*Baby Corner*

[Autumnchik 6]

I have to thank you ladies for writing about lead tests. It made me think about that and then think about checking our home. Our home was built in the early 1900's. We tested it for lead before the baby came. We knew that the floors in 2 bedrooms had lead based paint on them and we decided to cover them over with carpet because we were concerned that removing the paint would create too much lead dust. Other surfaces we tested at the time tested negative for lead (I imagine because the paint had been covered up with many other layers of non-lead based paint). However, this was on my mind, so tonight I checked every room of the house and unfortunately found several areas where the paint has chipped and is exposing lead based paint underneath. The chipping paint is all on trim work. Tested them and had it confirmed it is lead paint. So I am calling the pedi tomorrow to get Declan a lead test and then figuring out how to safely deal with this. I'm trying not to freak out too much (yes, I definitely have a tendency towards mommy anxiety!). I am so mad at myself that I didn't really look at areas of our home more closely and didn't notice chipping paint. Granted, it is not a lot, but I still feel horrible. Anyone know of any good resources online about lead paint? I have already gone to the state website and will contact that agency for more resources too. Thanks

[Anna C. 4]

Autumnchik: our ped gave us a pamphlet from the state of Wyoming at the one year appointment when we checked for lead. It had all the local resources and a contact hotline for the issue, I would think your state has that too if my middle of nowhere state has it!

Iron is important to be checked too as anemia can be a sign of lead poisoning, and with us it was the lack of other food and would have been fine if he hadn't been early.

http://www.dhhs.state.nh.us/DHHS/CLPPP/default.htm

Last night I was bored, nothing on TV and hubbster in the bunker. So I decided to watch one episode of this Duggar family. OMG 18 kids and pregnant. They seem to be pretty happy though. I believe that the older kids however help raise the younger ones... I'm just amazed that she had to many VBACs and homebirths. I liked hearing how every baby was born, I guess I like birth stories

Edited November 19, 2009 by Anna C.

[Nessa 23]

18 kids is insane.

[Jenn! 918]

@Jenn: I LOVE the new pic. Baby Adam is such a cutie. He looks like a doll.

@ Jenn - LOVE the new pic of Adam, he is precious

Thank you guys! I added another pic from this morning - I was finally able to catch a good one of him smiling!

DH changed his first diaper today (yes in over a month!). Better late than never, I guess...

[Mommy2ZaidnSalma 11]

Adam is sooo cute

[chnst 6]

@autum: the hospital where I work gives every patient who hasn't had their H1N1 shot the vaccine, except their own employees. I really don't get this.

about the lead- I know, hubby's parents gave us an antique dresser when I was 9 months pregnant and hubby and I were so dumb to sand the whole thing down - INSIDE. I don't know how much paint we inhaled, but we are ok and Ben's levels are ok too. Just something I wish I hadn't done. We bought a new dresser and the antique one is Chuck's tool "box" now in the mudroom.

I wouldn't freak out too much, he is developing great so far so no worries. I think most ped's do a routine CBC/iron and lead level test on all children >12 months.

NY state even requires lead level tests for all children attending day care/school. We got a letter in the mail from our county about lead when he was born and when to test etc.

@Tracy: welcome! and a happy healthy pregnancy!

@Jenn: he is so adorable!

@Kelly: same thing for Zaid! He is such a handsome little man!

[TracyTN 237]

Meant to add to my earlier post ... Welcome Tracy and congrats!

@Tracy: welcome! and a happy healthy pregnancy!

Thanks and thanks!

[Autumnchik 6]

OMG, I am appalled at how many things in my house have lead paint! I feel SOOOO STUPID that I didn't even think about this. I like antiques and have several pieces of furniture that have lead paint. The paint is actually intact and not at all chipping, so I am not as worried, but I do think I will be giving the furniture to a family member who doesn't have young kids in their home (I don't want to paint over the pieces as they are nice the way they are ... but I also don't want anything with lead paint in my home). We will paint the trim in our home that had exposed lead paint. The walls and floors are fine luckily. I also am happy that I realized my vacuum has a HEPA filter and that is recommended to use (regular vacuums just spread lead dust).

