Red Envelope Day

I thought that the perfect post for red envelope day would be a post with 2 stories about 2 mothers who made different decisions.

Once upon a time there was a mother who was pregnant. She went in for a routine test and found out that her baby would have down syndrome. The mother decided to have an abortion. She went on her way, thinking that she had just rid herself of a burden.

This story is true, but I can't show you the baby, or the hundreds of other babies with this same story, because they never got a chance to be born.

Once upon a time there was a mother who was pregnant. She went in for a routine test and found out that her baby would have down syndrome. She chose not to have an abortion and to keep the baby, even though she found out soon after the baby was born that she (the baby) would have heart problems.

She named her baby Hannah, which means Grace.

This is a true story, and this is baby Hannah.










Can you imagine what would happen if her mother had decided to have an abortion? Baby Hannah wouldn't be here showing us her nose because she would be dead.

Many other babies with down syndrome aren't here to show us their noses because they are dead. Someone decided that they didn't want a "burden", but instead of getting rid of a burden, they got rid of a blessing.

But Hannah's mother decided to keep her blessing, and now she has an adorable baby who had a chance to live and is showing everyone that down syndrome is not a bad thing at all.

No Human Footprints

AKA "If you insist on thinking you spotted fossilised human footprints in with the dinosaur prints, you're just plain dumb."

We went to Dinosaur Valley State Park yesterday, and there was this big disclaimer on the sign at the first exhibit:


Click to enlarge.)

Really now? Not only do you insist that the human print found INSIDE a dino print was a fake, you choose to ignore the many fossilised human footprints right in front of your nose.

What's this?


Someone (like the person who designed the sign) might claim that the one on the lower right is just a smudged dinosaur track, nevermind the fact that it fits my foot perfectly:


But what about the one on the upper left?



You can see VERY distinctly the toe marks. What kind of dinosaur had 5 toes that were all on the front of the foot, with the one on the inside being largest and then the rest going down in size from there? Here's a closer look:



Here's another set of tracks that we found that aren't as clear, but they show a big person and a little person's tracks side by side. I thought this was neat.

At the Zoo

Yesterday we went to the zoo. I learned something very interesting from Reagan:

The mention of candy will straighten up any attitude right quick!

Also, is you offer to hold her hand, she will demand to be carried, but as soon as she spots the gift shop her feet will sprout wings and she will leap out of your arms and go flying towards the toys!

We're having an epidemic of bathroomerosis; that is, certain people have to inspect every bathroom on the face on the earth. They do this by announcing that they need to go right now 5 minutes after we start driving and could we please stop at that gas station.

Also, it's very helpful to know that if you accidentally forget to put the memory card back in the camera, you can only take about 20 pictures.

14 month old babies love snakes. Real snakes. Not the toys. If you show a 14 month old baby a live snake, it will squeal and point and bounce up and down.

The zoo is fun. Even with all of the bathroom episodes and "lame" 3 year olds.

My Aquarium

Right now, I have a 10 gallon aquarium, but as soon as I get the stand I'm going to set up a 29 gallon one. I already have 2 female Mollies (Pipsqueak and Skittles) and a male Dwarf Gourami (Sprite).

I'm going to be moving them into the bigger tank, and I'm also going to get 5 black Kuhli Loaches and 6 Corydoras.

I'm going to have sand on the bottom for the loaches and corydoras so they don't scratch themselves. I might use live plants, but when I first start it I'm going to be using plastic ones.

I hope I can get the Corydoras to lay eggs because they cost about $5 each at the pet store!

I'll try to post pictures after I get it set up.

Goldfish: Caring for them & some common myths

First, let's look at some goldfish myths and the real truth.

"Goldfish will only grow as big as the tank lets them. They are perfectly happy in bowls because they don't grow too big."

On the outside, it appears that the goldfish does only grow as big as the tank allows. However, goldfish do not have an automatic growth controller that clicks off when the goldfish can't get any larger without having much swim room. A goldfish's natural size varies from 8 inches for the fancy breeds to over 12 inches for the comet. If a goldfish is kept in a tiny tank or bowl, it is stunted. But only on the outside. Its organs keep growing and growing until the outgrow the body, which leads us to our next myth:

"Goldfish only live for a few years."

Sadly, most goldfish do live for only a few years due to improper care. If kept in a proper environment, a goldfish's natural lifespan is 20 years or more. The oldest goldfish on record lived to be 49.

"Goldfish do not need a filter. They are very hardy and are fine without one."

Goldfish do need a filter, much more than most other fish. They are extremely messy. Unless it is removed some way, the waste and excess food rots, which will kill the goldfish because rotting waste and food produce ammonia. Ammonia burns a fish's gills, which leads to a painful death if the situation is not addressed quickly. Even then, a fish can have lasting damage to the gills.

Now, let's talk about setting up a goldfish tank. Goldfish need much larger tanks than other common fish because of their adult size. If you take good care of your goldfish, it can be with you for over 20 years!

The general rule of thumb for goldfish is 20 gallons for the first goldfish and 10 gallons for each additional goldfish. Goldfish need excellent filtration to keep all of the waste down. Buying a filter for a goldfish can be more expensive than for another kind of fish, but since goldfish do not need heaters, the cost is probably about even. List of things to buy:

29 gallon tank
Filter rated for a 40-60 gallon tank
Gravel
Plants (Live plants look nicer, but a goldfish will uproot them and possibly eat them)
Optional decorations/accessories (like caves, statues, driftwood, etc.)
API master test kit (if you don't already have one)

You probably won't want to only have one, so let's say you're wanting to start out with 2. You'll need to buy a 29 or 30 gallon tank. The difference between them is that a 29 gallon is 30 inches long, while a 30 gallon 36 inches long. 29 gallons are probably more common than 30's.

