Quacks and Waddles

It all started with needing an eggshell finish paint in our living room, one thing led to another and at the moment we are trying to find a way to put in new flooring we can’t really afford due to a leaking air conditioner.. We also have to figure out how to replace a wall, again with money we don’t have..

So i’ve been quiet, yes, sorry. But, i am still here  :) And i will update fully on the living room reno once we are done

Welcome to the July edition of Authentic Parenting Blog Carnival: Pets and children.
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Authentic Parenting Blog Carnival hosted by The Positive Parenting Connection and Authentic Parenting. This month our participants are sharing their thoughts and experiences with pets and children! Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.


***

I was 20 weeks pregnant, gaining weight miserably, preparing to become a mom of two and amazed at watching my little girl learn how to walk, she toddled around and waddled and we thought it was funny. Then one night, my husband decided we needed a cat. We spent the next 3 weekends visiting our local humane society, each time we never found one that made us fall in love. The 4^th time we went, was different. We walked in, Emilee, my then 15 month old walked up to the kitty sitting out front and for the first time, she said clear as day “KITTY KITTY KITTY” she then repeated this all day long. But, she only did it to that kitty. He was gorgeous, had blue eyes, Siamese coloring and was laid back, and was only about 7 months old so we knew we could keep him for a long time. We promptly took him home after making sure Emilee didn’t scare him. We couldn’t have found a better cat.

Casper Protecting Emilee While She Fights An Ear Infection.

Flash forward to present, we have 2 cats, Casper the original, and Nermal, the new guy. My advice to anyone looking to get a cat, dog, sheep, lamb horse, goat or guinea pig. Make sure your kids are involved. 4 months, 10 months, 4 years, 14 years, it doesn’t matter, Just let them play with the animal, if it will be a household pet, then you’d hate to have a dog your child was scared of.

Emilee Eats. She Gets Down. Casper Cleans Her Up (and the highchair, floor, bowl, cup and spoon, just like a dog would)

This is Casper, and Emilee doing what they love to do. She can be angry, or scared or upset and he can walk in the room and there with a big smile is “awe kitty my kitty o kitty” and the day is better, the rain is gone, and most importantly the cat still meows (when you have a toddler, and the cat survives for more than a few weeks without clawing her to death, or her carrying it for so long that he disappears forever, it is important that the cat still meows because if not, he is most likely hiding under your dryer… true story)

Elijah, 3 months old, with what some consider a “killer”… Can’t you tell how ferocious that little puppy is going to be?

And for added cuteness, the same rule applies for dogs and babies. You must see the temperament of the dog and baby when left to see each other and hang out. Because for 2 minutes, a dog can seem sweet as can be, however he can get rowdy with a tiny baby.. Exhibit A: Elijah who is 4 months old and our step-dog (he belongs to my mom) Bella.. Whoever says pit bulls are mean must look at this picture and then repeat themselves.

Visit The Positive Parenting Connection and Authentic Parenting to find out how you can participate in the next Authentic Parenting Blog Carnival!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

• A
  Pet’s Role in the Home School — If a house isn’t a home without a pet, how can you imagine homeschooling without one? Erica at ChildOrganics discusses the many benefits of home schooling with pets. .
• Toddlers and Whiskers, Co-existing as One — Mama Duck at Quacks and Waddles explains how to introduce new pets to toddlers and babies
• Children
  and the Death of a Pet — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama offers suggestions on how to help children work through the loss of a pet. She includes a variety of books to support both parents and children during this tender time.
• 10
  Reasons to Be a Foster Family for a Pet in Need — Christy from Adventures in Mommyhood: Mommy Outnumbered gives her top 10 reasons to consider fostering a pet until a forever home can be found.
• Preparing
  Dogs for New Baby — Jennifer from Mother of the Pack gives advice to new parents for preparing their dog(s) for a baby
• Children,
  Pets and Death — Lauren at Hobo Mama has walked with her son through the untimely death of their cat, a fascinating and troubling journey.
• The Health Benefits of Having Pets — Laura from Authentic Parenting tells us exactly why having pets is beneficial to your child’s health.
• Romeo,
  My Healing Dog — Bianca at the Pierogie Mama writes about her loveable old dog, Romeo, who at one point she had to give away but a few years later he was placed back in her life when she least expected it.
• 6
  Tips to Help a Child That is Afraid of Dogs – Ariadne at Positive Parenting Connection is sharing helpful tips and using play to help children overcome a fear of dogs.
• The
  Value of Pets – Caroline from Stone Age Parenting writes about how pets have brought so much more than happiness to her life and how she has learned to appreciate and respond to the needs of animals and of humans.

I saw this on facebook, and thought this was a very sweet message, it may never make it to Christian Bale, however, if it did, I’d love to know these kids may find a little hope, just for a moment that there are good guys out there.

