannon and I went Disney World, more specifically, Magic Kingdom. This was a planned trip, but it was pretty effortless. Now that the weather is pretty much perfect, I want to take advantage of my season pass before Cannon turns three.

I decided to leave around nap time so that Cannon could sleep in the car and be rested for our fun. And since we can come back whenever we want, there's no pressure to see and do everything. Our plan was to do some rides and see all of his favorite characters, but not overdo it.

We started the drive at about 11:30, a little earlier than I had planned, but Cannon was geared up and ready to go! He didn't actually fall asleep in the car until about 20 minutes before we got there. I blamed myself for that one. But he did great the whole day!

The weather was perfect! 80 degrees, with clouds. When we were on a ride it started to sprinkle a little, but nothing bad. It stayed cloudy and in the 70's for the rest of the day. Not hot, not cold, just right! I couldn't have asked for better weather.

We rode all the trains and train type rides,which I think were his favorite rides. He also really liked the big carousel. Most of the wait times for the rides were 20 minutes or less. Some were only just a few minutes, which was really nice!

Every time you get off a ride, it leads you right to the store that sells the characters that match that ride. For the most part, I was able to get out quickly so that Cannon wouldn't see all the toys. That is until he saw Buzz. He found a stuffed Buzz doll and I could see the joy in his eyes. I looked at the price tag and it was significantly less than the plastic Buzz (only $15). I decided to break my own promise to myself (not to buy any toys for Cannon until Christmas) and give in just this one time. I almost never buy things for Cannon upon his request and he is used to not getting things when we go to the store, but I have to admit that this felt so good. He LOVES this doll and it was so fun to see him so excited about a toy.

He was so excited to show Buzz his Buzz. You can't tell it from any of the pictures, but he was delighted to meet the characters (he is not into smiling for the camera).

Goofy was actually the first one we saw. We were about to get on the Pirates ride, when we saw Pirate Goofy.

Cannon's favorite characters are Goofy, Buzz, Woody, Jessie, and Mickey Mouse. We saw them all except Mickey Mouse (go figure!) I had just about given up hope to seeing Woody when all of a sudden I spied him! We were on the train and it stopped at the Frontierland station. Just before the train was about to go again, I saw Woody and Jessie in a remote spot behind Splash Mountain. We quickly jumped off the train and ran towards them. It was a good thing we did because one of the "cast members" got in line right after us to end the line. We made it just in time! The wait was long, but worth it! I felt bad because we left his Woody in the stroller where it was parked at the Main Street station.

The whole park was decorated in their Christmas theme. In fact, it was the first night of their Christmas event, which requires a separately purchased ticket. The park closed at 7pm, which was fine by us. We were able to do everything we wanted to do and still be home by 9pm.

I have to say that Cinderella's castle was breathtaking in person! I actually went back so that I could get a picture.

This morning Cannon played with his Buzz and Woody dolls. He's been so excited to have them both!

Halloween

2011-10-31T18:19:00.009-05:00

Halloween for us started last Wednesday with a special story time at the library. Cannon got to wear his Woody costume for story time and Miss Angela (the story time lady) had a goody bag for each child. After calling each child by name, they got to have their pictures taken in a fallish scenery setup. Cannon's cowboy attire coordinated well with the hay and orange leaves. He even smiled!

Then on Friday we had our church Fall Festival/Trunk-or-treat. This is what I was looking forward to the most. It started with a chile cook-off and lots of yummy food. Then some carnival games, a costume contest, and then the trunk-or-treating. Cannon actually won 3rd place in the costume contest! I have to say that he was absolutely adorable!

I was also really looking forward to decorating our trunk this year. Ryan is not into holidays, to say the least, but I'm hoping he will become more enthusiastic for Cannon's sake. He did have fun and thought my car decorations were cool. I thought that they would also have a contest for the best trunk, but I never heard who won (if anyone). I know we would have been at least in the top three. Our biggest competition was my friend Jodi. They decorated her husband's truck as CSI and had the theme music playing. That was really cool!

Last Monday we carved Cannon's pumpkin for FHE. This is his scary face!

The cutest Woody ever!

I spray painted my hair purple and it was fun!

Cannon's friend Ayden was Buzz.

Our car theme this year was "Student Driver." The picture doesn't show things very well, but there are branches and toilet paper all over the hood, a golf club, shoes, other shrubs, and a dead hand. Everyone thought our car was hilarious, especially the teenagers!

Our motto at the Rees Driving School: "It's better to be a little late than DEAD on time!"

So it's 7:19 pm at my house and Cannon has been sound asleep since 6:55 pm. I kinda feel bad that he is already in bed when everyone else is trick-or-treating, but we have to leave the house tomorrow at 6:40 am to be to an appointment. Yuck. He slept in today until 9:30 and didn't have a nap, so he was happy to go to bed so early. Ryan left for Illinois early this morning anyway, so he's not even home to be a part of the festivities. Next year for sure Cannon will get to go trick-or-treating!

2 1/2

2011-10-21T19:43:00.014-05:00

As of today Cannon has officially reached 2 1/2 and it's really weird to think that he is close to being three, which seems so old to me! Cannon's "terrible two's" seemed to have peaked last month and his behavior has been much better. Don't get me wrong though, we still deal with tantrums and the complete lack of self-control, but it's getting better instead of worse.

Like most kids his age, he loves his routines and things to be just the way he wants them to be. I've also realized that he can be flexible when different things arise. For example, he loves his blanket and must sleep with it. But one day we left it at a friend's house and he had to go to bed without it. This had all the makings of a complete travesty, but Ryan explained to him the situation and let him choose another blanket to sleep with. He understood and went to bed peacefully.

Cannon loves opposites. Hot v. cold, loud v. quiet, wet v. dry, etc. He loves to find opposites in situations or create opposites. I have a Bert and Ernie book about opposites and it's one of his favorite books. Actually, we initially borrowed it from a friend. I saw it at a store for cheap and figured it was worth the $1 investment since he liked it so much.

Cannon continues to be a good eater, although he's a little unpredictable. He will eat most fruits and vegetables, but some days he refuses things I know he usually likes. I remember doing that as a kid, so it's not really a big deal. I've been getting a little creative to get him to eat fruits and veggies when he's being kinda picky and I've actually found some good recipes that I like. He also surprises me with some of the things he loves to eat like avocado and raw spinach leaves.

I love that Cannon is turning into a great helper. He helps me set the table and then clears his place when he is finished eating. He is getting pretty good at putting his toys away with some prompting. Sometimes he will initiate the cleaning or remind me that it's time to put his toys away. I hope that lasts!

Cannon can sort things based on color or shape. He knows basic shapes including: circle, square, triangle, rectangle, oval. He can recognize most letters of the alphabet and say many of their sounds. Recently he has started to spot letters when we are driving. It took me a couple days to figure that out! He kept shouting out letters and I had no idea what he was talking about! Even though he can count to 20, he is just starting to recognize numbers. He sometimes confuses them for letters. For example, he says "3" is a "B" and "5" is an "S." He knows the number 1 because that's Thomas' number and he recognizes that each train has a different number. I recently noticed that Cannon has been rhyming words. I'm not sure where he got this from. He takes a word that he knows and then rhymes the sound. At first I thought it was a fluke, but he does this all the time. And he thinks it's funny too! So we play a game where I sing a familiar song (Row, Row, Row Your Boat, for example) and instead of saying boat, I'll say something like "coat" or "goat," something that rhymes, but it obviously doesn't go with the song. Cannon thinks this is hysterical!

We can definitely tell that he is a boy. He loves to wrestle, run, jump, climb, and play chase. Anything physical is his kind of activity! He loves to play football and basketball. Without being taught, he already knows how to tackle and he is strong! We play a game where he runs to us as fast as he can and we catch him. I started putting the couch cushion in front of me and let him run into that. He loves it!

Cannon is constantly making himself laugh! I hear him in the back seat talking and then just busting out laughing. He also does this deep mischievous laugh. I really need to get that on video!

Cannon loves to say the prayer at bedtime or for meals. He has been doing this for a couple of months now. And now he has to be the one to say it before anyone else! He usually mentions the people who are present at the time or sometimes his toys. Sometimes he mentions our family out of state too. It's really sweet.

Cannon loves the missionaries in our ward. This is Elder Sims and he and Cannon had a special bond.

I love his smirk in this picture!

This was his first experience with Superman ice cream. As you can see, he seemed to enjoy it, but I think he prefers chocolate.

