Grace's 2nd Birthday Party - Super Bowl Sunday Plans

Grace is turning 2-Years-Old!

You are Invited to Her Birthday Party, This Sunday, Feb. 1, 2009.

Time: 5:30pm
Place: Our House
Date: Feb. 1, 2009 (This Sunday!)

I have tried to convince her that it would be so nice to have a feminine birthday party like Strawberry Shortcake, or My Little Pony's, both of which she likes, but if you ask her what birthday party she wants, she says, "Word World!" So, we're having Word World.

It turns out they have everything you need online and printable for free! Even the invitations and confetti, a banner, and even a certificate! :-)


It also happens to be Superbowl Sunday!

I think we'll do a Superbowl Word World Party. Probably the first in the history of the World!

So don't you want to be a part of history? :-)

Let's say everyone come on over around 5:30 and I'll have the Game on in one room and Word World in the other.

Then we'll just have food around 6:15ish?
We're Ordering Pizza!!!! And Of course Birthday Cake!

Feel Free to bring whatever other snacks and treats you feel like, I have chips and cookies here, plus Sweet Tea and Juice for the little ones!

Oh, a note for people trying to grab a little gift for her (and please, make it something little, she's only 2 for heaven sakes):
She really does like the My Little Pony's right now, and don't worry about repeating one she's already got, she'd think that was great.
Strawberry Shortcake anything.
Books, mostly board books still -especially princesses and ballerinas
Crayons and Coloring Books
Baby Dolls and anything that goes with them
Barbies
Yo Gabba Gabbas - (we have the 3" stuffed animals, but that's it!)
Curious George, Well, any monkeys or ducks
Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck
Also of course Word World (the only video we have is Rocket to the Moon, but we have the stuffed animals of Cat, Sheep, Cow, and Pig)
Ok, that's tons of ideas!

MJ

Snow Babies

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CPSC Clarifies Requirements

CPSC Clarifies Requirements of New Children’s Product Safety Laws Taking Effect in February

http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html

Guidance Intended for Resellers of Children’s Products, Thrift and Consignment Stores
WASHINGTON, D.C.

In February 2009, new requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) take effect. Manufacturers, importers and retailers are expected to comply with the new Congressionally-mandated laws. Beginning February 10, 2009, children’s products cannot be sold if they contain more than 600 parts per million (ppm) total lead.

Certain children’s products manufactured on or after February 10, 2009 cannot be sold if they contain more than 0.1% of certain specific phthalates or if they fail to meet new mandatory standards for toys.

Under the new law, children’s products with more than 600 ppm total lead cannot lawfully be sold in the United States on or after February 10, 2009, even if they were manufactured before that date. The total lead limit drops to 300 ppm on August 14, 2009.

The new law requires that domestic manufacturers and importers certify that children’s products made after February 10 meet all the new safety standards and the lead ban. Sellers of used children’s products, such as thrift stores and consignment stores, are not required to certify that those products meet the new lead limits, phthalates standard or new toy standards.

The new safety law does not require resellers to test children’s products in inventory for compliance with the lead limit before they are sold.

However, resellers cannot sell children’s products that exceed the lead limit and therefore should avoid products that are likely to have lead content, unless they have testing or other information to indicate the products being sold have less than the new limit.

Those resellers that do sell products in violation of the new limits could face civil and/or criminal penalties.

When the CPSIA was signed into law on August 14, 2008, it became unlawful to sell recalled products. All resellers should check the CPSC Web site (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html) for information on recalled products before taking into inventory or selling a product. The selling of recalled products also could carry civil and/or criminal penalties.

While CPSC expects every company to comply fully with the new laws resellers should pay special attention to certain product categories. Among these are recalled children’s products, particularly cribs and play yards; children’s products that may contain lead, such as children’s jewelry and painted wooden or metal toys; flimsily made toys that are easily breakable into small parts; toys that lack the required age warnings; and dolls and stuffed toys that have buttons, eyes, noses or other small parts that are not securely fastened and could present a choking hazard for young children.

The agency has underway a number of rulemaking proposals intended to provide guidance on the new lead limit requirements. Please visit the CPSC website at http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html for more information.

Bone Scans and MRIs

Thomas' Doctor's Visits.

Thomas says, "we're going to the doctor again?" and he smiles and rolls his eyes.

Well, since most of you don't know about all the "fun" we had last week, here you go!

The XRAY

Thomas has continued to complain about his right leg hurting, right where he broke it last Feb, 2008. So, 2 Mondays ago I called the orthopedic (after he woke up crying about it hurting again.) They had us take him for an XRay at Baptist East on Tuesday. This scared him quite a bit, but as he said, "Well, now we can go get ice cream."