We got Declan's school pictures yesterday and he is super adorable and definitely my little man, not my baby any more. I will try to scan them and post them as soon as I can.

[Eveline 9]

OMG, I am appalled at how many things in my house have lead paint! I feel SOOOO STUPID that I didn't even think about this. I like antiques and have several pieces of furniture that have lead paint. The paint is actually intact and not at all chipping, so I am not as worried, but I do think I will be giving the furniture to a family member who doesn't have young kids in their home (I don't want to paint over the pieces as they are nice the way they are ... but I also don't want anything with lead paint in my home). We will paint the trim in our home that had exposed lead paint. The walls and floors are fine luckily. I also am happy that I realized my vacuum has a HEPA filter and that is recommended to use (regular vacuums just spread lead dust).

We got Declan's school pictures yesterday and he is super adorable and definitely my little man, not my baby any more. I will try to scan them and post them as soon as I can.

Adam's school pics are in too. He looks so cute but they couldn't get him to smile in the picture.

[chnst 6]

ooooh Ben's school doesn't take pictures of the kids in the nursery. pout. But we are taking him for pictures with Santa this weekend. (the same guy as last year. My husband swears he is the "real" Santa lol)

I didn't know about the HEPA filter in the vacuum. Gotta check mine if it has one. How do I find out if it does? I think our house was built in the 60ies or 70ies. Probably a ton of lead around here too.

[Eveline 9]

@Chnst: Lots of vaccums have hepa filters nowadays. Hepa filters are those zigzag things that almost look like they are made of coffee filters *lol*. http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=i...l=en&tab=wi

I have a Kenmore (Sears) vaccum cleaner with intelli clean that lets me know when my floors are crumble free but I want to get me a hover steam vaccum next year to tackle all the heavy traffic areas on the carpet.

[chnst 6]

we have a eureka enviro vac. Hubby said he just changed the filter a few days ago and he is positive it has a hepa filter. I only vacuum, I don't dare to open it because I am scared that there could be a spider crawling out of it.

I really like the dyson vacuums, I had one in Germany and it is on my list as soon as I get a job or hubby gets his next promotion. Or maybe Santa will bring me one. I was really nice this year!

[Anna C. 4]

The way to get a Dyson... cough cough... I made Hubbie vacuum the house and refused to use that obnoxiously big, heavy and hard to maneuver Bissell he bought without my counsel (cheapo $99 thingie from BJs). That thing doesn't pick up a crumble of dirt, it's insane.

After a week of trying to vacuum with the monster he said let's go to the mall and he headed to Sears to the Dyson section and said which one do you want? Heehehehe. We both vacuum, but mostly it's me spot cleaning Jona's crumbled crackers all over the house, so it's gotta be light. I'm a small not very strong girl, I can't handle the 50 pound monster that doesn't clean.

Once Hubbie saw the different Dysons, he picked the Dyson Animal Ball. When we went Sears had a 15% promo so it was under $500 for the Dyson! Needless to say, we BOTH love that thing, it is awesome. Even so much that I can carry Jona while I clean.

Oh this year we will go to the mall for a Santa picture. We didn't do it last year cause a) there was no mall in Santa Maria and B) he was too young and could have caught god knows what from Santa who sits there all day long with sick kiddos (sadly, many parents drag their sick kids to the mall, I see it all the time!). But this year we'll have santa pics!

[chnst 6]

Mommies: is it worth going shopping on black friday? I don't know but for some reason I am motivated to actively participate in thanksgiving this year (I am going to make my first real turkey!) and then throw myself out there. Is anyone here with me? Do you take your kids? What time is a good time to hit the stores? Early or late, or does it really matter? And what do you guys buy on black friday? I am thinking christmas presents...

@Anna: my husband will never ever vacuum. He loves to fix it but he refuses to vacuum. He also insists that it works just fine, but I always have to use the hose to get the job done and that takes hours and kills my back. Time for a trip to Sears.

[Anna C. 4]

I have never done black friday, but this year I will. DH has a day off, so he'll be babysitting while I go to Colorado. I'm curious and mostly looking for toddler clothes and maybe shoes, shoes are always good, my collection needs fresh blood

Edited November 22, 2009 by Anna C.