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!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
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.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Book #11 and Exciting New Developments
A couple of days ago I finished Henci Goer's A Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth. I would definitely recommend this book, or something like it, to every pregnant woman whether it's her first or her fifth pregnancy. Unabashedly (sp?) pro-natural childbirth, the author systematically reviews the medical literature and the pros and cons of almost every childbirth intervention from C-sections to IV's. While I really wasn't suprised by the information given in this book, it was a little sickening at how nonchalantly the majority of OB/GYN's handle the complications of their own interventions. Also, I truly cannot complain about the OB/GYN's I've seen in the past. Both of my prior pregnancy/childbirth experiences were very positive, but I could see a clear difference between the OB's and the one midwife at the practice, and I strongly preferred the midwife. I understand the differences between the obstetric model and the midwifery model better now. I firmly agree with the midwifery philosophy that childbirth is not a hazard to my health or a medical disaster waiting to happen, rather, that it is a natural process that my body was specifically designed for.
I'm still not 100% convinced I can do it without an epidural though! :-) I know the potential complications of epidurals, but I also know I couldn't handle labor without them the first two times. However, because my labor stopped and Josiah's heartrate immediately dropped as soon as I got my epidural with him, I've decided that if I'm already 8 or 9cm dilated when I get to the hospital this time I'm doing without. I've told Keith, my mom, and both of the midwives I'm seeing now the same thing, so they can remind me what I said when I'm writhing in pain!
Couple exciting things for Isaac...he pooped on the potty all by himself on Monday! He got 10 Smarties and a juice box, and we called daddy, Wella, Pappy, and GaGa to tell them right away. Of course, he hasn't done it again since, but I believe in him! Also, he slept in his toddler bed for the first time last night and did great! He slept all by himself all night long!
We finally sold all of the furniture we wanted to sell, and had the yard sale we needed to have, so our house is less cluttered now and we're better prepared to get Josiah's new bedroom ready and make room for baby #3! We also bought new dining room furniture (table, chairs, buffet and hutch) and new kitchen table and chairs. I can't wait to have them delivered! This will be the first time I've ever had nice, new, matching dining room and kitchen furniture!
Josiah is as wonderful as ever, waving bye-bye, clapping, blowing kisses, saying "uh oh," and doing "so big!" He'll have his one-year pictures taken next week at Penny's, followed by his first haircut! He's so adorable. Also, I finally got his medical records transferred from his old pediatrician to a new one, and we just made his one-year well-baby appointment with the new one today! I was so worried the old pediatrician wrote something bad about me in his chart so that no one else would ever see Josiah! That relationship definitely spiralled downward fast. I'm so relieved.
Keith had his yearly review last week, and came home with good news, ok news, and bad news. The good news was that he had an excellent review and got another raise. Yay! The ok news was that he will not be travelling to China in October (when I'm due to give birth). The bad news is he does have to go to China for two weeks in September AND December! One week in Japan was a little tough, two weeks in China in the final weeks of my pregnancy when I will be largest and most uncomfortable, then again when the baby is only about 6-8 weeks old will be a whole new ballgame. But I'm up for the challenge!
I'm still not 100% convinced I can do it without an epidural though! :-) I know the potential complications of epidurals, but I also know I couldn't handle labor without them the first two times. However, because my labor stopped and Josiah's heartrate immediately dropped as soon as I got my epidural with him, I've decided that if I'm already 8 or 9cm dilated when I get to the hospital this time I'm doing without. I've told Keith, my mom, and both of the midwives I'm seeing now the same thing, so they can remind me what I said when I'm writhing in pain!
Couple exciting things for Isaac...he pooped on the potty all by himself on Monday! He got 10 Smarties and a juice box, and we called daddy, Wella, Pappy, and GaGa to tell them right away. Of course, he hasn't done it again since, but I believe in him! Also, he slept in his toddler bed for the first time last night and did great! He slept all by himself all night long!
We finally sold all of the furniture we wanted to sell, and had the yard sale we needed to have, so our house is less cluttered now and we're better prepared to get Josiah's new bedroom ready and make room for baby #3! We also bought new dining room furniture (table, chairs, buffet and hutch) and new kitchen table and chairs. I can't wait to have them delivered! This will be the first time I've ever had nice, new, matching dining room and kitchen furniture!
Josiah is as wonderful as ever, waving bye-bye, clapping, blowing kisses, saying "uh oh," and doing "so big!" He'll have his one-year pictures taken next week at Penny's, followed by his first haircut! He's so adorable. Also, I finally got his medical records transferred from his old pediatrician to a new one, and we just made his one-year well-baby appointment with the new one today! I was so worried the old pediatrician wrote something bad about me in his chart so that no one else would ever see Josiah! That relationship definitely spiralled downward fast. I'm so relieved.