The Orthopedic

Then on Friday we went to the doctor's office. They said the XRays are clear. Then told me it was probably growing pains. She showed me how all the muscles in his lower body are very tight. She said it makes sense, if he is having a lot of exercises and muscle growth, but not a lot of stretching. She told me to do stretches with him, and to use Motrin.

I pointed out that we had been told the same thing 2 months after he got his cast off. She looked back over the file, verifying this, and changed her mind.

She had us go to Kosair the following Monday (1 week ago) for a bone scan. This, she said, would show anything at all that was wrong. Even a minor fracture that wasn't showing up on the XRays, or anything else at all. She said "even a tumor". Then we'd "know for sure and could rest easy."

The Bone Scan

So, Monday, last week, we went to Kosair and they inserted an IV, which was really scary for him. Then we went over to Norton's inside their tunnels and had some dye injected into the IV. Then they laid him up on a CT like machine (maybe an actual CT, I'm not sure) and used an inflatable blanket to wrap him in, so he wouldn't wiggle too much.

They moved the table into the machine a little (the donut shaped thing, not the space-tube) and he was really upset about this at first. But once he realized it really wasn't going to do anything, not even make noise, he calmed down a little. But then, after it took a long time, and she moved the table in closer a few times, he started crying again.

After 5 min of that to, "See what it looks like before the dye takes effect", we had to wait 1 1/2 hrs. So, they had given him a red wagon to ride around in, and we went for a tour.

As long as I kept moving, he didn't cry too much, but if not, he would remember that his arm hurt, and that it was attached to a long blue board which kept him from bending it or moving it, and he'd start getting upset again.

After time was up, we went back to sedation (where he was terrified of now, since they did the IV) and they let us watch cartoons in a private room.

Finally, they came in, about another 30 min later, and gave him something in the IV to relax him. He quit crying when she was only 1/2 way through injecting it into the IV, so I know it really worked fast.

Next, they injected something into the IV that knocked him out totally. He slept soundly after that.

Then we were marching back over to Norton's for the longer version of the same scan we'd had earlier, this time with Thomas not being frightened. This I didn't mind at all. He slept peacefully, and I actually relaxed some too.

When it was all over, they helped him wake back up, with a cool wash cloth on his face and some apple juice to drink. By the time we'd gotten in the car, he was not really awake, but crying and angry (as they usually do when you wake them in the middle of a good nap... but with a bit more...energy and confusion)

The MRI Call

Two days later, the doctor's office called to say that the Radiologist suggested an MRI. He said that there was an, "Abnormality between the right and left leg." which points to, "Possible Soft Tissue Damage." The girl on the phone said he had specifically told her, "It might just be picking up on the fact he broke his leg once, so don't make too much of it."

So, whatever that means, and I know, it might mean totally nothing, we are scheduled to go back to Kosair on January 27th at 10am.

Another Call

Today I called to try to move the date up some, as they'd asked me to, but I found out that it couldn't be, since the MRI will take 3 hours, and we have to be there 1 hr before. They had told us at the doctor's office that it would take 1 hr and we'd have to be there 1 hr before. So now, we're looking at 4 hours minimum, not 2.

Truthfully, the tech told my doctor's office that it won't really take that long since he's so little, but they still have to schedule it for that long.

They'll scan both legs and ankles, to compare the two, and then, "We'll know for sure, and can rest easy."

I've heard that before I think.

The Prayer Request

I talked to Laura Hay on the phone the day we found out we had to have the MRI, and again today, when I found out it would be 3 hours, not 1 hour.

She helped me remember that God says in the Bible, that He tests our faith. I prayed with her for peace, and that God's will would be done.

I would ask that you would say that same prayer on our behalf. Not because I believe Thomas has some horrid disease, but because I want whatever hurts him to be fixed, and if there is anything, to catch it early and fix it, and for me to appear calm, trusting in God, and confident to him. Then he will feel at ease too.

Mary

It's Working! Consignments Relieved!

It's working! Keep Signing the Petition!!!

They've exempted Consignment Stores from testing every item!

The following new content has been posted to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission's web page on the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008 located at http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html
********************************************************
CPSC Clarifies Requirements of New Children's Product Safety Laws: Guidance Intended for Resellers of Children's Products, Thrift and Consignment Stores (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09086.html)

This is from WAVE3:

http://www.wave3.com/global/story.asp?s=9643810


"...But Brown says all the phone calls, all the media attention worked. "It definitely changed over the course of four days."

The Consumer Product Safety Commission finally clarified that any thrift shop and charity store that resells kids' items are exempt from the law.

"It's amazing what a collective voice can do to make change for an industry," Brown said.
Those resellers just have to screen their items for anything that is on the recall list. Which Brown said most already do. "We need to get these tainted toys out of circulation."

