Cleveland Clinic Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cleveland Clinic - Case Study Example The weaknesses at Cleveland Clinic are all centered around communication. I would recommend the Clinic institute a program that can address all three weaknesses by enhancing the communication skills of the staff. Information and education should center on fully informing patients of not only procedures, but also options and prognosis. This would go hand in hand with addressing the problem of failing to respect patients preferences. Part of this may be due to a lack of sensitivity to the patient's perceptions of treatment. Both these issues are rooted in a failure to communicate fully. The Clinic also needs to be pro-active in obtaining permission to discuss the patient's medical situation with select family and friends. This will require additional training for the staff to promote a policy of communicating with families. A policy would need to be drawn up that specifies what information is appropriate to share and when it is deemed a positive step. The "Patients First" policy has been successful on an individual and anecdotal basis. This is reflected in their high score on patient comfort. However, they have not been successful at communication the program to the patients and the families. Cleveland Clinic needs to move the policy beyond patient comfort and involve the patient in the medical decisions and treatment. Cl 4. The CC included peer evaluation in the annual evaluation of physicians. Do you think peer evaluation should be used with the nursing and other professional staff, what about 360 degree evaluation Cleveland Clinic can benefit greatly from peer evaluations. This is especially true in the team environment that they work in. Nurses share similar duties and responsibilities within the team, and the other members work closely with the team. Because of this, the nurses have a greater knowledge of performance than most members of supervision or management do. The idea of a 360 degree evaluation would not be appropriate for Cleveland Clinic. Due to the specialized nature of the specialty clinics and the team approach, input from outside these circles would not be helpful and may be misinformed. Criticism, as well as praise, could be misplaced due to the halo effect or the proximity of other team members affecting the evaluation. 5. In the Ohio market the CC appeared to be vertically and horizontally integrated. Was that part of their success, and was this part of the failure of the

M1A3 - Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

M1A3 - Conflict - Essay Example Struggle for control and dominance within a social setting such as corporate environment will lead to a stalemate in the interpersonal relationships among the individuals. Some behaviors that are associated with power struggles include feelings of deception, manipulation and defeat (Deutsch, Coleman & Marcus, 2006). However, positive power behaviors such as persuasion will minimize the interpersonal conflicts within a group. Another element of interpersonal conflicts is the differences in perceptual and cognitive factors. Human beings tend to attain distinctiveness and social identity within the social group thus individual who fail to conform to group values are discriminated against in social interactions (Rahim, 2011). High social dominance orientation will promote the group-based hierarchies in favor of the high powerful individuals in the group (Deutsch, Coleman & Marcus, 2006). Social group factors such as the level of cohesiveness, group identity, conformity pressure and decis ion-making methods will influence the effectiveness of conflict resolution among the group members. All individuals within the group strive to attain a higher social esteem and group identity. However, group dynamics such as intensity hostility between the members, fear, deception and mistrust will escalate the level of conflict within the group (Deutsch, Coleman & Marcus, 2006). PSDM model of interpersonal conflict resolution The PSDM model of decision-making and problem solving is integral to conflict resolution within a group. According to the model, conflict resolution entails four phases that include diagnosis phase, identification of alternative solutions, evaluation and selection of acceptable alternative and finally decision making and implementation phase. The diagnosis phase involves identification of the source of the conflict. The parties must cooperate in identifying the conflict sources (Deutsch, Coleman & Marcus, 2006). In addition, the parties must avoid any destruct ive behaviors such as blaming others during this phase. The second stage is identification of alternative solutions through brainstorming. A checklist is used in brainstorming sessions in order to stimulate creativity. The third phase is evaluation and selection of an acceptable solution (Rahim, 2011). This phase entails consideration the various alternatives and determining the most effective in resolving the conflict (Deutsch, Coleman & Marcus, 2006). The parties can utilize a reference frame such as ability to attain social cohesion, ability to attain group objectives and fairness to all parties. The last phase is decision-making and implementation of the solution through changing the values, attitudes and communication channels within the group. Theory of cooperation and competition The theory was advanced by Morton Deutsch and later elaborated by David W. Johnson. The theory emphasizes on the interdependence of the goals of the parties to the conflict. The goals of the parties must be positively correlated in order to foster cooperative conflict resolution (Rahim, 2011). Goal interdependence is then combined with psychological processes such as attitudes, substitutability and inducibility (Deutsch, Coleman & Marcus, 2006). The theory aims at controlling destructive competition within the group and fostering cooperation through enhancing group cohesion and problem cognition. The

