Vaccinations

I’m bracing myself to go toe-to-toe with the pediatrician in a few weeks. I’ve mentioned before that Mr. Tonks and I decided against vaccinating the baby until he’s 6-months old. The only shot he’s had thus far was the Vitamin K in the hospital. The pediatrician will, I’m sure, engage in scare tactics (like last time) and cajoling but I’m not bending on this one.

It’s not that I’m anti-vaccine (not even close) but I’ve been reading and educating myself and I feel confident that our decision is in our baby’s best interest. XC is a healthy, happy, normally developing, exclusively breast fed 3-month old. We will vaccinate but using a modified schedule and only allowing one or two shots at a time.

My discomfort and wariness of inoculations started a few years ago when JP landed in the hospital after receiving five vaccinations plus the flu shot. At the time I questioned the doctor (not who we see now) repeatedly about the safety of so many shots. As some doctors are apt to do he made me feel stupid and chided me for being worried, he played the convenience card (”get them all done now and you won’t have to come back before kindergarten”) and gave me the standard “vaccines are safe” speech. I allowed it against my better judgement. Within 36 hours my precious son was in the hospital with a horrible fever, sicker than I’d ever seen him and hooked up to IV fluids. It was awful. Can I conclusively prove that the shots were what made him ill? No. Can it be conclusively said that the shots didn’t make him ill? Absolutely not.

At present I’m reading What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children’s Vaccinations but am looking for other resources so that I can arm myself with knowledge (it’s trite but true, knowledge = power) and so I can present the doctor with an alternate vaccination schedule that Mr. Tonks and I are comfortable with.

You guys were tremendous when we were debating the pros and cons of circumcision so I’m hopeful you’ll come out in force on this one as well.

They deserve to rot

My cousin Ann has me stewing yet again.

On Monday her ex-husband, Wade, was sentenced on child pornography charges (among others, I believe), was extradited to another state to face more (similar) charges and, I think, is facing charges in another state. It makes me sick.

A few years ago Ann brought over two computer hard drives belonging to Wade for safekeeping in my parents’ basement. She boasted that there was shit on there that could put him away for years. Ann is kind of full of shit herself so no one thought too much of it and, frankly, we didn’t really believe her. Time went on and the drama continued and my dad finally told her to turn the computers over and get them out of his house. She did and, oh my god, what has played out is beyond disturbing on so many levels.

Apparently at Wade’s sentencing hearing photos that appeared on his hard drive were shown to the judge on a big screen. Photos involving small children. Photos involving infants. Horrific, disgusting, evil, awful photos. Wade was sentenced to 10 years in Kansas. On child porn charges. Does that give you any indication of what kind of vomit inducing filth we’re talking about here?

I hate him for it. He’s a sick, twisted, demonic pervert. I hope they put him in general population in prison. I hope he endures the kind of torture those babies had to endure for his pleasure. I hope he dies slowly and painfully. I want him to beg and fear for his life. I hope they make him scream for mercy but never deliver it. I. Hate. Him. He should rot in the deepest pits of hell.

My cousin is no better. She knew what was on those computers and she waited two years. TWO YEARS before she turned them over. She let children be abused and scarred beyond anything I can imagine because she wanted leverage. I. Hate. Her. She’s a mother for christsake! It boggles my mind that she could see perverse images of children suffering and turn a blind eye. Plus, she continued allowing her sons to visit their dad! It makes me sick that I’m related to this woman. I’m ashamed to know her. As far as I’m concerned Ann deserves to rot alongside her ex-husband. She deserves no more mercy than he does.

If any of us had any idea of what was on those hard drives…it would’ve have taken us two SECONDS to give them to the authorities. I wish now we would’ve looked. But we didn’t believe her. We reasoned that if there was anything worth turning over she would’ve done it long before she ever did. I can’t tell you how sorry I am that we didn’t check. Believe me, I hate myself for it.

