Everytime I see a mascara commercial on television it makes me want to scream, "CAN WE PLEASE BAN FALSE EYELASHES FROM MASCARA COMMERCIALS?!" I mean, come on! Could they possibly be any more blatantly misleading?
Now that I've got that out of my system, let's move on to potty training. I have officially washed my hands of potty training. I'm pullin' out. Isaac, in the phase traditionally referred to as "the terrible two's," threw tantrums almost everytime over just going pee on the potty. I decided to stop taking him to the potty and let him lead the way, but he was happy to just pee his underpants. Furthermore, he would hold his #2 for so long that when he did finally have to let it out (which would not happen until nap time or bed time, when he had a diaper on) it would hurt so bad that he would scream an ear-piercing, high-pitched scream at the top of his lungs. I mean, it would make your blood run cold. The climax was about a week ago when he was up in the middle of the night every 2 hours trying to hold it in, screaming at the top of his lungs.
If you read anything on potty training, they always list signs of developmental/physical readiness, and then they discuss volitional readiness, in other words, the child's will. Isaac most assuredly displays all signs of developmental and physical readiness. He just doesn't want to do it. So, we're back to diapers. I still ask him if he wants to sit on the potty before baths, and he always does, which is good. Other than that, I am taking a strict potty training hiatus for, well, I don't know how long. We'll see.
One thing to remember when kids are so little is that there is a wide range of what's normal for the different ages and stages. For instance, it's normal for a baby to walk at 9 months, but it's also completely normal for them to not walk until 15 months. Likewise, it's perfectly normal for a toddler to potty train at 2 years, as well as it is normal for them not to potty train until 3 years. Isaac got off to an early start, but it proved to be too much stress for him. Maybe our hiatus will only last another week or two, maybe it'll last until his 3rd birthday in January. One thing I'm sure of is that he must take the reigns from here on out. No more nagging on my part.
Ahh, now that I've got that out, what else can I move on to? How about our day thus far?
My day sort of began around 6:30am, when I think I heard Josiah starting to wake up. I tried to convince myself it wasn't happening, without success. At 6:45 I got up, made my bed, took my shower and got myself ready for the day. Then I proceeded into Josiah's room. It was a dark, rainy morning, so I was pretty disappointed he didn't sleep later, but oh well. We had places to go anyway.
After changing Josiah's diaper we went downstairs and started getting breakfast ready. I turned on the weather channel to see what the forecast was for the day (rain all day), and then did something I don't normally do. I turned on Fox News. Normally the TV stays off all day, but I just felt like having it on for a change. I caught Dave Ramsey, who I used to love to listen to on the radio, answering some financial questions. Next was Tucker Carlson talking about the ridiculous politically correct standards textbooks are being held to these days to completely eliminate gender altogether. For example, instead of saying "congressman" they have to say "member of Congress," instead of "chairman/chairwoman" it's "chair," instead of "caveman" it's "cave dweller." Now, I've always said my decision to homeschool has little to do with any opposition to the public school system. After all, Keith and I both went to public schools our whole lives and turned out fine, for the most part! :-D It's more like a calling that I feel I have, and an ideal learning situation I'd like to give my children. However, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disgusted by the lunatics that call the shots and this kind of absurdity that's happening in public schools today.
So anyway, while preparing breakfast, Isaac woke up screaming, which never happens so I was alarmed. We (Josiah & I) went straight upstairs. Not sure what Isaac was so upset about, but he wanted to cuddle with me right away. Perhaps it was a bad dream. Another diaper change (this one for Isaac) and we were officially downstairs having breakfast.
I would like to ask, does anyone have any unique breakfast ideas? I feel like the boys might be bored with Kix or Wheat Chex, toast or English muffin with jam, fruit, and milk every morning. The problem is Isaac is allergic to peanut butter, oats, eggs, and sesame, which leave a lot out. He also isn't wild about bacon or sausage. He does like pancakes and waffles of course. Josiah pretty much eats whatever you put in front of him. I think Isaac is going through a phase, most likely a terrible two's thing, because he used to eat everything in sight too. Anyway, I bought them some Eggo blueberry waffles to shake things up a bit. Just wondering if anyone else had any good ideas out there.
Our mornings are pretty military-like as far as the routine goes. After breakfast I clean up and do dishes while the boys play. Then it's upstairs to brush teeth and get dressed. Normally I would lay Josiah down for his morning nap after this, but I've decided to experiment with taking away his morning nap to see if he'll sleep later in the morning if he gets less sleep during the day. (Did that make sense to anyone?) We had a little bit of shopping to do nevertheless. I put all of the laundry away, and then we were back downstairs, getting ready to go out the door.
