Why I choose vaccination

I am not here to publicly flog those who choose not to vaccinate their children or themselves.

I am here to say why it is I choose vaccination.

Vaccination prevents diseases that pose a much greater health risk than any risks associated with the vaccine.  Tetanus, polio, diptheria, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, pertussis.  I experienced two of these, one as a child (pertussis) and one as a teenager (varicella) and the memories are traumatic enough that I never want my own kids to experience them. 

No matter what anyone says I will never believe that vaccines cause Autism. 

There are very fragile adults, babies and children who legitimately cannot be vaccinated due to their health conditions ie. cardiac, cancer that rely on others to vaccinate to protect these fragile darlings.  Also, healthy babies under 18 months cannot be given the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine and so are susceptible.  Immunity via exposure does nothing to protect them because a non vaccinated person can easily be a carrier of the disease and infect others without ever becoming sick themselves.

Travel to other countries puts you at risk of diseases that may not be prevalent here in Canada.  I traveled to Dominican Republic and sought advice about what I may need to protect myself against.  Hepatitis A and B are common there especially in contaminated water (ice cubes!).  There is no vaccine for Hepatitis C but was cautioned about what to avoid to better protect myself. 

These are the biggest reasons why I am wholeheartedly in favour of vaccination.  If there is something I can do to protect my children, family and those who are vulnerable to diseases that are easily prevented, I will do it.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all of you.

It has been a whirlwind of a year, lots of ups and some downs too.  I find myself with mixed feelings this holiday season.  Excited to celebrate Baby Doll's first Christmas with us.  Excited to see Bug flip out on Christmas morning when he sees the gifts under the tree.  Excited to spend time with all of my family and see friends over the coming weeks while school is out.

Also a bit sad.  Thinking about those who are not with us anymore.  Thinking about how things have changed since they left us.  Thinking about what might have been if things had worked out differently. It's not about regret.  To regret certain things would mean I don't appreciate or love what and who I have now.  It is just about remembering, and giving myself permission to acknowledge the grief. 

I am also thankful for everything I have.  I feel so rich in so many ways even if my pocket book tells a different tale :) 

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, may this season bring you joy, love, peace and time to spend with your loved ones. 

Chatter

As I sit here I am listening to my sweet baby doll chatter in her crib.  Is there a sound any more heartwarming or beautiful?  At 5 months old she already has so much to say!

I am also struck by my 6 year old enjoying some imaginary play downstairs.  He talks while he plays so I do get the gist of what is happening, sword fights, stealing treasures and crawling down hidden passageways.

I'm taking a moment to just enjoy before I jump in!

Three years?

Today is my blogs third anniversary!  Happy anniversary to you dear blog!

Not sure whether I will keep blogging, my readership is depressingly low.  Perhaps it's not quantity but quality?  I'm not 100% sure.  I also have not had that much to say recently.  Time has become such a different thing since my family grew by one.  I'm twice as busy yet twice as fulfilled by my family that writing has had to move to the back burner.  I am less "out there" and more "in here" as we discover our new rhythm since our baby doll has arrived.  I am enjoying my mat leave, enjoying the new babe, and enjoying the time with my bug before and after school, something I have never been able to do with him.  Mornings, bus pick up, drop off, homework before snack time.  I will be sad when the year is up.  Sad that I won't get to do it again.  Don't get me wrong, I won't give up my job because I love that too, it's just too bad we can't have everything.  Next July will be a big change, but we've still got time :)

Happy Halloween 2013

Happy Halloween!  Hope the rain rain goes away...

May all the little ghouls and goblins have a wonderful time trick or treating, please be extra safe!

Fall madness

Can you believe it?  My sweet baby doll is approaching 4 months old!  I swear we just blinked and she went from her petite 6 lbs 11 oz to around 14 lbs!!  She is sleeping through the night (yay!  I am one lucky mommy, both my babies were sleeping through the night at a relatively young age, so good for the sanity!) and is one of the happiest babies I have ever met!  She shows a definite preference for Bugs Bunny, he makes her laugh! 

My bug is settled into the new school routine, he is noticing a big difference between SK and Gr. 1 but seems to be doing quite well.  He will have some new challenges, like learning to skate, having more time constraints in which to complete work, but as always I'm so extremely proud of his ability to adapt and take it as it comes, even though it does make him a bit anxious.  He is a sweet big brother and takes good care of his sister.  (If only he would sleep through the night!  He's been doing the "Mommy I'm scared" routine.  Hope it doesn't last long...at least it's not every single night.)

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend filled with family time, a baby shower for my sister-in-law who is expecting un petit garçon en décembre, turkey-lurkey and scrumptious desserts.  I am so very thankful for the wonderful people I have in my life.  Whether they be near or far away each and every one of you are extremely important to me.   

Halloween is around the corner, this year my guy will be transformed into an astronaut and dolly will be disguised as a ladybug (so cute!). 

Winter is around the corner...brrrrr...could feel the frost in the air this morning!  Won't be long before Santa comes...

His and Hers

I occasionally write poetry.  Some of you know this, others don't.  I have always been a writer, when I was in elementary school I entered a writing competition in which I won a prize.  I think I won first prize and then my essay moved on to the next level where I won again.  I don't remember all of the details but there was a small sum of money involved and I was very excited about it.   I love to read, I love to write and the odd time the urge strikes me to write poetry.

I had a high school teacher who said something that always stayed with me.  Poetry writing is not about inspiration, it's about discipline.  Well I'm here to say that in my case, he's wrong.  Each and every poem that I have written is because I was somehow inspired.

I have written poems for each of my children that I would like to share.  My titles are lacking, but appropriate to whom they are written for.

(English teacher friends, be kind...)

His

In that first moment
When I looked upon your face
I finally understood
A love that is eternal
And will always be
My saving grace


 Hers

Her eyes opened wide
And fed the love held inside
That fulfills my soul

For my son and daughter.  Love you both forever.