AHHH California!

I love it. I love it. I love it. We are here in California and it is wonderful. It is so great to give the kids a chance to play with their cousins, make cookies with their grandma and go to the train museum with their grandpa.
And I am in heaven having a chance to be home with most of my family for a little while.

Merry Christmas!

Sick cookies

Today we made some gingerbread cookies with the kids. I was starting to clean up when I heard Abby and Collin discussing the following:

"My gingerbread man is going to have chicken pox just like baby Evan." - Collin

"Hey, that's a great idea. I am going to decorate my angel with chicken pox too! Actually my angel will have jelly bean pox" - Abby

Even cookies around here aren't safe from disease!

Thanks for everyone's comments on the last post, Evan is getting better slowly but surely. In another few days I think he may actually not be contagious anymore.

Chicken Pox and vaccines (or lack the thereof)

These pictures don't quite do this justice; only the very worst pox are showing up.

We took Evan to the Doctor today with what the doctor said was one of the worst cases of chicken pox in a baby he has ever seen. At first I thought, "How is this possible? He is up to date on his vaccinations..." But it turns out the varicella (chicken pox vaccine) isn't given until 12 months. I talked to the Dr. and nurse a little about how he could have even gotten chicken pox - I thought it was virtually gone because of vaccinations. Turns out because so many parents avoid having their little ones get shots that would prevent huge diseases, lots of practically extinct diseases are making a come-back. So because some parents decided that their child didn't need a vaccine, my seven-month-old gets to suffer through an awful bout of these scratchy little polka dots. I'm just glad it was only chicken pox this time, not anything worse. He is miserable but at least it isn't life-threatening like polio or whooping cough or something.

So to all the parents out there who think their decision not to vaccinate or to do so very slowly only affects them, please think about my little guy. My older two have had their varicella and its booster and have shown no signs. I don't know where he picked this up, and I don't want people who live around here feeling guilty that they may have spread it to us. That isn't the point. I am just frustrated that I am doing all I can to protect my kids from life threatening illnesses, but because so many people are refusing to vaccinate, my children are still at risk. I simply am not allowed to vaccinate them quickly or early enough to keep them healthy. I know this is a bit of a rant - sorry about that. It has just been on my mind for a while and when this came up I couldn't hold back, especially after being up half the night with our miserable little Evan.

Give me some opinions. If you disagree let me know why, and if you agree I would love to hear that I am not alone feeling this way.

Like Father, Like Son

 

I was going through the pictures from the last year and found this gem that we took around Halloween. On the list of "proud dad" moments, this one is right up there at the top.