Ah, sangria

Last night I discovered that after three or four sangrias (enough to get me buzzed but not drunk), I am a much more laid back and entertaining mother. It’s unfortunate that maintaining a constant state of tipsy would make me an alcoholic. Speaking of, here’s a fabulous recipe for homemade sangria (alas, not what I had last night). Yummy.

Eusebia’s Sangria

1 bottle dry red wine

1/3 cup Brandy

1/3 cup Cointreau

1/3 cup Brown Sugar

Orange Juice

Club Soda

1 red apple & 1 orange ( thinly sliced)

Preparation:

Marinate the fruit in the brown sugar,Brandy and Cointreau at least an hour (longer is better, overnight is best).

Then add bottle of wine and add OJ and Club soda to taste.

Drink much with friends on your deck and enjoy!

Speculation

I’m frothing at the mouth to know exactly why Gov. Palin up and resigned this afternoon. Until then I’m entertaining myself with baseless and possibly (okay, more likely than not) untrue conjecture. Here’s what I’ve got so far:

• Some Alaskan reporter has incriminating video of her enjoying inappropriate relations with a moose.
• Laggin says it’s possible she was “hiking the Appalachian trail” (*wink*wink*).
• Mr. Tonks disagrees and says it’s more likely she was hanging out with the First Dude of Russia.

Okay- your turn!

This has the potential for disaster written all over it

Tomorrow Laggin and I are headed out for a little road trip to visit Terin. Sounds like fun, yes? YES! Except this delightful little adventure has one very small variable that could make all involved terribly miserable: XC.

To make life easier for all (at my house) my sweet squishy baby is going with us. Here lately riding in the car is not his favorite activity. He’s not terrible, just moderately fussy. Also, XC has never been in his car seat for more than 40 minutes. Our trip will take us roughly two hours. Should XC decide to pitch a fit two hours is a long damn time to listen to a baby scream and cry.

I also worry that my normally affable, happy baby will be a cranky punk that will make Laggin and Terin regret our coming along. Oy. Know what the kick in the ass is, should it all turn out suckish? This was my idea so I’ve no one to blame but myself.

On the upside: the big Tonklings aren’t coming so that’s something, right?

Update: XC was a very good baby. Apart from a slight freak out en route, he did beautifully in the car and even slept the whole way home. It was a lovely afternoon, lunch was yummy, the company was fabulous and I’m totally up for doing it again.

Can I sit on your lap?

Heebie’s recent posts have brought back a flood of memories of when my mother had her heart attack. Even though it’s been five years, thinking of the experience still evokes the feeling of fear, loneliness and the distinct wish that I could be a little kid again- when Mommy could fix everything.

The day she had her heart attack I’d skipped the usual morning phone call (I usually talk to Mom every morning) so I could get my errands run early. JP was about 19-months old and, once we were done, I took him outside to play. I remember we were having a lot of fun and thinking it had been a really wonderful day with him. I’d gone inside to get him a drink and the phone was ringing. Mr. Tonks was on the other end of the line and the only thing that is crystal clear is him telling me Mom had had a heart attack, she was in surgery and that I needed to go. I literally fell on my knees and had 30-seconds of freaking out before I ran outside, scooped up JP and headed to the hospital. I called my aunt, my best friend Annie and my mom’s best friend on the way. The only experience I’d had with heart attacks was when Annie’s dad had one our senior year of high school. He lingered for a few weeks before dying. I was terrified. 

Once she was in her room she kept assuring us that everything was alright, it was a minor heart attack and that everything would be fine. She looked very small and grey. Her hair was wilted across her forehead and it seemed like the lines in her face had been etched deeper. We couldn’t have been further from “fine.” Nothing would ever be “fine” again.

You see, moms aren’t supposed to get sick. Moms aren’t supposed to get old. Moms don’t die. Moms have super powers. They can fix anything. They could be struck with the black plague and still make dinner. Moms are supposed to live forever. 

