Well, the Dress Rehearsal is over. Looking forward to the real thing next month. Fingers Crossed!
Pledge
"BEIJING, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- China's Health Ministry pledges free health care for all babies sickened after drinking contaminated formula.Deputy Health Minister, Ma Xiaowei, said all medical agencies should prepare to treat babies for kidney stones as more cases could be uncovered as the investigation continues.
He ordered all public health authorities and medical institutions give priority to the diagnosis of suspect cases and provide treatment.
"Hospitals should try their best to meet rising demands for diagnosis and treatment because the number of parents who take their children for medical check-ups could rise drastically in the future," Ma told health, finance and food safety officials throughout China via teleconference Tuesday.
All infants who had been fed with Sanlu milk powder for between three and six months in the past year and have shown symptoms of kidney stones should be treated with top priority, added Ma.
An estimated 1,253 babies developed kidney stones after drinking the tainted milk powder. Two died as a result.
China's dairy giant, Sanlu Group, which is at the heart of the toxic food scandal, apologized to the public for its contaminated milk powder."
More Milk Scandal
BEIJING, China (CNN) -- The head of China's quality watchdog is reported to have resigned over the tainted baby milk scandal that has killed four children and sickened nearly 53,000 others.
A baby is held down as he is given an ultrasound scan for kidney stones in a hospital in Wuhan, Hubei province.
1 of 2 The official Xinhua News Agency said Li Changjiang had quit with the approval of China's State Council. Li's agency is responsible for ensuring that China's food supply chain is safe.
Monday's resignation came hours after the World Health Organization said the scandal had highlighted flaws in the country's entire food supply chain.
The chemical melamine blamed for causing kidney stones and kidney failure has been detected in formula milk powder from 22 dairies across China.
The crisis was initially thought to have been confined to baby milk powder but tests have found melamine in samples of liquid milk taken from China's two largest dairy producers, Mengniu Dairy Group and Yili Industrial Group, as well as Shanghai-based Bright Dairy.
WHO China representative Hans Troedsson said on Monday quality issues could occur anywhere from the farm to the retail outlet.
He said "it's clearly something that is not acceptable and needs to be rectified and corrected," according to The Associated Press. Troedsson said the WHO was discussing with officials how to strengthen China's food quality system.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has called milk manufacturers "heartless" and promised stricter laws to protect the public.
China's Health Ministry said Sunday that about 13,000 children were hospitalized, while another 40,000 had undergone outpatient treatment for illnesses related to suspected melamine-tainted milk products.
The scandal has spread beyond the mainland with melamine being found in three Chinese-made dairy products in Singapore.
The country's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority said tests on "White Rabbit Creamy Candy" showed that it was contaminated with melamine and it ordered stores to remove the product from shelves.
Taiwan announced Monday it was banning the importation of all dairy products from China because of melamine contamination in milk supplies on the mainland, Taiwan's Health Ministry said Monday.
And a second child in Hong Kong has been diagnosed with a kidney stone after drinking the tainted milk as worried parents continued to take their children for health checkups, the government said Monday, AP reported.
The 4-year-old boy was in hospital in a stable condition, the Hong Kong government said in a statement. A three-year-old girl was sickened by a suspected melamine-tainted milk over the weekend -- the first known illness outside of mainland China.
The Chinese premier visited Beijing hospitals and a supermarket Sunday to show his concern for the crisis.
"What we need to do now is to ensure that nothing like this happens in the future, not only in dairy products, but in all foods," he said. "Manufacturers and owners of dairy companies should show more morality and social responsibility in these cases. They are heartless, so we have to create strict law and legislation. I'm sorry."
Investigators arrested two brothers who sold milk used to produce the contaminated baby milk powder last week. They could face death if convicted, according to China Daily, a state-run newspaper.
The raw milk had been watered down and the chemical added to fool quality checks, the newspaper said. Melamine is commonly used in coatings and laminates, wood adhesives, fabric coatings, ceiling tiles and flame retardants. Watch CNN visit the company at the center of the scandal »
But anger has been directed not just at the producers accused of adulterating their milk to increase profits, but also at government regulators, Time magazine reported.
"Xinhua was quick to blame the dairy industry for their skewed rules, but what it didn't say was that the government also played a part in that ugly game," the magazine quoted a blogger, identified as sadmoon109, as saying.
Health experts say ingesting melamine can lead to kidney stones, urinary tract ulcers, and eye and skin irritation. It also robs infants of much-needed nutrition.
Thousands of tons of the tainted milk powder have been recalled.
Melamine is the same industrial contaminant from China that poisoned and killed thousands of U.S. dogs and cats last year.
The chemical, a byproduct of plastic manufacturing, can be used to mimic high-protein additives. Learn more about the chemical melamine »
A senior dairy analyst said Chinese farmers were cutting corners to cope with rising costs for feed and labor.
"Before the melamine incident, I know they could have been adding organic stuff, say animal urine or skin," Chen Lianfang of Beijing Orient Agribusiness Consultant told Time.
