Car Seat, Booster Seats and Seat Belts

From the time a child is born up to 4'9'' child restraints are there to protect children from serious injury or death while traveling in a vehicle.
Seat belts alone do not fit children until they are at least 4'9''.
Car seats should be rear facing for as long as the child restraint will allow the weight and height of your child. Even up to age 2 or beyond. Why? Because small children's necks are too weak to handle a crash while forward facing. What about a child's legs if they are rear facing? Most child even up to age 2 cross their legs while sitting. Even if they have their legs out straight during a crash, the likelihood of permanent damage is little. Neck injuries are far more serious and long lasting or fatal.
A child should stay in a 5 point-harness as long as possible as well. Moving a child from a 5-point harness to a booster seat should only happen when again they outgrow the 5-point harness in weight and height.
The purpose of a booster seat is to the raise the child up so that the seat belt of the car fits them properly. Low on their lap and across the boney parts of their body. Booster seats now come in many fun fabrics, styles and attachments that make them more appealing to kids. I like the high back booster so that if they fall asleep the sides help keep them in the same position not flopping forward or leaning up against the door or window.

Always keep children in the backseat.
Keep the vehicle clear of potential projectiles.
Make sure all passengers are restrained. Including pets.
Most of all take advantage of a trained Child Passenger Technician. Technicians are trained to teach parents how the Child Restraint and Vehicle work together to keep their child safe. 

Happily Ever After

I hear some people say that we should not teach our daughters about Princesses and "Happily Ever After" because life is hard and there is not Happily Ever After. I believe that life is a challenge. It's meant for us to learn and grow. It is what we make it to be. "Happily Ever After" can mean different things to different people. In the Princess Stories each of those girls went through hard times and times of disappointment. Sure finding your "prince" does not guarantee happiness. We are all human and it takes 2 to make a relationship. I'm sure Cinderella and all the rest of them had to learn what it's like to sit on a toilet seat only to find out someone left the seat up. Or that everyday is laundry day but that's what makes life fun and interesting. Learning to love someone that is different than you. April 22, 2011 my husband and I will celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary. He puts up with a lot from me. Yet he still loves me. He supports me. Sure there are things that I put up with too but just the same, I love him. I am happy and my "Happily Ever After" is with him. I am grateful that we have temples and the chance to make this a "Happily Forever After"!

Enjoying breakfast together

This morning while enjoying breakfast together we were sitting so we could see out the window into the backyard and there was a pair of robbins gathering sticks, grass and other iteams for their nest. Our almost 6 year old loved watching them and it made for a great family conversation. I couldn't help but think that if I was still working I would have all ready left for work and missed the whole thing.

My first day as a blogger

For some time now I've been thinking it would be fun to have a blog...but...what to write and who would care? I guess I will give it a try and see what happens.

I recently quit my job. A job I had for 10.5 years. Working full time wasn't so bad until you add on the 1 hour commute one way. Add in an hour lunch...I was away from home at least 11 hours a day. 55 hours a week. 220 hours a month. That's 2640 hours in a year and when you have the cutest little girl at home it makes it really hard. I heard a lot of woman say they couldn't stand to stay home but I longed for it for many years. I will need to find a job. I am hoping to find something to do from home or at least close to home and part-time would even be better.