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Reason #26 to Have Kids

angela — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 23:23:46 +0000

Reason #26 to have kids. You can raid their Halloween candy and they can’t do jack about it.

Highlight Reel

angela — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:51:13 +0000

I walked into the room where my 4 year old was sitting on the couch. She looks at me with her index finger pointed and says “mommy, I have poop on my finger”. You would think this would be the point where I would gag or perhaps start some sort of interrogation on how fecal material ended up on her finger but no. I simply ask her to go wash her hands with soap and water.
That was my Monday. How was yours?

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Give Me The Cookie and No One Gets Hurt

angela — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:37:41 +0000

Everyone seems to medicate themselves with different vices. Some people like alcohol, others like nicotine; MY vice of choice is cookies.
I knew that I had a cookie problem when at the end of a long day at home with the kids I would escape to the grocery store for a cookie run. And, in the time it would take to drive home from the store I could polish off a bag of cookies. I think subconsciously I thought if I got home with no evidence of cookies MAYBE the cookies never happened. This is good in theory but the scale never lies.
With the economy in the toilet like it is my frugal self has convinced my cookie addiction that I can’t afford to continue medicating with cookies. Luckily for me AND for you I found a site that is offering FREE COOKIES. OK, so its not a bag of free cookies but when you are jonesing for a fix you can’t beat free.
For your free cookie: www.kashi.com

For other free stuff:
Kid’s Eat Free
FREE DVD Rentals

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Response From Senator Larry Craig on Bill 1738

angela — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:38:31 +0000

Dear Mrs. D’Ambrosio,
Thank you for contacting me about S.1738, the Combating Child Exploitation Act. I appreciated hearing from you and welcome the opportunity to respond.
I share your concerns regarding child exploitation in the United States. This crime is unconscionable and devastating - not only to child victims and their families but to entire communities. Therefore, I have supported efforts in Congress to help law enforcement agencies root out, investigate, and prosecute offenders to the fullest extent possible.
S.1738, the Combating Child Exploitation Act, contains provisions to further these goals by establishing a national strategy against child exploitation and increasing federal resources available to local law enforcement for combating this problem. The bill was made part of a comprehensive child protection legislative package in the Senate; it was combined with provisions of H.R.3791, the Securing Adolescents from Exploitation-Online (SAFE) Act, which would expand the requirements for electronic service providers to report on-line child pornography. In addition, the SAFE Act complements S. 1738 by closing loopholes that hinder efforts to identify and collect valuable information about suspected sex offenders.
I joined a unanimous Senate in voting to pass this package on September 25. Two days later, it passed the U.S. House of Representatives, and it is now awaiting presidential approval. This legislation is expected to become law very soon.

Response from my Senator on Bill 1738, the Combating Child Exploitation Act

CALL TO ACTION – Help Pass Bill 1738 “The PROTECT Our Children Act”

You may be interested to know that the support you and others expressed for S.1738 was a factor in overcoming the partisan gridlock that had threatened to stop its progress through the legislative process. I hope you will continue to share your views on pending issues and bills with the Idaho Congressional Delegation in the future.

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Dear Jesus and Trace Atkins

angela — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:13:34 +0000

Nine months pregnant, two kids and my husband is hunting. It’s still a good day.
Nine months pregnant, two kids, my husband is hunting and my car is stolen. It’s still a good day.
Baby is nursing, spitting out bits of tissue and blood while she gnaws the life out of my nipples. It’s still a good day.
Husband’s sick…’clogged pore’ ‘down there‘….have to take the whole gaggle (due to stolen vehicle) along to the doctor, another doctor, then the surgeon…tears, screaming and more tears from us all. It’s still a good day.
Notice my incision is swollen and red. On call doc says it’s infected, need to get in ASAP. It’s still a good day.
In the waiting room an hour and a half with all of the chick-a-dees….tears screaming and more tears. It’s still a good day.
Then, to the lab to check the biliruben. Where am I? Where are my children?…in and out of deliria. It’s still a good day!
Why is it still a good day Mr. Atkins? Am I really ‘going to miss this’? Yes…Yes, I know I am. Even as it’s happening I find humor amidst the chaos and feel such love despite the tantrums. I am ‘going to want this back.’ I am going to ‘wish these days hadn’t gone by so fast.’ These are ‘the good times’ and I am going to savor the good with the bad knowing that it passes too quickly, I already see it flying by and am saddened. I look to the future as a light when I am too overwhelmed to focus on today but know I won’t get this back and I’d better stop to enjoy it, even during the worst of the worst. Jesus and Trace Atkins…they get me through the day.

-Megan in Idaho

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Yes, I Admit I have a Pooping Problem

angela — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 17:22:38 +0000

Yes, I Admit I have a Pooping Problem. I figure since admitting something has become front page fodder in the tabloids I would also come out and admit I have a pooping problem. Actually, it’s not MY pooping problem rather it’s my 2 month old that is troubled which means it is my problem.

Poor girl is just miserable! The only “movement” she has had in days is some gnarly farting.

If any of you have experienced this with your own child you know that the pediatrician will say “it is normal for a baby to go 7 times a day or 1 time in 7 days”. This may be the case but it doesn’t mean you baby will be happy about it. So, if you too are experiencing a pooping problem here are a few things you can try (courtesy of a mom that has had 3 babies with pooping problems).

Leg bicycles – Gently move your baby’s legs like they were riding a bike. This helps get things moving and helps push out gas that is in the baby’s tummy.

Belly massage - Gently massage baby’s belly in the shape of the letter “C”. Start above the belly button and rub down and around. This also helps alleviate gas pain.