Do not buy a goldfish yet!!!! If you add your goldfish right now, they will die of ammonia poisoning because your tank has not completed the nitrogen cycle. Look here for detailed directions. I would recommend using the "Add Daily" method, even though it takes longer, because in the end there will be much more beneficial bacteria to eat up your goldfish waste and the fish will be much less likely to die.

After you have cycled your tank (your tank has 0 ammonia, 0 nitrItes, and 10-20 nitrAtes), you can add, at most, 2 goldfish. If you are using a 29 or 30 gallon tank, you need to get one of the fancy varieties, like a Black Moor or a Fantail and NOT one of the longer plain varieties, like a Comet, because these grow much larger. Here is an example of how big the fancy varieties can get if kept in healthy conditions. This kind of growth is NORMAL! Pond goldfish are not the only ones who naturally grow large.

Make sure you do a 25-40% water change once a week to keep your fish healthy. NEVER totally empty the tank and wash the gravel, because this kills the ammonia-eating bacteria!

Caring for bettas: Creating a betta tank & some common betta myths

Supplies to buy:

Tank
Heater
Filter
Gravel
Plants/decorations
API test kit

First, you'll need to buy a tank. Do NOT buy a bowl, a vase, or anything less than a 2.5 gallon! A 5 gallon would really be alot better than a 2.5, and if you get a 10 gallon, your betta will have a palace!

You'll need a filter and a heater. Bettas like to be kept at around 78 degrees, and they don't like alot of water disturbance from the filter, so take this into account when buying. Make SURE you don't go overboard with the equipment. A filter for a larger tank will cause too much water flow, and a heater that's too powerful can kill your betta by overheating the tank.

Also get some substrate. Don't get sand. If you get gravel, make sure it's smooth so it won't damage your betta's fins. Marbles or those little flat glass "pebbles" will work well.

Get some plants and decorations, too. Live plants will provide oxygen and absorb some ammonia. If you get fake plants, don't get plastic! They will tear your betta's delicate fins. Get silk plants instead. Get a couple of structures for your betta to play with, such as a castle with large smooth-edged holes.

Take your tank & equipment home. Do NOT buy a betta yet! You'll need to cycle your tank before you put your new friend in. Set up the tank, plants, decorations, filter, and heater. Don't put it in direct sunlight. Research instructions for a fishless cycle, follow them, and don't buy your betta until you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and around 10 nitrates.

Make sure you acclimate your betta before letting him into his new home. If you don't, you risk having him or her go into shock from the change in water temperature.

If your new fish doesn't eat right away, don't worry. Give your betta a few days to settle in.

When cleaning the tank, never wash off the gravel, and NEVER use any soap on anything going into your aquarium. Use a siphon & gravel vacuum and do a 25% water change every week.

Common betta myths and the real truth:

"In the wild, bettas live in mud puddles, so they are fine in those little cups."

In the wild, bettas live in rice paddies in Thailand, NOT in mud puddles or elephant footprints.

"Bettas don't need a filter or heater. They don't have a filter or heater in the wild."

In wild betta habitats, water flow provides natural filtration, just like the warm climate combined with the lower water level (NOT mud puddle levels) provides natural heating. With no filter, the betta is practically breathing its own waste, only it is not in the form of waste. When fish waste and excess foods rot, they produce ammonia, which is toxic to fish in levels as small as .75 ppm. When I got my sister's betta from the store, I tested the water from his tiny cup, and the results were 8+ ppm. Ammonia burns the gills of a fish, leading to extreme pain and eventually death.

"Multiple male bettas can be housed together. What stops them from being together in Thailand?"

Nothing. Nothing stops the bettas from seing eachother. However, nothing stops them from swimming away or hiding either. If one male has had enough in a rice paddy, he can swim away and/or hide in the plants. In an aquarium, and especially the small ones that bettas are usually housed in, the males can not get away from eachother, so if one tries to escape, the otehr will bully it to death.

I hope that if you decide to get a betta, you will keep it in good conditions like the ones I listed!

Her Royal Highness Demands...

An audience with mommy at 2:00 in the morning,

Cough Drops,

Kool-Aid,

Purple Medicine,

And numerous other things that I can't remember...

Reagan is sick. The night before last she had a 103 degree fever and a bad cough and she woke up screaming that there was a wolf in her room. Mymomconnie took her to the doctor the next morning and waited in the tiny room for 2 1/2 hours for the doctor to come out and say, "She has a cold. Give her Robitussin."

Aaaannnddd... how much do we owe you for that?

Later, she was looking through one of Adrienne's school books when she saw a picture of a squirrel. She squealed, "That's what was in my bedroom last night! I saw it!!!"

I think that maybe we might possibly need a lesson on animal identification.

Right now she's running around underwear, and since we're about to go to the store, Mymomconnie asked her, "What about your pants?"

Her reply was, "Don't know" (and the unspoken part was probably "Don't care")!

Last night she woke up in the middle of the night and started out saying, "Where's Mommy? Mommy, I need you!" and built it into, "Mommy, come here RIGHT NOW!!! I WANT TO SEE YOU!!!!"

Let's hope she doesn't start hollering about wolves at Wal-Mart.