Our first stop was a nearby farm for some fresh eggs and peaches, and whatever else they had. Turns out, they didn't have any eggs (big bummer) so we just bought peaches, zucchini, garlic, and yellow beans. Next stop, Community Market. We're having our friends Jess & Phil & their daughter Jenna over for dinner tomorrow-Omaha Steaks' filet mignons and burgers, the promotional gift from Roomful Express when we bought our new kitchen and dining room furniture. Phil's birthday was Sunday so I thought I'd make some homemade baked good to celebrate. I decided on homemade brownies, which I've never made before, and I had to go to the store for a few things. I'll let ya know how they turn out!
I dropped the groceries off at home, put Maggie in the van, and headed for my parents' house for a visit, which is where I'm blogging from right now. It's a rainy day, so we've played inside for the most part. Isaac is getting really good at doing puzzles, and he did about 3 of them after lunch. Josiah's good at puzzles too, but he preferred to watch Sesame Street instead.
That's our day so far.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Zucchinis and Things
A short time ago, my friend Sarah commented in her blog about a large zucchini she'd harvested from her garden, wondering what she was going to do with it. My mind went back just a couple of years, when Isaac was still a baby, when I had what I called a Victory Garden! I called it this not really knowing what I was talking about. Victory Garden is a show on PBS, and according to my mother the term refers to gardens that people planted after World War II, which makes sense. I called it a Victory Garden because it thrived! I had collard greens, roma and grape tomatoes, green peppers, green beans, and zucchini. That summer, we made two batches of salsa, had homemade bruschetta more than once, never ran out of food for Buddy-girl (the iguana), and had zucchinis coming out of our ears! I actually took some of the produce into work to give away, in addition to giving away a zucchini or two to my friend Dana and our next door neighbor.
Needless to say, I had to find things to make with our many zucchinis. My favorite thing to with zucchini is to grill it with chunks of onion and orange bell pepper (orange bell peppers can get expensive, green peppers work just as well they just don't lend as much color to the final presentation). This became a frequent side dish. I would quarter the zucchini and slice the onion and pepper into 1-2"cubes, mix the together with some olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a large bowl, then place the mixture onto 1-2 large sheets of aluminum foil, seal them up (sometimes I had to wrap another piece of aluminum foil around them). Keith would then place them on the top rack of the grill. They only took about 10-15min. to cook. I like my cooked vegetables to be very tender, not crunchy. This method of preparation would work beautiful with yellow squash and eggplant as well.
Man cannot live on grilled zucchini alone, however. Another favorite thing to do with zucchini is to mix it into pasta, like a baked ziti with roasted vegetables mixed in. Following is a recipe I got from watching Giada on Everyday Italian on the Foot Network. Don't be afraid to simplify this recipe, and cheapen it. Some of the ingredients can be expensive. I have made this recipe using simple Giant Eagle brand shredded Italian cheese, and leaving out the red peppers and summer squash, and it still turned out great. I've also made it with my own homemade sauce and with Prego. However, the original recipe is a hit!
Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables
2 red peppers, cored & cut into 1" wide strips
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise & cut into 1" cubes
2 summer squash, quarter lengthwise & cut into 1" cubes
4 cremini mushrooms (or baby bella), halved
1 yellow onion, peeled & sliced into 1" strips
1/4c. extra-virgin olive oil
1 t. salt, divided
1t. freshly ground black pepper, divided
1T. dried Italian herb mix or herbs de Provence (I don't even know what hers de Provence is, I just use Italian seasoning)
1lb. penne pasta (whole grain works as well as the white)
3c. marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
1c. grated fontina cheese (a Danish cheese to be found in the yuppy "cheese from around the world" section of the grocery store)
1/2c. grated smoked mozzarella (see note after fontina cheese)
1 1/2c. frozen peas, thawed
1/4c. grated Parmesan, plus 1/3c. for topping (fresh is always better, but Kraft will do)
2T. butter, cut into small pieces
1.) Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2.) On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with olive oil, 1/2t. salt, 1/2t. pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15min.
3.) Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta & cook for about 6 min. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander.
4.) In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, cheeses, peas, 1/2t. salt, & 1/2t. pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce & the ingredients are combined.
5.) Pour the pasta in a greased 9x13" pan. top with the remaining 1/3c. Parmesan and butter pieces. Bake until top is golden & cheese melts, about 25 min.
Again, while watching the Food Network, I found yet another zucchini recipe. This one is different, and interesting. You'll have to try it for yourself and see. All I recommend is do not use marinated artichoke hearts. They really change the taste of the filling. Also, you may need to pre-cook the zucchini boats before you fill them, depending on their size, to get them nice and tender. Again, I prefer very tender, not crunchy, cooked vegetables.