For weeks afterwards I would stand in the shower every night and cry. I thought I would have years before either of my parents becoming ill or dying would even be a possibility. Instead I was 25, Mom was 53 and a nasty harsh reality was staring me in the face. 

Once, after my grandparents died, my mom told me she felt like an orphan. At the time I though she was absurd. She was an adult and had both of her parents for over 40-years. She was the furthest thing from an orphan- or so I thought. I get it now. I get how even when you’re an adult, there are times when you just want your mom. And I realize that on the day when I will need her more than anyone else in the world, that will be the day when I can’t have her and that…that thought just hurts like hell. Moms are supposed to live forever.

What patient wouldn’t love to be probed?

This picture is of a massive billboard advertising FAIL for a local hospital. I don’t even want to think about where that *doctor* is going to stick that thing.

That is most certainly not how I want to be treated, thankyouverymuch.

Here we go

This afternoon Mr. Tonks and I are headed to a baby shower. An inoccuous enough event, right? 

Wrong.

A large number of guests at this little fete are all hard core Wingers, including my friend Heidi who crawled up my ass during the election. If we didn’t love the mama-to-be so much we would avoid it at all possible costs. 

Mr. Tonks and I will behave ourselves but there’s a good chance other guests (knowing that Mr. Tonks and I have fallen off the Born Again Christian wagon) may try to witness to us, talk politics, etc., etc. It will be tempting to profess my allegiance to the Dark Lord and pretend to curse them. 

The cake at this shindig had better rock.

Update: Everyone played nice and we actually had a good time. Also, the daddy-to-be’s family is like going to Walmart at 11 pm on a Saturday night. Whoa.

Summery things that make life nicer

…and every single one of them is super cheap or free.

1. Pandora Radio

2. Hulu

3. The public libraries (use of books, cd’s and dvd’s for free- hooray!) and the super fun kids’ programs they sponsor

4. Book swapping with friends

5. Miami Ice on 39th (flavored shaved ice on top of custard- yum)

6. My French press and the fabulous coffee that it makes (purchased for $7.99 at Tuesday Mornings)

7. The fountains in Loose Park and at Crown Center

8. Popsicles

9. Ceiling fans

10. Cool, clean sheets

11. Kids’ summer movies

12. Boulevard Wheat

13. Evening thunderstorms

14. The smell of the Tonklings slathered in sunscreen

15. Evenings with friends on our deck

3-months later and he’s still my favorite*

XC is 3-months old today! In some ways the time has gone by so fast it just doesn’t seem possible, in other ways it’s like he’s always been part of our family. 

He recently went through a growth spurt that left him much longer and squishier. He smiles and laughs easily and is generally a very contented, happy baby. He loves to talk and we have long conversations that involve XC cooing and squeaking and me saying, “Oh yes?” Tell me all about it.” And he does. XC tells great stories.

He’s hit all the necessary milestones (rolling over, better head control, etc.) and has started sleeping through the night. It’s still sporadic and sometimes he’s up around 4 or 5 am to nurse but, hey, a block of six solid hours of sleep is six solid hours of sleep. I know better than to complain. 

Much to the pediatrician’s chagrin XC still hasn’t had any vaccines. I told him I would do more research and get back to him at XC’s 4-month appointment. What he doesn’t know is that my research is done and I’m digging in my heels and refusing to start vaccines until he’s 6-months old.

Somehow I’m finding this stage of XC’s infancy infinitely more enjoyable than I did with the other two (SG especially). Maybe it’s because I realize we never get to do this again. Maybe it’s because I’m confident enough in my abilities to not second guess all the time. Maybe it’s because XC seems to radiate pure joy. I’m not sure but I do know that I wouldn’t trade this time for anything in the world. 

Here’s the last picture I’m going to post on the blog…

*I figure he’ll silently hold this status until the Terrible Twos set in. It’s so nice to have at least one of my kids think Mr. Tonks and I are the best things this world has to offer and I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts!