Greening Up

For a while now i've been wanting to "green up" my life when it comes to my beauty products.  The more i've been reading about the toxic things in our beauty products (what am i saying, in pretty much everything around us...) and the effects it has on our health the more i've been saying NOT FOR ME.  If you want to know what i'm talking about, i suggest this article:

Chemicals In Cosmetics: What You Need To Know

 I think the first step i took in trying to "green" myself up was when i found out i was pregnant with DD2 i decided i was not going to paint my nails anymore (EDIT: now that i think about it, my first step was to stop using traditional menstrual products and get a cup, but that is another post!).  There are some nasty things in nail polish (as you can probably tell by the smell).  You can read a bit about it here:

Toxic Nail Polish

Pretty nasty sounding isn't it?  I didn't want to be putting that stuff on my nails for my body to absorb to be passed on to my growing baby.  So i haven't painted my nails in over a year now.  And honestly, i don't miss it too much.  Yeah...it was fun to have hot pink or lime green nails in the summer, but at what cost? 

My next step was to stop using so many toxic things in the shower.  The first to go was shaving cream.  This was easy because i just stopped shaving.  Yep, you read that right, since the beginning of the year i have not shaved once.  And i don't think i will anymore.  1.  it's a pain in the underarms for me (i get HORRID ingrown hairs), 2. i barely have time to wash my body let alone shave anymore, 3. my legs aren't that hair anyways and my husband thinks they are soft even when i don't shave, so what's the point, and 4.  why should i have to?  I have given myself permission that if i feel the need, i'm allowed to trim my underarms, but no shaving this year at least :)

Then after giving up the shaving cream i decided that next to go is my shampoo and conditioner.  Now this is where most people think i have really gone nuts.  Sure, they could let the no nail polish go with no problem, and shaving...well, that's not too horrible either.  But not using shampoo or conditioner!?!  Oh how will my hair ever be clean???

Easy.

For one, just water and my hands will get most of the grime out of my hair.  But for now i'm washing my hair using baking soda and apple cider vinegar.  You see, washing your hair with a detergent all the time (which is what shampoo is) strips away all the natural, GOOD oil from your hair.  This oil works on a supply and demand basis.  The more you wash it away, the more it makes (works the same as breastfeeding).  So if you stop stripping the oil away and instead try to work *with* your body, your hair will (in most cases) make only enough oil to keep your hair healthy. 

I am already a person who doesn't wash her hair regularly.  Yeah, that's right, i only wash my hair maybe once a week!  And it's NEVER been overly greasy :)  So i figured making the switch to not using any shampoo would be easy.

So i decided to start after i had a procedure to get a mole removed from my scalp, since i wouldn't be able to wash my hair for a while anyways.  The day before i washed my hair for the last time and then went 2 weeks before ever actually using anything on my hair.  This was because my scalp was VERY tender around the stitches site and i didn't want to use anything that would irritate and such.  So for 2 weeks i just rinsed my hair with water and i used a washcloth to kinda pet my hair in a downward motion to distribute the oils to the rest of my hair.  And that worked fine.  Then after 2 weeks i finally did my now normal wash routine.  I took one tablespoon of baking soda and rubbed it into my scalp and then rinsed it.  I then took one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and slowly poured a bit at a time on my scalp and rubbed it into the roots and shaft of my hair.  Then i rinsed and that's it, done. 

When i got out of the shower and towel dried my hair it was SO SOFT!!  My hair has never been that soft before!  All day i couldn't stop running my fingers through it.  I think DH was getting tiered of me saying 'i can't believe how soft my hair is!!!!'.  It's now been over 3 weeks since i've last traditionally washed my hair and i've done 2 of these "treatments" and my hair is still doing great.  I'm tossing my shampoo and conditioner and never looking back! 

Not only is this so much healthier for me, but it's also healthy for my wallet.  I mean, how expensive is baking soda and vinegar???  Awesome i know!

If you want to learn more about this "crazy" topic, read the articles below:
All about 'No Poo'
The No Shampoo Alternative- No Poo
What is No Poo?
Don't use shampoo again!
How to No Poo
The no poo do

So this is it for now.  My next step is body wash, then toothpaste and then deodorant.  Then we'll see where i go from there.

What about you, what are things you've done to "green up" your beauty routine?