I've been trying to make more foods from scratch, like breads and cookies, and trying to involve Cannon. Sometimes he's interested, sometimes not. If it involves chocolate, he's right there!

Cannon's hair is still as crazy as ever. He woke up from his nap with some funny hair one day!

This is how Cannon sets the table. He knows who get which utensils.

This was probably our last time swimming outside this year. This was taken a couple of weeks ago. My friend Rachel found this Thomas swimsuit at a consignment store and had to get it for Cannon. Cannon loves it!

This is an obstacle course I set up for Cannon. Please forgive the no pants, it was one of those kinds of days.

This is Cannon and Kailey, one of the young women at church. Cannon adores her and I'm thrilled because I have found an awesome baby-sitter!

Ryan and I can't believe how outgoing and social he is, since that is so not like us! Everyone is his friend. He loves all the old people at church and all the kids, especially older boys that will wrestle with him. There's this one old lady that uses an electric car thing (motorized scooter? mobility aid?) and lets Cannon sit on her lap and drive it. Everyone at church seems to know who he is. He knows the names of so many people, adults and kids and gets so excited when he sees someone he knows. I can see that this kind of social intelligence is definitely a talent he has and I'm anxious to see how it blossoms as he grows.

Cannon is such an amazing part of our lives! We love him so much and we are so proud of all his achievements. He brings so much joy and energy into our home and we are so glad he came to our family!

A Really Great Day!

2011-10-14T07:47:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was a really great day! Ryan took his Series 24 test and passed! I knew he would pass because he's a genius, but three other people at his work just failed it (two of which failed twice). So this allows him to be in a supervisory position at his work and now he can do his work travels alone. The Series 7 and 24 were the two required tests for his position and now it's such a relief that they are both out of the way. Ryan wants to take other certification tests since his company pays for them, but he'll think about those next year.

I am so proud of him and all his hard work! I am so grateful he was able to get this job. Yeah, he has to travel A LOT, but I'm not bothered by it like I thought I would be. He loves his job and the company and it makes me so happy to see him come home happy. This has been such a blessing for us.

We celebrated with ice cream! And Ryan used a gift card to by Portal 2.

While he and Cannon were at the video game store, I got a hair cut! Not bad for $6.99!

Going to the Dentist

2011-10-08T08:27:00.008-05:00

Yesterday Cannon had his first official dentist visit! I had called on Tuesday to make the appointment and they had a cancellation so they were able to get us in quickly. I was actually a little bit nervous for him. On their website it said that they have the kids come back alone, without the parents because the kids tend to do much better and are less nervous. That is what made me a little nervous, but I trusted that they knew what they were doing. I also wondered how they would get a two-year-old to sit in the chair for everything.

The day before the appointment we read Mr. Rogers book, Going to the Dentist, and we talked about what it would be like for him. I tried to use only positive words and told him he would get to play with toys.

The day of the appointment we got there early (by accident), so Cannon was able to play with the toys for about 15 minutes. This worked out perfectly as it was able to get him relaxed and settled in. Cannon had brought that dentist book with him and had read it in the car too. I loved the office! There was a small whiteboard and it said "Welcome Cannon." They seemed to really make it a point to get to know Cannon, which was really comforting as a parent. Cannon played in the "orange room," as we called it. There were video games, some books and some toys. Cannon immediately spied a Mickey Mouse stuffed animal and it quickly became his toy for the entire visit. I tried to show him the video games, but he actually wasn't that interested.

When they called us back, we initially both went. One lady let Cannon pick out a toothbrush and a little bag and the other lady explained how things worked. She then let me go back to the waiting room and Cannon went with them. That's when I got nervous, but I waited patiently. I didn't hear any crying, so I figured that was a good sign. Then the lady came and got me and gave me a tour of the back area. I had to sneak around Cannon so he wouldn't see me, but I could see him. Cannon was sitting so well in the chair just watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. He was fine. Then I went back to the waiting room. They called me back again when he was finished. He had a backpack and more toys! He ran up to me and gave me a big hug! They said he did so well! I was so proud of him! Then we met with the dentist. He said that Cannon showed them how he brushes his teeth, he had x-rays, had his teeth cleaned, and had a fluoride treatment. He kept commenting on how clean and nice his teeth are. He said his 2-year molars should be coming in in the next 4-6 months. On the x-rays you could see his permanent teeth underneath. That was kinda cool. So obviously Cannon had no cavities and we are scheduled to come back in six months.

I thought the whole experience went so well! I love that office and how well they treated us! Cannon left on a positive note, which is what I was really hoping for. After we were home Cannon wanted to read the dentist book several more times. We talked about his experience with the dentist and he told me things like he opened his mouth and wore a purple bib. I loved to see Cannon processing all of it. And I hope next time will be this great!

The "orange room"

Watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

One of the helpers took a picture for me so Cannon wouldn't see me. She tried to get him to smile, but he just kept staring at her. Despite the look on his face, I think he had a pretty enjoyable time.

I was trying to get a nice picture of his pearly whites and this was the best I could do. He still has some white stuff left over on his teeth from the fluoride treatment.

I am so proud of my guy! He seemed so grown-up going to the dentist by himself. I could tell that he was proud of himself too!

Tampa Aquarium and Glazer Children's Museum

2011-10-07T15:56:00.015-05:00

Our friend Maribel has some kind of annual pass, but each month she gets free or discounted admissions to museums around the Tampa Bay area. She has been so nice to invite Cannon and I since she can get up to five people in on her card.

A couple of weeks ago we went to the Tampa Aquarium. This place is a lot bigger than Clearwater Aquarium and you can spend hours there! And that's what we did!

Cannon and Aiden

Cannon, Aiden, and DJ

He wouldn't touch the sting rays, but he touched the starfish.

He loved playing in these sea shells!

Me and Jess

Another neat thing they had was a HUGE splash park outside! It was one of the best one's I've ever seen! I didn't know to bring his swim suit, so he just went in his shorts. He loved it!

Then yesterday we went to Glazer Children's Museum in downtown Tampa. This place was amazing for so many reasons!

1. It was so clean and organized!
2. There were lots of workers there that would clean up after you (set things up for the next kids)
3. The layout was awesome! Instead of one large area with mass chaos, there were two levels. The first level was more of that open area, but upstairs was different. Each section was sort of self contained with each theme, but not like a room. I loved it because it had an open feel, but it kept the kids contained in that section until they were ready to see something else.
4. There were lots of ceiling to floor windows that allowed for lots of natural light.
5. It was quiet! I'm sure there are plenty of days that are busy and noisy, but there wasn't actually a lot of people there that day.
6. There was a variety of activities that appealed to different senses, interests, and developmental levels.

I took tons of pictures, but I'll just post some of Cannon's favorite things.

Fishing

The "Tampa Port"

Cannon is really into firetrucks right now, so this was a big hit!

This was really neat. You chose an animal to race and when the light turned green you were supposed to run to see if you could run faster than the animal.

Experimenting with air

This was probably Cannon's favorite thing to do! He danced for about 30 minutes and he probably would have stayed longer if I hadn't persuaded him to move along!

Afterwards we walked across the street and ate at 5 Guys, which I love! It was such a fun day!

Disney World!!!

2011-10-04T20:36:00.017-05:00

I was counting down the days until Disney World! In preparation I had Cannon watch episodes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse so that he would know the characters. He has also seen Toy Story, so he knows all of those characters too.

We drove to Orlando on Thursday morning and went to Magic Kingdom that day. Ryan had to work, but he joined us later that night. On Friday we went to Animal Kingdom. Then on Saturday we hung out at the resort and then had to check out.

I couldn't believe how big Disney World is! This was my first time, but I have been to Disneyland many times. There is a big difference. Here, you really are in your own world. When you park at Magic Kingdom you take a train to get your tickets. Then you ride the monorail that takes you to the park. Then you go through the ticket booth. It's quite the process just to get in!

I can't believe that I only took a few pictures at Magic Kingdom! Shame on me! But the good news is that I got a weekday season pass (pretty much the same price as a three-day admission), so I can go back anytime! Cannon is free until he turns three, so we will definitely be coming back often!

The teacups

Dumbo

I think Cannon's favorite ride was actually Pirates of the Caribbean. He kept talking about how the water splashed. That is one of my favorite rides too. He pretty much liked all of the rides. On Dumbo he got a little scared about going up so high, but he got over it quickly. He kept talking about going "high in the sky." Aladdin's carpet ride is pretty much the same thing and he liked going up high that time.

