Bad Plastics!

All you moms listen up! As I have started to buy bottles to get ready for our baby I have found some very good information on the plastics issues. I was first warned of this by my mother in law then just last week a sister in our ward spoke to it. The information. . .

90% of government funded studies found significant adverse effects that include: early onset of puberty, and stimulation of mammary gland development in females

• changes in gender specific behavior
• changes in hormones (related to increased risk for cancer)
  
• increased prostate size
• decreased sperm production
• altered immune function
• behavioral effect including hyperactivity, increased aggressiveness, impaired learning and other changes in behavior
  

Canada has already pulled all of the defective products from there shelves and recalled much of the product. The US has decided to allow all products to fade out. However, they have know of the problem (as far as I found documents) since 2003. Apparently it takes longer than 5 years to change.

Plastics to Avoid for baby bottles, sippy cups, water bottles and Tupperware

• Any that say #3, 6, 7, V, PS, OTHER on the bottom on the plastic
• Anything that is Polycarbonate
• Bottles to Avoid: Advent, Dr. Browns, Evenflow (clear) First Years, Playtex, Vent Aire, Sassy, TupperCare (this is a list from a few years ago so if they have changed there plastic it may be fine but if not get rid of them, I know that I'm returning my Advent bottles to Target because they are still using PC)
• Sippy Cups to Avoid: Gerber Susy Zoo and Sippy Snaker, Gerber soft starter
• Use #1 and #2 plastic bottles once then dispose
• Most hard clear plastics are made of PC so avoid those unless they state that they are made with non-polycarbonate product

Safer Alternative

• Any plastic that is labeled #1, #2, PETE, HDPE (for one time use) or #4, #5 , LDPE, PP(for multiple use)
• Don't heat liquids in plastics (easier said than done but as least use the safer plastic when you have to or if you baby will on take a PC bottle heat in another container and transfer)
• Soft plastic bottles that are colored or opaque.
  

What to Do

• Well that is up to you but the sister in my ward called Gerber spoke to them. They said they would refund her money for all the Gerber bottles she owned. Tis is her 5 child so some of them she has had for a while. You might try it as well!

Sorry for the long post but I thought maybe you could all use a starting place to make you decision. I know that someone else starting the research for me helped a lot. Good Luck-let me know if anyone gets a response from any of the manufactures.

Here is a cool old house I saw going to a design apointment the other day. I am excited to see more old/historical stuff.

Julie was in town and she wore us out. We did all kinds of stuff. Checked out houses, went to the dogwood festival, went to gardens, bought stuff, and ate stuff. It was a lot of fun!

Meg got an early birthday gift from Craig and Julie to endure the last few weeks of her pregnancy. A supper sweet T.V. and cable!

We decided to support the local botanical garden. I ran into a guy who teaches a bonzai class so I am pretty excited about that.

Cape Fear Botanical Garden

Feeding the chickies

One rainy day there was a very pregnant girl who decided to drag everyone outside to feed the little baby ducks.

We missed the California beaches so we went to Carolina Beach one of our first weekends in town. Riddle was not a fan of the water but she loved the giant white litter box. She also loved the wind flowing through her ears. Meg barely made it because the sausages at the end of her ankles were about to explode. She still enjoyed it though.

Spring Time

This is what North Carolina looked like when we showed up.

Supper Scoots!

Riddle was bored one day and decided to use her poopy bags as a cape. She calls herself Supper Scoots!

Simon's Court of Honor

Matt and I traveled to D.C this weekend to visit the Roberts. We had a great time. We went to see Simon's Court of Honor but did many other things as well. We came back with a car load of more baby stuff!!! With our small apartment we can't set up the crib so Gail got us a pack n play so we can let her (the baby not Gail) sleep in that until we move into a bigger place. Thanks for a great weekend and Congrats Simon were proud of you even though we (mostly Matt) teases you all the time.

Happy Birthday Matt

Matt turned 28 yesterday! We didn't do much for his birthday. We picked up pizza from Pizza Hut (his favorite, not mine). Then got a movie and hung out at home. I made Bishops pie for his birthday cake but we didn't even get around to eating it. He is very excited though because he got spoiled by everyone. So thank you all for his wonderful gifts. He got a case of power tools as an early birthday present and when I made him put them in storage, until we get a house, he was devastated. He kept getting them out and just playing with them. He also finally got an ipod. Something he has been wanting for over a year!

This is a video from Matt's Birthday two years ago but it is still one of my favorites.


Happy birthday babe, I'm so glad that you are a part of my life.

We Made It

Everyone successfully made it to North Carolina without any major hitches. Although Matt and Gail may disagree. The drive was long to say the least. They covered 3000 miles in 3.5 days. Unfortunately the truck maxed out at 55 and until they got into Texas they are barely hitting 50. So instead of the 40 hour trip they planned on it was more than 55 hours. Yuck. I'm so glad that Gail was able to go with Matt. It is different here. Not necessarily in a bad way just different.
1. We are the only couple in our ward that isn't ether active military or retired. I'm glad that is the case. So many of the wives are left alone with their families to for up to 2 years. There will me be many opportunities to serve other girls in our ward as their husbands are away.
2. Everyone parks on their lawns. It is so bizarre to me. It isn't just a few not so nice areas that do this but everyone. It really is no big deal.
3. The accent. You can tell the locals from the implants by it. However, when Matt gets around people at work he claims he starts talking in an accent too. Funny!! I can't wait to hear that.

I'll post pictures when I get them.