"Basically, anything that can boost the protein reading."
Monday's resignation came hours after the World Health Organization said the scandal had highlighted flaws in the country's entire food supply chain.
The chemical melamine blamed for causing kidney stones and kidney failure has been detected in formula milk powder from 22 dairies across China.
The crisis was initially thought to have been confined to baby milk powder but tests have found melamine in samples of liquid milk taken from China's two largest dairy producers, Mengniu Dairy Group and Yili Industrial Group, as well as Shanghai-based Bright Dairy.
WHO China representative Hans Troedsson said on Monday quality issues could occur anywhere from the farm to the retail outlet.
He said "it's clearly something that is not acceptable and needs to be rectified and corrected," according to The Associated Press. Troedsson said the WHO was discussing with officials how to strengthen China's food quality system.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has called milk manufacturers "heartless" and promised stricter laws to protect the public.
China's Health Ministry said Sunday that about 13,000 children were hospitalized, while another 40,000 had undergone outpatient treatment for illnesses related to suspected melamine-tainted milk products.
The scandal has spread beyond the mainland with melamine being found in three Chinese-made dairy products in Singapore.
The country's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority said tests on "White Rabbit Creamy Candy" showed that it was contaminated with melamine and it ordered stores to remove the product from shelves.
Taiwan announced Monday it was banning the importation of all dairy products from China because of melamine contamination in milk supplies on the mainland, Taiwan's Health Ministry said Monday.
And a second child in Hong Kong has been diagnosed with a kidney stone after drinking the tainted milk as worried parents continued to take their children for health checkups, the government said Monday, AP reported.
The 4-year-old boy was in hospital in a stable condition, the Hong Kong government said in a statement. A three-year-old girl was sickened by a suspected melamine-tainted milk over the weekend -- the first known illness outside of mainland China.
The Chinese premier visited Beijing hospitals and a supermarket Sunday to show his concern for the crisis.
"What we need to do now is to ensure that nothing like this happens in the future, not only in dairy products, but in all foods," he said. "Manufacturers and owners of dairy companies should show more morality and social responsibility in these cases. They are heartless, so we have to create strict law and legislation. I'm sorry."
Investigators arrested two brothers who sold milk used to produce the contaminated baby milk powder last week. They could face death if convicted, according to China Daily, a state-run newspaper.
The raw milk had been watered down and the chemical added to fool quality checks, the newspaper said. Melamine is commonly used in coatings and laminates, wood adhesives, fabric coatings, ceiling tiles and flame retardants. Watch CNN visit the company at the center of the scandal »
But anger has been directed not just at the producers accused of adulterating their milk to increase profits, but also at government regulators, Time magazine reported.
"Xinhua was quick to blame the dairy industry for their skewed rules, but what it didn't say was that the government also played a part in that ugly game," the magazine quoted a blogger, identified as sadmoon109, as saying.
Health experts say ingesting melamine can lead to kidney stones, urinary tract ulcers, and eye and skin irritation. It also robs infants of much-needed nutrition.
Thousands of tons of the tainted milk powder have been recalled.
Melamine is the same industrial contaminant from China that poisoned and killed thousands of U.S. dogs and cats last year.
The chemical, a byproduct of plastic manufacturing, can be used to mimic high-protein additives. Learn more about the chemical melamine »
A senior dairy analyst said Chinese farmers were cutting corners to cope with rising costs for feed and labor.
"Before the melamine incident, I know they could have been adding organic stuff, say animal urine or skin," Chen Lianfang of Beijing Orient Agribusiness Consultant told Time.
"Basically, anything that can boost the protein reading."
More Milk Scares
Fury as China baby milk scandal escalates
By Clifford Coonan in BeijingThursday, 18 September 2008
By Clifford Coonan in BeijingThursday, 18 September 2008
Li Dongyang, an eight-month-old child who suffered from kidney stones receives medical treatment at a hospital in Hefei, Anhui province September 17, 2008. China said on Wednesday a third infant had died from drinking milk contaminated with toxic melamine and 6,244 infants were sick as four officials were sacked amid a widening scandal.
Frightened, angry parents took their babies for testing at hospitals all over China today to see if their children have been made sick by the greed of unscrupulous farmers and negligent food companies.
Parents are furious after four children died and hundreds are sick following the discovery of the dangerous chemical melamine in baby milk formula.
Thousands more are at risk, raising fears that this is just the tip of the iceberg.
At Beijing's Capital Institute of Paediatrics hospital, hundreds of worried parents carried their blissfully unaware babies in their arms.
The queue stretched from the administrative building back out into the yard behind the building.
"Of course we're angry – the company should have made routine checks, not just because of the discovery of this chemical," said Song Xuejian, who was minding her 14-month-old granddaughter Miting, while her daughter stood in the queue.
The health scare first emerged after China's biggest dairy, the Sanlu Group, revealed its milk powder contained melamine, which is used to make it look like the milk contains more protein than it really does. A subsequent investigation showed that 22 of 109 Chinese dairy producers, including top brands, made products adulterated with the substance.