How to bring a "tree" into your home: Craft/decoration idea

So i think i need to post something other than information about car seats :)

I was lurking on crafster today and i found this awesome post by a woman to put a "tree" in her foyer.  It looks like a super easy craft and something very fun!

I've got a tree growing in my foyer and it's bringing in SPRING!!

Why I Do What I Do: Car Seat Safety

Today my friend who is a CPST shared a blog post that has been going around the internet.  It is a powerful post about WHY car seat and seat belt safety is SO important!  It takes just 5 minutes to read, but it's a good reminder to make sure your seats are in right!

Why I Do What I Do

Kids say the darnest things

I have a nephew who is 3 and boy, does he say some great things.  I was going over some things he's said (that his dad posted) and i wanted to share them since they are so funny!  My nephew's "name" is "Buggaboo" and he is 3 years old.

~

buggaboo quote of the week: (After just leaving Ikea) Me: What's wrong Boo? buggaboo: "I'm sad." Me: "Why are you sad?" buggaboo: "I want to LIVE at that store!" Me: "I think everybody does boo; I think everybody does."

~

buggaboo quote of the week: "hey, there's my friend!" Me: "Do you know that kid?" buggaboo: "All little kids are my friend." Me: "Well that's cool." buggaboo: "You... you're not a kid... you're not my friend." Me: "That's right! I'm not your friend, I'm your Dad."
Buggaboo: "But you're like a little kid. You play hide in go seek, and hide in giggle (Not sure what that one is?), and you play games with me." Me: "Well buggaboo, you can grow old, but you can always be young at heart."
~(We enter the scene with BuggaBoo, Doozer, and Mommy watching Daddy play "Heroes of Might and Magic 5", a fantasy game...)
BuggaBoo: (seeing some minotaurs) What are those?
...Daddy: They're half bulls, half people, they're called minotaurs.
BuggaBoo: Are they like cows?
Mommy: Yes, they're like cows.
BuggaBoo: I'm talking to Daddy.
Daddy: Yes, they're like cows.
BuggaBoo. Oh. (to Mommy) They're like cows, Mommy.
Mommy: Oh, really...

~buggaboo quote of the week: "I don't like stores!" Krista: "Well that's good because we're not going to any more stores we're going home." buggaboo: "I don't like houses either!" Krista: "Well what do you like?" buggaboo: "Ummm... TOYS!" Krista:" Well that's also good because you have toys at home." buggaboo: "NOOOOOOOOoooo!"

~

another one between him and his mother:
Me: Hey, put this diaper in the bathroom trash for me. BuggaBoo: The diaper has pee in it?
Me: It sure does, you peed in it!
BuggaBoo: There was pee in my body?
Me: Yep, but not anymore, because you peed it into the diaper.
BuggaBoo: And there is poop in my body.
Me: Probably.
BuggaBoo: And there are feelings in my body!
Me: Well, yes, but not in the same way as poop or pee...

~

buggaboo quote of the week: buggaboo: "Why is sister crying?" Krista: "I think she's jealous." buggaboo: "Peanut... peanut butter... and JEALOUS!"

 ~

bugga quote of the week: "Ahhhhh! MY EGGS ARE MELTING!" Krista: "That's just the yoke buggaboo; they're fine." buggaboo: "I don't like it."

 ~

buggaboo quote of the week: "Eew, this tastes like winter!" Krista: "Did you just say it tastes like winter?" buggaboo: "Yeah, I don't like it."
he was eating Coriander seeds.

 ~

buggaboo quote of the week: me: "buggaboo what are you throwing around?" buggaboo: "Horse's nuts!" Me: "Ummm... do you mean horse chestnuts?" buggaboo: "Yeah!" Me: "Ok... just wanted to clarify that."

 ~

buggaboo quote of the week: Krista: "Is buggaboo T-I-R-E-D?" buggaboo: "I AM NOT!" Krista: "Do you even know what T-I-R-E-D spells?" buggaboo: "... ... STOP SPELLING!"

 ~

buggaboo quote this week- Krista: "Hey buggaboo, you want some cake?" buggaboo: "I DON'T WANT CAKE!" Krista: "It has frosting on it." buggaboo:"I WANT CAKE!"