Juice – My pediatrician suggests prune juice but I have found apple works well too and is tolerated better by baby. You can feed it straight or mix it with formula or breast milk. *The rule for juice is 1 ounce per month old.

Rectal stimulation – My pediatrician recommends taking baby’s temperature rectally but I have found just wiping the area can help.

Glycerin Suppository – If all else fails this usually does the trick. You can buy these at any drug store and they make them specifically for kids. Once inserted it will take affect in minutes so be prepared for the aftermath.

I have talked with others moms that have experienced pooping problems that are more serious than just irregularity so don’t be afraid to insist that your pediatrician take a look at your baby. You know your baby better than anyone and there is nothing wrong with being a pushy mommy. After all, your baby’s problems are your problems.

Other information on poop and gas:

Poop! Its just recycled food

5 Tips to Relieve Baby’s Gas

Skid Marks and the Advanced Skill of Wiping

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Response from my Senator on Bill 1738, the Combating Child Exploitation Act

angela — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 23:51:37 +0000

Dear Angela:

Thank you for contacting me to express your support for S. 1738, the Combating Child Exploitation Act. I appreciate hearing your thoughts and welcome the opportunity to respond.

As you may know, this legislation was introduced by Senator Joe Biden (D-Delaware) on June 28, 2007. This bill would establish a Special Counsel for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction within the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, improve the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, increase resources for regional computer forensic labs, and make other improvements to increase the ability of law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute child predators. This legislation was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee and awaits further action before the full Senate.
Sexual exploitation of children is an abhorrent practice that will not be tolerated, and I have long
been a leader of efforts to combat violence against children in all forms. As a member of the Senate Missing and Exploited Children’s Caucus, please rest assured that I will continue to be an aggressive supporter of protecting our children and prosecuting predators to the maximum extent possible under the law.

Again, thank you for contacting me. Please feel free to contact me in the future on this or other matters of interest to you. For more information about the issues before the U.S. Senate as well as news releases, photos, and other items of interest, please visit my Senate website, http://crapo.senate.gov.

Sincerely,
Mike Crapo
United States Senator

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CALL TO ACTION – Help Pass Bill 1738 “The PROTECT Our Children Act”

angela — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:18:04 +0000

Yesterday I watched an episode of Oprah that I found so disturbing, so upsetting that I can not sit idly one more minute without attempting to help remedy an atrocity that is occurring in our country. Every day thousands of children are being exploited, molested, and raped in our great country and these horrible acts are being photographed/video taped and are published on the internet. Law enforcement has the capability to track and find these people that are exploiting children however there are so many cases and too little funding to make a dent in this growing epidemic. In fact, the statistics are staggering, as little as 2% of hundreds of thousands of violations to our innocence are prosecuted or even investigated.
What can you and I do? ACT NOW! Call, Write, Email, or Fax your U.S. Senator and tell them to “Vote YES on Senate Bill 1738- The PROTECT Our Children Act”. Do this today because they will be voting on this bill before September 26, 2008.
Go to www.senate.gov to find contact information for the senator in your state.

The PROTECT out Children Act will:
• Authorize over $320 million over the next five years in desperately needed funding for law enforcement to investigate child exploitations.
• Mandated that child rescue be a top priority for law enforcement receiving federal funding.
• Allocate funds for high-tech computer software that can track down internet predators.

These atrocities are happening to our most precious resources, our children. They are occurring every minute on babies, children, and adolescents. Please help rescue these precious little ones and help prevent future victims.

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FREE Book “The Truth about Cheating”

angela — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 19:06:35 +0000

Yesterday’s episode of Oprah she featured M. Gary Neuman’s book about cheating. According to recent statistics 1 in 3 men cheat and according to those cheaters this had little to do with sex or finding someone more attractive then their spouse.
This is a topic that everyone will have to deal with at some point in their lives whether it is a friend, family member or you. If you are interested in learing more you have until tonight to download your free copy:
In The Truth About Cheating, M. Gary Neuman explores why men stray and what you can do to prevent it.Between now and 7 p.m. PST Friday, September 12, 2008, you can download a free copy of this book. http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20080827_tows_bookdownload

For more free stuff please check out these links:
“Kids Eat Free” http://momsfirststop.com/2008/05/13/kid%e2%80%99s-eat-free/
“Free DVD Rentals” http://momsfirststop.com/2008/04/24/free-dvd-rentals/
“8 Cheap to Free Childcare Options When You Need a Little “me time”” http://momsfirststop.com/2008/05/05/8-cheap-to-free-childcare-options-when-you-need-a-little-%e2%80%9cme-time/

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Do you believe in luck? “Lucky Pregnancy Test”

angela — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:07:29 +0000

So I was out on eBay this morning doing a little shopping and I ran across this.
Someone is selling a ‘lucky pregnancy test”. This got me to thinking about luck and whether getting pregnant has anything to do with luck. The logistics in getting pregnant alone would make an unbeliever believe. Women only have a small window every month to get pregnant and some women that window only comes around a few times a year. Then there is the anatomy of having good eggs, PH, accommodating environment and of course, if you have all of that, you still need viable sperm. Just the thought seems insurmountable! In this day and age of science and fertility research you might think that we might be able to mitigate any fertility problem a couple might face but in reality couples spend thousands of dollars on little more than the hope of getting pregnant.
With all the odds stacked against us, couples are still getting pregnant which makes me believe, RATHER, it makes me know that there is an intangible that can’t be measured, bought or studied. This intangible is making it possible for couples that are told that they are unable to have children to miraculously conceive.
So, back to the question of whether I believe in luck? I believe in the power of prayer and the power of positive thinking so if someone needs to buy or sell something that offers hope where there wasn’t any before I think it’s a good thing.

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