Vaccinations...hmmmmm???

For the past few weeks, I have been really thinking a lot about vaccines and the safety and the necessity of them. There has been plenty of research on the news, facebook posts, etc. and I really haven't paid too much attention to it until this weekend. The only vaccine that I have really worried about in the past is the MMR. I have heard way too many stories from being a teacher for 7 yrs. as well as a family member who swear that their child was perfectly normal until they received the MMR shot and then suddenly the child showed signs of autism and not long after was diagnosed with it. After hearing these stories that sounded almost identical to one another, I decided to hold off giving Jack his MMR until he was full out speaking in sentences just to be 100% sure. Besides that, whatever the dr. tells me the boys need, I get. I just assume that they know what is best for my child better than I do when it comes to medical stuff because they went to medical school and I didn't.
Well after a long weekend with a lot of research and discussion with a good friend of mine from HS, who is a dr. himself, I am completely disgusted with what I read and heard about vaccinations and drs. The bottom line is many of these vaccinations that are given to our children are not necessary and contain the most horrific ingredients such as formaldehyde, mercury (link to autism), chick embryos, etc. Then why would they give them???? Because it is a huge money maker for pharmacetucal companies, drs., each time the vaccine is given. That is why the vaccines have increased tremendously over the last few years. When I was a child, chicken pox was a common thing during elementary school and no one died that I knew of from it and now there is vaccine for it, as well as the flu, rotovirus, hepatitis, etc, etc, etc. WHy suddenly are these once normal infections suddenly life-threatening according to our pediatricians. Trust me, up until today, I gave my children every vaccine that I was told they needed except the MMR but talk about a complete change in heart. The only reason I am writing this blog is because I wish I knew this info. earlier so I could have weighed the pros and cons prior to the vaccinations. The main thing I learned this weekend about vacciantions is if you choose to vaccinate, do not give more than one vaccine at a time. There has never been a study on the effects of vaccines when given all at one time. The levels are tested for the one immunization given but not when it is paired with other vaccines as well. Drs. are not usually fond of you when you say you do not want them all together and that you will come back every few weeks to get all the vaccines needed. I am going to put a few websites that I looked into if anyone is interested in looking into this whole vaccine debate.
Well hopefully this will open your eyes up to not trusting anyone but yourself when it comes to your children. My boys are my life and I will be damned if anyone is going to tell me what to do of there is even a 1% chance of harming them.


Some websites: (These are just a few.)


http://www.nvic.org/

Doctor Admits Vaccine Is More Deadly Than Swine Flu Itself & Will Not Give It To His Kids
Source: www.youtube.com
Title speaks for itself. SAY NO TO THE VACCINE!

Flu Vaccine Exposed: Think Twice!
Source: www.youtube.com
Studies show that flu vaccines are unsafe and ineffective. This uncensored presentation by the Thinktwice Global Vaccine Institute (www.thinktwice.com) includes a visual depiction of flu vaccine production -- how the flu vaccine is made and what it contains! ...
Vaccinations can produce brain damage in children.

Russell Blaylock, M.D., a respected doctor and nutritionist, has some urgent health information that could dramatically affect your health and well-being. Please take a moment to read his information at
Newsmax.com

Save the Best for Last...

When writing about my trip to NY in a recent blog entry, I purposely left out my brother-in-law because I wanted to save the best for last and give him his very own blog entry. Why you ask...he is that incredible!! My sister's husband Stephen is such a great guy. He can always make you see the brighter side of things, make you laugh by simply acting like a jack-ass, a real genuine person. I think back to when my sister met Stephen and how he changed her life instantly. He truly adores her and still after all their years together, he cannot keep his hands off of her, which could be why they have 3 children together. He works more hours than anyone could imagine just to give his family a great life. Even with all his hours at work, he still seems to have time to stop by my parent's house and mow their lawn so my father does not have to, give my dad a hand with things around the house, fix up his backyard so it looks like a country club, make many "unusual" things out of landfill treasures he finds while at work to decorate his own house, and of course, makes sure he has time to spend with his kiddos.

So as you can see, my sister is quite lucky to find such a great husband and father but then again, they are perfect for one another because she is such a great wife and mother.

This is a shout out to you, Steve!! You better get yourself to Texas soon or else the next blog will talk about how crappy a brother-in-law you are.

Nolan's 1st Birthday

Happy 1st Birthday!!
"My Very Own Smash Cake"

Time to get wild!!

I had to post some pics of Nolan's 1st birthday because they are so damn cute. He had such a great day with so many friends and family right there by his side. This day was one of the many moments in my life where I cannot believe how thankful and fortunate I am to have a wonderful husband, 2 beautiful boys and so much family and friends that are such an important part of our lives.

What's Been Going On....

Once again, I did not keep up with my promise to keep my blog up-to-date but life is just so busy. My plan for this blog entry is just to catch everyone up with whats been going on in our life.

