Watch out Daycare, here come Anrazel!

So I did it. I wrote a great letter and mailed it to the Developmental Child Care Center (the daycare who won't give us our money back). To read more of the story click here. I also CCd the better business bureau and filed a complaint with them online. Let me back up a little and catch everyone up. On Friday I called the place again, and while I am not afraid of a confrontation when I know I am right, I always get butterflies when I call them. So anyway, I called them and first the woman said the director wouldn't be back until 3pm, so I called back after 3pm and the lady put me on hold, then came back and said that the director was on another line and would call me back. Well guess what, she never called back. So all weekend I was pumping myself up to write this kick-butt letter to show that place who's boss! I also found out that it is super easy to file a complaint with the BBB. So we'll see what happens. I will keep everyone posted...

When purses are involved, I am game!

My friend Gina passed on this awesome tag about our purses! I am a purse junkie and have more than I care to disclose...so this tag is right up my alley.

*Post a picture of whatever bag you are carrying as of late. You CANNOT sneak into your closet and pull out some cute little things - we want to know the purse you last carried. No cheating!

*List how much it cost - this is not to judge but for entertainment only. If there is a fabulous story to go along with your fabulous purse, let us hear it!

*Tag some lucky ladies to participate and then link back to this post.

So here it is...my current purse. Those who know me know that I rarely carry a purse for more than a week or so and I often changes purses daily. Until I found this fabulous matches-every-color-imaginable Billabong patchwork purse. I bought it on eBay for $15. It was slightly used, but in almost perfect condition. I have received more compliments on this purse than any of the other many purses I own. I have carried this one at least since BBZ was born because it came to the hospital with me. That's 5 months people, it's definitely a record!

The content of my purse includes (from left to right):

Row 1- My nursing cover, lotion, work badge and keys, my awesome fossil wallet that was a present from my friend Nikki, pens, and Kleenex.

Row 2- coolie cup, lip gloss, gum, Burt's beeswax chap stick (colored and clear), generic sudafed, pony holder, receipt for my vacuum that is getting repaired, sunglasses and my brag book of BBZ's first pictures.

I think I have to mention that under normal circumstances I would have a feminine napkin or tampon of sorts, but my nursing cover should reveal that I am a breastfeeding mom. What's one of the many perks of breastfeeding? I have not had a period in over a year. I know I will need to carry these items again one day, but for now, my purse and I do not miss them at all!

I don't have lots of blogger friends, so I will only tag 2:

Emma Jewel

Shelley

Baby Boy Z is 5 Months Old!!!

Another month has come and gone!

SMILE!He still loves that thumb!Superbowl Sunday! My 2 Broncos fans!Such a cutieMommy's big boy At L & J's houseBaking Cupcakes with MommyTasty toes Hanging out with Great Grandma HThe Valentine's Dance at schoolHanging out with his friend, G.Happy Mardi Gras!!!

Trying Rice Cereal

BBZ has been extremely interested in what everyone around him is eating. He acts hungry after he eats and we thought he might just be ready for rice cereal, so we gave it a try! But it didn't quite work. He opened his mouth when he saw the spoon, but when it got in his mouth he made a really funny face! I don't think he ever did swallow it, he just sort of moved it around until it squished out of his mouth. I think we will try again in a few days...

Someone forgot to tell BBZ that he is suppossed to be sick!

So a couple of weeks ago BBZ got a runny nose. I called the doctor and spoke to the nurse practitioner who said that if he develops a fever I should bring him in, but otherwise a runny nose is something that just goes along with being in daycare. The runny nose cleared up for about 5 days, but then last Saturday it came back with a vengeance. This time it was yellow and nasty and he was a little crabby, which is very odd for him...he is ALWAYS happy. So there was still no fever, so after a wonderful 3-day weekend with Meme and Papa, I sent him to school on Tuesday with a snot sucker and some saline nose spray. I called the doctor Tuesday afternoon and spoke to the nurse practitioner again. She said without a fever it's probably nothing, but since it has been going on for a while she suggested that I come in if it doesn't clear up soon. BBZ seemed great yesterday, we even met with the Parents as Teachers lady who kept him up past his regular bedtime. Then at about 10pm he woke up and cried. This is unlike him anyway, but I knew something was up by the 3rd and 4th times he woke up and couldn't settle himself back down. He was so tired, but couldn't self sooth, so I would pick him up and instantly he would fall back to sleep, then the second I laid him back down he would cry...hard. So we moved his swing upstairs around midnight and he slept in there until about 2:30am. He woke up and I held him in bed with me on the boppy until he fell asleep again. I am pretty scared of having him in the bed with us, so I put him back in the swing and he slept there until about 6am. He woke up again and I fed him and did the boppy in bed thing, which worked. He woke up at around 7:30am, which is his normal wake-up time, with no cries or anything. So I called in to work today and was able to get him an appointment with a nurse practitioner at his doctor's office. He has a ear infection on his right ear...poor baby. It's not severe and despite my insistence, the doctor tried to convince me that I didn't cause this by waiting too long to take him to see her. I gave him his first dose of amoxicillin and he has been sleeping most of the day. He is full of smiles when he is awake, much like in the picture that was taken about an hour ago. So it's safe to say that we have survived his first ailment! Maybe I should say...I have survived his first ailment! He is none the wiser...