Turkey-Stuffed Zucchini Boats
2 large zucchini, halved lengthwise
1lb. cooked lean ground turkey
1/3c. fat-free sour cream (you could use regular, I just chose the fat-free)
1/2c. coarsely chopped artichoke hearts in water or oil, but not the marinated kind
1/4c. plus 2T. grated Parmesan, divided
1t. dried oregano
1/2t. salt
1/4t. ground black pepper
2T. seasoned dry bread crumbs
Orzo Pesto (my favorite part!), recipe follows.
1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2.) Using a spoon or melon baller, scoop seeds from center of each zucchini half, making 4 long canoe-like boats. Set aside.
3.) In a medium bowl, combine cooked ground turkey, sour cream, artichoke hearts, 1/4c. Parmesan cheese, oregano, salt, & black pepper. Mix gently to combine. Spoon mixture into zucchini boats. Sprinkle bread crumbs & remaining Parmesan over filling in boats.
4.) Bake zucchini boats 10-12 min., until top is golden brown and filling is heated through. Serve with Orzo Pesto.
Orzo Pesto
8oz. orzo pasta (dry, uncooked, by weight)
jar of prepared basil pesto
Cook and drain orzo according to package directions. Toss with desired amount of pesto and serve.
The final recipes I made with my zucchinis that summer were zucchini breads. I'm not going to post any recipes, though, because I find zucchini bread recipes to be a dime-a-dozen. I have a "normal" Paula Deen zucchini bread recipe in my recipe box that calls for 1t. lemon juice. However, I didn't have lemon juice when I made it so I experimented with 1t. anise extract instead, which turned out delicious. I also have a chocolate chip orange zucchini bread recipe I liked. One thing I personally did not care for in some of the other recipes I experimented with were raisins in my zucchini bread. I love raisins alone, but I'm not wild about them in baked goods. Just a personal preference of mine.
Well, I hope you've enjoyed my zucchini monologue. I did try a garden again last summer, but since Josiah was born in the beginning of summer, I never had much time to tend it, and it didn't work out. My zucchini never even sprouted. I did get onions and peppers (green and jalapeno), but very few tomatoes. The garden became overrun with weeds, particularly one weed, technically a tuber, known as nut grass. There is no getting rid of nut grass. So Keith planted grass in my garden area this summer, and it took beautifully. Next summer the plan is for Keith to rent a sod-cutter at Home Depot and cut out another garden box in a different location in the yard. I love gardening, and I would love my children to get involved in it and excited about it like I do.
Needless to say, I had to find things to make with our many zucchinis. My favorite thing to with zucchini is to grill it with chunks of onion and orange bell pepper (orange bell peppers can get expensive, green peppers work just as well they just don't lend as much color to the final presentation). This became a frequent side dish. I would quarter the zucchini and slice the onion and pepper into 1-2"cubes, mix the together with some olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a large bowl, then place the mixture onto 1-2 large sheets of aluminum foil, seal them up (sometimes I had to wrap another piece of aluminum foil around them). Keith would then place them on the top rack of the grill. They only took about 10-15min. to cook. I like my cooked vegetables to be very tender, not crunchy. This method of preparation would work beautiful with yellow squash and eggplant as well.
Man cannot live on grilled zucchini alone, however. Another favorite thing to do with zucchini is to mix it into pasta, like a baked ziti with roasted vegetables mixed in. Following is a recipe I got from watching Giada on Everyday Italian on the Foot Network. Don't be afraid to simplify this recipe, and cheapen it. Some of the ingredients can be expensive. I have made this recipe using simple Giant Eagle brand shredded Italian cheese, and leaving out the red peppers and summer squash, and it still turned out great. I've also made it with my own homemade sauce and with Prego. However, the original recipe is a hit!
Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables
2 red peppers, cored & cut into 1" wide strips
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise & cut into 1" cubes
2 summer squash, quarter lengthwise & cut into 1" cubes
4 cremini mushrooms (or baby bella), halved
1 yellow onion, peeled & sliced into 1" strips
1/4c. extra-virgin olive oil
1 t. salt, divided
1t. freshly ground black pepper, divided
1T. dried Italian herb mix or herbs de Provence (I don't even know what hers de Provence is, I just use Italian seasoning)
1lb. penne pasta (whole grain works as well as the white)
3c. marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
1c. grated fontina cheese (a Danish cheese to be found in the yuppy "cheese from around the world" section of the grocery store)
1/2c. grated smoked mozzarella (see note after fontina cheese)
1 1/2c. frozen peas, thawed
1/4c. grated Parmesan, plus 1/3c. for topping (fresh is always better, but Kraft will do)
2T. butter, cut into small pieces
1.) Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2.) On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with olive oil, 1/2t. salt, 1/2t. pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15min.
3.) Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta & cook for about 6 min. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander.