Miting had been drinking one of the formula brands on the list of contaminated products.
"I was very frightened and worried when I heard the news first. Like many people, we have only one child in our family, so we're very worried. If she's okay, we'll all be very relieved," said Song.
As well as fear and anger, there is shock. There is something so basic about milk for a baby. If not even the simplest human needs are immune from money-grabbing criminals and corrupt officials, then what is left?
Ji Chuntang, the mayor of Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei province, where Sanlu has its headquarters, , has been fired, , while Sanlu's chairwoman Tian Wenhua has been detained by police.
The scandal took a long time to come to light and the first baby died back in May. Sanlu is 43-per cent owned by New Zealand's Fonterra Co-op.
Their initial approaches were ignored, possibly for fear of souring the Olympic spirit, and New Zealand's Prime Minister, Helen Clark, said she ordered her officials to bypass regional authorities and inform Beijing directly.
There have been 18 arrests so far and the Hebei police said it confiscated 300 kilos of suspected chemicals, mostly melamine. One suspect, surnamed Su, told police that from February 2007 to July 2008 he bought 200 20-kilo sacks of melamine, and sold them all to milk suppliers. Which raises the possibility that this has been going on for a lot longer than a couple of months.
In a Beijing supermarket, expectant mother Zhu Weiwei, 31, a maths teacher, said she feels lucky her baby hasn't been born yet.
"If he or she was born a few months ago, I think I would also feed him or her with Yili or Meng Niu milk powder. Those brands are quite famous," said Zhu.
"I feel dismayed about our domestic brands. I heard some officials were fired. But it cannot compensate those poor babies. Money can't do everything. How can those people do such a terrible thing to babies for money? I will of course buy foreign brands in future," she said.
The "Made in China" brand has been badly tarnished in recent years by a rash of food and product safety scares, ranging from lead paint in toys to dumplings laced with pesticide sold in Japan, to toxic fish and poisonous cough medicine.
The government swore it would improve testing and safety procedures after last year's scandals, which culminated in the execution of its sacked food and drug safety czar.
But there have been whispers that authorities tried to cover up the revelations of toxic baby formula initially so as not to sour the Olympic atmosphere. The first baby to die, a five-month-old boy, passed away on May 1, four months before the scandal became public.
Shen Xiaohong, a PR manager, 28, said she is not buying domestic milk anymore.
"I don't want to spend my money to poison myself," she said. "And to think these were "Inspection-free products"."
"Inspection-free" is a special status awarded to the most trusted food producers, and a slogan used by them in advertising. This is one of the reasons why this scandal has really shocked people in China, and the status has been revoked by the government.
Chinese webizens have started using grim sign-offs on their instant messenger programmes to register their horror at the food scandal. After a month of pride in China's national achievements, the food scandal has
reignited negative sentiments about China's abilities to compete internationally.
"We work hard for six months, then suddenly we return to the pre-Olympic era". "Drink a glass of milk a day, wipe out a country!", "Drink milk, kill the next generation" and, perhaps most tellingly, "Foreign milk costs money, domestic milk costs lives".
Melamine found in Milk Powder
Melamine found in Milk Powder: Infants get Kidney Stones One confirmed Death
According to the AP Newswire 432 children in China have been sickened by infant formula tainted with Melamine.
There is one confirmed death.
According to the AP Newswire 432 children in China have been sickened by infant formula tainted with Melamine.
There is one confirmed death.
Apparently, a Chinese dairy that sold milk powder linked to kidney stones in infants knew it contained melamine. They failed to recall the tainted milk products because, “grocers wouldn’t return it”. Uh, okay? I kinda don’t get that either.
In any event. If you or anyone you know and love shops at an ethnic market with any regularity (I do!) please pass this important information along. Although much of the tainted formula has been seized, and many executives are in custody (Yes they did this on purpose) some might have made it’s way to other countries.
Cuz, ya’ know, the guys who add deadly chemicals like Melamine to milk in order to turn a profit aren’t all that concerned about customs laws either.
From the AP:
The official Xinhua News Agency reported Saturday that the dairy, Sanlu Group Col, was ordered to stop production as the number of sick babies rose to 432.
A Health Ministry statement gave no indication why Sanlu Group Co., China’s biggest milk powder producer, failed to warn consumers immediately. Employees who answered the phone Saturday at the ministry’s news office and at China’s product safety agency said they had no more information.
In August, Sanlu’s testing revealed melamine in the milk powder, a ministry statement said. Melamine is a toxic chemical used in plastics that contaminated pet food last year.
Remember when the puppies died and everyone was outraged? Please, let’s pay attention to what we put into our children’s bodies too.
Tell a friend. This one matters.
Travel Sizes
Are you a sucker like me? I walk into our Christmas Tree Shop and see that they've done some rearranging. They also added 5 walls of Travel Item stuff!!! Here are photos of 3 out of the 5 isles! I almost BUSTED my budget. I so love all this small stuff!!! It was a dream come true!! LOL.