*This is a post from Walden Mommy that she kindly let me share with all of you.I started reading this story when it was first published and have been nearly in tears every time i read something new about it. I hope it touches you the same way as this little man is a fighter by every definition of the word*

In May of this year, Caroline, a mother of three began experiencing some very intense headaches. She wrote them off until one day her headache was simply too much to bare. Knowing something wasn’t right, Caroline walked into the ER. Several tests later and she found out that she was 26 weeks pregnant and was in a crisis situation due to preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. Caroline was admitted to the hospital where doctors and nurses worked around the clock to keep Caroline and her baby healthy. The goal was to get the baby as close to 36 weeks gestation as possible. However, Caroline’s placenta was so thick that her baby was not developing properly and his life was in jeopardy.  On June 10th 2012, Baby Sean was born. He was a mere 1 pound 10 ounces and 27.5 weeks gestation. Although he was amazingly spirited, the doctors simply didn’t know what his prognosis would be.

One month later, Baby Sean is close to 3 pounds, is being tube fed mostly breastmilk, is feisty as all get-out and is fighting all of his health battles with an intensity that rivals anyone’s will to live. This tiny micro-preemie wants to go out and do big things in this world. But he still has a long road, a road with unknown health obstacles. To learn more about Caroline and Baby Sean, please visit the original Baby Sean post.

If you’ve been reading Walden Mommy for awhile, you know that premature babies are near and dear to my heart. In 2008, my third child, George, was born at 35 weeks gestation due to PPROM (pre-term premature rupture of the membranes). Georgie was six pounds, eight ounces, a fantastic weight for his gestational age but his lungs were underdeveloped. He spent several days on a ventilator, then on oxygen through a nasal cannula. Breathing wasn’t his only issue, though. He needed to learn how to suck, swallow and breathe, hold his own temperature, gain weight and get rid of that pesky jaundice. Thankfully, he managed to do most of this during nine days… a short time in the NICU for a premature infant but long enough to make us very aware of the trails that many parents and children go through.

My husband and myself have committed to helping parents of NICU babies and NICU graduates. We bring meals to the NICU, walk in the March for Babies and provide emotional support when it is needed. Of course, Sean’s story touched my heart and I wanted to do something to help. A fundraiser was already in play from a fellow blogger, Hybrid Rasta Mama. (Caroline is a member of her extended family). Currently, $1,300 has been raised to help his family.

However, more is needed. Sean is only one month old and is looking at a couple more months in the NICU. When he comes home, he will need frequent follow ups from doctors and therapists. Many preemies also need special fortifiers and foods to help them grow. Sean also has two big brothers and a sister and their material and emotional needs will still need to be met. All of this adds up!

In light of this, I have offered to do a special Thirty- One Gifts catalog party/fundraiser for the family! To raise money for Sean’s needs, we are asking that you pay full price for the July Special. The difference between the sale price ($5) and the full price ($12-24) will go to Sean! I will also be giving a portion of my commission to his family.

How it works:

1. Go to http://www.mythirtyone.com/lauracolon. Click on “View Our Catalog” and take a look around. Please note that the first half of the catalog shows how the items can be used and how the different fonts and colors look on the bags. The last half shows the different items and all the prints they come in. Please note that not every item is available in every print.
2. Decide what you want, paying attention to the July Specials on my home page. (For every $31 you spend, you can purchase a Littles Carry All Caddy, Mini Zipper Pouch, Zipper Pouch, Cinch It Up Thermal or Thermal Tote for $5!)
3. Go to “My Events” and click on “Fundraiser for Baby Sean.” Follow the instructions and pay the amount indicated by Thirty-One.
4. Within 24 hours, you will receive an e-mail from me indicating the difference you can donate to Sean. (Full Price – Sale Price = Amount to Sean) You will need to Pay Pal the amount to the address by the end of the party (July 25, 2012).

But you don’t want to pay the difference? That’s fine, a portion of my pay will still go to Sean! However, you won’t be entered to win the prizes!

Yes, I said prizes! Thirty-One loves to reward their hostesses. For each party, the hostess earns Hostess Credit (ie, free money to use on Thirty-One Products), the chance to purchase Hostess Exclusive Items and items of her choosing at half-price. How much? Well, the bigger the party, the more credit she earns and the more Hostess Exclusive and Half Price Items she can purchase!

For this fundraiser, Sean’s family will receive the Hostess Credit to purchase items they may need for their family- lunch bags, backpacks, purses, a diaper bag and so on. As a thank you to everyone who donates the difference to Sean, you will be entered to win a chance to purchase a Hostess Exclusive Item or purchase an item of your choosing at Half Price.

How many winners will there be? Well, like I said, the bigger the party, the more items the hostess gets… and, in this case, the more winners! Our goal is for a 1,200 dollar party. That means that there will be THREE winners for the Hostess Exclusive Items and those items will be FREE! We would also have THREE winners who could purchase an item at Half-Price. We would have a total of SIX winners! (Please note that for parties under 1,200 dollars, the Hostess Exclusive Items must be purchased for the amount indicated in the catalog.)

Are you ready to SHOP? Head over to my Thirty-One page and get shopping… and help a great family support their new, tiny addition!

Details: The party will run from July 15, 2012 through July 25, 2012. The party will close the evening of July 25. Winners will be drawn via random.org and notified by e-mail. You have 24 hours to respond with the item of your choosing (including print and personalization, if desired) payment or another winner will be chosen. Winners are responsible for payment and taxes on their items. All items purchased through this fundraiser will be shipped directly to your house. The customer is responsible for all taxes and shipping charges. Questions? Please e-mail me at waldenmommy AT gmail DOT com and put “Baby Sean Fundraiser” as the subject.