4.) In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, cheeses, peas, 1/2t. salt, & 1/2t. pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce & the ingredients are combined.
5.) Pour the pasta in a greased 9x13" pan. top with the remaining 1/3c. Parmesan and butter pieces. Bake until top is golden & cheese melts, about 25 min.
Again, while watching the Food Network, I found yet another zucchini recipe. This one is different, and interesting. You'll have to try it for yourself and see. All I recommend is do not use marinated artichoke hearts. They really change the taste of the filling. Also, you may need to pre-cook the zucchini boats before you fill them, depending on their size, to get them nice and tender. Again, I prefer very tender, not crunchy, cooked vegetables.
Turkey-Stuffed Zucchini Boats
2 large zucchini, halved lengthwise
1lb. cooked lean ground turkey
1/3c. fat-free sour cream (you could use regular, I just chose the fat-free)
1/2c. coarsely chopped artichoke hearts in water or oil, but not the marinated kind
1/4c. plus 2T. grated Parmesan, divided
1t. dried oregano
1/2t. salt
1/4t. ground black pepper
2T. seasoned dry bread crumbs
Orzo Pesto (my favorite part!), recipe follows.
1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2.) Using a spoon or melon baller, scoop seeds from center of each zucchini half, making 4 long canoe-like boats. Set aside.
3.) In a medium bowl, combine cooked ground turkey, sour cream, artichoke hearts, 1/4c. Parmesan cheese, oregano, salt, & black pepper. Mix gently to combine. Spoon mixture into zucchini boats. Sprinkle bread crumbs & remaining Parmesan over filling in boats.
4.) Bake zucchini boats 10-12 min., until top is golden brown and filling is heated through. Serve with Orzo Pesto.
Orzo Pesto
8oz. orzo pasta (dry, uncooked, by weight)
jar of prepared basil pesto
Cook and drain orzo according to package directions. Toss with desired amount of pesto and serve.
The final recipes I made with my zucchinis that summer were zucchini breads. I'm not going to post any recipes, though, because I find zucchini bread recipes to be a dime-a-dozen. I have a "normal" Paula Deen zucchini bread recipe in my recipe box that calls for 1t. lemon juice. However, I didn't have lemon juice when I made it so I experimented with 1t. anise extract instead, which turned out delicious. I also have a chocolate chip orange zucchini bread recipe I liked. One thing I personally did not care for in some of the other recipes I experimented with were raisins in my zucchini bread. I love raisins alone, but I'm not wild about them in baked goods. Just a personal preference of mine.
Well, I hope you've enjoyed my zucchini monologue. I did try a garden again last summer, but since Josiah was born in the beginning of summer, I never had much time to tend it, and it didn't work out. My zucchini never even sprouted. I did get onions and peppers (green and jalapeno), but very few tomatoes. The garden became overrun with weeds, particularly one weed, technically a tuber, known as nut grass. There is no getting rid of nut grass. So Keith planted grass in my garden area this summer, and it took beautifully. Next summer the plan is for Keith to rent a sod-cutter at Home Depot and cut out another garden box in a different location in the yard. I love gardening, and I would love my children to get involved in it and excited about it like I do.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Book #14
Just finished Writing From Home by Susan Richman, a compilation of the writings of homeschooled children. Chapter topics ranged from setting up a writing environment in your home, to poetry, to reporting research, and fiction, and everything in between. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is homeschooling or considering it.
Stay tuned...if I ever get around to it I have a blog in my head entitled "Zucchinis and Things," inspired by a question (probably a rhetorical one, but nevertheless) my friend Sarah made in her blog about what to do with the wonderful zucchini she picked from her garden. If you're looking for zucchini recipes, this blog (if I ever do it) is not to be missed!
Stay tuned...if I ever get around to it I have a blog in my head entitled "Zucchinis and Things," inspired by a question (probably a rhetorical one, but nevertheless) my friend Sarah made in her blog about what to do with the wonderful zucchini she picked from her garden. If you're looking for zucchini recipes, this blog (if I ever do it) is not to be missed!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Mackinac Island and Book #13
I absolutely loved the horses.
A view from Fort Mackinac, including the Mackinac Bridge in the distance.
Our very Victorian bed and breakfast, The Inn on Mackinac.A week ago at this time Keith and I were making the uphill trek to Fort Mackinac for a fresh deposit of colonial fur trade and War of 1812 data into our knowledge bank. Our much-needed and long-awaited getaway began last Thursday when we had delicious stuffed pork chops for dinner at my parents-because I hate cooking the night before a road trip-bathed the boys in GaGa's tub, put them to bed and headed back home to do some last-minute packing and enjoy a nice fire in the backyard, just the two of us! Friday morning we said one last good-bye to the boys and we were on our way to Mackinac!