Crime in Australia: An Overview

Crime in Australia: An Overview What is Crime What is Crime? Crime can be defined as breaking the law. The government or authorities usually set laws that the citizens must follow, punishment is prescribed for those who bleach those laws. The laws provided by a state are an example of behavior codes that influence society. The legal or criminal justice system enforces the law and punishes those who break it. There is a social stigma associate with crime. It is important to note that all breaches of the law are not criminal such as civil offenses and breach of contract. The tag ‘crime’ is usually reserved for the offences that cause harm or injury to the public, individuals or the state. Social, political, economic and psychological conditions influence the definition of crime and how the law is enforced. These changes may criminalize or decriminalize behavior. The statistics on crime will have to take this factor into account. Who is the Criminal? A criminal is deviant who does not follow social codes that exist in the society. Legally, a criminal is a person who breaches the law and commits a crime. This offender is the tried before a court of law for breaking the law. A criminal is usually found to be guilty of the charges put against him/her. A sentence or punishment is give to such an individual. Get help with your essay from our expert essay writers Types of crime In Australia crimes are legally classified as either indictable or non-indictable. Indictable offenses are heard in a superior court in the presences of a jury. However, non-indictable offenses are heard in magistrate courts and jury is not necessary. Although there are many differences in the various jurisdictions, a conclusion was made that offenses include; fraud, burglary, robbery, rape, assault and homicide. Crime is categorized as violent, public order or property crime in the criminal justice statistics. Violent crimes consist of assault, sexual violence, robbery, kidnapping or abduction and homicide. Robbery to some extent is a property crime. However, it’s considered a violent crime since the threat of violence is a graver offence. Criminal justice system in Australia Australia’s criminal law has evolved from the initial law adopted from the English common law. Australia’s federal government is made up of the national government and six states. The commonwealth government enforces its own laws. Commonwealth offenses include drug trafficking, breach of social security laws, property and personal offenses that occur within the commonwealth. Every state has its own criminal law. States like; Tasmania, Western Australia and Queensland have enacted the criminal codes. The other states; Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales use the common law. Currently gender, race, policing, law and crime are some of the topics for debate in the criminal justice system. Stakeholders are kin on establishing a relationship between crime, gender, race and the legal justice system. However, the issue has not received adequate media and political attention. Gender Race According to statistics on Australia’s workforce in criminal justice work there are more men compared to women. It is a ‘man’s’ job. Examining gender shades more light on criminology and victimization. Information and statistics provided also shows Australian indigenous white male represent the largest population in the prisons. The author observes, â€Å"That a specific group of approximately 2% of Australia’s female population accounts for half of the overall number of indigenous Australian women who are in prison.† These findings are astonishing. In addition, statistics also reveals that majority of those working in criminal justice are white males. The population of indigenous white men is larger than that of indigenous Australian women. Evidently, there is a racial disparity in the workforce of the criminal justice system in Australia Policing The role of the police in the legal justice system is analyzed by Cunneen in his book; Conflict, Politics and Crime: Aboriginal Communities and the Police. The author examines the over-criminalization of Australia’s indigenous people in relation to their colonial past. He developed a theory that there is a relationship between criminalization and colonization of the indigenous people. Cunneen gives attention to the role the police play in the process of criminalization of the indigenous people. He notes that the law enforcers particularly the police have limited effectives; their policies and practices are shortcoming. The police need to change their colonial policing style and culture. A zero tolerance approach towards crime has been adopted however, it is important to protect human rights and to use good judgment. Police have a vital role in crime prevention and reaction. However, more emphasis should be placed on crime prevention. The police need to organize targeted patrols, follow ups for victims with repeat allegations, faster improved response to victims, problem identification and development