It was still a little hot and humid both days, but the lines were only about 20 minutes long. I was debating on what to do for his nap, but he ended up falling asleep while we were in line for Small World! I knew he was so tired to do that!

The only thing he didn't like was Mickey's 3-D movie. It freaked him out when things came flying at him! He had just woken up from his nap, so things probably seemed extra weird to him.

His MOST favorite thing was to see the characters! Unfortunately, most of the lines were really long to see the characters. He loved seeing all the characters, even if it wasn't one he knew. Pinocchio was the first one we saw and he cried because he couldn't go meet him (he has never seen that movie). We didn't actually stand in line to meet any characters, but he did get to see Buzz, Pooh Bear, Tigger, and some others. We caught the last 10 minutes of some kind of production, so he got to see Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy (his favorite). Then right when we were leaving, we happened to be in the front row for the beginning of a parade. It was such perfect timing! We had a really close up view and Cannon finally got to see Woody and Jessie! He was just beaming! Woody even waved right to Cannon. I think he was a little starstruck!

Animal Kingdom was pretty fun too. They also had a few rides and some characters there as well. The first thing we did was go to the Lion King production. It was amazing! Ryan and I saw Lion King on Broadway a long time ago (SO INCREDIBLE) and this was comparable! They really put a lot of work into the costumes and choreography. It kept Cannon's interest the entire time. One thing about Disney is that they try to be interactive with the audience during shows. This was no different. At one point one of the monkeys came up to Cannon and pretended to get a bug from his head and then offer it to him. It was so funny! He actually wasn't scared, but just a little caught off guard. He even took the "bug" that the monkey offered to him! I wish I had that on video!

We also watched Finding Nemo the musical. I thought they did an excellent job as well! I think Cannon really understood the storyline. I have to be really careful about what he watches because he understands a lot and he gets emotional about things. Definitely no scary movies for him. But at the beginning of this program, Nemo's mom dies. It showed a big flash of light and then the mom and fish eggs were gone. I think Cannon understood what was going on. Immediately he buried his head in Toni and started to cry. Then he wanted to sit on my lap. He kept himself buried in me for most of the time, but I was able to convince him to look at some good parts.

Another fun thing was the safari. You get to ride in a type of large jeep/truck thing. You see some amazing animals just like you were in Africa! One of my favorites were the giraffes and a few of them came right to our truck!

Cannon finally got to meet a character! He was so excited and that was the first time he said, "That was fun." He's never seen Tarzan, but he was still excited to meet Terk.

Another fun ride we went on was the river rapids ride. I think I was the only one who wanted to go on it. No one wanted to get wet, but they came along just for me. You have to be at least 38" to ride and Cannon was barely tall enough. I thought it was a fun ride, but I hardly got wet. Poor Toni got completely DRENCHED, twice! Cannon got wet and I think that really surprised him. He was fine going down the big hill, but he got nervous when we were all screaming and laughing. He didn't know what was going on. But after the ride he fondly talked about us getting wet, so I don't think he was traumatized.

Cannon was definitely tired by the end of the day. He didn't have a nap that day either. One of his favorite things to do was ride the train that takes us from the parking lot to the park (and vice versa).

On Saturday we just hung out at the resort. We stayed at the Bonnet Creek Resort, which is a Wyndham Hotel. We were actually in a two bedroom condo on the 14th floor. It was a great location, technically just outside of Disney World, but really close to Downtown Disney. From our balcony you could see Epcot, Downtown Disney, and if you looked really hard you could see Cinderella's castle. I think it was the perfect location. The resort itself was beautiful and I wish we could have had more time to spend there and doing all the of the activities that are offered.

We did go swimming Saturday morning. The temperature dropped quite a bit and we were actually cold when we swam. It wasn't the best swimming weather, but it felt so nice outside!

And Cannon went down this water slide. By himself. Willingly. In fact, I had to restrain him from going up the stairs. Ryan waited at the bottom to catch him. I sat him up to go, but he immediately turned onto his stomach. He looked a little terrified as he went down (it was kind of fast for a little kid), but he wanted to do it again! The life guard wouldn't let him do it again because he couldn't swim.

After we checked out of our condo we went to go see the Orlando Temple. It's only about 15 minutes from Disney and just right down the road. We knew it would be closed that day for General Conference, but we wanted Cannon to see the temple.

It was such a nice day and the humidity was down. It's a beautiful temple and I can't wait to go back again.

Clearwater Aquarium

2011-10-03T19:53:00.009-05:00

Last Tuesday Ryan's parents came to visit us! We were so excited for them to come. I wish I had Cannon's reaction on video because it was priceless. Cannon and I picked them up at the airport and we waited at the bottom of the escalator for them. I saw them and they began to wave to us. I pointed them out to Cannon and he was yelling, "Papa! Grandma!" As they got closer and he saw them better he yells out, "PAPA! Mom, I found Papa! Papa! PAPA!" He about jumped out of my arms to get to them!

That night we ate dinner at a place called Cafe Cibo in St. Pete. It's an Italian restaurant and it was pretty good. They were out of spumoni, so we had to eat ice cream at our house.

On Wednesday I took them to the Clearwater Aquarium. I just bought an annual membership on Groupon, so we all got in for free. This was our first time going too, so I didn't know what to expect. It's definitely smaller than the Tampa Aquarium, but I think it's just the right size for little kids. Plus, this one has dolphins, which are my favorite!

All the animals at the aquarium are there because they need help. They are able to offer rehabilitation and release back in to the wild (when it is appropriate). That made me feel better since the animals there aren't just for show.

Cannon was too freaked out to touch the sting rays! They are actually really friendly and I love to pet them.

This dolphin is Nicholas. You can't see it from the picture, but he has scars on his back. When he was a baby they found him and his mother with third degree sun burns. His mom was too sick to survive, but they were able to help Nicholas. Because he was so young when they found him, he was not a candidate to be put back in the wild.

This is the famous Winter the dolphin, the star of the new movie Dolphin Tale. As you can see, she does not have a fin on her tale. They were able to make a prosthetic fin, but she wasn't wearing it that day.

Next to Winter is her friend Panama, who is deaf.

The rest of the trip was spent in Orlando and at Disney World! But I'll have to save that post for next time!

What Do You Do With One Two-Year-Old and Two One-Year-Olds?

2011-09-26T07:30:00.011-05:00

Last week I watched my friend Rachel's twins so that she and her husband could go to the temple. Cannon LOVES Savannah and Micah and he calls them "friends" whenever he sees them. Cannon is in the "mine" stage right now and has been very possessive of me, his toys, and even the dog. But I told him beforehand that they were coming over to play with his toys. We did put away one toy that I knew he wouldn't want to share. Cannon did much better than I anticipated and didn't mind them playing with his stuff.

We colored:

Ate snack:

Played with lots of toys:

They loved the tunnel!

And they loved the dog!

I really got to see their individual personalities. Micah is totally boy! He has a very good throwing arm and would throw anything even if it wasn't a ball. He particularly liked Blue and quickly learned the fine art of tormenting her. He also really like Cannon's cars and trains. Usually when I get to see Micah he is very content and laid back. It was fun to see him laughing and giggling and getting excited about things. Savannah is totally girl! She acts like the leader of the two, maybe because she can walk. Her favorite toys were all the phones and she pretended to be talking to someone. I loved how she would come and sit in my lap, for no reason, perhaps for some cuddles. When we sat down for lunch she wouldn't eat her food until I got her a fork. She was pretty skilled with it too.

We had a fun day and it went by so fast!

Booster Seats and the 5-Step Test

2011-09-24T12:14:00.005-05:00

Technically speaking, booster seats are pretty easy to use. But I still see the use or non-use of them that would potentially put kids in danger.

The two biggest concerns I have are putting children in booster seats too early and discontinuing their use too early.

I see way too many two and three year olds riding in booster seats when they should be riding harnessed in either a convertible seat or a combination seat. The tricky part is that a booster seat may say on the label to use for a child who is at least 30lbs and 36" for example. But they almost never specify an age. Using those measurements, Cannon could ride in a booster seat. But he's way too young! A child should not be riding in a booster seat until he is at least four years old.

Most states have implemented a booster seat law saying that all children under age eight must ride in a car seat or booster seat, unless they are 4'9''. Unfortunately, Florida is way behind on the times and has not implemented their own booster seat law. So legally, in Florida, a five-year-old could ride in a car just wearing seat belt. But it's so dangerous!

Car seats actually protect a child during a crash. But booster seats are designed to "boost" the child up so that the seat belt hits them in the right place, not so much protect them.

The following was taken from The Car Seat Lady.