This was my first trip to northern Michigan. Keith, being a native, had been there several times. The ride was nice and uneventful, and a little longer than I expected (9 hours). The whole process of parking our car at the dock, catching the ferry, and then getting a porter to take our luggage to our bed and breakfast was seamless. Though, I must admit that in my old age I do not like boat rides! The ferry was 16 minutes long, which was fine, I just don't like boat rides anymore. They make me queasy. We arrived around dinner time, unpacked, freshened up, and took a stroll down Main St. to find some sustenance.
The whole island is so adorably quaint. No vehicles allowed, so all trasportation is done on foot, bicycle, or horse and carriage! The purpose of the trip was to celebrate both our 3-year anniversary-and there's a little inside joke to that reason-and our birthdays which both fall in July. We were there the entire weekend, cathching the first ferry off of the island Monday morning, and by that time I really wanted to get back to the boys anyway.
We went to Fort Mackinac, the McGulphin House, Biddle House, Blacksmith's Shop, Beaumont Museum, Mission Bark Chapel, and another old church (that I can't remember the name of!) all Saturday morning. The Biddle House was my favorite of all because the young ladies working inside could actually show me how to use the spindle to make yarn out of wool, how to crush corn for cornmeal, and how to cook on an open hearth, like Little House on the Prairie! I enjoy learning about how people did the practical things like cooking before the industrial revolution.
I knew there would obviously be a lot of walking on this trip, but I was not prepared for how my body, at 27 weeks pregnant, would handle all of the walking! I've never had such low-back aches before! So we decided to do the carriage tour around the island that afternoon. One of my favorite things about that was how the tour guide would identify all of the wildflowers we passed along the pathway. I'm into that kind of thing.
Sunday, my birthday, we decided to rent bikes and see the entire perimeter of the island. This was definitely my second-favorite activity of the weekend. The perimeter of the island is entirely flat so it was a very easy trek, and I had no back pain because I was sitting! We had the bikes for 2 hours, going around the island twice for a total of 16.4 miles. I know that sounds like a lot, but when you're biking on flat land, it really isn't that difficult at all. Only one minor event...I fell off of my bike! I was trying to change gears and apparently I wasn't doing it correctly. Well, my chain fell right off, the bike stopped dead, and I promptly fell directly off of it! Fortunately I landed quite plainly on my side, not my stomach, and I only sustained a couple of scrapes and a bruised thumb.
After lunch we saw more sights on foot, including the Butterfly House and Fort Holmes, which is the highest point on the island. Each evening, after dinner, we wandered in and out of a few shops, but always ended up at an ice cream shop! In addition, our bed and breakfast served chocolate chip cookies at bedtime, and always had coffee, tea, and hot cocoa available in the lobby. So after we waddled back to our room each night we enjoyed a hot beverage of some sort and cookies. There was also a spa pool, which can be most accurately likened to an oversized jacuzzi only the water isn't as hot, which felt wonderful on my aching back every night. Of course, Sunday evening we had to buy 2 1/2 pounds of fudge too (some for us, some for my mother) as this is one of the main things Mackinac Island is famous for!
While there, I decided to take a break from non-fiction and re ad something totally mindless and entertaining. That's how I ended up with Book #13, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. You don't have to be a fan of sci-fi to appreciate this kind of light humor! My favorite character by far is Marvin the depressed robot. Now this is the first of six books in The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The next one is The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. This morning, however, I began Writing From Home by Susan Richman. This is a collection of writings by homeschooled students. I'm well into the second chapter and so far it's wonderful! It makes me even more excited about homeschooling.
Finally, I will leave you with a few quick notes about what's been going on in our home lately. I am about to enter my 3rd trimester. We are just now beginning to work on the spare room, making it into Josiah's room. I will also have to somehow make the nursery gender-neutral as I have no idea what I'm having this time and wouldn't be at all surprised whether it's a boy or a girl. What I mean is I have absolutely no inclination as to what I'm having. Josiah said the word "go" last Tuesday. He also began saying "ball" while we were away last weekend. Isaac has suddenly found an interest in drawing with his markers, and it just warms my heart to watch him scribble and name all of his colors out loud. Both of my boys are so amazing.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Book #12
Just finished up Having Your Baby With a Nurse-Midwife. If you've already had a baby with a mdiwife, you need not read this book. It is best for women, and couples I guess, who are considering their options or wanting to learn more about midwives specifically. I'm definitely a fan of midwives, and if a first-time mother-to-be asked me for a tip the first thing I'd tell them is that if they're healthy they don't need an OB. They're much better of with a midwife.
