This past week has been a WHiRLWIND. CrAzY! We’ve been trying (to no avail) to get the house cleaned up and ready just for Sir to leave again. A little frustration came when 2 out of 3 of my Pampered Chef parties canceled very last minute, but I guess that’s how it goes. In hindsight, it may have been a blessing in disguise. Either way, it became one less thing for me to DO DO DO.
Last night, I had the Pampered Chef I’ve been looking forward to for weeks. -Full of lovely women and hosted by my aunts, it was all sorts of awesome! I experimented with more of a SHOW AND TELL approach, rather than an INTERACTIVE COOKING SHOW and just let them sip wine and mingle. AND, it was one of the best parties EVER! Yay! And, not all of the orders are even in yet…so I’m super excited about it!
With good news, comes bad news…
The girls are sick. Both of them. As much as we tried to wash our hands and stay germ free, it just didn’t happen. We brought home a nasty souvenir from our St. Louis trip – Gigi got it first, then the girls, then Pa (Gigi’s Pa), then Sir…and then we successfully gave it to Mimi! The good news is that we’re pretty sure it’s just a cold. So far, it looks like God is showing me some real mercy and not letting my symptoms progress quite like everyone else’s. –Which shows just how much God takes care of the details because I’m going to have my hands full playing a almost-but-not-really-single-mommy-for-two-weeks.
Yesterday, the girls had a previously scheduled well-child appointment and I was SO THANKFUL. Our pediatrician is awesome, and because of this, the wait can be LOOONG. But, we already had appointments scheduled MONTHS AGO. So, we got a quick diagnosis and a lot of questions about growth and development and how to keep the girls comfy answered. He very patiently gave us TWO HOURS of his time, one of which was just to talk to me because I had some concerns.
Over a year ago, I decided that vaccination wasn’t for our family RIGHT THEN. Lala had had her several shots and a nasty reaction (not the nastiest that they can get, but enough to worry me), and I had begun to do a lot of research. Sir and I decided we’d stop and then constantly re-evaluate, especially when different sicknesses made their way near us. I have reasons for not loving vaccines – including the ingredients (and I’m not just talking about thimeresol), how many are given at once and the ages they are given. I also don’t love knowing that MAYBE I could have kept my child from getting a disease they can’t get rid of. Then again, I don’t love the idea that I may be loading them up on harmful drugs, or known carcinogens.
A few weeks ago, whooping cough came back on the local radar. So, at our appt. I asked the doctor about it and after a very lengthy conversation, we decided to selectively vaccinate. For NOW. We’ll skip certain vaccinations, and the others we’ll do on a special time schedule made JUST FOR MY GIRLS. And, if they have an awful reaction, we’ll slow it way way way down. I couldn’t help but rethink our decision as I held Lala in my arms, her tear-filled eyes looking up at me with the most desperate look of utter betrayal. I did what I could to not break into tears, myself as I held her in my arms, forcing her to stay still. Then again, as she refused to walk all night and would sob as she let her legs give way underneath her, I couldn’t help feel NOT SO SURE again. Then, when baby Rora broke out with a 101.5 fever that wouldn’t respond to tylenol in the middle of the night…I began to wonder if I’d made the right decision.
To be very honest… I DON’T KNOW. All I know is that I’m doing my absolute best to be their mommy, their advocate. And, I hate that I can’t do my own scientific research just to know that I would have 100 percent reliable information that hasn’t been twisted or bent for one purpose or another. I love the idea of vaccines, I just can’t wait for the day that they become everything we need them to be for our children.
So, when you see us out and about and my babies look feverish and tired…it’s the shots. The sniffles and sneezes? That’s the cold.
Welcome back!