of solutions as well as cooperation with other law enforcing agencies. For this changes to take place successfully a cultural and mind set change is fundamental. (Brereton, David) Age The minimum age for trial in Australia’s juvenile court and in the adult courts varies. Nonetheless, 7 years is the minimum age for trial in a juvenile court and 16 years for trial in an adult court in most states. In some jurisdictions criminal charges such as murder, rape and treason are tried in adult courts. Sexuality Crime and society in Australia Women have often been the victims of crime. A study was conducted on the victimization of women in Australia. The survey on sexual and physical violence was carried out on women between 18 to 69 years. The definition of physical violence included threats, arm twisting, attempted suffocation and use of weapons like knifes or a guns. Forced sexual engagement, unwelcome sexual touch and attempts of sexual violence. According to the report 10% of the women who participated in the survey had experienced male violence that year or the previous one. The number of women who expreinced physical violence was twice as high as that of the ones who experienced sexual violence. The statistics indicated that 5% of the physical violence was perpetrated by a non-partner while 3% of the sexual violence was also committed by a non-partner. The report defined a non-partner as a friend, relative, acquaintance, workmate or stranger. General, partner sexual and physical violence are hardly reported to the authorities. Most victims find it easier to speak to their families and friends than report to the police. Table 1: Reports by victims of violence to family members, friends and the police. Partner violence Non-partner violence Family 42% 51% Friends 55% 57% Police 15% 16% The main question here is why the female victims of violence fail to report to the police. One of the most common reasons given by the victims was that they thought the case was minor or they thought that nothing could be done to help them. Has the legal system failed those whom it should protect? Its necessary to evaluate how informed the public is on individuals rights. Another area of concern is how much a person should take or allow themselves to be subjected to, in relation to violence before they can speak and seek legal justice. In 2001 and 2002 about 18 women were victims of gang rape and assault. The Ashfield gang rape perpetrated by the â€Å"K† Pakistani brothers is an example of such cases. Their victims were teenage girls from different ethnic backgrounds. The crime was comparable to Lebanese gang rapes in Sydney. Australia’s law defines rape as â€Å"unlawful sexual act with another person by force; without their consent.† The rapists’ video taped most of their rape and this was used in court as evidence. The criminal justice system judged and punished the perpetrators. The â€Å"K† brothers were sentenced to 15 to 24 years imprisonment. They were convicted for a total of 70 years for the 28 rape charges against them. In November 2005, an appeal made by three of the brothers was rejected. Instead in 2006 there term was extended by the Supreme Court (New South Wales). On of the brothers however, committed suicide in his cell. By 2007 the brothers were to face additional rape charges. During the court proceedings the issue of cultural difference between Australian and Pakistani culture arose. The rapist claimed that they did not understand what consent meant according to Australia’s terms. According to them the girls’ behavior was a form of consent. They claimed that their victims behaved in a way that Pakistani girls would not especially if they were not willing to cooperate. The presiding judge dismissed their claims and openly told off their lawyer for making such an argument. The above incident is an example of immigrants been the perpetrators of crime. The difference in culture is certain no excuse for committing such crimes. It is important to question how allowing immigrants into Australia influences crime. Certainly, different definitions of crime exist in varying countries and culture. What measures are in place to ensure that the interest of Australia’s population is safeguarded? Women are also victims of trafficking in Australia. These women are usually trafficked from other countries especially Asia and forced to work in as sex workers. The media highlighted this issue and claimed that government agencies helped the perpetrator. According to the media the government mismanaged cases by victims of trafficking and deported those women without giving them any compensation for the crimes committed against them. In response Australia’s parliament set up a joint committee to investigate the issue. The committee’s findings acknowledged that people trafficking is a major crime in Australia. Most of the trafficked people were unaware of the nature of work they would have to do in Australia. The committee was also concerned about the ease with which traffickers could access visas for hundreds of trafficked victims without raising any suspicion. Approximately 300 to 1000 women are trafficked into Australia annually. The trafficked women were forced to work not only in the sex industry but also in clothing and textiles, domestic work, construction and in the hospitality industry. Most of these victims were physically, sexually and mentally assaulted. Moreover, their working conditions were atrocious. Immigration has increased in Australia. In the 20th century more Asians have immigrated