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2012 Flu Season Begins
If you’ve seen the local news this morning you may have heard that the New Hampshire Health Department has already confirmed its first case of flu. Last year, the flu hit later than usual and was one of the mildest years in history, according to the CDC. Flu clinics are being held throughout the state; locally North Country Hospital began offering its clinic on September 20. You can view the full flu shot clinic schedule HERE. Many pharmacies also offer walk-in flu shot clinics throughout the season. To stay current on the flu in Vermont, bookmark the Vermont Department of Health Flu Surveillance website. Here you can find about the…
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Vermont Scores 3rd Place on Child Well-Being
Weighing four key areas, family and community, economics, education and health, a new report finds Vermont is #3 for child well-being. Vermont’s ranking is up one spot from last year. Though this news bodes well for Vermonters and parents eyeing the Green Mountain State as a place to raise children, the report is also clear that the third place finish doesn’t mean all children are living well, noting that “21,000 children in Vermont or 17 percent, were living in poverty in 2010.” Poverty is defined as a family of four’s earnings of less than $22,314, according to the US Census Bureau’s Poverty Thresholds. Across the nation, 22 percent of children…
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Thank you to the Woman at the Mobil Gas Station for Your Random Act of Kindness
Ever wish you could thank a stranger for her random act of kindness–for a little thing that made a big or not so big difference in your day? Well, here’s my sincere thanks to the woman who bolted across the gas station parking lot today to hold before me a package of wet wipes (opened and primed for a quick pull, too), after she obviously witnessed my preschooler yak/vomit/barf/puke/throw-up (trust me, it was all of those) a zillion times unexpectedly in the parking lot. Judging by her quick, mom-like, superwoman reflexes, I speculate that she’s a mom herself. Though, who knows, maybe she’s just a stranger with a kind heart who…
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Surviving Blood Draws With Baby
I’ve finally recuperated from our trip to Boston and I feel like I have a minute to write (but only one, as Sweet Pea has recently become a lot more mobile so she requires all hands on deck when she’s not napping!) Recently, I’ve written at Mama’s Recess about some of the lessons I learned in the NICU with my daughter, particularly about strength and patience. While we were at Boston Children’s Hospital for three days of follow up appointments last week, Sweet Pea had to get blood drawn for labwork. This is something that happens frequently enough that I am starting to feel like an expert. This particular draw…