Recipe for ME! (that's about right)
| The Recipe For Stephanie |
 3 parts Friendship 2 parts Fearlessness 1 part Brilliance Splash of Savvy Finish off with whipped cream |
Open Letter
Hi to all my family & friends,
As if you didn’t know, I am planning to receive a referral for my daughter! I’ve talked about this for quite a while and it looks like the time has finally come. Pirate is also ready for a sister!
Anyway, I’m very pleased & excited to make this announcement that China is almost at my LID (log in date). There is an itty bitty chance that I will receive my referral in the beginning of October but I am thinking it will be the beginning of November. So, officially, here is a little bit of what I know…and what I don’t.
WHO
I am requesting a 0-18 month old daughter at the time of her referral. I don’t know who she is yet, there are no pre-existing pictures to choose from or anything like that – China doesn’t generally do pre-identified adoptions, except in a few special needs or older child (meaning older than 5 or 6) cases. I also have made my final decision on an American name for her, It will be Giorgia (pronounced Georgia with nicknames of Giorgi and/or GiGi) Danette (my middle name too), her Chinese Orphanage Name will become her second middle name, and then we will also share my last name. Most adoptive parents choose to keep her Chinese Orphanage Name as either her full name or a middle name. Our children come to us to us with nothing but their beautiful faces and a name that those who cared for them gave them until they found a family. It’s a way of preserving the one little last tie that they have to their birth country. Yes, it’s a lot of names but I have decided that when she gets older she can choose to drop one or keep them both. I am fine whichever she chooses to drop or to keep them both.
WHEN
I just finished the process of collecting the documents FOR THE THIRD TIME!! I started in May of 2005. My documents made their way to China to be translated on January 13, 2006. This is referred to as my DTC date. (Dossier to China) Then my documents are officially registered to the CCAA in China on February 17, 2006. This is referred to as my LID date. (Log in Date) A referral date is the KEY DATE in which the dossiers are processed and the order in which all international adoptive parents receive their referral for a Non-Special Needs Child. When I began this process, A referral took about 6-7 months but as you know, times have changed and I’ve been already waiting 31 months! When my time comes, my agency will give me “The Call”. I will receive basic information and a tiny photo, sometimes 3 and a 1-page medical report. I have 1-2 days to accept the referral. My agency will then mail out my acceptance letter and I will wait for a Consulate Appointment and Travel Approval. I will travel in about 6-8 weeks. I believe I am looking at a December/January Travel timeline.
WHERE
To China, of course! My Agency has a full time facilitator in China who accompanies all their adoption groups (usually 8-12 families), and their trips are usually 14-16 days. Lucky for me I know most of the adopting parents I am traveling with!!!
HOW
One big milestone is the homestudy, which “approves” me to be a parent. My social worker Aileen needed 9 reference letters (from friends, relatives & coworkers), local police clearance, state child abuse clearance, guardianship papers, various health & financial statements, and an autobiography from me. I was required to have two home visits with Aileen and two office visits with Diana. Her report is now written and in my hands (it’s 8 pages long). She will also be required to visit us twice after the adoption. I’ve repeated this process now for the THIRD TIME!
The 2nd biggest milestone is getting INS clearance to bring an “orphan” into the country. There’s a specific form required, which I filed with the INS back in May along with copies of my birth certificate. They also took fingerprints from me, which go to an FBI clearance center, and then they needed my homestudy report. I received my first INS form with the clearance in mid-July of 2005, about 2 weeks after they received the homestudy. I’ve repeated this process now for the THIRD TIME!
Finally, there are the rest of the documents that make up a “Dossier” that gets sent to China. These include new physical forms from my doctor that are in specific formats decreed by China, a specific form for a financial statement, proof of employment, copies of our birth certificates, copies of passports, and an “application” letter to China stating my request to adopt. Counting the homestudy and the INS clearance form, there are 14 documents in all. Almost all of these documents need to be notarized, then certified by the state, then authenticated by the Chinese consulate (I was covered by the one in DC). I also put together selections of 10 pictures of my family at home and doing various activities. They then send the dossier to China, where it gets translated, and then the waiting for the referral begins. The “matching” is done by a government agency in Beijing called the CCAA (Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs) and is a pretty secretive process.
For those of you with Web access, there are a number of sites that discuss “the paperchase process”, if you’re interested in more details I’ll send some sites along.
By the way, travel in China is very safe - even immediately after the US bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, adoption groups were traveling and referrals were still made. There is almost nothing in the political world that affects the adoption process, and although the Chinese are not fond of the US government, they are very friendly toward adopting families.
In the meantime, I’ll keep you all updated. I’ll let you know of progress as soon as I hear anything!
Love, Stephe & Pirate
As if you didn’t know, I am planning to receive a referral for my daughter! I’ve talked about this for quite a while and it looks like the time has finally come. Pirate is also ready for a sister!