to Australia. This has lead to the increase of Asian gangs and criminal activities by these gangs in the major cities. Racial power struggles are evident even in politics. The ‘one National party’ was branded as Nazis by the Jews in Australia. The Australia-Israel Review printed the article with the aim of intimidating the party members. The attempts by the whites in Australia were shunned unlike the Aborigines. The whites were doing what the Aborigines had done but there move was termed as racist. The Aboriginals or the indigenous Australian people have in the past organized themselves on racial basis. They have also received special treatment from the government. They even have their own Aboriginal Law Council. The Aborigines account for 2% of Australia’s population. However, according to statistics by the Australian Institute of Criminology the Aborigines make up 30% of the inmates. (The Argus, 1985). Recent years have also witnessed crimes organized by a race against another. For instance the 2005 racial violence in Sydney is an example. There was a week long all attack on Muslims following an alleged attack of life guard in North Cronulla beach by a Lebanese man. Innocent people were attacked as gangs took advantage of the situation to target individuals based on their race. The government and the media did not do much to calm the situation. Moreover, to some extent the government was responsible for fueling such an attack. Since the September 11 terrorist attacks Muslim-Australians were subject to state surveillance, police raids and fear mongering. Media coverage on war on terrorism worsened the situation making all Muslim Australians to be labeled as terrorists. Media coverage on the Sydney riots appeared to support the violence. For instance, the Daily Telegraph, December had the heading â€Å"Fight for Cronulla: we want our beach back†. Past rape cases that in involved Lebanese men give justification to the attackers to claim that all Lebanese men are rapist. Clearly, such a claim has no basis because a number of Lebanese men were convicted of the crime it does not justify the punishment of an entire race. Terrorism is one of the challenges that this generation has to address. However, it is not justified to attack person and destroy property belonging to people because they belong to a particular race that is accused of terrorist acts. The division on racial lines was evident in the riots with different groups lashing out at others openly. The world is quickly becoming a global village. Therefore there is a need to understand, accept, cooperate and work with people from different cultures, races, ethnicity and religion. Tolerance should be emphasized in the current generation not violence or crimes against any particular race. A study done by the Australian government on juvenile offending revealed that ethnic minority youth were more likely to be offenders. Unemployment among the youth (15-19 years of age) was the main reason for engagement in crime. The unemployment rate for the minority youths was three times higher than the general unemployment rates of other youths. For instance the unemployment rate for Vietnamese Australian males doubles that of the general Australian youth rate. (HREOC 1993:223) The report by the Australia Bureau of Statistics showed that juveniles accounted for 13% of those in police custody. In 2003, persons between the ages of 15 and 19 accounted for the highest crime rate and booking. The juvenile offenders were four times more than the other offenders. Juvenile offenders were mostly charged with unwanted entry, theft, assault and motor vehicle theft. Cases of juvenile homicide, sexual violence, robbery and fraud were very minimal. (ABS, 2003) It is a matter of concern that youth engage in crime either individually or in gangs. Unemployment is one of the reasons given for this behavior. However, it is necessary to examine racial employment discrimination in terms of race. Statistics have shown that there is a large disparity between unemployment rates of minority youths with that of youth in general. A report by Australia Criminology Department showed that female homicide offenders were highest among 20 to 24 year olds. This was the same case for the men. (2003). Homicide cases for female offenders between 15 to 24 years of age had fluctuated in the 1990’s. A report prepared by the National Homicide Monitoring Program (NHMP) showed that in 2003 there were 341 cases of homicide in Australia. This was a 6% decrease compared to the findings of the previous year. Murder cases accounted for 89% of the homicide case in 2003 while the rest were manslaughter. Domestic related disputes were responsible for most of the female homicide incidences. The female victims were killed due to disputes related to child custody, break ups in a relationship and other partner conflicts. However, most of the homicide victims were male. They accounted for 67% of the homicide victims with men between the ages of 25 and 44 being the largest target. Compare to the women at all ages the male homicide victims were more expect for ages under 15. The female homicide victims had decreased by 15% compared to a survey done the previous year. (Australia Bureau of Statistics 2004) A survey done in South Australia, Queensland and Victoria indicated that 175,872 offenders were booked in 2003. 