The 5-Step Test ©SafetyBeltSafe USA

Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
Do the child’s knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

If you answer “no” to any of these questions, your child STILL needs a booster seat to make both the shoulder belt and the lap belt fit right and to keep them safest.

A seat belt that touches a child's neck can cause neck injuries and burns. But what usually happens is that the kid will just put the shoulder strap behind his back. That is worse because then the child can be ejected from the seat belt or receive other injuries.

A seat belt that goes along the child's abdomen instead of hips, can cause internal injuries.

Seat belts are made for adults, not children. Most children will not fit safely with just a seat belt until they are closer to 5' tall, which could be anywhere from 8-12 years old. And every car is different. My car has very deep back seats and most 10 year don't fit safely with just a seat belt in my car.

Then I get a lot of adults who tell me that they aren't even 5' tall or just over 5' tall. And they jokingly say, "Does that mean I need a booster seat too?" No. But an adults body is much stronger than a child's body. You can handle a crash better than a child.

Booster seats save lives and prevent a lot of injuries. They are inexpensive and there are many options as far as colors and patterns so that your child can pick on that is fun for him. There is another product called the Bubble Bum that a lot of older kids like because it's not so "baby." It's inflatable, portable, narrow, and fun. It sells on Amazon for about $40.

Rear-facing and Your Concerns

2011-09-23T20:15:00.007-05:00

Extended rear-facing

Meaning that you will continue to keep your child rear-facing beyond the old standard of 1 yr and 20lbs. It took a long time for people to hear that rule and then follow it. Most people adhere to that rule and understand that it's dangerous for a little baby to be forward facing. Good job! Now we're changing it up again! The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now strongly encourages to keep your infant and toddler rear-facing until they "reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat’s manufacturer. When children reach the highest weight or length allowed by the manufacturer of their infant-only seat, they should continue to ride rear-facing in a convertible seat." They continue to state, "It is best for children to ride rear-facing as long as possible to the highest weight and height allowed by the manufacturer of their convertible seat. When they have outgrown the seat rear-facing, they should use a forward-facing seat with a full harness as long as they fit."

Why? Just like with the old recommendation (1 year and 20lbs), research showed significant injury and death to infants riding forward-facing. They thought the one year mark was good enough. It's not. Research is still showing significant injuries and even death for toddlers over the age of 1 who are riding forward-facing. They just aren't developed enough.

Here are a couple of facts: your child is five times safer in a car crash while riding rear-facing
when between 12-24 months than if you turned them forward facing AND they are 75% less likely to die or incur a serious injury.

But my pediatrician said it was okay to turn him around! Unfortunately, not all pediatricians have been informed of this information (they should be though!). Pediatricians are very busy and have lots of information to keep up with. For a doctor who may not be that into car seat information, reading that research may be down on their list of things to do. Pediatricians can't know everything and they are not specialists in everything relating to children.

Take a look at these videos. By the way, all car seats are tested at 30 mph in the U.S.

Here is a video of a crash simulation of a child in the forward-facing position:

Here is a video of a crash simulation of a child in the rear-facing position:

When in the forward-facing position, it is the head thrust that causes significant head, neck, and spinal cord injuries. You can see that this does not happen when in the rear-facing position.

Please check out Seattle Mama Doc. She provides a fantastic overview of the importance of rear-facing longer and includes more statistics and research.

If that still doesn't convince you, learn about Joel's Journey. This video has been reviewed by experts and has been deemed as providing factual and realistic information.

Riding rear-facing is clearly the safest way to travel. It provides better protection for all types of crashes. That's crazy! You want me to keep my, 1, 2, or 3 year old rear-facing? You think it's weird, over-protective, abnormal, etc. My child will hate it, they'll be uncomfortable, and it just doesn't work in my car. They'll get used to it, it's not as uncomfortable as you think, and a certified child passenger safety technician can probably find a way that works.

I do get a lot of questions and concerns on this subject. So here's a little Q & A:

Q: My child's legs bend and touch the back of the seat. Won't they will break in a crash?
A: Actually, your child's legs are better protected when rear-facing and the chances of them breaking are very rare. In fact, the second highest injury reported for forward-facing children is broken legs (first is neck injury). This is because the legs are flung forward and often collide with the seat in front of them.

Q: My one-year-old doesn't fit rear-facing anymore.
A: A child will outgrow their rear-facing car seat by either weight or height (whichever comes first). Read your manual to see the limits. As far as height, your child must have at least one inch of space between the top of his head and the top of his car seat. There are many new car seats that will accommodate a taller or larger child. Most car seats will rear-facing until 35lbs or 40lbs, and one to 45lbs. If you have a taller or heavier child, think about the convertible car seat you are purchasing and if it will accommodate your child until at least two years rear-facing.

Q: Won't my child be uncomfortable? There doesn't seem to be a lot of leg room for him.
A: Many children are more comfortable riding rear-facing! They have more options with their legs than children who are forward-facing. They can bend them, sit cross-legged, stretch them up the seat, or hang them over the side. Also, children this age are way more flexible than adults because their joints are not fully formed. Something that looks awkward or uncomfortable for us may not even bother them. Rear-facing is also more comfortable for sleeping. A child's head who falls forward when sleeping does not look very comfortable to me!

Q: But my child can't see out the window.
A: Your child may not be able to see out the front window, but he can see out the side window and possibly the back window. Cannon can still participate in seeing traffic lights, airplanes, and school buses, all from the back and side windows. He still recognized when we get home and to other familiar places.

Q: But my child can't see me.
A: This might be only a problem for you. However, since I am also a big advocate for attachment and bonding, I can see your concern. You can talk to your child a lot, sing songs together, and (when it's safe) reach to the back to touch him or rub his head letting him know that you are still here.

Q: We have really hot summers and I am worried that the AC won't reach my child.
A: This is definitely a valid concern and I can really relate. Let me tell you, Texas gets HOT! Florida gets pretty hot too, especially in the sun. The Car Seat Lady has a fantastic post on "Keeping your child cool when it's hot outside." To read the full article go HERE. Here are some great suggestions: use a reflective sunshade; try using a car seat cooler pad; help your child sweat; use cooling towels and bandanas for the car ride; use a car seat sunshade; let your child hold an ice water sippy cup; use window shades in the back seat (not the kind with hard plastic). Unfortunately, my car does not have tinted windows and my AC has seen better days. I use many of these suggestions on a regular basis and they really do work well.

Q: My child gets motion sick.
A: Volvo looked at several thousand pre-schoolers and found the same rates of motion sickness in those riding rear-facing as those riding forward-facing. Regardless of the direction your child rides, placing them in the center seat with an unobstructed view out the front/back window (and limited visibility out the side windows) will help keep the nausea away.

Q: We have to push the front seats up too far to make enough room for a rear-facing car seat.
A: This is another good reason to try before you buy. When you are shopping for a new convertible car seat, try it in your car to see if it fits. For an older infant or toddler, the car seat can be more upright (to 30 degrees) which would give you more room. For many cars, it is OK to have the car seat rest on the back of the front seat (check your vehicle manual for sure).

Cannon continues riding rear-facing and has lots of ways to put his legs. He is very comfortable and we even drove from Texas to Florida (two full days of driving) with him rear-facing. I feel like he was more comfortable this way and he slept much better!

In Sweden, children have been riding rear-facing up to 4 years of age for many years now and they have very low death and injury rates (click HERE for article). This article also mentions that other studies have found that "children are best protected if they travel rear-facing up to the age/size when the mass of the head is proportionally less and the neck is stronger; at least to age 3-4." So it seems that car seat use is somewhat cultural. Sweden has always been ahead of the U.S. when it comes to vehicle safety, but we have eventually followed. I predict (and hope) that the U.S. will follow Sweden's trend when it comes to rear-facing our kids.

2011 AAP Guidelines

2011-09-22T20:49:00.002-05:00

Earlier this year the American Academy of Pediatrics published new guidelines regarding children and car seats. A great explanation of these new guidelines was posted on The Car Seat Lady. It's an eight minute video and I highly recommend watching it. Here's a summary:

1. Continue to keep your child rear-facing until he meets the weigh or height limitations (whichever comes first) on the car seat, but at a minimum of two-years-old.

2. Use a forward facing seat convertible or combination seat until the child outgrows the weight or height limitations (whichever comes first).

3. Use a booster seat with a seat belt until the child can pass the "5-step" test. Booster seats are really for older children, at least four-years-old, even though a young child may fit the weight and height recommendations.

4. Continue to use a lap/shoulder belt in the back seat.

5. Children can ride in the front seat when they are 13 years old.

Most Common Car Seat Mistakes

2011-09-20T21:12:00.002-05:00

I have added on to my top 10 list from last year and now have 16. Please leave a comment if you have any questions! I love comments!

1. Forward facing too soon
By law, all infants must be rear-facing until at least 20lbs AND 1 year old. The new standard is keep your infant/toddler rear-facing for as long as their car seat will allow or at a minimum of 2 years old. I will go into detail later this week, but the basic reason is that an infant's spinal cord is still forming. When rear-facing, your baby's back (the strongest part of his body) absorbs the force of the crash. Also, an infant/toddler's relatively heavy head is catapulted forward in a crash when they are forward facing. Even in a low speed crash (e.g. 30 mph), this forward head motion has been seen to cause neck and spinal cord injuries or worse, decapitation and internal decapitation. When rear-facing, your child is cocooned in his car seat.

2. Seat belt not locked
If you are using a seat belt instead of LATCH to install your child's car seat, make sure the seat belt is locked. If you have a newer car, chances are your seat belts have “switchable retractors,” which means that if you pull the seat belt all the way out, as the belt winds back into the retractor, it will lock so you can’t pull it out any further. You must lock the seat belt otherwise it will not be able to hold the car seat in place in the event of a crash.

3. Didn't read vehicle and car seat manuals
I can't say this enough! Always read your vehicle and car seat manuals. Your car manual will have specific chapters on car seat installation. Likewise, each car seat is different and each one has their own quirks. Yes, the basics are the same, but I think you will be surprised at what you will learn about your seat or your car. Some common problems I have seen (that vary by each car seat) and are resolved by reading the manual are: use of infant padding, which harness slots to use, where to position the handle bar, height and weight requirements, age requirements, built in lock-offs, using a top tether when rear-facing, how to wash the cover, expiration date, vehicle/car seat incompatibility, use of non-regulated item, etc.

4. Seat too loose
This is a common, common, common problem. The rule is, your car seat should not move more than one inch side-to-side or front to back at the belt path. Can't get a tight fit? Try placing your knee in the seat or getting a second person to help. Stand in the seat if you need to! Or try a different position in the car. Better yet, have your seat checked by a certified child passenger safety technician. Do NOT use a device, such as the Mighty Tite, to get it tight! They can be very dangerous to use!

5. Harness straps too loose
Once you have your child buckled in the car seat do the pinch test. Pinch the webbing of the harness on top of your child's shoulders. If you can pinch it, it's too loose. You can also use the finger test. You should only be able to fit one finger in between your child's shoulders and the harness (pointer finger on women, pinky finger on men). If you can fit more, than it's to loose. But once you get it tight enough it seems so tight! It is and it's supposed to be. Harness straps that are too loose may not hold your child in his seat in the event of a crash. He can be thrown out of his seat, hitting the seat in front of him. Or worse case scenario, he would be ejected from the vehicle. Yes, this happens. It may be a little uncomfortable for your little one or take some time getting used to. But they do get used to it.

6. Chest clip in wrong place
The chest clip (also called a retainer clip) is always, always, ALWAYS, placed at armpit level. Not on the abdomen, not on the chest, not at arm level. It must be up high, at the armpit (which are very close to the shoulders). Why? Firstly, the retainer clip holds the harness straps in place. If it is too low, your baby can be thrown out of his car seat or ejected from the vehicle. Secondly, if it's in the wrong place it can cause injuries. At the armpit level is your child's breast bone, the strongest part of your baby's body in that area. If it is placed too low, it will cause internal injuries. If it is too high, it can choke your baby. I've actually never seen it placed too high, but it is more common to place it too low.

7. Car seat not at right angle
In the rear-facing position, the car seat should be at a 45 degree angle. Some car seats say that it safe to be anywhere from 30-45 degrees. Why? An infant's airway is very narrow. A car seat that sits up too high will cause the baby's head too far forward and this can cut off the airway. A car seat that leans too far back may not protect a baby in a crash and the force can also pull the baby out in a crash. Most car seats have some sort of level indicator. For children who are forward facing, the more upright the better. Some people want to still recline the car seat even when it is forward-facing. That is only okay if the your car seat manual says so and if you can still get a good fit. Read your car seat manual to get the proper recline angle.

8. Harness straps through the wrong slot
There is one basic rule for this: harness straps AT or BELOW for rear-facing and AT or just ABOVE for forward-facing. Easy enough, right? Lots of convertible car seats have many harness slots and you can only use certain ones for forward-facing or rear-facing, so double check your seat. Some combination seats that can be used as a booster also, do not allow you to use the very top harness slots because they are not reinforced. Double check your manual. Another new thing I am seeing is that many convertible seats come with extra removable padding. The straps look like they are through the correct slot, but when you remove the padding, you can see that they are not in the right slots. So double check behind the padding. As a side note for extra padding, sometimes there is a weight or age limit on the use of the padding. So read your manual so you know when to stop using it.

9. Not using a booster seat
You think your child is old enough to ride in just a seat belt alone, but age doesn't really make a difference. Seat belts are made for ADULTS. Most children do not fit a seat belt until they are about 4'9" (usually between 8-12 years old) and 80-100lbs. Your child can ride in a seat belt if the seat belt stays off his neck, the seat belt does not come across his abdomen, his knees bend at the seat edge, and he is mature enough to stay seated and not mess with the seat belt. I will talk more about this later this week too.

10. Car seat recalled or expired
Yes, car seats do expire! Why? This isn't a scheme from car seat manufacturers to get you to spend your money. Car seats have an expiration date for three reasons: 1) they are made from plastic, which weakens over time and may not adequately protect your child in a crash; 2) an expired car seat may not meet federal standards, which are always changing; 3) car seat technology is improving rapidly and an expired car seat is not going to have the technological advances that a new seat has. All car seats come with a manufacture date and many will also have an expiration date. If your car seat does not have an expiration date, it is safe to use the six year rule. Here's where it gets tricky. Some car seats have an expiration date of seven years or even longer. Some combination seats have two lives (one for using it as a five-point harness and the second for using it as a belt positioning booster). Check your manual and the manufacture sticker on the car seat. As for recalls, they happen and to good companies too. Some are simple fixes whereas others can be fatal. When you buy your car seat it comes with a handy registration card with paid postage. Simply fill it out and send it in. If your car seat is ever recalled they will know how to get a hold of you and let you know what you need to do. Lost your registration card? Go to the manufacture website and do it online. You can also register your seat and check for recalls on NHTSA's website.

11. Using LATCH above the accepted weight limits
You can only use your LATCH connectors in the car until your children weigh between 40-48 pounds (check your vehicle manual and car seat manual to be sure). After that, if you’re still using your car seat, you need to switch to a seat belt installation. This is because standard LATCH connectors are only made to withstand a certain amount of force. Sunshine Kids (know called Diono) developed their SuperLATCH connectors, which can be used right up to the weight limit of the seat in most cars, but those are the only ones on the market that can override the established limits.

12. Using non-regulated items
A non-regulated item is something that has not been crash tested with your car seat. All car seats must pass Federal Standards, which makes them regulated. Items such as sun visors, mirrors, toys, head inserts, strap covers, off-brand car seat covers, are called non-regulated items because they have not been crash tested with your car seat. I know that a package might say that it "meets all Federal safety standards" or that it has been "crash tested," but this is false advertising. First off, there are no Federal safety standards for these products. And if it was crash tested, you don't know what kind of car seat they used. Using these items can be very dangerous in the event of a crash. It can also void the warranty on your car seat. To play it safe, if it didn't come with your car seat, don't use it.

13. Car seat is touching back of front passenger seat, when used rear-facing
This may or may not be a problem based on your car and car seat. Consult your owner's manual of your car seat and your car. For most car seats, this is not a problem and may actually improve safety. Many newer cars, 2005 and newer, state that anything (e.g. rear-facing car seat) touching the back of the front passenger seat may interfere with the "smart" air bag sensors. Best practice from the NHTSA training manual states, "A rear-facing seat can be installed so it rests against the back of the vehicle seat ahead if not counter to manufacturers instructions....If the gap is small or the child is on the heavy side, it is much better to be already touching any forward structure prior to a crash than to hit it during the crash. Resting against a forward seat back is only one way to achieve these benefits." So read both your vehicle manual and car seat instructions to make sure that this is safe.