Anyway, I’m very pleased & excited to make this announcement that China is almost at my LID (log in date). There is an itty bitty chance that I will receive my referral in the beginning of October but I am thinking it will be the beginning of November. So, officially, here is a little bit of what I know…and what I don’t.
WHO
I am requesting a 0-18 month old daughter at the time of her referral. I don’t know who she is yet, there are no pre-existing pictures to choose from or anything like that – China doesn’t generally do pre-identified adoptions, except in a few special needs or older child (meaning older than 5 or 6) cases. I also have made my final decision on an American name for her, It will be Giorgia (pronounced Georgia with nicknames of Giorgi and/or GiGi) Danette (my middle name too), her Chinese Orphanage Name will become her second middle name, and then we will also share my last name. Most adoptive parents choose to keep her Chinese Orphanage Name as either her full name or a middle name. Our children come to us to us with nothing but their beautiful faces and a name that those who cared for them gave them until they found a family. It’s a way of preserving the one little last tie that they have to their birth country. Yes, it’s a lot of names but I have decided that when she gets older she can choose to drop one or keep them both. I am fine whichever she chooses to drop or to keep them both.
WHEN
I just finished the process of collecting the documents FOR THE THIRD TIME!! I started in May of 2005. My documents made their way to China to be translated on January 13, 2006. This is referred to as my DTC date. (Dossier to China) Then my documents are officially registered to the CCAA in China on February 17, 2006. This is referred to as my LID date. (Log in Date) A referral date is the KEY DATE in which the dossiers are processed and the order in which all international adoptive parents receive their referral for a Non-Special Needs Child. When I began this process, A referral took about 6-7 months but as you know, times have changed and I’ve been already waiting 31 months! When my time comes, my agency will give me “The Call”. I will receive basic information and a tiny photo, sometimes 3 and a 1-page medical report. I have 1-2 days to accept the referral. My agency will then mail out my acceptance letter and I will wait for a Consulate Appointment and Travel Approval. I will travel in about 6-8 weeks. I believe I am looking at a December/January Travel timeline.
WHERE
To China, of course! My Agency has a full time facilitator in China who accompanies all their adoption groups (usually 8-12 families), and their trips are usually 14-16 days. Lucky for me I know most of the adopting parents I am traveling with!!!
HOW
One big milestone is the homestudy, which “approves” me to be a parent. My social worker Aileen needed 9 reference letters (from friends, relatives & coworkers), local police clearance, state child abuse clearance, guardianship papers, various health & financial statements, and an autobiography from me. I was required to have two home visits with Aileen and two office visits with Diana. Her report is now written and in my hands (it’s 8 pages long). She will also be required to visit us twice after the adoption. I’ve repeated this process now for the THIRD TIME!
The 2nd biggest milestone is getting INS clearance to bring an “orphan” into the country. There’s a specific form required, which I filed with the INS back in May along with copies of my birth certificate. They also took fingerprints from me, which go to an FBI clearance center, and then they needed my homestudy report. I received my first INS form with the clearance in mid-July of 2005, about 2 weeks after they received the homestudy. I’ve repeated this process now for the THIRD TIME!
Finally, there are the rest of the documents that make up a “Dossier” that gets sent to China. These include new physical forms from my doctor that are in specific formats decreed by China, a specific form for a financial statement, proof of employment, copies of our birth certificates, copies of passports, and an “application” letter to China stating my request to adopt. Counting the homestudy and the INS clearance form, there are 14 documents in all. Almost all of these documents need to be notarized, then certified by the state, then authenticated by the Chinese consulate (I was covered by the one in DC). I also put together selections of 10 pictures of my family at home and doing various activities. They then send the dossier to China, where it gets translated, and then the waiting for the referral begins. The “matching” is done by a government agency in Beijing called the CCAA (Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs) and is a pretty secretive process.
For those of you with Web access, there are a number of sites that discuss “the paperchase process”, if you’re interested in more details I’ll send some sites along.
By the way, travel in China is very safe - even immediately after the US bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, adoption groups were traveling and referrals were still made. There is almost nothing in the political world that affects the adoption process, and although the Chinese are not fond of the US government, they are very friendly toward adopting families.
In the meantime, I’ll keep you all updated. I’ll let you know of progress as soon as I hear anything!
Love, Stephe & Pirate
BabiesRUs Issue
FYI, I have strong feelings against BabiesRUs. I'll still shop there...but with caution.
If you return anything without a receipt, you will get the lowest price of that product back...no problem, I get that.
This is my problem.
GIFT RECIEPTS MEAN NOTHING AT BABIESRUS. THE RECIEPIENT OF THE GIFT WILL NOT GET THE $ BACK THAT YOU PAID FOR THE PRODUCT. YOU WILL GET THE LOWEST PRICE
THAT PRODUCT HAS BEEN.
