Vaccines - Necessary or Dangerous?

Getting your child's shots can be a stressful event for both of you. Dahlia is a great baby, so I had never heard her scream like she screamed when she got her shots. We were both in tears. I've been thinking about vaccines lately, we have to go get her next round on Friday. When Dahlia was first born, her vaccinations were a point of contention between her father and me. He believed she shouldn't get them because, "Who knows what the government is injecting us with." I believe that all of them should be received except flu shots and maybe the HPV vaccine. I think vaccines are truly a case of jumping off a bridge just because your friends are doing it. According to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 85% of the world's children are vaccinated. That's just the children. But that also means that 15% are not vaccinated. So, let's say little Johnny down the street isn't vaccinated and neither is your little Susie. One day, Johnny and Susie hold hands. Unbeknownst to anyone, Johnny is carrying measles, but hasn't shown any symptoms, yet. Next thing you know, both little Johnny and little Susie are deathly ill.
It's all well and good for parents to think they don't need to vaccinate their children, but dollars to doughnuts, if you had the idea not to vaccinate, so did someone else. Like my mom says, it only takes two to tango. Another common reason parents cite for avoiding vaccinations is all the controversy concerning autism. Let me be one to say: VACCINATIONS DO NOT CAUSE AUTISM. There are tons of studies that show, not only do vaccinations NOT cause autism, but they can prevent the spread of infectious disease.

Although, I personally believe that some vaccines are unnecessary. For instance, the yearly flu vaccine. Do you ever wonder why it's a yearly vaccine? It's because the influenza virus has constantly shifting antigens, meaning it's essentially a different virus every year. So, while you're running to get vaccinated for what you think is this year's flu, the actual influenza virus has already changed, making your vaccine worthless.

There are also a few vaccinations that America has stopped giving out, like smallpox and polio. I don't believe this is a good thing. If you read the news, you might know that smallpox is actually making a comeback and polio still hasn't been eradicated in other countries. Maybe we should think about bringing these vaccines back.

What are your thoughts and opinions? Please leave them in the comments below, and don't hesitate to share this with your friends and family!

Absent-mindedness or Laziness? Thoughts on "Hot Car" Deaths

In the news recently, there have been a string of "hot car" related deaths of children. I'm not sure if this is a case of the news hyping up something that has always been going on, or if these types of deaths really are becoming more frequent. But, either way, really? Here's an example of some of the stories in the news right now:
Wichita, KS
North Richmond Hills, TX
Atlanta, GA
Lancaster, SC
Ridgefield, CT
Ardmore, OK
Centuria, WI
El Paso, TX
Those are just a few examples of cases in the last month. My biggest question is, how?  First off, you have nine whole months of preparation, of knowing you have a kid before it's even born! And most of these children are more than six months old. So, on top of that nine months, you had another 6+ to get used to having a kid and taking it out of the car. And then, one day, you just up and forget the last year or so of your life? So, is it malice, absent-mindedness, or just pure laziness? I know there has been a few times, when I want to run into 7-11 real quick, and I've been tempted to leave Dahlia in the car, but I don't. Hot cars aside, what about kidnappers? Kids have gotten abducted out of their driveways, so you're going to leave your kid in a parking lot? Anyway, it really doesn't take long for a car to become uncomfortable and some of these parents are leaving their kids in the car for hours. One case that I linked above, the child was left in the car overnight!! Where did these parents think their kid was all night?!? This Texas police officer made a video of himself in a hot car and he wanted to leave after 30 minutes, but forced himself to stay inside. Here's an interview with him about the video:

I feel preventing this from occurring is a responsibility set squarely on the shoulders of the parents. But, of course, not everyone feels this way. Many feel it's the responsibility of the auto manufacturers; "Death in Hot Cars: Why Can't the Automakers Prevent the Danger?" To which I say, bullshit. That's like blaming the company that manufactured your spoon for making you fat. The spoon company didn't do it, your eating habits did (unless you have a legitimate health problem, of course, but still, not the spoon's fault). Preventing these deaths is as simple as pulling your head out of your ass. So, my question to you is, do you think this is just a case of journalistic sensationalism, or are these deaths really on the rise? Leave your opinions in the comments below!