Cat Z. 8/2000 - 2/12/2009

There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats. ~Albert Schweitzer

My cat died today. On Sunday I picked him up and he felt like a feather. I tried to remember the last time I picked him up and I couldn't. He always snuggled on the couch with me, I rarely held him. So on Monday I called and made an appointment for him on Thursday (today). Monday and Tuesday I noticed how lethargic he was and got worried. I tried to give him a treat yesterday morning and he refused to eat it. As long as I have known Cat, he has never refused a handout, so I knew something was wrong. I called the vet to see if I could get him in. I didn't think he could wait until Thursday. I took him yesterday on my lunch break and they said he was extremely dehydrated. We knew he had kidney disease that was diagnosed in October, but we hoped to be able to control it with his diet. They asked to keep him at the hospital on fluids, then I went back and picked him up last evening after work so he could spend the night at home. I had a feeling this would be his last night.

I took him back to the hospital this morning so he could get back on the IV fluids and wait for the results of the blood work. His vet called me early and said his blood work looked really bad. She said she was surprised he was still alive and we should probably let him go. So we euthanized him today at about 1:20pm.

I have such mixed emotions about this. Death is so much a part of life. I once gave CPR to a man who ended up dying. We revived him for just a second or two, he sat up, then collapsed again. After he collapsed that second time, I knew he was gone. Cat had a smell to him that reminded me of that man...as though death was surrounding him. Death is such a certainty in life, but yet people are so afraid of it. I was not afraid to face this with Cat, and I feel very fortunate to have been able to hold him on my chest while they injected him and he took his last breath. I cry for him, because I miss him, but it was a beautiful part of his life that I am so happy I had the opportunity to share with him. He looked so calm and peaceful. So much more than he has been for the last week or so.

My mind is full of happy memories of a wonderful life spent with what could have easily been the coolest, most laid back, easy-going, best furry friend a girl could have. Rest in peace buddy-Cat, I will see you again one day, I am sure of it.

I know he looks scary in this picture, but look at his cool hemp collar!

Can you even see him in this one? He and Lady were best friends.

He always tried to eat my cigarettes.

I triple-dog dare you Cat, Lady will bite your head off!

He always wanted to be an outdoor cat, but I denied him of that. Our screened in back porch at our new house was one of his favorite places.

He lived in the hotel with me after college when my parent's house was hit by a tornado.

Snuggling up with Nikki & Kayla

Gazing outside with his brother, Bill.

They were pretty good friends...it only took about 2 years!

I love this one.

Sticking close to BBZ.

Snuggle brothers

What a peaceful place he is in. Much like now, I think.

This car seat was one of his favorite places to sleep. I guess BBZ kept it warm for him.

I set this up for BBZ's Christmas photo, but Cat couldn't let a good photo opportunity pass him by. He always wanted to be right in the middle of whatever I was doing. I love you kitty-Cat.

Mercury Found in High Fructose Corn Syrup

A friend at work brought this scary phenomenon to my attention. According to wikipedia, a recent study found traces of mercury in high fructose corn syrup. Here's the excerpt from wikipedia: In 2009, according to a peer-reviewed report published by Environmental Health, high-fructose corn syrup has been found to be commonly tainted with mercury. Traces of mercury have been found in name-brand foods from makers such as Quaker, Hunt's, Manwich, Hershey's, Smucker's, Kraft, Nutri-Grain, and Yoplait. Mercury is a highly toxic substance. It makes its way into high-fructose corn syrup during its production. Several chemicals are required to make high-fructose corn syrup, including caustic soda, hydrochloric acid, alpha-amylase, gluco-amylase, isomerase, powdered carbon, calcium chloride, and magnesium sulfate. Caustic soda and hydrochloric acid can contain traces of mercury.The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, tested 55 consumer items, finding mercury in one third of the samples ranging from 30 to 350 parts per trillion. In the United States the FDA has an action level for methylmercury in commercial marine and freshwater fish that is 1.0 parts per million (ppm), and in Canada the limit for the total of mercury content is 0.5 ppm. A 50-pound child eating just one 6-ounce serving of tuna with a mercury concentration of 0.385 ppm each week would exceed EPA’s reference dose by more than four times; a 140-pound woman eating the same amount would exceed EPA’s reference dose by 40%. If you want to read the full article, here is the link to the PDF document: http://www.ehjournal.net/content/pdf/1476-069x-8-2.pdf Until I started reading, I didn't realize how big of a deal this is. HFCS is in so many foods! Me, being the freaker-outer that I am sometimes, convinced myself that I will only be able to shop at Whole Foods from now on and my grocery bill will go through the roof. Whole Foods sells 100% organic foods, which (as I have learned through my reading) cannot contain HFCS because at this time it is impossible to have 100% organic HFCS. Food can, however, contain HFCS and still label itself as organic or all natural as long as it is 99% or less organic. There is definitely some trickery going on to sneak this not-so-good-for-you sweetener into our food. So after my initial panic and eventual research, I found out that the best way to find out if HFCS is in the food I eat is by reading the ingredients (duh). So I set off yesterday to the grocery store with my list in hand prepared to read every single ingredient that I planned to put in my and my family member's bodies. To my surprise, I only have to put 3 things down that I planned to buy that contained HFCS. Rice brand Italian sausage (got Bob Evans instead), Oreo cookies (which I really didn't need anyway), and the biggest letdown...my favorite Post Special Grains Cereal. Here I though I was making a great cereal choice, but HFCS was hiding in there. So I was happy to see that we have been eating well and shouldn't have mercury in our bodies from HFCS. Except maybe N because he eats lunch out every day. It's hard to know what's in there when you're not the one preparing it. All I know is I am really going to pay special attention from now on.