1. Nolan turned 1. Can you believe it?? My baby is growing up way too quick, so when is it time for the next?? We have been in deep discussion about it because we think we would like 4 children and I do not want to be 40 still having kiddos so my time line might need to be adjusted. I just love being a mom and cannot see me ever done with having kids. I truly enjoy watching them grow, especially up with one another and knowing that my dream of finally being a stay-at-home mom has come true. Well, time will tell!!

2. My parents came from NY for Nolan's celebration and it was so nice having them here. My Jack is just so in love with them and is just a different person in front of my mom and dad than he is with anyone else. He has no boundaries and feels no embarrasement, which explains his circus acts or made up language with my mom. I love seeing the boys with them and it still hurts to know that my children cannot just go over to their house or them come here on a whim because of the distance. I know it has affected Jack even more now because he understands distance and knows it will be awhile before the next trip to NY. My main focus is to make sure the visits never stop because I would love for Nolan and our future children to grow up loving my parents the same way Jack does. Due to their constant efforts and ours, I do not think this will ever be a problem.

3. Our trip to NY to stay at my sister's house and watch her kiddos for the week was incredible. My parents had no idea we were coming being that they just left visiting us 4 days earlier. They came to my sister's house and were pleasantly surprised when we popped out. My sister's live-in nanny was away so I was the replacement for the week. That meant 5 kids and me!! It was tiring don't get me wrong but it was amazing. I spent such quality time with my niece and 2 nephews and Jack & Nolan got a huge dosage of cousin time. When we lived in NY I was only 5 minutes from my sister and we saw each other daily, have dinner together many nights and loving on my niece and nephew. When we moved, this was one of the most devastating parts of it. Knowing I could not see them all the time and watch them grow up still can make me tear up. The final day when I said goodbye to them was one I will never forget. Besides the kiddos, just being with my sister for a week was so nice. Even though she worked every day, before she left for work and after, just sitting with her chatting was why I truly love having a sister. My sister is quite an incredible person. She works full-time, has 3 kids and a step-daughter and just always seems cool, calm and relaxed. Nothing much gets her in a daze and I a lways admired her for that. She makes her home so calm and relaxing. Nothing is rushed.... I truly love my sister with all my heart and think she is quite an incredible wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, etc.

4. Rob is back at work and I miss him!! We were so spoiled to have Rob home all summer and Jack and Nolan are missing him a whole lot. Every morning Jack wakes up and says, is Daddy home today?? I miss my best friend. How many more minutes until he gets home??? And Nolan, the minute Rob walks in the door, Nolan lights up and smiles ear-to-ear when he sees his daddy. He just loves his Daddy. Rob is doing incredible in his career. When we moved here, he was hired as just a 5th grade teacher and then the following year was asked to work for the Gifted and Talented program and now this year, he is the head of the program and has been offered many different opportunities. He was paid to write the curriculum for the district, asked to teach development courses to collegues in the district and is also speaking in a convention in Dec. in some other state for the McKinney ISD district. I knew he had it in him but was never given the chance to show what he had but one given the opportunity, he has run with it and has been beyond successful. I am amazed at what he has done in just 2 years since we moved and I just wish I could express it as much as I feel. Superiors to him ask him his opinion and I know it has to feel so good to him to see how far he has come but he is so humble.

5. Since I met Rob 13 years ago, he always spoke of something big happening in the future for us and he believed in himself. As the years have passed, Rob has always come up with ideas that were incredible and sounded so successful but nothing ever came of them. He has always had issues with procrastination and it has always held him back from his dreams of something BIG happening. After he has been so successful in this school district and teaching the Gifted Children, he decided to start pursuing his dreams of something BIG happening. Well we just found out about a week ago that Rob's idea might mean a totally different life for us. It is beyond our wildest dreams and only time and meetings will tell. The thought of this idea turning into what all involved think it will turn into is uncomprehendable to me but we are all excited and looking forward to the next step. I just cannot wait to be able to turn around and help everyone in our lives' that have helped us or our truest friends that we would love to turn around and thank them in a way we could never dream of.
Hopefully in my next blog I can share more about our possible dream coming true...

Now that I have spent the last hour catching up, I will once again promise that I will stay on top of my blog with even a few lines as a post, just something.

Oh and I forgot, I turned 31!! It was a great bday with friends and family and an awesome dinner with Rob and the kiddies. I am totally loving my life and could never imagine being any happier or more fortunate at this age.

My Littliest Angel is One!!

Nolan Ty- 8/19/08 at 2:23am

7lbs. 13.9 ounces

Proud Big Brother Jack

Growing so fast...

Always smiling

Happy Birthday Angel!

A year ago my littliest angel, Nolan Ty was born and out came this perfect little boy, who puts a smile on our faces everyday. It just amazes me that a year can come and go that fast. I can remember being in labor the night before and Rob loosing his patience with me because he felt he was going to be delivering in the car (thanks Jen L.) because I was taking way too long to get ready to look good for the pictures when he arrived into the world. The thought of hearing him cry for the first time or seeing his little face brings back such amazing memories of finally meeting my little boy after 9 months of anticipation. Well, he was worth every second of that waiting because he is truly incredible and I cannot wait to see him grow year after year.