14. Using the wrong belt path
Most car seats come with two DIFFERENT belt paths: one for rear-facing and the other for forward-facing. Do NOT get these confused. If you use the wrong belt path, it may not hold your car seat in a crash. Each belt path is clearly marked on the outside of your car seat. It is also written in your manual.

15. Using the outboard LATCH bars for a middle seat installation
There is a lot of confusion with this lately and it hasn't really been sorted out completely. So let me explain. Lots of cars have LATCH bars for the two “outboard” seats (the ones behind the driver and the passenger seats), but not in the middle. A lot of parents assume that it is OK to use the two inner bars to install a car seat in the middle seat using LATCH. Most of the time, this is not correct. However, many car seat manufacturers as well as vehicle manufacturers say that it may be OK. This new rule may not be reflected in your vehicle owners manual. So my suggestion is that if you want to us LATCH in the center seat position, with the outboard LATCH bars, check your car seat manual and call your vehicle manufacturer.

16. Not using the top tether
All convertible and combination car seats are equipped with a top tether. Almost all cars and trucks made after September 1, 2002 are equipped with LATCH, which includes a top tether anchor point. Many cars made prior to this date may have a top tether anchor point as well. When the top tether is in use, it reduces forward head movement significantly. Always use the top tether in the forward-facing position. In fact, if you install your car seat using LATCH, you must use the top tether otherwise it would be a dangerous misuse. If you install your car seat using a seat belt, still use the top tether. Right now there are a few car seats that let you use the top tether while rear-facing too. If your car does not have any top tether anchor points, contact your vehicle manufacturer as they will usually install one at no cost to you! If you need the part number, let me know and I can look it up, or ask another certified child passenger safety technician.

Thanks for reading. Remember to double check your car seats! If you need further clarification on a subject, please leave me a comment and I'll get back to you. If it's all so confusing (which I know it can be!), please make an appointment to see a certified child passenger safety technician for free (they are always free!).

National Child Passenger Safety Week!

2011-09-19T19:47:00.004-05:00

It's that time of year again, National Child Passenger Safety week! This is a week where I get to share my education with my friends and family and anyone else who may read this blog. For those of you who are just getting to know me, I am a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician. This means that I have attended and passed the rigorous training to become certified. This is a national certification, which means that all the classes taught throughout the United States give the exact same information. This also gives me the credibility I need to give you advice and recommendations. The information I will share with you this week is based on extensive research and anything that is just my opinion will be noted.

Why is child passenger safety so important?

"According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle crashes are the #1 killer of kids in age groups 1-14. Safe Kids USA says motor vehicle crashes are the #1 cause of unintentional injury-related death for all children 14 and under. While some crashes are unsurvivable, over 57% of deaths for children 0-15 were because the child was unrestrained. Many more were improperly restrained. Nationally, the misuse rate for child safety seats is over 80% and as high as 95% in some areas. The good news is that correct use of car seats and boosters does save lives. Infant seats have been shown to reduce fatal injury by 71%, and toddler seats by 54%." ~car-safety.org

Most of the people I come in contact with do use a child restraint for their young children (under 5). My focus this week will be the misuse of child restraints. The misuse rate nationally is over 80%, with an average of 3 critical misuses per seat. That means if you are reading this and you are using a child restraint in your car, chances are you probably have one misuse or more. As you read this week and learn, check and double check your car seat. I check mine every time I use it, because I make mistakes too. The other thing I want to focus on this week is booster seat use. There is a big push to keep your older children in booster seats if they do not fit in an adult seat belt alone. I also think there are a lot of misconceptions about booster seat use.

So stay tuned for some posts! For my friends in the Tampa Bay area, let me check your car seats for you! This is always a free service. For those of you in the Austin or Utah areas, I'll let you know where you can have your car seat checked for free this coming Saturday. If you live somewhere else, I'll post where you can find out your area's free check-ups this Saturday.

Here is a picture of my Cannon age 2 years and 5 months, rear-facing in a Sunshine Kids Radian XTSL.

Blue vs. Wasps

2011-09-17T20:55:00.004-05:00

Unfortunately we have a terrible problem with wasps! It doesn't matter how many times we spray their hives down with wasp killer, they keep coming back. As long as you leave them alone, they will leave you alone. But Blue and her curious self does not understand that rule. Yesterday she stuck her nose right in their hive and about 20 wasps came attacking her. She was obviously stung and then kept rolling around in the grass. She kept going back over to that bush and then I didn't feel so bad for her anymore. I had never seen a dog with a swollen face!

Family Feud

2011-09-10T21:38:00.006-05:00

A house divided cannot stand!

Five and a half years ago I asked Ryan a hypothetical question, "IF BYU were to play UT, who would you root for?" These are Ryan's two beloved teams and this was just a hypothetical question. He said if it came down to it, he would have to wear blue.

Well, tonight was the game of all games. We SO wanted to be at that game! But instead we enjoyed the game from the comfort of our own home. Cannon and I proudly wore burnt orange and Ryan in blue. It was a great game and I am proud of both teams! But someone had to go down, sorry Ryan.

Cannon wore his jersey the whole day, but it didn't make it past some mud and ice cream. We let Cannon watch the first quarter after his bath and he was really getting into it!

Oh How I Love This Boy!

2011-09-08T22:04:00.007-05:00

The Most Amazing Video!

2011-09-05T14:22:00.011-05:00

But first, let me show you some pictures of our day today. Our church rented out Highlander park and pool for our use today. We had a pancake breakfast and lots of fun!

First we rode the swings, Cannon's favorite!

Then we played with our favorite twins, Savannah and Micah.

Ryan showed Cannon how to play baseball. Cannon loved it!

Ryan then went to play softball with the guys while Cannon and I went to the pool. While we were there Cannon learned to do this! This is the most amazing video, at least to me!

He did this probably about 10 times! The first time we went together, but the lifeguard didn't like that. I asked Cannon if he could do it by himself and he said yes. So I would jump in first and then wait for him to go. I wish you could see the front of his face, he was so proud of himself! He became instantly famous and everyone wanted to watch the "baby" jump off the diving board. I am so proud of my little guy!

First Ever Family Movie Night

2011-09-03T20:03:00.004-05:00

Tonight we held our first ever family movie night! Tonight's showing, Toy Story 1. We ate popcorn and it was a picture perfect night. Here's to more nights like tonight!

Great Explorations Children's Museum

2011-09-03T19:46:00.015-05:00

On Friday my friend Jodi invited us to come with them to Great Explorations Children's Museum in St. Pete. She has an annual membership and can get friends in for free! We had such a great time! It was a little smaller than the one in Austin, but it was quiet. Most people go to the Glazer Children's Museum in Tampa, which is a lot bigger. A smaller crowd was perfect for us. Here's what we did!

Drove a fire truck:

Climbed a tree house:

Created a masterpiece:

Rowed to far away places:

Got some food:

Made a pizza:

Launched a tennis ball:

Milked a cow:

Played pipe drums:

And did some cashiering:

All in a day's work!

Caught, Black Handed!

2011-08-27T10:44:00.005-05:00

Don't be fooled by this cute face.

And don't let Ryan babysit.

Exhibit A: Black hands

Exhibit B: Black scribbles

Exhibit C: Black finger prints on the weapon

We ran the fingerprints and we got a hit, definitely Cannon's. His prints were already in the system.

Here's how the crime went down. I left to go clean the church, leaving Cannon in his father's care. Ryan takes a shower, letting Cannon have free access to the house. Cannon sneaks downstairs and goes to the computer desk, knowing that mom's pens and markers are stored in the drawer. He helps himself to the black permanent marker, drawing on himself and my pocket calendar. He places the cap back on the marker and returns both the marker and the calender to drawer. He forgets to put the brown marker and the envelope back in their respective places, a fatal mistake. He keeps his hands closed to conceal the evidence. Upon my arrival home he announces that he has black hands and then starts the investigation.

Sorry Cannon, you've been caught! We were lucky this time, the damage could have been a lot worse!

Some Things You Should Know About Cannon

2011-08-22T13:04:00.004-05:00

I could probably post something new about Cannon everyday. Whether it's him being down right annoying or being the absolute cutest thing ever. Today we'll focus on the positive.

First of all, Cannon is doing great using the potty! We are not potty training, but rather potty learning right now. There's no pressure, for him or me. He still wears a diaper and I take him potty throughout the day. I don't expect him to keep a dry diaper, but it's awesome when he does! We figured out that he likes to go standing up and that has made all the difference. I'm not ready to full out potty train yet. I need to get myself prepared and ready for this. Cannon doesn't tell us when he needs to go either, we just take him (well, not we, me). We are also planning to go to Disneyworld in September and I'm not so sure that I want to take him to use the potty every hour or worry about an accident. On the other hand, things are going great right now and maybe I should strike while the iron is hot.

