We're moving to Savannah!!!!

YAY YAY YAY!!! Chris has orders and we're going to Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah! We'll be moving mid April to the beginning of May. We are insanely excited about it. Hopefully we'll be able to stay there for quite a while. We're going to be looking to buy a house once we get settled (living on post the first year.) I'm most looking forward to all the places I can take pictures. I mean, have you ever seen Savannah online???? It's gorgeous!!!! And I'm really hoping that it is a progessive Southern city. I'd really like to start my doulaship while there so it would be nice to have some clients! The planning is already in full swing and I love it!!!!!!!!!

Goodnight Mom

Goodnight Mom

In the messy green
family room
There was a telemarketer
ringing the telephone
And a crying toddler
because his brother
just popped his
red balloon
And a picture of -

The cow jumping over the moon
(which someone colored on
with permanent marker)
And there was a missing
teddy bear, and a girl with
gum in her hair

And one to be scolded
And laundry to be folded
And a very hungry spouse
And something stinky in the house
(that no one else seemed to smell)

And a comb and a brush and a colicky
baby who just won't shush
and a frazzled mommy screaming #*%#@

Goodnight messy room
Goodnight scribbled-on moon
Goodnight cow getting out while she can
Goodnight telemarketers and the
popped balloon

Goodnight long-gone teddy bear
Goodnight cereal bar smeared all
over the dining room chair

Goodnight spitup
And goodnight leaky sippy cup
Goodnight much-too-little house and
goodnight grumpy spouse
Goodnight comb and goodnight brush
And goodnight to a certain 4 year old
who just needs to hush right now I mean it

Goodnight Elmo
Goodnight toys we'll pich up tomorrow,
or the next day
Hello chardonnay and Tivo -
"me" time finally!!

Regarding the new Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act

If you haven't heard about this, please read into it. I am friends with a lot of WAHM (work at home moms) that make wonderful, chemical free, children's items. If this law goes into effect then they will be loosing their income, many which rely heavily on what they bring in. Moms who make hair bows and ribbons, cloth diapers, sew wonderful childrens clothing, knit hats and scarves and mittens, dads and grandpas who carve beautiful wooden toys! Many small businesses that specialize in these types of one of a kind items will also go out of business. Think of craft fairs being policed! And if you have any of these items you can't sell them on Ebay because they will be considered illegal items. Don't think that the government won't be cracking down on the "little people"? They have a special internet unit set up to watch out for sites like Hyena Cart and Etsy that specialize in handmade creations. They are not thinking this law through all the way. The reason this law is being passed is due to the large number of recent toy recalls containg lead and other hazardous chemicals. Note though, NONE of these toys were manufactured in the UNITED STATES. They were all "Made in China." However, the American craftsmen and women are going to suffer for this. Please read the informative article below and do what you can to help ammend this law and save these peoples livelyhoods. Our economy is in the toilet already, imagine what it will be like after Febuary 10th when this law takes hold.

Copied from CoolMomPicks:

We're all for strengthening the safety standards of mass-produced toys, clothes, and accessories made in China, and banning toxins like phthalates and lead. But this year, congress passed the ill-conceived Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act, a law which goes into effect in two months and will absolutely decimate the small toy manufacturers, independent artisans, and crafters who have already earned the public trust. The very same ones that we often feature here and in our yearly special edition gift guides.
With this act going into effect February 10 2009 so many people we love will be affected: Moms who sew beautiful handmade waldorf dolls out of home, artists who have spent decades hand-carving trucks and cars out of natural woods, that guy at the craft show who sold you the cute handmade puzzle--even larger US companies who employ local workers and have not once had any sort of safety issue will no longer be able to sell their goods. Not without investing tens of thousands of dollars into third-party testing and labeling, just to prove that toys that never had a single toxic chemical in them still don't have a single toxic chemical in them.

How to Get Involved -- it only takes 5 minutes of your time!
-Find your congress person and senators and write a letter like the sample here.Particularly if they serve on the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection or the House Committee on Small Business.
-Send an email directly to the CPSC or contact chairperson Nancy Nord at 301-504-7923
-Vote for amending the law on Change.org, digg style: With enough votes it will be presented to President Obama in January!
-Place the Save Handmade! button on your blog or website to help spread the word to everyone you know who cares about protecting the little guy and preserving beautiful items made with love for our children.
Fantastic Resources
-The Handmade Toy Alliance (check out their proposed changes, a lot of which make a whole lot of sense
-CPSIA Facebook Group
-CPSIA information group on ning
-Z Recommends: Five steps you can take to save natural toys (excellent reading)
-Fashion Incubator
-The Smart Mama
-Etsy business forums (including this specific thread on local media coverage
-Twitter: Search using the #CPSIA hashtag
-Endangered Whimsy - a blog gallery of handmade products endangered by the CPSIA. Feel free to submit yours.
-Video: Handmade Portraits
-Excellent letter from Rick Woldenberg, Chairman of Learning Resources, to CPSC on improvements to the act. Also see the You Tube videos in which he addresses the CPSC panel in November. Well worth a watch. (1 of 3)

My kid is weird

I give him toys. I give him stuffed animals. I give him things to occupy his time. Do you know what he wants as a lovey? Do you know what he wants to snuggle with? Do you know what he adores?
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MY PAMPERED CHEF OVEN MITT!!! Yup, he loves it. He rubs it agains his face. He snuggles it. He puts his little hand in it and waves it around. He carries it all over like it's a baby. Can I get a "HUH?"

Happy Holidays

The kids and I went to see Santa tonight. Addison hopped right up into Santa's lap and hugged him. Lina just snuggled against him and Caleb looked at him like "What the heck are you?" It was comical. Sorry for the crappy quality of picture but this was scanned in.

Not much going on here

Just a quick little note. I've been busy holiday shopping and am so glad to be DONE with it. With the exception of the kids' "big" gifts that they'll get on Daddy's surprise visit home in January. The girls are getting L- a bike and A- a scooter. Caleb, I have no clue! Maybe a toddler swingset or something.

Addie goes for her speech therapy evals on Monday. I spoke with the therapist a few days ago and she seems wonderfully nice. With what I told her over the phone, it seemed like she feels Addie will need some help. Of course Addison just gets super excited when I mention that we are going to the building called School. She's so ready to start.

Lina went for an eval with an orthodontist the other week. She needs to get 3 teeth pulled, which we are doing on Dec 9 and then we wait 6 months to let her teeth straighten as much as possible on their own. For being as big mouthed as she is (wink wink) she has a tiny mouth and her teeth are very overcrowded. Dr. H also recommended having an upper expander put in and partial braces with rubberbands to help her jaw grow a little bigger. Anyone know of any good dental insurance that covers orthodontics? Ours gives us a $1500 lump sum and the rest is up to us. OY! We won't start any of this until we are moved to where ever it is the Army sends us next, just so that Lina can be familiar and comfy with the Dr doing all the work.

Caleb is doing good. He is walking all over now. Still can't get up from the middle of the floor so there's still a good bit of crawling. I'd say it's about 50/50 now. He's got a ton of attitude and is very feisty. We'll have our hands full with him for sure. He definitely knows what he likes, doesn't like, wants, and doesn't.

Sound advice

-”Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater. If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby. If you give her a house, she'll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal. If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her. So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of s**t.”