 ~

     The scene opens with the family making a dinner of doughnuts. I have not shame...
Me: Do you want some of this apple fritter, BuggaBoo?
BuggaBoo: No, I'm eating this one (motions to his old-fashioned doughnut)
Me: Oh, do you like that one?
BuggaBoo: Yeah! It tasteses like....mustaches.

~
 quote of the week: (While taking a walk) "Mommy I need to take a hot shower. I can't breathe good." Krista: "Well being outside will also help your breathing." buggaboo: "Really!? .... What about swallowing bugs?" Krista: "Um.... I don't think swallowing bugs will help your breathing." buggaboo: "Oh... okay."
~
 quote of the week: "Mommy?" Krista: "Yes Boo?" B: "No it's not me, it's sock puppet!" K:"Oh... yes sock puppet?" B:"NO it's the stripey sock puppet." K:"YES stripey sock puppet?" B:"NO it's the purple and green stripe..." K:"BOO! Sock puppet is good enough!" B: "Ok... .... .... Mommy?" K:"Yes sock puppet?" B:"I'm ready to go now."

~
quote of the week: "Daddy look at me!" Me: "That's cool Boo." -Not looking. Buggaboo: "No Daddy, Dad, Dad, Dad, look." Me: "I see ahuh." -still not looking. Buggaboo: "Daddy LOOK AT MY FACE!"

~
quote of the week: Me: "Geez boo you sure are getting heavy; you're a growing boy." Buggaboo: "Yeah, I'm a growing up into a cowBOY!" Me: "Did... did you just say cowboy?" Buggaboo: "YEAH!"

~
quote of the week: After listening to a song on his pirate CD: "Dad why are there piglets on a pirate ship?" Me not listening correctly: "Well Buggaboo, some pirates just have them." I showed him a picture. B: "No Daddy!" he then goes and gets his picture book to prove me wrong, "Daddy THIS is a piglet." Me laughing: "NOT Pig Lets Buggaboo, PEG LEGS!" B: "Ohhhhh"

~

What are some fun things your kids have said?

'The Orphan Seat' - Another article on the new recommendations

Just sharing another article that i thought was worth reading.

"It's a horrible term, but EMTs call the rear-facing seat 'the orphan seat'' because in a bad accident, that child is often the only one who survives."

— Alisa Baer, a pediatrician at Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital in New York, in The New York, also known as 'The Car Seat Lady'

'The orphan seat'

 

 

 

 

Answers to Your Car Seat Questions from 'The Car Seat Lady'

Just wanted to share another link that i found today.  It is a short article where 'The Car Seat Lady' answers some of the most common questions about rear facing car seats, from the size of your car to your child's comfort.

Answers To Your Rear-Facing Car Seat Questions

Rear Facing Until 2 Years: Why Not? Questions and Answers

Today my friend who is a CPST shared a link that is full of common questions and complaints when it comes to the new AAP recommendations, and then the answer or a come back to these questions and complaints.

My favorite that is shared is this one:

2.) Won’t their feet or legs be injured because they are bent or crossed or touching the back of the seat?  No, but this is a very big misconception among parents. In reality, during a frontal crash (the most common type of crash), the legs will fly up and away from the back seat.  It’s also much more important to protect the head, neck and spinal cord in a crash which is exactly what rear-facing carseats do so well.  If you’re still not convinced – there is this study by CHOP (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) that looked at injuries to children ages 1 – 4 who were hurt in crashes and leg injuries were rare for those kids in rear-facing seats. However, injuries to the lower extremity region were the second most common type of injury for the kids in forward-facing seats.  That’s because the legs of a child in a forward-facing seat are thrown forward and can hit the console or the back of the front seat. Study quote: “Injuries below the knee were the most common, particularly to the tibia/fibula, and they most often occurred due to interaction with the vehicle seatback in front of the child’s seating position.”

You can read the article by following the link below. 

Rear-Facing Until 2 Years Old: Why Not?

Feel free to share this information with anyone who is questioning the new guidelines.

What are some of the questions and complaints you have gotten from friends and family when you talked about the new recommendations?  What did you say to them?

A break down of Birth: statistics for the US

Via: Ultrasound Technician

'The Car Seat Lady' Explains the New Recommendations

 videoConfused about the new recommendations from the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) and the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)?  Do you not understand why the recommendations have been changed?  Do you have friends or family who are oposed to the new changes?  Do you want a resource that lays it all out in an easy to understand format?

