Thank you for smoking!

The last couple of weeks have been super busy with lots of doctors appointments and home visits. I've been to the pediatrician weekly and Dr. Myles says I am doing great...gaining lots of weight and over 5.5 lbs! I think most of my weight gain last week was in my feet. I have toes like Fred Flintstone!



I also had a visit by Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Betty from the Medically Vulnerable Infants Program (MVIP). The program provides early intervention services for babies from birth to age three who are at risk for developmental problems because of medical conditions or complications surrounding the pregnancy or birth. The program provides home support for families and needed intervention to foster optimal developmental outcomes for each child. Over the next three years, Nurse Practitioner Betty will be doing home visits to play with me and follow my development. Well that is as long as there is funding from Sacramento and people keep smoking.

Daddy and Mommy said smoking is bad for me but ironically also good for me because the MVIP gets funding from First 5 California, also known as the California Children and Families Commission. In 1998, the voters passed California Proposition 10, an initiative state constitutional amendment in the California General Election. The official name of this amendment is “The Children and Families First Act.” This amendment put a $.50 tax on cigarettes, and even up to $1 on other tobacco products such as chewing tobacco and cigars. The revenue from this tax go to funding early childhood education in California like First 5.

So thank you for smoking...but for your own good you should look into a smoking cessation program! (hint hint...Godmother Cindy)