OK Folks...I am getting on my soap box!

I just have a few things that have been on my mind here lately. This is my blog, if you don't agree that's fine. You don't have to read it. This is my opinion and my place to write what I want to write...OK?

OK First on my list...yesterday I dropped Kevin off for an appointment, so I decided to head to Wal-Mart to return a few things. Now, the weather has been unseasonably warm for Alaska standards. On a normal day in January in Alaska the temperature should be oh about 10-20 BELOW zero (this is our coldest month) we however have had temperatures in the upper 30's lower to mid 40's. It's warm for us Alaskans. Like T-Shirt weather warm! OK, back to my story...so while at wal-mart I see a girl (notice I said girl) no more than 17 years old. She has her daughter who is maybe a month or so older than Livvy in the cart wearing shorts and a tank top! SHORTS AND A TANK TOP PEOPLE!!! It is not that warm outside!!! I was sick to my stomach! I couldn't believe she would take her child outside like that, let alone in public! I should have called OCS right then and there! I can only imagine the lifestyle this child will have and it makes me so sad! People, take care of your children!! If you can't ask for help, if you don't care give them to someone who can take care of them!
Which brings me to my next issue...
Carseats, thanks to my wonderful neighbor Sam I have become the Jr. Carseat Nazi! I know how important it is to keep my child rearfacing.It only take 1/4 of an inch to break ones neck and in a wreck a forward facing child's neck can be stretched up to 2 inches and can cause internal decapitation. I know that a lot of people can't afford nice carseats, that's fine BUT if you can afford an inexpensive forward facing carseat, you can afford a convertable carseat folks! It is a proven fact that children are safest when they are rearfacing in a car accident. Convertible car seats even the cheap ones rearface to 40 lbs! Livvy's rearfaces to 45 lbs! Some countries in Europe it is a law that children be rear facing until the age of 3 some even the age of 4!! Ahh it kills me that people don't know this! Livvy will be rearfacing until 45 lbs OR until we have another baby. We will have to turn her around after a new baby because the only place the carseat will rearface in our vehicles is in the middle. We aren't going to try for another one until after she turns 2, which most say is when they can be turned around (supposedly the US is going to change the law for forward facing from a year to 2 years!). Another thing about carsearts, the thing that you clip you know...the CHEST clip, yeah, it's called a CHEST Clip for a reason, it is not called a stomach clip. They are supposed to be set at armpit level on their chest!! Keep them tight too, no not so tight that you are smothering them and they are screaming but tight enough that you can't pinch any of the belt. MmmmKay? Oh and please, don't put coats on your children in their carseats. Yes this is coming from a woman who lives in ALASKA! There have been documented cases of children being ejected from vehicles and their coats are still in the carseats. Seriously! Try this test...put your child in their carseat with a coat on, then take them out of the carseat but DON'T loosen up the straps take their coat off and put them back into the carseat. Now, see how much room they have? I can guarantee that there is a lot of room, more room than is safe. If you were to get into an accident with the coat on, that room is still going to be there and the chances of your child coming out are much greater. Please please take your children out of their coats. It could save their lives!
Alright now to the last part of my rant. Vaccinations! I know this is a touchy subject for some but it is one that really hurts my heart. I heard on the Today Show yesterday that there is an outbreak of Whooping Cough...wait a minute! Whooping Cough? Isn't that a vaccine you can get? Yes, yes it is! And because of this new worry of vaccinating our children we now are having more and more outbreaks of things like pertussis (whooping cough) measles, mumps...need I say more? I understand that a lot of people THINK that if you get your children vaccinated their children are going to become autistic because of a friggin shot! Well, there has never been any documented case of this happening. Autisim is something that ios developed over time, they are born with it. You can't catch it, you can't get it from a shot...it just doesn't happen that way. I am sure there are other reasons for not having your children vaccinated, more power to ya! I am soo thankful for my decision to having my child vaccinated. As much as it sucks that she screams, she may get a little cold afterwards she is healthy and isn't always sick. She was given all the antibodies that she needs to help her little body fight off MANY colds and other nasty germs that are out there.

I hope that you take something useful from this (hopefully it isn't that Stephanie is a crazy Bitch! LOL!!!) I love you all and your children and it makes me happy to help out someone who needs it.