Now I do believe I need a break from reading about childbirth. The plan is to read Writing From Home by Susan Richman next, and then I'm going to find a completely mindless and entertaining work of fiction. I'm actually thinking of reading He's Just Not That Into You. Yes, it was a movie. I never saw it, but the trailers looked cute. Then I found out it was a book and decided I would read the book someday.
By the way, I love our new pediatrician. It was such a different atmosphere from where we were before. Josiah received a clean bill of health once again, praise God.
Now I do believe I need a break from reading about childbirth. The plan is to read Writing From Home by Susan Richman next, and then I'm going to find a completely mindless and entertaining work of fiction. I'm actually thinking of reading He's Just Not That Into You. Yes, it was a movie. I never saw it, but the trailers looked cute. Then I found out it was a book and decided I would read the book someday.
By the way, I love our new pediatrician. It was such a different atmosphere from where we were before. Josiah received a clean bill of health once again, praise God.
Monday, July 6, 2009
What Happened With Our Old Pediatrician
Following a previous blog post, a couple readers were wondering what happened between me and the pediatrician I had been taking the boys to.
How to make a long story short?
Well, when Isaac as born we really liked Dr. Ubinger. He seemed knowledgeable and down-to-earth. I did feel somewhat rushed when asking my questions at each visit but, hey, doctors aren't exactly known for their people-skills. The trouble began when I started asking questions about the vaccines. Let me remind everyone that both of my boys have had all of their vaccines. All I was doing was asking questions. With each question it was obvious that Dr. Ubinger was stiffening up and clearly annoyed that I was even entertaining the thought of debating this issue.
One day a friend loaned me a video on vaccines that was very alarming, and I decided to hold off on further vaccines until I investigated some of the claims made in this video. When I brought up some of the claims made to Dr. Ubinger at Josiah's 6 month well-baby visit he dismissed it all as "crap," literally, and just gave me another handout of AAP (American Academy of Pediatricians) guidelines regarding vaccines. I wasn't satisfied.
Before his 9-month well-baby visit I called ahead and asked the nurse to have all of the package inserts for all of the childhood vaccines ready for me so I could read them (at home of course). I also began checking out some of the references from the video I watched. It turned out some of the references' websites were hacked into or expired, which didn't look good. However, the doctor who made the video maintained her website quite well and I was able to find what she said would be on there. I still insisted on holding off on the vaccines until I read more, which totally pissed Dr. Ubinger off. I also showed him a chart that I'd found on the website detailing very clearly which vaccines were made with aborted fetal cells, their manufacturers, and an ethical alternative if one was available. This really sent him over the edge. His response was hostile and unprofessional. He said it was all crap, and that he didn't know where it came from, referring specifically to the allegation that some vaccines were made with aborted fetal cells. "Just because you found a detailed chart on the internet you think it's true?" was one of the things he said. He also kept repeating, "You have to decide who you're going to believe." Finally he told me if I didn't get on board with the vaccine schedule I'd have to find another doctor. I shrugged my shoulders and said ok, but I wish I would have walked out of the office.
So I went home and shared with Keith what had taken place at Josiah's visit, and I began reading those package inserts the nurse had so kindly given me. It didn't take me very long to decide who I was going to believe. First of all, let me say that the package inserts blew enough holes in the arguments made on the video I watched that I ultimately decided the benefits outweighed the risks. That was all of the investigating I needed to do. However, for the MMR, chicken pox, and Hep A vaccines, right in the first or second paragraphs of the package inserts, it clearly states that they are propogated in human embryonic lung cells and/or human diploid cells. I knew what this meant, but I'm not a microbiologist so I took it one step further and called the manufacturers (Merck and GlaxoSmithKline). All it took was one phone call to each for them to confirm what I already knew. These human embryonic lung cells and human diploid cells came from aborted fetuses. So who was I going to believe? Dr. Ubinger? Or the people who make the vaccines? Um, lemme think.
The decision to change pediatricians was not taken lightly. I truly do not expect doctors to know everything under the sun. It was his response, his attitude toward my questions, that upset me so badly. I prayed about this and discussed it with Keith for weeks before I decided to look for a better match for my family. I even spoke with one of the pastors at our church about it. It's not that Dr. Ubinger didn't know some vaccines were indeed made with aborted fetal cells, it's that he dismissed it all as crap and told me if I didn't believe him I had to go elsewhere for care. Well, that's just what I decided to do.
Listen, the bottom line is I am Isaac and Josiah's mother, and Keith is their father. WE are the decision-makers for our children, not some doctor. Whether we choose to get every vaccine under the sun for our kids, or to withhold all vaccines forever, it's OUR decision. No one else's. Doctors can give us their advice, but they can't tell us we're full of crap, our kids are gonna die if we don't vaccinate, or that they won't see our healthy children because we question the necessity or the ethics of vaccines. Dr. Ubinger's words "You have to decide who you're going to believe" and "If you don't get on board with the vaccine schedule you have to find another doctor" were the ultimate insults. Not that he didn't know how some vaccines were manufactured.