Brown says in this tough economy, that all of us are feeling, she's just glad the government finally listened. "Mom power," she said with a giant smile on her face.

Major manufacturers and retailers will have to stick to those guidelines and pay to have their products independently tested. The new law goes into effect February 10th. "

No consignments shops will be allowed READ ME!

Hi,

This is my research I have done on the new law which, if I read it correctly, has already been voted in. It's called the Consumer Product Saftey Improvement Act or CPSIA. (PL 110-787).

It states basically that there are new, much higher, standards for the amount of Lead Content in Children's products that can be given, sold, or distributed to kids under age 12.

This sounds great at first, until you consider the implications:

No consignments shops will be allowed to sell used kids clothes, toys, books, etc, unless they have passed 3rd Party Laboratory Testing.

In most cases, the consignment shops, especially ones who sell children's things, like Once Upon A Time, Goodwill, etc, will go out of business in about a month from now. (Feb 10)

EVERYONE who sells any children's items is at risk.

YOU cannot have a Yard Sale after Feb 10 and include anything for kids.

PLEASE SEND THIS ON AND REALLY READ IT!

Feel free to post on your blog or elsewhere!

Click Here to Sign the Petition and skip the why you should part!

Mary

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/shopping_blog/2009/01/consumer-produc.html LA Times Article On the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act

http://www.opencongress.org/bill/110-h4040/show About the Law

http://www.wlky.com/news/18435140/detail.html This was the article on wlky's website.

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/save_handmade_toys_from_the_cpsia (This is from the Obama Camp...They're against it too) Anyone who produces or sells any of the following new or used items will be required to comply with the law: toys, books, clothing, art, educational supplies, materials for the learning disabled, bicycles, and more. Any uncertified item intended for children under the age of 12 will be considered contraband after February 10, 2009. It will be illegal to sell or give these items away to charities, and the government will require their destruction or permanent disposal, resulting in millions of tons of unnecessary waste, and placing an enormous strain on our landfills.

http://www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/cpsia.HTML Below are specific items from this Official Consumer Product Safety Commission site:

Third Party Testing for Certain Children's Products; Notice of Requirements for Accreditation of Third Party Conformity Assessment Bodies to Assess Conformity With Part 1501 of Title 16 CFR (Small Parts) – COMMENT REQUEST, November 17, 2008 [Text] [PDF]

Children's Products Containing Lead; Lead Paint Rule - Request for Comments and Information [PDF]

General Counsel Advisory Opinion: Request for Reconsideration of Application of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act's (CPSIA) Limit on Lead Permissible in Children's Products in Regard to Unsold Inventory as of February 2009 [PDF]

http://www.cpsc.gov/library/foia/advisory/317.pdf Read this one! (this is from the PDF in the line above this)

This states explicitly that nothing currently on your store shelves that does not meet the new requirements may be sold as it is "banned hazardous substance". "a banned hazardous substance means any toy or article intended for children, which is a hazardous substance, or which bears or contains a hazardous substance in such manner as to be susceptible of access by a child to whom such toy or other article is entrusted."

Required Actions Pursuant to the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 - Timeline [PDF] This one says that there are further bans to come!!!!

Click Here to Sign the Petition and please contact your Senators!

I sent the following using a website which automatically generated the letter and sent it to the people it needed to go to. Thought you might find it interesting. I found the website on the postings people had made on the facebook group. But I think you can find it by searching for American Apparel and Footwear Association. - mj

---------- Forwarded message ----------From: American Apparel and Footwear Association Date: Thu, Jan 8, 2009 at 1:46 AM Subject: URGENT: New Product Safety Laws Need Clarifications Now To: American Apparel and Footwear Association
Thank you for using American Apparel and Footwear Association Mail System.

Message sent to the following recipients:

Representative Yarmuth
Senator Bunning
Senator McConnell

Message text follows:

My Address Here

January 8, 2009

[recipient address was inserted here]

[recipient name was inserted here],

I am writing to ask your immediate help to deal with an urgent problem relating to the recently enacted Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act(CPSIA) (PL 110-787).

The CPSIA legislation was an important contribution in efforts to strengthen product safety laws to make sure only safe and compliant products are sold to our nation's children. While well-intentioned, this legislation contains several provisions that impose new and burdensome requirements that increase costs at a time of economic upheaval but do not offer any improvement in the safety of children's products, including toys, clothing, and footwear. If left unchanged, such requirements, especially considering this dire economic environment, will have a disastrous impact on many companies.

The above was required un-editable text...

This is from me:

I have 2 little ones ages 2 and 4 (both are 2 months shy of that age) and my family buys clothes and toys at a consignment shop here in town, Once Upon A Time. They were on the news saying they'd have to close if you do this. It is even being rumored here that this may include Yard Sales and the Goodwill. What about mission houses?