Today Cannon did the funniest thing. We went to Walgreens and on the way out he noticed himself on the video monitor near the exit. He totally started to bust a move right there while the song, "I like to move it, move it" was playing! All the employees were laughing, as were the customers that came in. One lady started dancing with him! I wish I had my little video camera with me!

And our Mr. Man here has an imaginary friend! It took me awhile to figure it out. It's not just any friend, it's a monkey. For several weeks he kept talking about a monkey getting him (but not in a scary way). He would talk about him being in the car or upstairs, stuff like that. He does have two stuffed animal monkeys, but that's not what he was talking about. Then one day he was talking about his monkey and then he turned around and started talking to him! That confirmed it. We don't know much about this monkey except that he must be pretty funny as he makes Cannon laugh. Yesterday we skyped Ryan's parents and Toni said that she used to have an imaginary friend monkey, with white tennis shoes! Who knew that imaginary friends could be genetic!

When Cannon's older he'll probably be mortified about this underwear picture, but I love it! He looks so proud of himself.

Our First Cuban

2011-08-20T19:15:00.003-05:00

Sandwich that is. We hit up Aguila sandwich shop today in Tampa. We saw this place on Man vs. Food before we moved here and we knew this would be the place we would try our first Cuban sandwich. It was fantastic! Even Cannon ate one too! And the price was very reasonable. You definitely find the best food in little dives like this one.

It Rains Here A Lot

2011-08-17T15:47:00.003-05:00

We have come to realize that it rains here a lot! I love a good thunder storm and we have had plenty since moving to Florida. Sometimes we play in it!

Other times we stay inside and build tents!

Love Them!

2011-08-13T08:19:00.008-05:00

Aren't they cute? I love them.

Cannon has been into stacking blocks this week. He almost got 13!

Cannon is also really into colors now and he knows them all: pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, black, white, purple, and brown (brown is hit or miss though). His favorite is orange, just like his daddy.

He has also been using words like "too," "whoops," and "now." He'll say, "Can I watch it now," or, "it's too big." He has also been talking about different feelings, mostly happy and sad. He gets very concerned when he sees someone who is sad.

One of his favorite books is Go Dog Go. There is a part that says something about the "red dog is out." That red dog looks like our dog, Blue, and Cannon was quick to notice that. He now understands the difference between Blue as a name and blue as a color. He'll say, "There's the red Blue dog."

When we moved in we were able to get cable free for two months, so we are enjoying that. After the two months, we'll have it disconnected. I love all the on demand stuff for kids. Cannon has three favorite shows: Thomas and Friends, Sesame Street, and The Fresh Beat Band.

This week we went to the beach twice. On Monday we went to Ft Desoto beach, which is the furthest South you can go on our little peninsula. Then yesterday we went to Indian Rocks again. Cannon doesn't really like the waves. He prefers it to be calm so that he can walk in the water himself rather than be carried or knocked over by waves. There were waves yesterday, but the water temp was perfect! Not too hot, not too cold.

Cannon also has a new friend, who is a girl. And he loves her! Her name is Savannah and he gets VERY excited to see her! She also has a twin brother named Micah and they are 14 months old. At church a couple Sundays ago he yelled out, "I see Nanna! Mom, I see Nanna!" Of course he did this during the prayer when it was quiet. Yesterday we went to the beach with them and when we pulled up he saw her and said, "Oh! It's Sa-na-na-nah! Oh! Oh!" And then he started gyrating around in his car seat and throwing things because he was so excited!

Rachel took this picture at the splash park last week. Savannah is usually a mama's girl, but she will let me hold her sometimes. And Cannon gets very jealous!

The other day Cannon received his first letter in the mail! It was from Clayton, or Clay Clay as Cannon says. I was so excited for him and he was so excited to open it! It's proudly hanging on our fridge now. Thanks Clay!

Some Cannon

2011-08-05T20:25:00.002-05:00

Lately Cannon has been driving me up the wall! Toddlers are definitely my least favorite stage (I might change my mind when we have teenagers). We just butt heads all the time. I know it's good for him to learn to be independent, but I have to admit that I love to be the one in control. But he has such an awesome personality and that's what I want to talk about.

Cannon is an extrovert. This is weird to both Ryan and me because we are both introverts. Cannon LOVES meeting new people! This trait in him has really helped with our move. I was worried about him leaving his friends and family and having to meet new people. He loves his new nursery class at church and he loves making new friends. He gets so excited to see his new friends and to see Miss Angela at the library (she does story time). He will have a conversation with just about anyone and makes friends easily. Even though he is an extrovert, he gets overstimulated easily and can only handle large crowds in small doses.

You cannot rush Cannon. I know he got this one from Ryan! There's still a running joke in Ryan's family because you could never get him to go faster. I have realized this about Cannon. I should have know this when he was born. My water broke at 37 weeks and even with pitocin, it still took him 19 hours to come out! If you let him take his time about things he will do them. This is why we are not pushing the potty training thing. I know he will do it on his own when he is ready.

I love to watch him play. He does a lot of make believe with his Woody doll. He pretends to feed him and he tells him what is going on. I sometimes hear him scold his trains and tell them no. Sometimes he laughs at them for whatever reason and say, "Oh Gordon," and then chuckles. When we read his train books he likes to hold the trains that match the characters in the books. He also recites his books to Woody or to his trains. He has several books memorized. Maybe not completely, but he knows at least the last word of every sentence. His favorite books right now are, "Catch Me, Catch Me," "Fast Train, Slow Train," and "Go Dog Go," and in that order too. He likes a bunch of other books too, but those are the must reads before nap and bedtime.

Hide-and-seek is the game around our house these days. He likes to hide under the kitchen table or the tent in his room. He stays still and quiet while you "look" for him and then squeals with excitement when you find him. I love playing this game with him! It was one of my favorites growing up.

Cannon has been able to count by rote to 10 for awhile now and sometimes will go a little beyond that. Yesterday I noticed that he was counting objects, which I have never seen him do before. He counted to three and then just did random numbers after three. He likes to sing the ABC song and he can point out the letters "A" and "O." And he has finally started to take an interest in puzzles. He can do simple puzzles, but his attention span with them is still pretty short. He does like to put money in his football bank and I let him put the quarters in the washing machines here. You can tell he is concentrating because he sticks his tongue out.

He has also finally started to take an interest in drawing. Sometimes he will use markers, crayons, or colored pencils. But mostly he likes using his Magna Doodle. I like him using that too because it's not messy! He is very into drawing circles and really makes them just how he wants to. He is very deliberate with his markings.

And swimming! Oh how he loves to swim! It's very interesting and very scary to watch him swim. He wants to swim and really wants to be independent. I cannot get him to wear a life vest, arm floaters, ring floater, anything. He wants to be completely free. He also has no fear and so you have to keep your eyes on him every second. I noticed that when he is in the water he is testing himself. He is not trying to swim to get from point A to point B, but rather to see what his body can do in the water and what his limits are. One example, dead man's float. This is not for the weak! Cannon taught himself to float on his belly and just float. It's pretty freaky to watch! He just floats there. Then he'll turn over or lift his head up when he needs air and then that's when I grab him. He will also walk off the step and "walk" in the water. He's crazy! I just can't wait until he can really swim!

I tried to get a video of his dead man's float. He kind of does it here, but usually he is totally on his belly and he'll float longer.

Oh Toddlers!

2011-08-02T15:17:00.005-05:00

Toddlers have this amazing ability to make a situation worse! This gift, or curse, happens all the time, when you least expect it. They dottle on the stairs, so what happens? They fall down the stairs. When you've had the worst morning, they will only take a 1 hour nap, or maybe none at all. When you finish hauling four loads of wet laundry up the stairs, you come in to see that all the whites are all over your dirty kitchen floor. When you are walking out to the car, they drop their Woody's hat which, of course, rolls all the way under the car requiring a broom to retrieve it. They decide that it is a good idea is to carry a cup of milk from the kitchen to the table and when you decide to offer minimal assistance, their rage ends up spilling said milk. When you are walking in the grass they, somehow, will always find the only dog poo around and then proceed to walk through it. When they are having a tantrum at the post office and you so patiently and lovingly get down to their level to talk to them, they will slap your face and pull your hair out. When you are just about to leave, they will inevitably have a poopy diaper. At the very moment you really need them to stand up because you are crossing the street, their body will turn to jello. When you are getting in the car to go to church, they will step in the only puddle of mud within 20 feet and get it all over themselves, yourself, the car and their car seat. When you are calm and chill, with no worries, they have this ability to turn you from happy to rage in less than 5 seconds. Never before has anyone been able to evoke those kinds of emotions from you.

