If you're an adoring aunt, uncle, cousin, whatever... you might get a kick out of my sister's post. My baby is featured and he's really cute.

I called it

I've been back (at my dream job) for about a month and I gotta say that was fast! Do you remember this post written shortly after I was laid off? I was talking about long term consequences, but what do you know, 6 months later the effects are staring us in the face.

I have attended 4 different community meetings hosted by four different agencies, in the last 2 weeks, on the rise of child abuse in the valley. The Chandler Police Department held the first because they have seen exponential amounts (compared to previous years) of infant deaths due to abuse since the start of this year. And then, Phoenix PD held a meeting because the child abuse they are seeing has intensified in severity. And then Childhelp, a national organization, called a meeting, and then the Arizona Department of Economic Security, all bringing the same concerns to the table. All of these organizations are putting together a campaign to bring awareness to the valley about resources available to parents who are overwhelmed. We're streamlining our efforts to let parents know that no one can parent alone successfully. You need more than yourself.

So aside from my intense desire to walk into the Arizona legislature and say, "I told you so!" I feel privileged to be apart of this campaign. I was invited because of my work in prevention. It really is interesting to me that all these organizations that usually focus on rehabilitation, are looking to me (and my colleagues) to teach them about what prevention looks like. Its sad that its such a foreign concept. But I have to say I have been very impressed by especially the police officers (we've had representatives from every precinct at these meetings) who don't know what to do, but know that they don't want to see what they're seeing anymore. I admire their commitment to our community.

Mischief

I didn't know he had it in him.

So does anyone have a Halloween costume they'd like to let a lovable one year old borrow?? He wears 2T or 3T and his Mom isn't excited by the thought of paying for one. I figure I know too many people with kids to buy a new costume.

Parker's Past Times

I downloaded the pictures from my camera and noticed a theme.

Lest you think Parker's a vedge sitting in front of the computer here are pictures of him completing his chores:

watering the yard (do you like his painted on shorts),

walking the dog,

walking the dog through puddles,

and lint rolling the rug.

Can't sleep

I'm too excited for tomorrow! Well, technically today! I'm going back! Sanity here I come.

Humor Me... please

So I was walking on the treadmill this morning reading this book:

When I came across a paragraph that I found so funny I laughed out loud. I'm not exactly sure how loud, thanks to my ipod, but loud enough to get the attention of the juggers next to me... who were also listening to their ipods.

"The very first thing you do when your toddler has a frustration tantrum is to pick him up and run from the food court of the mall, the checkout line at Toys R Us or your mother-in-law's best friend's living room. Do not, I repeat, do not attempt to coax or threaten your toddler our of his tantrum in hopes of returning to your former pleasureable activities. You have a grenade on your hands, and the pin has been pulled. Your job, soldier, is to save the civilians by removing the grenade at all costs. Try to hold him tight against you so that you don't suffer too much injury, but how you get him out is not critical. The most important thing is to remove him from all staring eyes and all fragile things that he could hurt or that could hurt him. Don't waste a moment worrying about the impression the two of you are making or being embarassed by this display. I maintain that a mother who is not frequently humilitated by her child is not getting her money's worth out of parenting."

Funny?