10 Great Things About Pregnancy

Everything has a silver lining, and not everything about my pregnancy was awful. While I wouldn't want to be pregnant again anytime soon, here's a list of the ten greatest things about my pregnancy. Some of the points were in the sister post, 10 Terrible Things About Pregnancy. Life is funny like that, sometimes.

Number 10 - Preferred Parking

Unfortunately, I didn't get to experience this myself. I discovered the "Expectant Mother" spot at Publix after I gave birth, of course. Murphy's law strikes again. But, if I had seen it before I gave birth, I'm sure it would have been awesome!





Number 9 - Doctor's Appointments

This is one of the ones that's both good and bad. The doctor's appointments are a good thing, too. Mostly because there isn't much more exciting than seeing the baby during the sonograms and hearing it's heart beat. Knowing that you're healthy is good, too, of course.

Number 8 - Worry
Another double-lister. The worry can be good, too. If you're worried about what you're eating and exposing yourself to, the baby has the potential to be healthier. It can also drive you to do more research and find out exactly what you're getting yourself into.




Number 7 - Having a Heightened Sense of Smell

This one definitely deserved a spot on the other list, as well. I can't tell you how many times I've choked on people's rank cologne (Spray and walk away, people!) But, having the super-smellies can be a good thing, too. For instance, you can smell if meat or milk has gone bad through the package. And no one can lie to you about whether they've been drinking... That's really about it, actually.


Number 6 - The Nesting Instinct

The nesting instinct is a powerful thing. And nothing satiates it more than folding baby clothes, painting, and building your own personal diaper arsenal. Seeing all that stuff for the future baby and being prepared can be a great feeling.









Number 5 - Cravings

Another double-lister, cravings can be awesome. You can eat whatever you want and it doesn't matter, you're pregnant! Granted, they can get a little weird (I craved cheese and Spanish olives once), but satisfying a pregnancy craving is really the only thing that matters to you at that moment.






Number 4 - People Cater to You

This is a good one. If you don't feel like getting up, ask someone else, they'll totally get it for you! When you're pregnant, you get to embrace your laziness. No one gets mad at you for sleeping all day, you're creating life! Live it up while you can.







Number 3 - Having an Irrefutable Excuse

This one kind of ties in with number 4. If you don't feel like doing something or going somewhere, you're pregnant, you really don't have to! Don't want to go to work? Call in, you're pregnant! Best. Excuse. Ever.







Number 2 - Feeling the Baby Kick

Like the chest-burster from Alien, you have something alive inside of you that wants out. Dahlia was channeling a Cossack dancer in utero. I swear that girl bruised my ribs. But, when it happens, you don't really mind. It helps you feel more connected to the baby and can definitely ease your worry that something's wrong.






Number 1 - Giving Birth

Now, I can't say that there is absolutely anything pleasant about the actual process of giving birth, but the aftermath is pretty great. Holding your baby for the first time (once you're completely conscious, that is) is the greatest feeling. It's pride, accomplishment, love, happiness, and just a little bit of sadness all rolled into one. Also, you know that feeling you get after you take a really big poop? It's that, too (for, real, I popped a blood vessel in my eye). But after that, prepare yourself for at least two months of nightly hell. As a side note, never ever ever google image "giving birth." It does not show what one might think. Shame on you, Internet.

10 Terrible Things About Pregnancy

I thought I would continue on in the same vein for now with another list. Each pregnancy is different, some are great and some are awful. I wasn't one of the lucky ones that glowed with the beauty of pregnancy. I was pissy, bloated, and felt ugly most of the time. So, here's a list of the ten worst things I experienced during pregnancy.

Number 10 - Morning Sickness

My morning sickness wasn't morning sickness, it was all day sickness. From the moment my feet hit the floor, I was nauseous. In case anyone that hasn't been "blessed" by a pregnancy is wondering, that is a horrible way to start the day. I think the only thing that was worse than the constant nausea and vomiting was people giving you all sorts of "solutions." Everyone seems to have their own home remedy for morning sickness and no one is afraid to share it with you. While that doesn't seem so bad, it gets tiresome telling people that you've already tried it or some variation thereof. In the end, you just have to grin and bear it.