Oh toddlers!

They also have this unique gift of totally melting your heart with a smile or gesture. And you know you have never loved anyone more.

Here's my toddler, with his curliness and all.

Clearwater Beach

2011-07-30T21:29:00.004-05:00

This afternoon we checked out Clearwater Beach. Actually, we went just slightly North to North Beach because you can bring your dog! Our plan sounded better in theory. It is hot at the beach and the water is starting to get really warm. It was still fun, but I think it was too hot for Blue. We gave her lots of water to drink and I kept putting water on her back to keep her cool. But I think we'll wait until it cools off a lot before we bring her back to the beach. She did really well. She doesn't like water, so she wouldn't swim with us. She stayed on our beach mats while we were in the water. She's not the kind of dog that runs away. Although she did chase a bird. She also enjoyed digging in the sand.

The beach itself was really pretty. All the tourists hang around Clearwater Beach, near the condos and hotels, which gets pretty busy. We went just a little North and there weren't very many people.

I realized I only took pictures of Blue and of no one else. I guess that was fine since this was her first time to the beach. However, I did get some videos.

Despite her smiles, she didn't have the best time.

The Potty Experiment

2011-07-30T12:43:00.003-05:00

I call it an experiment because it was just that. Cannon has recently taken a big step towards learning to use the potty. Now don't get all excited. This big step just means that he went from running in the opposite direction at me mentioning the word "potty" to talking about himself going pee pee and poo poo. Emotionally, I know he's not ready, but I wanted to test his physical readiness. Normally I tell people to look for the usual signs: waking up from naps or bedtime with a dry diaper, having dry diapers throughout the day, wanting to be changed at the first sign of wetness, stuff like that. Cannon does none of that. But lately he will tell me he wants to go outside and go pee pee (or poo poo). Now we all know that dogs do their #1's and #2's outside-if they are good. I wasn't sure if Cannon was talking about himself going outside to do his business or if he meant Blue. I kinda got the feeling that he was talking about himself. Then I remembered back in Texas, every time we played in the backyard Cannon would go to the side of the house. He would then return with a full diaper. So my theory was that Cannon likes to relieve himself while outside. This morning Cannon did not want to wear a wet diaper (a first for him). He demanded that I take it off and then put his pajama pants back on. So I did. Then I remembered that I had some little boy underpants stashed away upstairs. I grabbed a pair, put them on him and let the experiment begin.

He was very excited about wearing his Thomas underpants. We talked about using the toilet and stuff like that. He kept them dry for almost two hours. Then he asked to go outside and go pee pee. Sure enough, he stood right in the grass and peed! A lot! I knew it! Now I know that he can hold himself and go when he wants. Now the trick is getting him to do that in the toilet.

Hawaii

2011-07-26T13:23:00.020-05:00

So I'm a little bit behind on posting this, but I finally have some time now that we are getting settled into our new place.

Way back last December (Christmas Eve to be exact) a friend of ours, Chelsea, got engaged. She told us they were planning on getting married in Hawaii and they wanted us to be there. It sounded like a dream come true, but I don't like to be hopeful for things that I don't think will really happen. For months I kept this in the back of my mind, but I kept telling myself that it probably wouldn't happen. I really hate to be disappointed and I didn't want to get worked up over a trip to Hawaii.

Well, our dreams came true! This trip was absolutely incredible! I still can't believe this happened to us. The plane tickets were paid for. The four-and-a-half star resort on the beach was paid for. And we received a food voucher for $100, per person, each day, for seven days.

From day one, this trip was amazing. We had a short flight from Austin to Dallas. Our next leg would be Dallas to Honolulu and then Honolulu to Kona. Apparently we have incredible luck because we were bumped to first class for the eight hour flight from Dallas to Honolulu! What an amazing flight! We were served a three course gourmet meal, including Ben & Jerry's hot fudge sundaes. But the thing I enjoyed the most was that our seats reclined in a flat position so that we could sleep. So needless to say, we arrived in Hawaii well fed and well rested. Quite the opposite of what I expected. This was just the beginning of things to come.

The Fairmont Orchid resort was gorgeous. Incredibly beautiful and peaceful. Our room overlooked the golf course, but you could also see the ocean. Hardly anyone came to that side of the resort, so it was quiet and peaceful. Just perfect. The weather was perfect and even the air smelled good.

With our food vouchers, we dined like kings and queens. There were several different restaurants to choose from at the resort. We ate things like sushi, filet minion, white truffle mac and cheese, crab legs, caviar, and shrimp, just to name a few. My favorite breakfast item was the coconut syrup that I put on my pancakes. Amazing! I also enjoyed a non-alcoholic pina colada everyday.

The beach was, of course, of walking distance. It was like a little lagoon with clear blue water. We went snorkeling and kayaking. The snorkeling was amazing! Basically it's one big coral reef right outside of our lagoon area. We saw lots of different fish and sea turtles.

We were also able to venture to the other side of the island on Ryan's birthday. Yeah, did I mention that it was Ryan's 30th birthday? What a way to spend your birthday! The other side of the island is very green, unlike the side we were on which was literally all lava rock (it had it's own kind of beauty). We hiked to see some waterfalls and found some different beaches. Well, they weren't really beaches, those are hard to come by.

Now the whole reason we were here was to celebrate the marriage of Chelsea and Jeremy. We enjoyed spending time with them and their families. We were also able to attend their marriage sealing in the Kona Temple. That was really special and a highlight of the trip. After the temple, they had a ring ceremony at sunset which was followed by a luau. Everything was beautiful and well planned. It was like something from a movie!

One afternoon, the girls had their own luncheon while the boys played basketball. Each woman received a voucher to use in the spa! I was able to get my hair highlighted and I think it turned out great!

This trip was incredible. Ryan and I really needed this trip. I was totally stress free the whole time. I went to bed by 9pm most nights and was awake by 6am (that is the opposite of what I usually do). I just felt so much at peace in Hawaii. I think this really helped us get ready for the big move ahead of us. It was also nice to spend some one-on-one time with Ryan.

Initially I was very worried about leaving Cannon for a whole week. I made a "calendar of love" that showed what was going on for him that day and when mommy and daddy were going to come home. It had who he was going to play with that day and also a reminder that we would call him. He cried when we were dropped off at the airport. I was glad that he came to the airport though. I wanted him to see us physically dropped off and not just that we were gone. Each time we called him he was happy. Toni said he did great! Of course, she planned lots of fun things for him to do to keep him occupied. The last two days he started to miss us. Then he came with Toni to pick us up at the airport. It gave me such peace of mind to know that Cannon was well taken care of and that he was not upset with us being gone for so long.

And now for the pictures!

The view from our balcony. The ocean was to the left and the mountains to the right.

Something you would typically see on your walk to the beach.

I miss those pina coladas!

Fire dancers at the luau.

The hula dancers got Ryan up on stage! This is a rare photo because Ryan never does this type of thing!

The hona (sea turtles) were frequent visitors on the beach.

I saw this rainbow over our resort on the last day.

Jeremy and Chelsea

Indian Rocks Beach

2011-07-21T15:42:00.006-05:00

We had a beach day on Tuesday. Woody came too. He goes almost everywhere Cannon goes too.

Cannon's Room

2011-07-18T16:30:00.010-05:00

My goal today was to finish putting Cannon's room together. His room is huge and there is plenty of space to play! He also has a large closet so we were able to store all of his old baby things. The closet door broke, so we need to get that fixed. His room is also by far the hottest room in the house. We keep his curtains and blinds closed all day and that really helps with the heat. We also got him a fan that we keep in his room.

The view from the door:

The view from the rocking chair:

The view from the crib:

The view from the tent:

His room is pretty much set up the same way it was at our old house, but with more room. I am keeping most of his toys in his closet. We will rotate through the toys or just pull them out as needed. I got really sick of having all the toys out all of the time and then having to clean them up. This way we will keep some toys downstairs and some out in his room, like the stuff he plays with everyday (his trains, cars, Mr. Potato Head, and books).

Today was also Ryan's first day at work! It was just orientation stuff, so kind of boring. I did learn that his company offers a discount to Disneyworld!! So you know we will be hitting that up soon!