Then please, take just 8 minutes and watch this video by Alisa Baer, MD - Pediatrician and 'The Car Seat Lady'.



Please, pass this information on to those around you!

New Recomendation from the AAP: Rear Face Until Two Years

Today wonderful news is spreading all across the internet. 

The AAP has finally changed their policy statement when it comes to children rear facing in car seats and children riding in boosters!

"...the AAP advises parents to keep their toddlers in rear-facing car seats until age 2, or until they reach the maximum height and weight for their seat. It also advises that most children will need to ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until they have reached 4 feet 9 inches tall and are between 8 and 12 years of age."

"The previous policy, from 2002, advised that it is safest for infants and toddlers to ride rear-facing up to the limits of the car seat, but it also cited age 12 months and 20 pounds as a minimum. As a result, many parents turned the seat to face the front of the car when their child celebrated his or her first birthday."

Hip Hip Hurray! 

Those of us who are extended rear facing (ERF) advocates have waited a long time for this.  Because in 2007, that's FOUR YEARS AGO, a study came out saying that children are FIVE TIMES less likely to be injured in an accident if they are rear facing.  

Put another way, an estimated 1,000 children injured in forward-facing seats over 15 years might not have been hurt if they had been in a car seat facing the back, said Dr. Dennis Durbin, lead author of the recommendations.

Even though the APP has said to keep children rear facing until the child reaches the limits of their seat, all most parents have heard (from other parents and even doctors) is that it is ok to turn your child around a 1 year and 20lbs.  So it is great news to hear the AAP is now recommending children not be turned until the age of 2.  

If you want to see a visual of WHY it is so important to keep our children rear facing, just watch this quick video:

Or watch this story of an 18 month old who got in an accident in a forward facing seat:

As the grandfather says in that video above, in a crash while forward facing the spinal cord can stretch up to 2 inches!  But it only needs to stretch 1/4 of an inch to break!

Thankfully, here in the USA it is very easy to keep your child rear facing until 2 years old, or even longer!  New seats are coming out that have higher and higher limits to allow children to rear face as long as even 4 or 5 years old!  

A great resource to compare car seats based on their specifications is this chart put together by some CPSTs (Certified Passenger Safety Technician)
Convertible Car Seat Comparison Spread Sheet

If you are wondering what some good car seats are if you want to extend rear face, these are some recommendations (not in any specific order):

Cosco Scenera 40RF

 

Rear Face Weight Limit: 40lbs
Rear Face Height Limit: 40"
Forward Face Weight limit in 5 point harness: 40lbs
Forward Face Height Limit: 43"
Average Price: $50
Other Bonuses: 3 crotch buckle positions, narrow seat, Air Craft approved, very inexpensive

Important side note, there is the older model which is just Cosco Scenera and it only rear faces to 35lbs, NOT 40lbs.   

Graco Graco MyRide 65

Rear Face Weight Limit: 40lbs
Rear Face Height Limit: 49"
Forward Face Weight limit in 5 point harness: 65lbs
Forward Face Height Limit: 49"
Other Bonuses: Infant support cushion, two cup holders, approved for air craft use, lots of padding.

My Ride 65 Review

Sunshine Kids Radian 80SL and Radian XT SL

Rear Face Weight Limit: 45lbs
Rear Face Height Limit: 53"
Forward Face Weight limit in 5 point harness: 80lbs
Forward Face Height Limit: 53"
Average Price: $240-$300 (but you can find it on sale for up to $100 off)
Other Bonuses: SuperLATCH up to 80lbs, steel reinforced frame, low profile for easy boarding, fits 3 across in most cars, folds up for easy transport and storage, carry strap, approved for air craft, 3crotch strap positions, EPS foam and an 8 year expiration date from the date of manufacture (one of the highest on the market).

The car seat we have for our daughter is the Radian XT SL in the green print above and we love it!  We were able to find it on sale and use an online coupon code to get it for $100 off and free shipping and no tax.  Great deal!  DD really loves the seat as well, she seems much more comfortable in this seat than her infant seat.  And she'll be able to stay in it for such a long time, it should be the only car seat we need before a booster.  This is the car seat we plan on getting for all our children.

