Interesting Swine Flu Reads

Building Cathedrals had an interesting POST on the swine flu vaccination and the comments were good. We have decided a long time ago that we will never have the kids get the nasal sprays (it is a LIVE virus) and just too many known side effects. And this year we are opting NOT to get any of the H1N1 vaccines anyways for many reasons....many of which I agree with in this interesting read:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/11/03/What-We-Have-Learned-About-the-Great-Swine-Flu-Pandemic.aspx

So far we have stayed very healthy which is a huge blessing with expecting a newborn any minute. Hope you and yours are feeling well and if sick getting better!!!

Three Weeks to Go

Emma went to the doctor's today and I got to see the x-rays. Luckily the fracture and the bulge are not serious but still needing time to heal. So, she now has a hard cast (still pink!) on for the next three weeks...then we will bring her in and do x-rays again and hopefully be cast free. She is being a trooper but life has become a bit more difficult with normal tasks. I am hoping she doesn't keep hitting the baby in the head with her hard cast...whenever the baby decides to make her grand entrance.

Good Reads

This is a post that appeared on one of my favorite sites, Building Cathedrals. Click HERE to check it out, all about pros and cons and advice and opinions about celebrating Halloween, All Hallows Eve, All Saints Day etc. The post is great and all the comments are even better. For us, we enjoy celebrating both. We feel fortunate to live in a pretty good neighborhood and I have such fond memories of dressing up and going door to door with my pumpkin to receive goodies. It is even more fun now to have my girls wearing the costumes I wore when I was their age. The past couple of years we have always had some friends and my youngest sister over for soup and cider and they get ready and go trick or treating. Angel had a blast last year!! We do however realize the dangers out there, some worse for others and our plans might have to change along the years. On the other hand, we love to celebrate All Saints Day as well. How fun to learn more about them and dress up like your favorite etc. I am bummed as right now our church's All Saints Day party is held on Halloween so we have to choose which to go to, wish it was actually on All Saints Day. So we shall see and I am sure traditions will change but for now...keep your eyes peeled for a couple of very cute cats!!

Another GREAT read (in my opinion) is THIS LINK to an article and interview about the truths and myths and facts about the swine flu, vaccines etc. As many of you have read in my past posts about vaccinations (which are all on my sidebar under label vaccines) it is a topic we have heavily researched over the past couple of years and made lots of decisions about and continue to do so. I feel even more confident in our decision not to get the flu shot or H1N1 vaccine right now....and so glad to hear that the New York state supreme court put a hold on the mandate that all health care workers were forced to get the vaccine or get fired....finally some confirmation and support for informed consent and personal health decisions!!! Anyways, check it out, some good information and what you will not hear in most of our biased media that loves government regulation and providing only the extreme cases to us on the nightly news! Bottom line....do the research yourself and make decisions that are best for you and your family and do not penalize others for theirs!

Another first (hopefully last!)

So Friday I just wasn't convinced Emma's "Nursemaid's Elbow" was the only cause behind her pain from her fall the other night. She would still not use her hand in certain ways and would grab her wrist area saying "ouch, mama, ouch!" quite often. So to Urgent Care we went that night. They did x-rays and sure enough.....Emma has a fractured wrist and a bulge in the ulna. Luckily no huge breaks, but close! So the doctor wanted to hard splint her so that everything can heal with no further injury. All the doctors have been amazed at how she reacts to the pain and them poking her....she has a very high pain tolerance and just gives them dirty looks when it starts to hurt. She was such a trooper through the exam and x-rays and then getting the splint on. Of course after they put on the hard cast part and wrapped in in the ace bandage I told them I was concerned she would undo the pins and unravel the cast....so they put some great pink bandage wrap over it and so far so good. Poor baby though....having a bit of a hard time figuring out how to eat, grab toys, use her fingers etc. Although, it doesn't slow her down!! We can't take it off or get it wet, which makes her fun bath times very interesting. So far she is sleeping OK with it and Angelica loves to give it kisses. The clothes situation is becoming interesting as nothing fits over the huge arm now! Amazing how things as "easy" as clothes, eating, bathing etc can become such a challenge. I have to call the pediatrician tomorrow to see what she wants to do, but the doctor said most likely do another x-ray sometime to check progress, possibly hard cast (although this is pretty much the same thing) and could possibly on for 3-4 weeks! So maybe her big TWO birthday present will be getting her arm back! I guess God just figured we could use or need a little more excitement to add to the arrival of a newborn any day! I really was hoping I wouldn't have to experience this phase of motherhood yet...but at the same time not surprised that Emma is the first!! Hopefully our little monkey girl will slow down a bit! (Ya right as this morning my mom was rescuing her from climbing the stage steps at church!)


Here is Emma sporting and modeling her new fashion accessory:

Showing it off to Big Sister (who by the way, cried for Emma when she got the cast on!):

Enjoying the tons of stickers the nurses gave her:

And everything is better with a strawberry smoothie, right?!

New Phases of Motherhood

Well, I have been holding my breath for the scary experiences and phase of motherhood to start occurring....the one of having to deal with major injuries. Our little Emma Bemma Boo has always been an active one. Her nickname has been Monkey-Do....mostly because she does everything her big sister does but also because she is our little monkey....no fear and loves to climb. The other night we had a few errands to get done and went to the mall. The girls went to the little play place and in a matter of minutes Emma fell onto her left arm and just started screaming. There were no immediate signs of broken bones or swelling, bruising or anything. But over the next couple of hours she kept complaining about it, wouldn't use it to pick anything up or bear weight on. So of course the local Urgent Cares were all closed so I decided to wait it out until the morning. Well, she was up from 1am-5am just crying and not wanting to sleep and saying her arm hurt and wanted to go to the doctors!! So yesterday morning we went to the pediatrician who after examining her said she didn't think anything was broken or at this point needing an x-ray. She diagnosed it as Nursemaid's Elbow which I guess can be pretty common in toddlers. After a slight manipulation she thinks she fixed it. Emma did start using it more than she had been so I am hopeful that that was it! But still last night and today when I get her dressed or if she falls or certain movements, she will grab her wrist/hand area and say owie. So....while it is better and at least she can sleep etc....I may take her in to have an x-ray just to be sure nothing else is going on. Please say a prayer that it is just sore and on the mend and we are in no need of cast, sling etc.....would be an interesting time with a newborn on the way!

Fighting the Colds

Well, these little sweeties (yes we need some better matching leggings for these Hanna tops) are fighting their second cold of the season.....you know the lovely runny nose and cough stuff. Poor Angel keeps saying "me sick" and Emma has a hard time sleeping. Just curious if anyone has any good cold remedies that you use during the winter...we have tried all the usual stuff but hoping we can avoid more of them during this season. Up for any suggestions!!