Keith had his yearly review last week, and came home with good news, ok news, and bad news. The good news was that he had an excellent review and got another raise. Yay! The ok news was that he will not be travelling to China in October (when I'm due to give birth). The bad news is he does have to go to China for two weeks in September AND December! One week in Japan was a little tough, two weeks in China in the final weeks of my pregnancy when I will be largest and most uncomfortable, then again when the baby is only about 6-8 weeks old will be a whole new ballgame. But I'm up for the challenge!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Book #10 and the Toy Rotation System
One of the books Mary Pride referenced a lot in All the Way Home was The Truth About Diet and Drugs During Pregnancy: What Every Pregnant Woman Should Know by Gail Sforza Brewer and Thomas Brewer, MD. For me, this was more of a historical look at how doctors used to manage swelling during pregnancy. I really don't think anyone prescribes low-salt, 1000-calorie diets anymore for pregnant women who gain more than 24 lb. Apparently, however, this was quite a common practice, along with prescribing diet pills, diuretics, and blood pressure medications for what we today term pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, as recently as the 1980's. The original copyright for this book is 1977, revised in 1985. Its aim is to enlighten women and encourage them to educate themselves on pregnancy nutrition and not blindly follow the doctor's every recommendation. It also highlights the fact that physicians need not take a course in nutrition to graduate from medical school; a fact that, sadly, is still true today I'm afraid.
While this book was interesting, because I do not believe such things are common medical practice anymore, I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book to another mom-to-be. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to me most people, men and women, physicans and non-medical people alike, know that a pregnant woman needs a balanced diet including all of the food groups, a prenatal vitamin, and should not be on any kind of calorie-controlled diet, or taking any diet pills.
Now, for the best idea I've had all year...the toy rotation system! The clutter of toys in our house was getting out of control. It was absurd. Yet, I didn't have the heart to throw away or donate any toys yet. I guess I want my kids to be old enough to decide which toys they're ready to part with, without me forcing them to part with something. They actually do play with just about everything they have. So, I decided to just keep out a few toys in the family room, and put the rest away where they can't see them. This idea actually stemmed from something I read in the Duggar's Twenty and Counting book. We have a rubbermaid container that's functioning as a toy box in the family room right now. I chose a few (probably about 4-5) toys for each of them to keep in that rubbermaid container, plus 1 "big" toy for each of them (Isaac's tool bench and Josiah's Laugh & Learn Home). I also left out Josiah's Retro Rocket (something he can ride on), and Isaac's weedwacker. Those would be medium-sized toys. The rest of the toys (the giant blow-up thing filled with balls, the Thomas the Train tent, all of the cars/trucks/buses/fire engines, etc. are currently hiding in the spare room. The boys haven't even noticed I put anything away. Well, Isaac hasn't said anything at least. They're perfectly happy to play with what I've left out and my family room isn't a disaster zone at the end of the day. My plan is to rotate toys about once a week so that they don't get bored playing with same things, nor do they "miss" any of their other favorites. They still each have toys in their bedrooms too. I am not depriving them in any way. Just keeping my sanity.
While this book was interesting, because I do not believe such things are common medical practice anymore, I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book to another mom-to-be. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to me most people, men and women, physicans and non-medical people alike, know that a pregnant woman needs a balanced diet including all of the food groups, a prenatal vitamin, and should not be on any kind of calorie-controlled diet, or taking any diet pills.
Now, for the best idea I've had all year...the toy rotation system! The clutter of toys in our house was getting out of control. It was absurd. Yet, I didn't have the heart to throw away or donate any toys yet. I guess I want my kids to be old enough to decide which toys they're ready to part with, without me forcing them to part with something. They actually do play with just about everything they have. So, I decided to just keep out a few toys in the family room, and put the rest away where they can't see them. This idea actually stemmed from something I read in the Duggar's Twenty and Counting book. We have a rubbermaid container that's functioning as a toy box in the family room right now. I chose a few (probably about 4-5) toys for each of them to keep in that rubbermaid container, plus 1 "big" toy for each of them (Isaac's tool bench and Josiah's Laugh & Learn Home). I also left out Josiah's Retro Rocket (something he can ride on), and Isaac's weedwacker. Those would be medium-sized toys. The rest of the toys (the giant blow-up thing filled with balls, the Thomas the Train tent, all of the cars/trucks/buses/fire engines, etc. are currently hiding in the spare room. The boys haven't even noticed I put anything away. Well, Isaac hasn't said anything at least. They're perfectly happy to play with what I've left out and my family room isn't a disaster zone at the end of the day. My plan is to rotate toys about once a week so that they don't get bored playing with same things, nor do they "miss" any of their other favorites. They still each have toys in their bedrooms too. I am not depriving them in any way. Just keeping my sanity.
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