Number 9 - Bloating/General Fatness

There is nothing more depressing than trying to slide on your favorite pair of jeans, only to realize you're officially forced into your first pair of mom jeans. The type with the elastic band in the belly. I waddled around feeling like a manatee. If you saw me, you could bet that my jeans weren't buttoned. None of your shirts will fit, either. Say goodbye to that concert t-shirt you got when you were 17, you'll likely never wear it again.





Number 8 - Cravings

Granted, sometimes the cravings are nice, because no one can or will deny you food. But, just my luck, I happened to crave something unattainable. My biggest craving was Fazoli's. If you're unfamiliar with Fazoli's, it's a kinda-sorta Italian fast food joint. Unfortunately, there are no longer any Fazoli's located in the Central Florida area. The closest one is in Valdosta, Georgia. If it was up to me, I would've driven to Georgia to get me some damn Fazoli's, but having car problems, I was stuck. Having an unsatisfied pregnancy craving is possibly comparable to light torture. Until you satisfy that craving, it's pretty much all you can think about.


Number 7 - Doctor's Appointments

In the first few months of my pregnancy, I was considered high risk. I was originally having twins and that places you in the high risk category. Because of that, I had to go to the doctor every two weeks instead of the normal every three. It can be very frustrating to have someone look at your vagina that often. I felt like the doctor could've at least bought me dinner first. And you're actually paying this person to make you uncomfortable.





Number 6 - People Touching You

Now, this only happened to me a few times. Apparently, I'm intimidating and not a lot of people have the guts to do this, but I've heard from other women that they're constantly getting touched. People, for some reason, think it's okay to touch your belly. If you're like me, this is horrible. Random people touching you is akin to running backwards through a cornfield naked. People, keep your hands to yourself.





Number 5 - Swelling/Numbing

Your hands and your feet swell. Your socks are all of a sudden leaving dents in your ankles. Your rings don't fit anymore. In my case, during the third trimester, my hands were constantly numb, which is very uncomfortable.




Number 4 - Worry

You're constantly worrying that what you're doing is affecting the baby. If you pick something up, you wonder if it was too heavy. You wonder if the greasy pizza you had is going to make the baby fat. Is that Advil you took going to affect the baby? This will keep you up all night.






Number 3 - No Drinking

I had just turned 21 when I got pregnant. I had just enough time to get a favorite liquor, then no more drinking. It was way worse when someone would drink around you, especially margaritas, my favorite. Talk about having fantasies of throwing a drink in someone's face!




Number 2 - Heartburn
Oh. My. God. Heartburn. I had it all day, every day. I carried one of the big bottles of Tums around with me everywhere. Once, I had it so bad that I couldn't stop groaning and crying, but I didn't have any Tums. Ben went to the 7-11 at 2AM and came home with every brand of heartburn medicine the store sold.
The old wive's tale is true, though. Dahlia had a full head of hair when she was born.




Number 1 - Giving Birth

Of course, giving birth is the worst thing about pregnancy. Other than the obvious, pain, it's the anticipation that kills you. Around my eighth month, I became determined to be done with it. I was so miserable, I would've tried just about anything to get her out. I walked and walked and walked to no avail. I jumped up and down, nothing. I tried to bribe the neighbor into letting me use their trampoline, but they refused. Finally, my mom convinced me to get a yoga ball. I bounced on that damn yoga ball for like a week, then it finally happened when I wasn't even trying. I was sitting on my mom's bed, I stood up, and my water broke (ruining one of the only pairs of jeans that fits me). After all the boring parts, once full blown labor started, I really don't remember much. I remember the awful pain. I remember screaming and cussing. I remember apologizing for being such a bitch and then screaming and cussing more. And I remember wishing I was dead. But, I wouldn't undo it for anything in the world.

First Post Ever: 10 Things I Learned as a New Mom

To start my blog off, I thought I would make a top ten list. My daughter, Dahlia, is 5 months old and I'm a first time mom. I've learned many things about myself and life in general since I donned my first pair of mom jeans; some sappy, some funny, and of course, some scary. Here's just a few:

Number 10 - Immunity to nasty things

Having a child raises your gross tolerance exponentially. I can change a diaper, get poop on my finger, wipe it off, and move on. Before, I would have immediately went to wash my hands. I've become so desensitized, I actually caught cat vomit in my hand once (he was going to puke on the bed). Having baby puke in your hair will change your outlook on life.







Number 9 -  Girls have adorable clothes 

Truth time. I wanted a boy. So, it was hard for me to get into girl mode when it came to clothes. The first couple of outfits I bought for Dahlia could've been considered unisex. When I went to the store, I would automatically gravitate towards the boy section and have to remind myself that the baby was a girl. I thought I would never like anything that she could wear, but surprisingly, that changed, too. While my tastes have a more retro vibe, I've came to terms with Dahlia's gender and the clothes that go with it.




Number 8 - No sleep? No big deal.
 I LOVE sleep. In Life Before Dahlia (henceforth known as LBD), I could sleep for 14 hours and still want to sleep longer. The first night after she was born, in the hospital, I realized just how little sleep humans need. After the 20 hours of labor, silly me didn't want the nurses to keep Dahlia in the nursery. I had to have my new baby with me. I think I got two hours of sleep that night. One of the most valuable lessons I've learned thus far? Sleep when the baby sleeps. I heard people tell me that in LBD and I just shrugged it off. But, it is the best piece of advice I have received.

Number 7 - Paranoia is a real thing

I think this is one of the worst things about being a new mom. You'll be lying there in bed, the baby in the crib, but you can't sleep because you are absolutely certain that the baby quit breathing. So, you get up, check, and of course, baby is still breathing. Whenever someone picks her up, I think they're going to drop her. Everyone is sick and contagious. There are kidnappers everywhere. Moms are paranoid about everything. I think this is one of those things that eases off with time, but never completely goes away.



Number 6 - The ability to tune anything out

You've seen this before. You're in a restaurant trying to enjoy your meal, when some set of asshole parents are just letting their little spawn scream. You think, " Don't they hear that?" The answer? No. They don't. As a stay at home mom, if I didn't learn to tune out screaming every once in a while, I would never shower or eat. Sometimes, babies cry for pretty much no reason. If there's nothing that can be done (i.e, feeding, diaper changing), you learn to tune them out to keep your sanity.

Number 5 - How much fun you have

If you would have told me a year ago that I could have fun with a baby, I might have laughed at you. But, sure enough, babies are fun as hell! Watching them discover all the new things around them is pretty entertaining. Making them taste things like lemons is also equally hilarious. I could spend hours making funny faces at her and watching her laugh. That's another thing, babies have THE cutest laughs.

Number 4 - Becoming Betty Crocker

In LBD, I wasn't exactly considered domesticated. Sure, I could cook and clean, but I wasn't in the running for Housewife of the Year. I had a job and worked 5 days a week. When I got home, I didn't feel like cooking dinner. But, becoming a stay at home mom changed all of that. Now, I want to look for new recipes and color swatches for new drapes. I could see myself being on the PTA and making Halloween costumes, ones that are more complicated than cutting two holes in a sheet. Becoming a mother makes you look forward to all of those little things like tying shoe laces and throwing birthday parties that don't feature liquor as the main course.


Number 3 - Paying attention to current events

I was never one for the news. I've always felt that I shouldn't become upset about something that I have no control over and the news is almost always upsetting. But now, I find myself reading articles about kidnappers and the recent string of hot-car deaths. Having a child made me more aware of the terrible things that happen to children in the world. Of course, watching the news also lends to the paranoia!




Number 2 - Patience

I almost made this number one because if there is anything I have learned, it's patience. In LBD, I wouldn't have tolerated someone screaming at me, puking on me, and then making me clean up their poop. But, patience is a virtue that I have finally gotten a little of.







Number 1 - Love

I never knew that I could love someone as much as I love Dahlia. Of course, I love my family and Dahlia's father, but that's a different kind of love, somehow. To love someone as fiercely and almost insanely as I love Dahlia is an entirely new experience. To be willing to give your life for another, that's some intense love.





Well, this concludes my very first post! I hope everyone enjoyed reading it enough to share it (hint, hint)! If anyone has anything to add to the list, feel free to comment below, and please stick around for more posts!