Monday, March 26, 2007

Whew!

Okay, I just returned from the store, took another HPT and its NEGATIVE!!! woohoo! Man... while I was in the store, or actually, while driving there, I would tear up. You know, I love babies and me being pregnant wouldn't be the end of neither my nor Jeremy's world... the kids would LOVE for me to have another. And if I had been, well, then so be it. My major concern was actually for Wyatt. Had I been pregnant right now, I would feel I didn't give him enough baby time, ya know? And what if my milk would have dried up like it did during my pregnancy for Wyatt? I don't want him to wean before he needs to, ya know? I already feel badly for Ursula... she nursed throughout my pregnancy and all but since my milk dried up, she probably stopped getting milk around the time she was 2½... and I know most probably think I'm crazy but I really feel her health isn't as good as it could be... esp. when compared to Calista, who nursed for 4 yrs. Calista's barely ever sick and has never had an ear infection.

Anyhoo... that's my good news for today :D lol

A Little Freaked...

Why, you may ask... well... I took a pregnancy test last night and didn't wait for 3 minutes before returning to bed... it looked negative. This morning... the test looks funny... the positive part isn't a straight line... squiggly-looking. I believe I've read that you can't trust the home pregnancy tests after so many hours. So, I'm buying another one today... in a couple of hours I'll have the results.

Why would I be freaked? Hmm... because we've been practicing abstinance for the most part!!! LOL Seriously... and if we do 'do it'... Jeremy uses a condom. He always checks it afterwards.

Why would I take the test in the first place? Or, what would make me think I needed to take a HPS?

#1. Nausea.
#2. Lower back pain
#3. Frequent urination
#4. Fatigue
#5. Wyatt's been bending over, looking between his legs... old wive's tale... that's he looking for his next brother/sister... (and for the record, each of my kids did this while I was pregnant).

Along with that... I've been getting headaches. I hardly ever get headaches. That's not a typical pregnancy sign for me though... the above 4 are though. If I'm pregnant, than at least I know what's 'wrong' with me. If I'm not... WTF?

If I am... this was a bigtime 'Oopsie'.

First off, I was happy with having just 3 kids.
Secondly, I haven't even started my period back.
Thirdly, I didn't want to have a baby this close in age even we had decided to get pregnant again... Wyatt won't even be 2 yrs older than this one... if I am.
Fourthly, Do I even have enough patience for a fourth child??? OMG
Fifthly, Our house will soon get way too small. We live in a 1188 qf house; 3 beds/2 baths.
Sixly, I'll want to trade in my car for a mini van.
Sevenly (lol... don'tcha love my 'ly's? lol), I CAN'T BE! NOT YET, ANYWAYS!

To be quite honest... I actually suspected I'd have four kids. My sister, Aimee, says that she knows when she's not done having kids (she has 5) when she senses a child is missing and all are accounted for. I've been having that same feeling lately... like, I see all 3 of my kids in front of me, yet, it seems like one is missing.

If I am pregnant right now... This baby REALLY wanted to come through me and Jeremy NOW.
If I'm pregnant now, according to the chinese conception chart, if I conceived in Jan, I'll have a girl... if in Feb. or March, a boy.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Vaccines again linked to form of autism

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=22490


Medical Studies/Trials
Published: Thursday, 8-Mar-2007


New findings presented yesterday at a National Autism Association meeting bolster claims that vaccines may play a role in the development of autism spectrum disorders.

David Ayoub, MD presented data suggesting a correlation between mercury- containing vaccines and rates of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), a form of autism, in Montreal.

The peak rate of one in 87 children diagnosed with PDD occurred following the period of greatest exposure to the mercury- based vaccine preservative thimerosal. A flattening of the rates studied is now emerging as mercury-containing vaccines have been gradually eliminated from the routine schedule.

This new data points out flaws in a 2006 study published in the journal Pediatrics by Eric Fombonne, MD, et al, which found PDD rates continued to increase even when rates of MMR vaccination and use of mercury-containing vaccines decreased. The study population consisted of a single Montreal school board that was an Autism Center of Excellence, suggesting an over- ascertainment of regional diagnoses. Dr. Ayoub and co-authors Monica Ruscitti, BA, and F. Edward Yazbak, MD broadened the data to include all five Montreal school boards.

The earlier study also reported PDD rates in children from Montreal, but MMR coverage data was taken from Quebec City located 265km from Montreal. The researchers confirmed MMR coverage rates actually increased in Montreal along with PDD, noting a sharper rise in rates after the number of required MMR shots doubled.

The Pediatrics paper claimed there was no exposure to mercury from vaccines post-1996 although several mercury-containing vaccines were administered well beyond 1996. "It's irresponsible that such flawed data was published in a medical journal. This new information confirms a relationship between vaccines and autism that can't be explained by better diagnosing or changing diagnostic criteria," said Karen McDonough, NAA -- Chicago president.

Drs. Ayoub and Yazbak detailed the Fombonne study flaws in letters to Pediatrics which the journal declined to publish. Editor Jerold F. Lucey, MD stated in a reply, "I believe the evidence of no link between MMR and Autism is sufficient. It's not worth publishing more on this subject."

"This dismissal of legitimate concerns regarding data affecting those suffering with autism is a disgrace," commented Ms. McDonough.

http://www.nationalautism.org/

Thursday, March 01, 2007

How to Know Whether or Not You're Ready for Motherhood...

I found this on another blog (I know I've seen it a few times before but I guess it just hits home now... LOL) and felt I needed to repost it on my own blog :D

Mess Test:
Smear peanut butter on the sofa and curtains. Place a fish stick behind the couch and leave it there all summer.

Toy Test:

Obtain a 55 gallon drum of LEGOs (if LEGOs are not available, you may (substitute roofing tacks). Have a friend spread them all over the house. Put on a blindfold. Try to walk to the bathroom or kitchen. Do not scream (this could wake a child at night).

Grocery Store Test:

Borrow one or two small animals (goats are best) and take them with you as you shop at the grocery store. Always keep them in sight and pay for anything they eat or damage.

Dressing Test:

Obtain one large, unhappy, live octopus (they turn bright red when they are unhappy). Stuff into a small net bag making sure that all arms stay inside.

Feeding Test:

Obtain a large plastic milk jug. Fill halfway with water. Suspend from the ceiling with a stout cord. Start the jug swinging. Try to insert spoonfuls of soggy cereal (such as Fruit Loops or Cheerios) into the mouth of the jug, while pretending to be an airplane. Now dump the contents of the jug on the floor.

Night Test

Prepare by obtaining a small cloth bag and fill it with 8-12 pounds of sand. Soak it thoroughly in water. At 8:00 p.m. begin to waltz and hum with the bag until 9:00 p.m. Lay down your bag and set your alarm for 10:00 p.m. Get up, pick up your bag, and sing every song you have ever heard. Make up about a dozen more and sing these too until 4:00 a.m. Set alarm for 5:00 a.m. Get up and make breakfast. Keep this up for five years. Look cheerful.

Physical Test

Obtain a large beanbag chair and attach it to the front of your clothes. Leave it there for 9 months. Now remove ten of the beans.

Final Assignment

Find a couple who already have a small child. Lecture them on how they can improve their discipline, patience, tolerance, toilet training and child's table manners. Suggest many ways they can improve. Emphasize to them that they should never allow their children to run wild. Enjoy this experience. It will be the last time you will have all the answers.