Example. My best friend went to deliver her second child. I didn't know if it was a girl or boy so I went to Babiesrus and bought 2 outfits. One boy, one girl and had a gift receipt for both. I paid $20 for each. I figured I'd return the one that wasn't needed. She had a girl so I went back to return the boy outfit. I couldn't my receipt anywhere but I figured I'd just use the gift receipt. Well, with the gift receipt they would refund me $7.95 even though the day before I purchased the outfit for $20. They credit you the lowest price the product has ever been including a sale a month ago, even though the purchaser paid full price and had a gift receipt. THIS IS THEIR POLICY. The "Gift receipt" basically only confirms that the item was purchased at a "babiesrus" . I did get my money back because I completely freaked out in the store and made a scene. I was beside myself. I'm not usually that way. Do you realize how many people are getting ripped off from this POLICY!! Okay, sorry. Just wanted to share my dissappointment with BabiesRUs. They are a great "one-stop shop" and I still purchase from there but I when I purchase a gift, I do so with cash and hand them the actual receipt if they need to exchange. I don't think this will work if you pay with a credit card.
If you return anything without a receipt, you will get the lowest price of that product back...no problem, I get that.
This is my problem.
GIFT RECIEPTS MEAN NOTHING AT BABIESRUS. THE RECIEPIENT OF THE GIFT WILL NOT GET THE $ BACK THAT YOU PAID FOR THE PRODUCT. YOU WILL GET THE LOWEST PRICE
THAT PRODUCT HAS BEEN.
Example. My best friend went to deliver her second child. I didn't know if it was a girl or boy so I went to Babiesrus and bought 2 outfits. One boy, one girl and had a gift receipt for both. I paid $20 for each. I figured I'd return the one that wasn't needed. She had a girl so I went back to return the boy outfit. I couldn't my receipt anywhere but I figured I'd just use the gift receipt. Well, with the gift receipt they would refund me $7.95 even though the day before I purchased the outfit for $20. They credit you the lowest price the product has ever been including a sale a month ago, even though the purchaser paid full price and had a gift receipt. THIS IS THEIR POLICY. The "Gift receipt" basically only confirms that the item was purchased at a "babiesrus" . I did get my money back because I completely freaked out in the store and made a scene. I was beside myself. I'm not usually that way. Do you realize how many people are getting ripped off from this POLICY!! Okay, sorry. Just wanted to share my dissappointment with BabiesRUs. They are a great "one-stop shop" and I still purchase from there but I when I purchase a gift, I do so with cash and hand them the actual receipt if they need to exchange. I don't think this will work if you pay with a credit card.
Answering Questions
These are some Q & A's that I've heard throughout the paperchase, I've saved them and thought I would post them all together. Maybe I'll be one of the lucky ones and not have to deal with some of these. I also post them because these questions could come from sincere family and friends that just don't realize what they are saying. So, it's a little etiquette lesson for all those unfamiliar with the international adoption program. Hope I don't offend anyone.
(Update - this is just in from my guy coworker... Coworker: Does she know you yet? Me: (smartass glance) yes, she calls me every weekend! Coworker: that was a stupid questions right? Me: It was sweet of you to think of us!!!)
Q: Where is she from?
What they’re thinking: She clearly looks different from you - she most likely was born in another country.
A: What you should say: "She’s from Delaware (or wherever you live).” When I’m feeling generous of spirit I might add, “but she was born in China, if that’s what you mean.”
Q: Where are her real parents?
What they’re thinking: Who are her biological parents and why didn’t they keep her?
A: What you should say: “We are her real parents; where her biological parents are is not your business.”
Q: She is so lucky!
What they’re thinking: She’s lucky she no longer has to live in an orphanage or in foster care.
A: What you should say: “I’m the lucky one, to have been blessed with the perfect child for us. I can’t imagine my life without her.”
Q: Wasn’t it expensive?
What they’re thinking: They’ve heard about the high costs associated with adoption – they can’t imagine it’s affordable.
A: What you should say: “The expenses we incurred were similar to those our insurance company paid out when our sons were born. I’d be happy put you in touch with our agency and they can go over funding options with you if you’re interested in exploring adoption.”
Remember … your only responsibility is to your child. When faced with a difficult question or comment, the only response you should give should be the one you want your child to hear. I frequently ask my daughter if she minds me sharing information about her life with others. When the day comes that she says yes, that’s when I’ll start saying, “I’m sorry, that’s a personal question,” and I’ll just walk away.
Other Q & A's
Q: Where are Gigi's real mom?
A: Gigi's real mom is mom who is raising her, me. She also has birthparents in China who gave birth to her.
Q: Where's Gigi from?
A: She's from Delaware. She was born in China, but she is now a U.S. citizen.
Q: Why doesn't Gigi look like her mom?
A: She was born in China and her mom adopted her when she was a baby.
Q: Does she speak Chinese?
A: No. Gigi came to the U.S.when she was several months old. She was not speaking any language at the time! Children speak the language of the country they are raised in.
Q: Does she eat with chopsticks?
A: Chinese kids are not born knowing how to use chopsticks. In the same way that American kids learn to use spoons, forks, and knives, using chopsticks is learned by Chinese kids. Here in America Gigi will learned to eat with a fork, spoon, and knife, and also with chopsticks.