Sorry for the marathon blog.
Josiah's 1 year well-baby visit is tomorrow with a new pediatrician that I've heard good things about. I'm looking forward to it.
How to make a long story short?
Well, when Isaac as born we really liked Dr. Ubinger. He seemed knowledgeable and down-to-earth. I did feel somewhat rushed when asking my questions at each visit but, hey, doctors aren't exactly known for their people-skills. The trouble began when I started asking questions about the vaccines. Let me remind everyone that both of my boys have had all of their vaccines. All I was doing was asking questions. With each question it was obvious that Dr. Ubinger was stiffening up and clearly annoyed that I was even entertaining the thought of debating this issue.
One day a friend loaned me a video on vaccines that was very alarming, and I decided to hold off on further vaccines until I investigated some of the claims made in this video. When I brought up some of the claims made to Dr. Ubinger at Josiah's 6 month well-baby visit he dismissed it all as "crap," literally, and just gave me another handout of AAP (American Academy of Pediatricians) guidelines regarding vaccines. I wasn't satisfied.
Before his 9-month well-baby visit I called ahead and asked the nurse to have all of the package inserts for all of the childhood vaccines ready for me so I could read them (at home of course). I also began checking out some of the references from the video I watched. It turned out some of the references' websites were hacked into or expired, which didn't look good. However, the doctor who made the video maintained her website quite well and I was able to find what she said would be on there. I still insisted on holding off on the vaccines until I read more, which totally pissed Dr. Ubinger off. I also showed him a chart that I'd found on the website detailing very clearly which vaccines were made with aborted fetal cells, their manufacturers, and an ethical alternative if one was available. This really sent him over the edge. His response was hostile and unprofessional. He said it was all crap, and that he didn't know where it came from, referring specifically to the allegation that some vaccines were made with aborted fetal cells. "Just because you found a detailed chart on the internet you think it's true?" was one of the things he said. He also kept repeating, "You have to decide who you're going to believe." Finally he told me if I didn't get on board with the vaccine schedule I'd have to find another doctor. I shrugged my shoulders and said ok, but I wish I would have walked out of the office.
So I went home and shared with Keith what had taken place at Josiah's visit, and I began reading those package inserts the nurse had so kindly given me. It didn't take me very long to decide who I was going to believe. First of all, let me say that the package inserts blew enough holes in the arguments made on the video I watched that I ultimately decided the benefits outweighed the risks. That was all of the investigating I needed to do. However, for the MMR, chicken pox, and Hep A vaccines, right in the first or second paragraphs of the package inserts, it clearly states that they are propogated in human embryonic lung cells and/or human diploid cells. I knew what this meant, but I'm not a microbiologist so I took it one step further and called the manufacturers (Merck and GlaxoSmithKline). All it took was one phone call to each for them to confirm what I already knew. These human embryonic lung cells and human diploid cells came from aborted fetuses. So who was I going to believe? Dr. Ubinger? Or the people who make the vaccines? Um, lemme think.
The decision to change pediatricians was not taken lightly. I truly do not expect doctors to know everything under the sun. It was his response, his attitude toward my questions, that upset me so badly. I prayed about this and discussed it with Keith for weeks before I decided to look for a better match for my family. I even spoke with one of the pastors at our church about it. It's not that Dr. Ubinger didn't know some vaccines were indeed made with aborted fetal cells, it's that he dismissed it all as crap and told me if I didn't believe him I had to go elsewhere for care. Well, that's just what I decided to do.
Listen, the bottom line is I am Isaac and Josiah's mother, and Keith is their father. WE are the decision-makers for our children, not some doctor. Whether we choose to get every vaccine under the sun for our kids, or to withhold all vaccines forever, it's OUR decision. No one else's. Doctors can give us their advice, but they can't tell us we're full of crap, our kids are gonna die if we don't vaccinate, or that they won't see our healthy children because we question the necessity or the ethics of vaccines. Dr. Ubinger's words "You have to decide who you're going to believe" and "If you don't get on board with the vaccine schedule you have to find another doctor" were the ultimate insults. Not that he didn't know how some vaccines were manufactured.
Sorry for the marathon blog.
Josiah's 1 year well-baby visit is tomorrow with a new pediatrician that I've heard good things about. I'm looking forward to it.
I Can't Believe It's July Already!
This summer is going by so quickly! And the weather has been, well, kind of crappy! Normally the temperature is in the high-80's, low-90's by this time, I think. We've only had a few 80-degree days all summer so far!
