Do they sell Children-Bubbles yet?

aka: the most pessimistic post in the world

I swear lately I've been so paranoid about the boys and their safety. Those of you who know me know that I've always been super anal about carseats and having my kids in a harness for as long as possible (my current goal is until 1st grade, and hopefully that will be made possible with the Graco Nautilus we plan to buy for Porter soon)... but lately it seems like I keep hearing about other "hazards" and feeling completely paranoid about everything in their environment.

For example....
A few weeks ago I got an email about Ikea recalling some of their roman blinds because a 14 month old strangled herself in them. I thought to myself... how does that happen? How does a baby get blinds and wrap them around their neck? So, I decided to google YouTube and found a ton of videos on how unsafe blinds are in a home... ANY kind of mini blinds, roman blinds, safety blinds etc. So then, of course, I started to get paranoid about the roller blinds in Porters room as they are right by his bed, and the cord is reachable from his top bunk (he sleeps up there sometimes). And our entire house has mini blinds... and although I've cut the cords short and out of reach, what if somehow, some way, he got a stool and... Yes, I know, not likely, but I read story after story about parents who said their house was SO child proofed and their child still almost choked to death.

And then I dropped the boys off at my sisters last Wednesday and when I was in Aubri's room I noticed the large tv sitting angled on top of the wobbly dresser and immediately my mind wandered through some terrible thoughts. I imagined Porter thinking he'd turn the tv on and trying to climb the dresser which surely wasn't stury enough to withstand him climbing on it let alone being so top heavy with an obviously too-large tv. I dawdled a bit, hesitating to leave for fear that I'd receive a terrible phone call at work that day. Once I got in the car I called Ryan to have him go to Heather's and secure the dresser to the wall for her.

Now that Porter is sick, and Hudson might have the same thing, of course I'm paranoid about how risky the flu is for children, and while Porter doesn't worry me as much, I'm so scared for Hudson to get the flu. He's so tiny. And of course I remember terrible stories and I worry that I haven't gotten the flu shot for Hudson yet this year. I'm sure the throw ups that they have are nothing to worry about but I can't help but worry!

And then of course there's the SIDS worries, the paranoia that Hudson sleeps with a blanket (often over his face) and the fear that I'll one day walk in and uncover a blue face. Linda wrote a post the other day that sent chills down my spine... its so insane how you don't think your kids can find danger but they always find a way.

Sigh.

Such is the life of a parent... living in constant worry, wanting to always shield your children from every danger, every scary, harmful thing in the world. But the reality is, you can't. And that is just eating me alive lately.