138,232 were male while 37,640 were female. Compared to the females, males were four times more likely to be offenders. The offending rate for men was 3,148 per 100,000. (2002-2003) Rehabilitation of the inmates is a subject that needs to be given priority as far as enforcement of the law in Australia is concerned. Research has revealed that rehabilitation of female inmates seems to emphasis on those convicted of minor offenses compared to those who have committed criminal offences like homicide. The research reveals that female prisoners with long term charges have limited and impersonalized rehabilitation. CONCLUSION Juvenile crime cases have increased worldwide. However, the crimes performed by the deviant youth are not as serious as those perpetrated by adults. In Australia the juvenile offenders rate has doubled, with most of the perpetrators been male youths. (AIC, 2003). It is argued that the main reason why juvenile booking rates have increased is because the youth are easier to arrest and prosecute. Their level of crime organization is generally less complex compared to that of adults. The main concern is how to rehabilitate youth crime offenders so that they do not continue to engage in crime in their adult life. Generally, fewer women are perpetrators of crime compared to women. However, they are often victimized, in relation to sexual or physical assault. The victims of human trafficking in Australia are mostly women. Crime rate are higher among certain races in Australia, especially among the minorities and the immigrants. This is mainly due to the racial disparities that exist in terms of employment opportunity and discrimination. Australia has made various initiatives to stop crime. As part of a crime prevention effort the National Community Crime Prevention Program was instituted in 2004. Its grant program received a funding of $ 65.5 million for the period between 2004 and 2008. These funds were to support grass root programs on crime prevention, improve safety in the community and reduce the fear associated with crime. The public, politicians and law enforcers should focus on crime prevention. It’s of utmost importance to change the perception on crime. It is not enough to react to criminals acts by arresting, taking to trial and convicting perpetrators. The government and its legal agents need to examine what can be done so as to address the issue of crime before it occurs. Prevention of crime should be given more attention. Instead of hiring more law enforcing officer, building more prisons and funding the criminal law justice system the funds can be used to improve development in the country. It is not enough to set up agencies to address the issue of crime. More far reaching initiatives need to be taken. Issues such as perception, equality in terms of opportunities and affirmative action for minorities, culture change and enforcement of the law without any bias should be considered in relation to crime and crime prevention. References Adam, G peter G. 1999. The Cambridge handbook of Australian Criminology. Cambridge, UK. Allen S. Walklate, 2001. Gender, Crime and Criminal Justice, Willan Publishing, UK. Argus correspondent, 1985. â€Å"Aborigines have the highest jail rate in the world.† The Argus, Nov. Australian Bureau of statistics, Australian Bureau of Statistics; 2003. Population by age and sex: Australian states and territories 1997 to 2002 ABS, Canberra. Australian Government: Australian Institute of Criminology, Chris Cunneen, White Robert, 2000. Juvenile Justice: youth and Crime in Australia. Oxford, UK. Cunneen, Chris, 1998. Conflict, Politics and Crime: Aboriginal Communities and the Police. Oxford, UK. D Chappell P Wilson, (eds.) 2000. Crime and the Criminal Justice System in Australia: 2000 and Beyond. Butterworths, Sydney Guillermo, Bernal, 2003. Handbook of Racial and Ethnic Minority Psychology. Oxford, UK. Jacobsen, G. 2005. â€Å"Brothers’ violent gang rapes revealed†. The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 July. Jacobsen, G.2007, â€Å"Charges brought against brothers for rapes.† The Sydney Morning Herald. 23 Nov. Mason, G Tomsen, S (eds.), 1997. Homophobic Violence. Hawkins Press, Sydney Mason, G, ‘Hate Crime as Moral Category: Lessons from the Snowtown Case’ Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology 40(3) 249-271 (2007) Recorded crime: victims, Australia 2003. ABS Canberra. Australian Bureau of Statistics 2003. Population by age and sex: Australian states and territories 2003. ABS Canberra. Mason, G, 1990. Youth Suicide in Australia: Prevention Strategies, Department of Employment, Education and Training Australian Institute of Criminology, Canberra Mason, G, 2002. The Spectacle of Violence: Homophobia, Gender Knowledge, Routledge, United Kingdom. Mason, G, 2007. ‘Hate Crime’ in T. Anthony C. Cunneen, A Critical Criminology Reader, Federation Press, Annandale Mouzos, J Makkai, T. 2004. Womens experiences of male violence: findings from the Australian component of the International violence against women survey (IVAWS). Australian Institute of Criminology, Canberra. Mouzos, J. 2002, Homicide in Australia: 2000-2001 National Homicide Monitoring Program (NHMP) Annual Report, Australian Institute of Criminology, Canberra. Ms Maltzahm, Proof Committee Hansard, 18 November 2003. Sir, P. 1995. Violent Property Crime. Federation Press, Sydney. Wallace, N, 2005. â€Å"Gang rapist’s attacks unavoidable, says lawyer†. The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 Dec. Wallace, Natasha, 2005. â€Å"Gang rapist claims right to assault† The Sydney Morning Herald. 12 Oct. Wallace, Natasha. 2005. ‘History of infamy’, The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 Nov.