Happy 1st Birthday, Nolan Ty!!

I've Come To Realize...

1. I've come to realize that my chest-size... is perfect thanks to some very special doctor.
2. I've come to realize that my job... is the best thing I could ever do...stay-at-home and raise my boys.
3. I've come to realize that when I'm driving... I have the best conversations with Jack.
4. I've come to realize that I need.... to stop worrying about how clean my house is even though I enjoy coming home to a clean house.
5. I've come to realize that I have lost... the desire to gossip negatively about people like we did in high school. Once you become older, you sort of realize that all it does is hurt someone and makes people realize the type of person you truly are.
6. I've come to realize that I hate it when... people do not think about how cruel they can be to others.
7. I've come to realize that if I'm drunk... I do not enjoy the thought of waking up the next morning, which is why I do not get drunk anymore.
8. I've come to realize that money... can make some people very happy or others' very different in a negative way.
9. I've come to realize that certain people... are truly good people and others' decide when they want to be.
10. I've come to realize that I'll always... be so in love and thankful for my children, my husband and my family.
11. I've come to realize that my sibling(s)... mean the world to me and it still is so difficult that I live so far from them.
12. I've come to realize that my mom... is my ROCK and I cannot imagine being able to live without her. The thought can make me sick. I try to raise my children just like she raised us and I think I am doing a pretty good job.
13. I've come to realize that my cell phone... has way too many kinks in it since it was the 1st touch screen from Nextel and they should replace it for free.
14. I've come to realize that when I woke up this morning... I loved seeing my boys' faces.
15. I've come to realize that last night before I went to sleep... I prayed.
16. I've come to realize that right now I am thinking... about my dog and hoping she is not truly sick.
17. I've come to realize that my dad... was an amazing father growing up and I can still remember how involved he was in everything we did. I love to hear his voice on the other line when he calls just to say "Hi".
18. I've come to realize that when I get on Facebook... I am sucked in for longer than I wanted to be.
19. I've come to realize that today... I got too stressed out and shouldn't of blown up the way I did at my hubbie.
20. I've come to realize that tonight... we are so blessed to have so many friends here in Texas.
21. I've come to realize that tomorrow... is going to be a busy day to get ready for Nolan's 1st bday party and my parent's arrival.
22. I've come to realize that I really want to... keep my children with me forever.
23. I've come to realize that the person who is most likely to repost this is... maybe my sister??
24. I've come to realize that life... seems like a dream to me because I am so lucky with all the people who are important in my life. How can one person be so fortunate??
25. I've come to realize that this weekend... is going to be amazing!! (my parent's will be with me, Nolan's 1st b-day party, and Jack will be in heaven with Grandma and Pop here.)
26. I've realized the best music to listen to when I am upset is... sad music, but why???
27. I've come to realize that my friends... are more important to me than I ever thought they would be.
28. I've come to realize that this year... has been absolutely incredible. My 2nd angel was born!
29. I've come to realize that my ex... should be my "ex" because I am with my soulmate right now.
30. I've come to realize that maybe I should... not think about cancer every day. It is my biggest fear.
31. I've come to realize that I love... what my life is all about...my children, my husband, my family, my friends, my dog. Life is Good!!
32. I've come to realize that I don't understand... why God cannot eliminate diseases, accidents, death. Life would just be perfect!!
33. I've come to realize my past... is what made me the person that I am today and I am thankful for what my past has taught me.
34. I've come to realize that parties... are so different when you are older and a mother. You think before you drink.
35. I've come to realize that I'm totally terrified... of anything ever happening to my children, husband and family.
36. I've come to realize that my life... is Perfect except for my family not being in Texas with us. If I could change that I don't think life could get any better.

Weaning Has Begun

The time has come...Nolan will be 1 next week so I have begun the weaning process with breastfeeding. I cannot believe it has been a year already and I must say that I am proud of myself for nursing for a full year. With Jack, I did it until he was 7 1/2 months and then with working full-time, my supply was decreasing too much and it was becoming more frustrating than enjoyable and I did not want to ruin the enjoyment I had with it for those 7 months. I always said if it became more of a chore rather than special time between the baby and me than it would be a sign to give it up and switch to formula. Well, I loved this year of nursing Nolan and it helped that he was good from the start with breastfeeding. For a whole year, I only had a 3 hour window to be away from him so it is going to be quite strange to be able to be away for a day and not have to worry that he is waiting to be fed. Since last week, I starting mixing breastmilk and whole milk together for one feeding in a bottle and he has had no problem and then 2 days ago, I starting eliminating nursing in the am for another bottle and once again, he is doing great. It is a little hard though because so much of me loves that mommy/baby connection and seeing how content he is snuggled up against me but I always said I would not be that person who would nurse my child until he went into kindergarten. So now I am down to one time nursing only and I am going to work on that one this week, which means by his 1st birthday, he will be a big boy on whole milk. Well, the pump will be on its way back into the attic until the next Lil' Fitz arrives...Goodbye to milk straight from the tap!!