Q: Will she be a Communist? Buddhist?
A: No. Belief systems are learned (whether by choice or not). We are not born with them.
Q: Any question that is rude or inappropriate...
A: Gigi's real mom is mom who is raising her, me. She also has birthparents in China who gave birth to her.
Q: Where's Gigi from?
A: She's from Delaware. She was born in China, but she is now a U.S. citizen.
Q: Why doesn't Gigi look like her mom?
A: She was born in China and her mom adopted her when she was a baby.
Q: Does she speak Chinese?
A: No. Gigi came to the U.S.when she was several months old. She was not speaking any language at the time! Children speak the language of the country they are raised in.
Q: Does she eat with chopsticks?
A: Chinese kids are not born knowing how to use chopsticks. In the same way that American kids learn to use spoons, forks, and knives, using chopsticks is learned by Chinese kids. Here in America Gigi will learned to eat with a fork, spoon, and knife, and also with chopsticks.
Q: Will she be a Communist? Buddhist?
A: No. Belief systems are learned (whether by choice or not). We are not born with them.
Q: Any question that is rude or inappropriate...
A: Don't say a word to them just your back to them and address your child saying: (I am paraphrasing) "Some people aren't brought up correctly and you can learn from their bad behavior how not to behave to people."
Q: How much did she cost?
A: She's priceless. Why do you ask? (just in case they're potential A-parents)
Q: Do you have any children of your own?"
A: No, we just hire this little girl here to act as our daughter on weekends. You would not believe the contract her agent negotiated.
A: No, we just hire this little girl here to act as our daughter on weekends. You would not believe the contract her agent negotiated.
Q: Oh, come on, you know what I mean.
A: I'm sorry, what did you say? Did you say that I know you're mean? Well, I suppose I do. I must say, I didn't believe it when the other mothers told me - I prefer to make up my own mind about people - but yes, I guess now I do know that you are, in fact, mean. Pity.
Q: Why couldn't you have children of your own?
A: For the same reason you couldn't believe it when your mother told you that someday, if you kept on asking offensive questions, someone would put their boot so far up your ass you'd be flossing with shoelaces. It's just one of life's great mysteries.
A: For the same reason you couldn't believe it when your mother told you that someday, if you kept on asking offensive questions, someone would put their boot so far up your ass you'd be flossing with shoelaces. It's just one of life's great mysteries.
Q: Are you going to tell her that she's adopted?
A: Yes, we became a family through adoption.
Q: Can you imagine anyone giving up their child?
A: It's complicated.
Q: Was it just too hard to adopt a white/American baby?"
A: Oh, I didn't want a white/American baby."
Q: She's such a lucky little girl!
A: Nope, I'm the LUCKY one!
Q: Why didn't you adopt an American baby?
A: She is an American baby.
Q: With all the children in this country who need good homes, why would you go overseas to adopt?
A: How many adopted children do you have?
Q: I think it's wonderful that some women can adopt, but I could never love anyone who wasn't my blood.
A: Oh, so you married a blood relative?
Q: How much did she cost?
A: How much did yours cost?
Q: What is she?
A: A girl!
Q: Is she able to eat american food?
A: uhhhh...yes!
Q: I know someone who adopted. They had to give those kids back because they were so messed up and couldn't adjust. (well more a statement)
A: What I want to say: "Are you SERIOUSLY saying this out loud in front of my children!?" What my kids hear: "Our adoption isn't permanent; it's subject to my good behavior." What the speaker SHOULD have said: "I know someone who adopted. It can have its own challenges." My response: "Yes, parenting is a big responsibility and it doesn't always turn out like we plan. But adoption is forever, just like with a biological family." (http://namastechild.blogspot.com)
Q: Do you know his real mom?
A: What I want to say, "I am his real mom." What the kids hear: "I have a real mom? Who are you then?" What the speaker MEANT to say to avoid raising my ire: "Do you have contact with their birth families?" My answer then: "We have limited contact with them, and respect them very much for the loving choice they made." (http://namastechild.blogspot.com)
Q: Something along the lines of "Are you babysitting?" "Are you a foster mom?" "They don't look like you" (ya think!) or the long stare that says, "What is THIS family situation?"
A: What I say: "We're an adoptive family." What the speaker SHOULD have said: nothing. Or-you guessed it- "Are you an adoptive family?" (http://namastechild.blogspot.com)
Q: You're just like Angelina Jolie!"
A: What I want to say: "No. I definitely am not (although I love her). But if sharing one common cause makes you just like someone else, then I guess I'm her clone, despite my five foot nothing-ness, ponytail and sweat pants in the Walmart aisle." What the speaker SHOULD have said: Nothing. I really am tired of this one. Not that she isn't a great person...I just don't like being compared to anyone, and I certainly don't adopt to be celeb. (http://namastechild.blogspot.com)
QUESTIONS THAT JUST DON'T NEED A RESPONSE...