Andrew Carnegie :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   5162000   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over the last hundred years many great people have come and gone. Only a few of these people have etched a legacy in history that puts them in a category of being influential through out the entire century. To achieve this state of supreme centennial importance ones impact must benefit not only the people living in the present but must also positively affect the men and women of the near and distant future. Anyone who accomplishes this task should be named the most influential person of the Twentieth Century. Because of Andrew Carnegie’s stand against harsh labor, expansion of the steel industry, and extreme generosity with ongoing philanthropic work, history will record him as the most influential person of the Twentieth Century.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Carnegie is most widely known for his monopolization of the steel industry. He developed numerous companies to support the need for steel in the developing United States. He foresaw that following the Civil War steel was going to be an important part of American life. He decided that it would be a smart idea to invest in the developing industry and that decision paid off enormously. (Amer. Exp.) He worked to modernize the United States through the building of bridges, railroads, and other vital roadways, which in turn brought the country together. By 1900, Carnegie Steel Juggernaut produced more steel, than all of Great Britain. In the early part of the Twentieth century large monopolies ruled the industrial world bringing about long hours, low wages, and harsh working conditions. This was also the time when the thought or the attempt to unionize was completely out of the question as far as most leaders of industry were concerned. Andrew Carnegie was the one of the so-called robber barons that took a stand against the unfair working conditions. Carnegie preached the rights of laborers and felt they should unionize to protect their jobs. (Amer Exp 2) As a result of Carnegie’s strong reputation his stand for unionization sent a message to the world that unions can and should be allowed. He persevered to shorten the average workday, and saw industry as a corporation between the worker and the employer. Carnegie felt that work and money were a means to an end. His goal in industry wasn’t to become the richest man but instead to improve himself to benefit the greater good of mankind. He felt that the best way to accomplish this goal was through communication.

Culture Is A Learned Phenomenon

Culture is a learned phenomenon that has both limiting and liberating effects. How do you think mass media messages received today help to shape our cultural views of attraction? How does our culture seem to define attractiveness of a woman and a man? Support your post with real life examples of media message that you found to be persuasive. Mass Media helps shape our view our views of attraction by the things we see every day from magazines to commercials. The celebrities on the front of magazines are created to look perfect but in actual reality don't.Their bodies eave been photo shopped to have more distinct features and to portray that perfect look. And in consequence people believe that is what beauty is and that's what beauty should look like and then go on to believe that's what they should kick like. What the media is doing is creating false beauty. Men are expected to look like Calvin Klein models, muscles, abs, and perfect hair. Women are expected to look like Victoria secr et models, skinny, tan, and tall. And in this day and age if you don't like something about yourself it is perfectly normal to get surgery to fix it. Ink in most of those situations he or she is getting something done to fix something it is to enhance something; to make their nose look slimmer or to go up a breast size or two.

A Summary of a Mothers’s Newborn Baby

Twana PSY 210 Mrs. Stone March 7, 2013 On March 9, 2010 I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She weighed six pounds, eleven ounces and was 21 inches long. Her beauty took my breath away. Once the doctor spanked her bottom and I heard her cry it was like music to my ears. As they placed her in my arms all of the pain I felt from my 14 hour delivery vanished. I felt as if I had just won an Olympic race and I came in 1st place. My trophy was this beautiful bundle of joy. My husband and I decided to name her Adrianna Renee. The emotional bond or attachment that I felt for my daughter had me speechless.Then the nurse told me they had to take her briefly to do some type of test on her called Apgar score. She explained to me that the test was a standard scoring system that allows the doctor to evaluate Adrianna’s condition quickly and objectively. At first I was skeptical because my daughter looked perfect in my eyes. So the nurse takes her from me to go have the test done and whil e they are gone the other nurses tend to my needs. It seemed like forever but it only took 10 minutes and they were done with the Apgar score. Adrianna had done great scoring a 10 the highest an infant can get meaning she was perfect like I knew she would be.Our stay in the hospital was short and before I knew it my husband was taking us home. Once we arrived home Adrianna surprised me how well she adapted to her new surroundings. She acted as if she was home and that was where she was supposed to be. Since I was a new mother I wanted to breastfeed my baby. The nurses told me that my milk was healthier for her, so that’s what I wanted. Unfortunately Adrianna was not having my big ole floppy boob in her face and she screamed bloody murder. So my husband had to go out and purchase a breast pump.Personally