Our 4th of July weekend was spent in Grand Rapids. Even though it was rushed, it was one of the best trips I think I've ever had there. I picked Keith up from work at 4pm on Thursday, and we arrived at his mom's house at about 11:30pm.
Friday morning was a little rough because the boys had hardly had any sleep the night before. They were very miserable and exhausted. In the morning we went to Big Boy for breakfast to see Keith's mom. From there we visited cousin Kimmie and Vijay and their new baby boy, Carter. So cute! Finally we went to Nana Drudy's. Unfortunately, shortly after arriving at Nana's Josiah started melting down. We were only able to stay for about an hour and a half. After a very short afternoon nap, the boys just played in Wella's (Keith's mom's) backyard until we left after dinner to visit our friends Troy and Denise and their 4 kids. It was so nice to see everyone again!
Saturday was much better for the boys. They got much more sleep than they did the night before, and we did much less visiting. We just hung out at Wella's all morning, Josiah took his morning nap, and then we drove to Keith's dad's at noon for a 4th of July cookout. The original plan was to have a pool party, but it was so chilly! Everyone still had a great time though, and the boys were in much better spirits. We stuck around his dad's until after 5pm, then headed back to Wella's. Again, the boys just played in the backyard. Keith's mom and stepdad had some family over for a cookout as well, so we chatted with some aunts and uncles. Soon enough, though, it was time to pack our bags and start getting the boys ready for bed.
Did I mention I hate fireworks? Not the "professional" kind you see at Disney World, or when Monroeville Mall lights them off for the 4th of July, but the kind people set off in their driveways and blow their foot off with. Yeah. Well, Wella's neighbors across the street were just having a grand 'ole time setting off m-80's in the street. Isaac was so scared he jumped into Maurh's arms. I just wanted to punch those people.
Anyway, we got the boys into bed at a decent hour (8:30-9'ish), then Keith and I were able to take a short walk outside. I love the cool night air. We didn't want to go see the fireworks in downtown Grand Rapids because were thought the boys would probable be scared, and they needed to get in bed anyhow. There will be many more 4th of July fireworks in the future.
Keith woke me at 4am Sunday morning to get read to leave. This is really the best time for us to travel because the boys will sleep in their carseats until after 7am when we stop for breakfast. By then the trip is almost halfway over. They did great on the way home.
As always, it's great to come home from a road trip and get all unpacked and organized, showered, rested, etc.
Our 4th of July weekend was spent in Grand Rapids. Even though it was rushed, it was one of the best trips I think I've ever had there. I picked Keith up from work at 4pm on Thursday, and we arrived at his mom's house at about 11:30pm.
Friday morning was a little rough because the boys had hardly had any sleep the night before. They were very miserable and exhausted. In the morning we went to Big Boy for breakfast to see Keith's mom. From there we visited cousin Kimmie and Vijay and their new baby boy, Carter. So cute! Finally we went to Nana Drudy's. Unfortunately, shortly after arriving at Nana's Josiah started melting down. We were only able to stay for about an hour and a half. After a very short afternoon nap, the boys just played in Wella's (Keith's mom's) backyard until we left after dinner to visit our friends Troy and Denise and their 4 kids. It was so nice to see everyone again!
Saturday was much better for the boys. They got much more sleep than they did the night before, and we did much less visiting. We just hung out at Wella's all morning, Josiah took his morning nap, and then we drove to Keith's dad's at noon for a 4th of July cookout. The original plan was to have a pool party, but it was so chilly! Everyone still had a great time though, and the boys were in much better spirits. We stuck around his dad's until after 5pm, then headed back to Wella's. Again, the boys just played in the backyard. Keith's mom and stepdad had some family over for a cookout as well, so we chatted with some aunts and uncles. Soon enough, though, it was time to pack our bags and start getting the boys ready for bed.
Did I mention I hate fireworks? Not the "professional" kind you see at Disney World, or when Monroeville Mall lights them off for the 4th of July, but the kind people set off in their driveways and blow their foot off with. Yeah. Well, Wella's neighbors across the street were just having a grand 'ole time setting off m-80's in the street. Isaac was so scared he jumped into Maurh's arms. I just wanted to punch those people.
Anyway, we got the boys into bed at a decent hour (8:30-9'ish), then Keith and I were able to take a short walk outside. I love the cool night air. We didn't want to go see the fireworks in downtown Grand Rapids because were thought the boys would probable be scared, and they needed to get in bed anyhow. There will be many more 4th of July fireworks in the future.
Keith woke me at 4am Sunday morning to get read to leave. This is really the best time for us to travel because the boys will sleep in their carseats until after 7am when we stop for breakfast. By then the trip is almost halfway over. They did great on the way home.
As always, it's great to come home from a road trip and get all unpacked and organized, showered, rested, etc.
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