Sunshine Kids Radian XT SL Review

Combi Convertible Zeus 360

Rear Face Weight Limit: 33lbs
Rear Face Height Limit: 40"
Forward Face Weight limit in 5 point harness: 40lbs
Forward Face Height Limit:  40"
Other Bonuses: Designed to rotate 360 degrees without re-installation, anti-rebound base, correct buckle indicator

Zeus 360 Review

Combi Coccoro 

Rear Face Weight Limit: 33lbs
Rear Face Height Limit: 36"
Forward Face limit in 5 point harness: 40lbs
Forward Face Height Limit: 40"
Other Bonuses: narrow seat installs easily in a lot of cars, Air Craft approved, light weight, infant padding included, and compatible with Flash EX stroller.

Combi Coccoro Review

The First Years True Fit Convertible

Rear Face Weight Limit: 35lbs
Rear Face Height Limit: 50" (with head rest)
Forward Face limit in 5 point harness: 65lbs
Forward Face Height Limit: 50" (with head rest)
Other Bonuses: Removable head rest, multi-position crotch strap, no rethread harness.

True Fit Review Video

Britax Boulevard 70, Advocate 70 CS, and Marathon 70

 Rear Face Weight Limit: 40lbs
Rear Face Height Limit: 49"
Forward Face limit in 5 point harness: 70lbs
Forward Face Height Limit: 49"
Other Bonuses: Energy-Absorbing Versa-Tether®, Integrated Steel Bars, quick adjust harness, certified for air craft travel, 2 buckle positions, 

 Britax Marathon 70 Review

Safety 1st Complete Air 65 LX

 Rear Face Weight Limit: 40lbs
Rear Face Height Limit: 40"
Forward Face limit in 5 point harness: 65lbs
Forward Face Height Limit: 45"
Other Bonuses: 3 crotch strap positions, harness height adjustment from front of seat, built in recline base.

Safety 1st Protect Air Review

 

Evenflo Symphony 65

 Rear Face Weight Limit: 35lbs
Rear Face Height Limit: 1" below shell
Forward Face limit in 5 point harness: 65lbs
Forward Face Height Limit: 50"
Other Bonuses: Sure LATCH, one hand adjustable headrest, infinite slide harness, removable cup holder, becomes a  booster to 100lbs.

Symphony 65 Review

 I hope this information gets you started on your search for the perfect car seat to fit your child and your vehicle.  If you want more information on why rear facing is so important, see my previous blog post

Rear-Facing Car Seats Aren't Just for Babies Anymore
and
Car Seat Safety. It's everyones Issue.

ANd once you have found the seat that fits your car and your child perfectly it is important that you go see a CPST (Certified Passenger Safety Technician) to get your car seat instalation inspected to make sure that you have your child fastened correctly.  You can find a CPST local to you at Safe Kids USA or on the national CPS Certification website.

It is important that you go to a CPST and NOT the police or fire department!  Most police and fire men have NOT taken the training course to become a CPST or if they have, they have not renewed their certification and so their knowledge is outdated!  Outdated when it comes to car seats is DANGEROUS!!  Your child's life is worth getting the right information!  If you know me in real life i have a couple friends who are CPSTs and would be more than happy to do a check for you.  And hopefully within the year i will have taken the training course to become a CPST myself.  And realize that CPSTs offer their services for free :)


If you have any questions regarding this new recommendation from the AAP, or any other car seat question, please don't hesitate to ask me!  If i don't know the answer i will find it for you :D

 (please let me know if the links do not work, i had issues when posting this)

Nursing and Modesty

I am a lactivist.

 

One thing i feel strongly about is being able to nurse my baby wherever and whenever she needs.  

This includes church.

Being LDS (also known as "Mormons") a lot of emphasis is given on being "modest".  I've been told many times that when i breastfeed i *must* cover up and that it is improper of me to show any skin while nursing my baby.  I feel that i must feed my children in a way that is most convenient and works best for me and my children. I have a lot of other thoughts on this subject as well, but i discovered a blog post today that says pretty much everything i'd want to say, so i'll let it do the honors :)

Modesty and Breastfeeding

And here is my sister's blog post on the topic:

Breastfeeding and the LDS Church

And so, i will continue to nurse my daughter wherever *WE* feel most comfortable.  Yes, i have nursed in sacrament meeting and i will continue to do so.

What are your views about nursing and "modesty"?