I have to say that the rejection hurt my feelings at first, but I found other ways to bond with my daughter, such as skin to skin contact. She absolutely loved skin to skin co ntact. I guess it soothed her and she knew she was safe. Once my husband returned from Wal-Mart with the breast pump I immediately began to pump. Adrianna was hungry because she was trying to eat her little fingers and suck her thumb. The dr. told me those were survival reflexes and they had swung into action when we were at the hospital. Well Adrianna sucked that breast milk down and wanted more.I burped her after three ounces and then my husband wanted to feed her. So since she was still hungry, I let her daddy feed her another two ounces. I told my husband don’t forget to burp her, because if he didn’t he was going to wear some regurgitated breast milk. Ha I love picking with him. Since I had about 10 minutes to spare, I took this time to pump more milk and store it in the fridge and freezer. Adrianna burped again and was now sound asleep. I took advantage of this time to shower and nap with her while her father did the laundry and cooked dinner. Adrianna was a wond erful infant.She only cried when she was hungry or when her diaper needed changing, other than that she just slept. At night she would only wake once approximately about 3 a. m. for a bottle and to be changed. She would stay awake till 4 a. m. looking around and looking at me as I talked to her. Adrianna would slowly drift back to sleep in my arms, then I would lay her down in her crib. I stood over her crib and watch as she made the cutest little faces. She would smile huge smiles while sleeping. My mother always told me when a baby smiles like that in their sleep the angels are playing with them.I would silently go back to my room to get more sleep before my hubby came home from work. It seemed like once he got here he’d wake us both up. He had to have daddy time with the baby. So for the first three months of Adrianna’s life this was our routine schedule. By the time Adrianna was four months old she was more alert throughout the day and was sleeping through the nigh t waking at 6 a. m. , just in time for her daddy to get home. She had discovered her hands and feet. She would put her foot in her mouth and drool all over the place because she was teething.She was always in a good mood smiling and making cooing sounds. Adrianna was now 14 pounds and 9 ounces. She had more than doubled her weight and her body was a ? inch longer. 5 to 8 Months During the 5 to 8 months she felt like she could do things without support. If I sat her down she would sit without falling over. When I put her on tummy for tummy time she would get up on her hands and knees and go back and forth. It was the cutest little movement I had ever seen. So by the time she was 6 months she was crawling. She would babble on and on dada dada. Her first word was dada.I really don’t understand how her first word could be dada, when I’m here with her more than dada, but oh well that’s just how it goes I guess. Everything that she picked up off of the floor went into her mouth. So one day as usual she saw something on the floor and picked it up and to her mouth it went. I stick my finger in there to fish whatever it was out and low and behold she clamped down and I felt it. There was a tooth at the bottom of her mouth. I found Adrianna’s first tooth on September 18, 2010. I was so excited. I called her father when he was at work to tell him the good news, then I called my mother.At 8 months Adrianna was pulling herself up and taking few steps holding on to the coffee table. Finally she said mama, but I don’t think that she knew what she was saying, but I was sure glad to hear it. She could also say baba and she knew what that meant because she would pick up her bottle and say baba. Another tooth had come in at the bottom and one was coming in at the top. She loved playing peek a boo with her daddy. When we played together our game was patty cake and she had good coordination because she would clap her hands and feet at the same ti me.We made a video for my in laws because they were in another state. They were amazed just like we were because her coordination was so great. 9 to 12 Months On December 9 Adrianna was now 9 months old and had tripled her weight since birth. She now weighed 18 ? pounds and she was 23 inches long. She would still pull herself up and walk around the coffee table holding on for dear life. When she was 10 months old she would stand alone and be very hesitant about taking her first step. When she would stand by herself she would clap her hands and I would say â€Å"Yay†!At 11 months she finally trusted herself and her surroundings and took her first steps. Unfortunately her daddy was at work so he missed this event. When he got home Adrianna walked 4 steps to him. My husband was so surprised and happy his little girl was now taking steps. On March 9, 2011 Adrianna turned a year old. My goodness it doesn’t seem like it has been a year already. It feels like yesterday I was bringing her home form the hospital. Adrianna was now walking with ease as if it came natural to her. She had a new perspective of her world. Learning how to walk had given her a new freedom.She was more active and exploring everything. Also she was feeding herself little finger foods from Gerber graduates and Cheerios. She absolutely loved drinking from her sippy cup. At first I thought she was going to reject the cup because she was so attached to her bottle, but she surprised me. She transitioned from the bottle to cup with no problems. We had her birthday party at the park in Bay Minette and the weather was wonderful. We sang Happy Birthday to her and put the cake in front so she could dig in. Oh my Lord what a mess! Adrianna got cake everywhere. She even had cake in her diaper.We let her have her way after all it was her day. I stood back taking pictures and watching her cute facial expressions. I started thinking about all of her milestones she had accomplished since birth and I just could not believe that my baby girl was 1year old already. 