I want my kids to be safe. But our economy locally, and I assume Nationally, cannot afford this!

Not the businesses, and not the families.

Comparatively speaking, my family makes a decent living, but we are still struggling to get by.

Our childcare costs $302 a week effective this Monday.

Explain to me how we are supposed to buy all new clothes when they can only wear it about 3-6 months, and then we can't sell it?

Please Help!

Required Text Continued....

As you know, the August 14, 2008 legislation included a new ban on lead in children's products (no more than 600 parts per million (ppm) by weight of any part of the product). According to the CPSIA, the new lead requirements take effect beginning February 10, 2009. However, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has determined that this new requirement will apply to goods in inventory, as well as goods made on or after that effective date. This ruling effectively makes this new lead requirement retroactive. This means that product that produced several months ago, and which is safe and legally compliant today, will not be able to be sold on February 10.

This seems unfair, as it means we are being held responsible for a standard that didn't even exist when those goods were made. Moreover, it will be extremely difficult - and in some cases impossible - to retroactively certify that individual goods already in the warehouses and on the store shelves meet the new lead standard.

In short, the ruling puts at risk millions of dollars of inventory.

Moreover, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has so far failed to provide significant guidance or issue regulations on how the new lead rules should apply to children's products, even those that are inherently lead free. While the CPSC recently released four proposed rulemakings addressing testing exemptions for products and materials that are lead free, these rulemakings do not go nearly far enough. As February 10 quickly approaches, guidance has thus far been provided in a piecemeal approach while the CPSC wades through a backlog of information requests and juggles multiple new rule makings with limited resources. Because of the incomplete guidance, companies are being forced to undertake duplicative testing of components or to test elements of children's products that are either inaccessible or that are inherently lead free. While testing forms an important validation, these conflicting and burdensome requirements - especially for products and components that are inherently lead free - do not advance children's safety. In fact, the current system, if left unfixed, undermines our public safety system by shifting focus away from risky products.

I respectfully request your help ensuring that the CPSC institute rulemaking to clearly define the scope and applicability of the new lead regulations and testing requirements for apparel and footwear products. Ialso urge that CPSC announce and implement an orderly enforcement schedule that focuses initial phases on education of these new requirements.

Finally, I believe the decision by the CPSC to apply the lead ban retroactively needs to be reconsidered as soon as possible since the practical impact of this decision, in today's economic environment, will have an adverse effect at a time the government is spending billions to stimulate the economy.

This is not a little issue, Please Help,

Mary Conver

....End of Form Letter

Click Here to Sign the Petition

I realize this is not what you've come to expect from my light and airy blog. But this will be soooo damaging to families and businesses across the country, that I couldn't ignore it.

If you have a job at a small business, even if you don't have kids and don't shop consignments and yard sales, and you currently don't need charity, this will still effect you. If businesses close, your job is in jeopardy. Your business likely depends on the other income of businesses that will have to close. You are not exempt from this.

MJ

ps- I promise to post something pleasant and useless again soon. :-)

Saved by the Smell

So...looks like we're saved!

Our neighbor told us that when they had their sewage backup in the house a few months ago, their plumber told them that they had a pipe in the back that came from our yard and then led down their backyard and into the easement and then probably connected to the Louisville Sewer System. This was on the 23rd.

We called Mr. Herre right away and told him this news. He called the plumber again and they came out on the 23rd and looked and sure enough, we are attached across the backyard.

So, on December 26th, they snaked out the line and dug a big hole in the yard and found a root that was clogging the line, plus about 100 baby wipes! Apparently before we knew you couldn't flush those, when Thomas was under 6 months old, we clogged that pipe with Baby Wipes! He said it wouldn't have really been an issue if it wasn't for the root. We told him we had only flushed 2 or 3 a year since we found out 4 years ago, and those had been mostly accidents. He said, "Yep, well there they all are. They don't ever fall apart or go away!"

Those of you who are "Earth Aware" don't use regular baby wipes, they'll be around somewhere 4 years later!

Anyway, it's all cleared up and running fine now, and won't cost us $14,000! They still have to cover the hole and put in a clean-out access top on it, so if something else happens again, they won't have to dig another hole!

Our Big Christmas Present Huh?

As of today, Mr. Herre filled in the grease trap with sand and a pipe has been inserted to allow the house plumbing to go straight into the sewage line, so we won't even have to empty that thing again.

Worse case scenario is that we'll have to re-dig out that tree root every few years.

MJ

ps- thanks for the support, emails, and prayers, one way or another, it worked! Now if we can just pay for the "minor" work they've already done!

Happy New Year 2009!

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