I wish I could just go buy a baby
I thought she'd be some crackbaby or something
It’s sad how they just throw them away
Asian chicks are hot
I never thought I'd see the day when you could buy babies on the internet
I just don't think I could raise someone else's kid
36 TIME-TESTED BABY-CALMERS
· Wearing baby in a sling
· Dancing with baby
· Swinging baby
· Car rides
· Pushing baby in a carriage
· Taking a walk
· Bouncing on a trampoline
· Nursing while walking with baby
· Draping baby over a beach ball
· Comfort sucking: nursing, pacifiers, sucking on the move
· Music, tapes of womb sounds, heartbeats
· Echo baby's cry
· Tape recordings of baby's own cries
· Tick-tock of clock or pendulum swing of grandfather clock
· Singing lullabies
· Vibrating, humming gadgets wrapped in diaper or blanket
· Running water
· Tape of environmental sounds
· Metronome
· Ceiling fan; bathroom fan
· Sounds of vacuum cleaner, dishwasher, washer-dryer, air conditioner
· Show baby your "silly face"
· Magic mirror
· Fire in fireplace
· Gazing at traffic
· Watching parent on exercise machine
· Watching television or video
· Infant massage
· Warm fuzzy
· Neck nestle
· Nestle nursing
· A warm bath together
· Colic carries
· Eliminating bothersome foods or changing formula
· Slowing down mother's lifestyle and changing her expectations
· Creating the most peaceful home environment.
· Dancing with baby
· Swinging baby
· Car rides
· Pushing baby in a carriage
· Taking a walk
· Bouncing on a trampoline
· Nursing while walking with baby
· Draping baby over a beach ball
· Comfort sucking: nursing, pacifiers, sucking on the move
· Music, tapes of womb sounds, heartbeats
· Echo baby's cry
· Tape recordings of baby's own cries
· Tick-tock of clock or pendulum swing of grandfather clock
· Singing lullabies
· Vibrating, humming gadgets wrapped in diaper or blanket
· Running water
· Tape of environmental sounds
· Metronome
· Ceiling fan; bathroom fan
· Sounds of vacuum cleaner, dishwasher, washer-dryer, air conditioner
· Show baby your "silly face"
· Magic mirror
· Fire in fireplace
· Gazing at traffic
· Watching parent on exercise machine
· Watching television or video
· Infant massage
· Warm fuzzy
· Neck nestle
· Nestle nursing
· A warm bath together
· Colic carries
· Eliminating bothersome foods or changing formula
· Slowing down mother's lifestyle and changing her expectations
· Creating the most peaceful home environment.
OMG - Bling Water
I've now seen it all and I WANT ONE!!! It's sooo pretty...
"It's old news and you cool kids probably have already delicately sipped down your $40 bottles of water and tossed the swarovski crystal embellished bottles away but i thought it may be worth bling-ing back up again. bling h2o prices range from $20-$480. not that you should spend $480 on a bottle full of Tennessee tapwater but why not a $20 bottle or two for the sake of a bling-themed bridal shower? show off a little!" You can find them here.
How to Stay Calm...
How To Stay Calm When Your Baby Won’t Stop Crying
It’s the middle of the night (or the middle of the day) and your baby just won’t stop crying. You’ve pulled out all the tricks to try and calm baby down (rocking, checking the diaper, feeding, burping, making baby comfortable, playing soothing music, etc…) but none of them are working. It’s during these moments when it’s easy to snap and lose it. These crying bouts do take a toll on the mother and can make you anxious.
So, what can mothers do to stay calm during these stressful moments? Here are five helpful hints that you can do to stay calm:
Keep your perspective. Babies cry and this doesn’t mean that you’re failing as a mother. Sometimes, they just need to cry and there is nothing you can do but ride it out. Don’t blow the situation out of proportion.
It’s the middle of the night (or the middle of the day) and your baby just won’t stop crying. You’ve pulled out all the tricks to try and calm baby down (rocking, checking the diaper, feeding, burping, making baby comfortable, playing soothing music, etc…) but none of them are working. It’s during these moments when it’s easy to snap and lose it. These crying bouts do take a toll on the mother and can make you anxious.
So, what can mothers do to stay calm during these stressful moments? Here are five helpful hints that you can do to stay calm:
Keep your perspective. Babies cry and this doesn’t mean that you’re failing as a mother. Sometimes, they just need to cry and there is nothing you can do but ride it out. Don’t blow the situation out of proportion.
Relax. Babies can sense if you’re tense. Take a deep breath, count to ten, close your eyes and imagine yourself in the Caribbean soaking up the sun, listen to music, or think of something that makes you laugh.
Ask for help. There is no shame in asking for help. Sometimes a five minute break from the situation is all you need to gain your composure. Let your spouse, another family member, or friend take over.
Take a walk. Put your baby in a stroller and get outside. Work out your stress.
Express yourself. Sometimes it just helps to speak out loud what your feeling. We’re not suggesting you yell at your baby, but, rather, call a friend to vent or talk to yourself.
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