13 to 18 months During this time the things she already learned had improved a great deal. When she would feed herself she acted as if it was easier and she no longer had to concentrate on picking up the cheerios and putting them in her mouth. She really enjoyed being a big girl. Her vocabulary had increased tremendously.She now spoke eight to ten words and her favorite was hello. Everywhere we went she told everyone hello. She was my little social butterfly. She was not shy at all. I could tell that her personality was out going just by the way she interacted with people. I thought it was so cute watching her interact with other people. She just never met a stranger unless they were creepy looking and that scared me too. My favorite was when she would imitate me, my mother, or her daddy. I talked to my mother on a daily basis even though we live 10 minutes away from each other.Well mom and I would talk on the phone and I noticed that Adrianna would get out her play phone and talk to whomever and when I would laugh at my mom Adrianna would do the same. When she reached 18 months old she weighed 24 pounds and she could maneuver her body so she could climb out of her play pen. So I’m in the kitchen preparing dinner and I look up and I see Adrianna standing on her toy jack in the box. She then throws her leg over the rail, balancing herself perfectly. All of a sudden her little feet hit the floor and she was gone.Watching her perform that task totally blew my mind. She was right on schedule with normal toddler activity. She was stacking three blocks on top of each other and scribbling with a crayon. Instead of scribbling on paper Adrianna preferred the walls or table. I was so happy the crayons were not permanent and could be washed off with soapy water. Adrianna did not like wearing clothes, so instead of dressing herself she would undress. She loved taking her clothes off so keeping cloth es on her was a chore. Every chance that I got I would video her doing her strip tease of the day.She was a normal toddler in every aspect and she was enjoying every minute of it. 19 to 24 Months I know now what my mother meant when she told me to cherish the days when Adrianna was a baby. I no longer had an infant anymore, she was my big girl. Her second birthday was approaching fast and I wanted to turn back the hands of time. Adrianna weighed 27 pounds and she carried her weight well. She was into everything so we toddler proofed the house. I always heard people talk about â€Å"The Terrible Twos† I know what they were talking about now and she wasn’t even two yet.She could jump in place with both feet and go up and down the stairs without assistance. I could not stand to watch her go up and down the stairs because it scared me so bad. All I could think about was her falling and hurting herself. I knew that I had to let her explore her physical world so she could en hance her developmental skills, but it was a very hard thing to do. She showed high interest in her surroundings. On the day of her second birthday we had her party at McDonalds with about six other toddlers her age. Oh my God talk about nerves wrecked.I think the staff at McDonalds was happy to see us leave. After that we went to the park with her playmate Chloe. Adrianna and Chloe were born 2 weeks apart so they always played together on play dates. As we played ball I noticed Adrianna could throw the ball further than Chloe, but Chloe could kick the ball really better than Adrianna. I guess all kids are different and some do things better than others. Well as time continued its rapid pace. Adrianna continued her rapid pace of exploring and learning. Now that she was two she could do a lot of tasks. So ow when I gave her crayons and paper she would scribble and be amazed at what she did. In her little mind I guess she thought it was a master piece of art. Every master piece she sc ribbled we would put it on the refrigerator or hang it in her room. She was much better at stacking blocks too. She could stack seven blocks without them falling over. She could even match shapes now. She could put the square block through the square hole and vice versa with the circle and triangle. Wow she was really smart and in my eyes she was the smartest toddler ever. Adrianna’s language seemed to advance overnight.She woke up one morning and said â€Å"Mommy I want cereal† and I said â€Å"Oh you do†. She had made her first complete sentence with no babbling. She was actually making sense to me. I was one proud mama that day. Adrianna was such a joy to be around and I wanted her to be around children her age so she could learn social skills. So we decided to put her in in daycare part time. The first 2 weeks it was hard because she was not use to sharing, but she adjusted. She did surprisingly well with daycare and before I knew it she was ready to be pott y trained. She came home from daycare and told me she wanted to be a big girl.So we got started using the potty and within a month she was potty trained. Yay! No more pull ups! It was just before her third birthday too. Today is March 6, 2013 and Adrianna birthday is in three days. She is so excited about her birthday because we are having a pizza party this time. My baby girl is a thriving toddler and she is healthy as a horse. I thank God for her every day, because she is truly a blessing. I look forward to the bright future she will have growing up and I pray that I live to see her all grown up and independent with a family of her own.