Goat's Milk vs. Cow's Milk

This is a topic that I honestly never thought in a million years I would ever be discussing.  So random!  I must start by saying that Kyle is not allergic to cow's milk, nor is he lactose intolerant.  We started him on cow's milk around 12 months of age, and when he was around 13 months old we took him to meet a naturopathic doctor.  (This was after the whole MMR rash thing, and we wanted another opinion from someone who might be more sympathetic to our concerns with the vaccinations than Kyle's pediatrician was.)  

Anyway, I had brought up cow's milk for some reason or another, and he immediately responded, "If you have to do milk at all, goat's milk is a much better choice than cow's milk."  I wasn't sure what to even think of this comment right away, but he continued on...  He explained to us that cow's milk is okay for baby cows, who have 4 stomachs, and are built to digest that kind of milk.  But for humans, who have one stomach and aren't meant to digest another animals milk...cow's milk isn't healthy for any of us to drink, really.  Made sense to us, we had just never thought about it before!  Milk has so much in it that is good for toddlers growth, that we didn't want to take milk out of Kyle's diet entirely.  We had never seen goat's milk in the grocery before, so this was totally new to us!

That afternoon we made a trip to Sunflower supermarket.  What do you know...they sell goat's milk!  We realized upon viewing the price why cow's milk is the popular choice.  The goat's milk is much more expensive than cow's milk!  But, we figured that for our son's health we would give it a shot.  We bought one quart to start.  Kyle LOVED the goat's milk!  It was obvious to us that he definitely preferred the goat's milk over the cow's milk.  Who knew!!??

So, I guess I should tell you a little bit about goat's milk.  :)  Upon doing some research on the internet about goat's milk, here are some things that I have learned.  Feel free to browse some of the links that I have provided on the side bar regarding goat's milk.  I copied some of these facts from a couple of those links.

*Goat milk is closer to human milk and is therefore easily accepted.

*Goat and sheep’s milk are less likely to contain hormones and additives.

*goat milk is more digestible because the fat molecules are one-fifth the size of those from cow milk.

*The flavor of goat milk is comparable to that of cow milk.

*Goat milk contains pre-formed Vitamin A in the milk fat that allows it to be readily available for use by the body (apparently this is not the case with cow's milk).

*Goat milk has an alkaline reaction the same as mother's milk. Cow milk has an acid reaction.

*Goat milk does not form mucous (phlegm) and is therefore better tolerated by asthmatics and those with allergies.

*Goat milk contains 2% curd, which precipitates in the stomach. Cows milk is 10% curd.

*Goats milk has the ability to "sweeten" the intestinal tract and assist with constipation.

*Goats milk contains a higher evolved carotene (pro-Vitamin A). Researchers have found this to have cancer preventing properties.

*Goat's milk contains slightly lower levels of lactose (4.1 percent versus 4.7 percent in cow's milk) - but take note that it is not lactose free!

The minerals in goat's milk are similar to cow's milk, but slightly different.  You can read all about those in the article Got Goat's Milk, which is from the Dr. Sears website.  I won't bore you here with all those numbers.  :)

I do have to say that Josh and I aren't against cow's milk at all...in fact we both drink it almost daily ourselves!  But we made a different choice for Kyle since he is so little, and starting fresh with a new little body.  It just seems like a healthier choice.  :)  It would probably be healthier for Josh and I to start drinking goat's milk too, but it's too expensive...so we'll splurge for Kyle.

Maybe this is something new to you (or maybe not) ...it certainly was new to our family!  Kyle will be 15 months old at the end of this month and he's still drinking the goat's milk.  After his first sip of goat's milk at 13 months, we decided that this was the milk better suited for Kyle.  :)  He just loves it! 

Josh keeps trying to talk me into getting a goat for our backyard now (to save money of course), LOL, but I'm saying no to that one!  :)  I heard that with dairy goats you have to milk them twice a day and at the same time every day.  That would put lots of restrictions on activities away from the home and traveling!  Not to mention that Toby (our dog) would probably not be thrilled about an addition to his yard.  LOL  So, for now, we will just keep making trips to Sunflower Market for our supply of goat's milk!

 

Get Out The Blender!

 
I don't think the reality of how expensive it would be to have a baby really hit us until the baby was here!  LOL  You know it's coming, but it's still a shock!  One of the things that I did that saved us money (and was so much healthier), was making all of Kyle's baby food.

I am not very good in the kitchen (Josh is the cook in our house), but I thought what the heck, I'll give it a try.  :)  I bought a book called Top 100 Baby Purees By: Annabel Karmel.  There is another book of hers that I have, First Meals Food Diary.  I used both books together.  It is so easy even I was able to do it!  LOL  They are both fantastic books that take you step by step through all the ingredients, preparing, cooking, blending, storing, and freezing guidelines.

I went to Babies R Us and got some little freezer safe cups that I could store the extra food in.  When I made his food, I made sure to make lots at one time, and then I put it in the deep freezer for future meals.  So easy!  I sometimes took a frozen cup and stuck it in his diaper bag when we went out, and by the time we were ready to eat it was thawed out.  I totally get the convenience of the store bought stuff (we did get a few jars simply out of convenience), but using the already prepared serving in frozen cups was just as easy.  I would spend an hour or two a couple times a week, and make enough food for Kyle for the next week or two.  So, it didn't take me too much time to do it.  The very first thing I made for Kyle was pureed carrots, and he LOVED them!

The great thing about making your own baby food is that you know it is fresh, and you know what is in it!  That's why I liked doing it.  :)

Here's what Annabel Karmel had to say about home made baby food vs. jars on her website.

"Why bother with making homemade baby food? What’s wrong with baby food from a jar, anyway? Take one of these jars and look carefully at the expiration date. The substance inside has been designed to last for two years past the date of purchase. That’s not exactly the fresh that you intended to feed your baby. 

The ingredients of most commercial baby foods have been heated to a very high temperature and then cooled, in order to sterilize them. This gives them a very long shelf life but destroys a lot of the flavor and some of the nutrients in the process. Also if you bring up a baby on bland processed purees such as these it can make the transition to family food difficult as they are not used to the natural taste of fruits and veg and they can become quite fussy eaters.

There is nothing wrong with giving babies prepared foods for the sake of convenience, but don’t believe these preparations are a healthier option. The healthiest baby foods are the ones you make yourself– you can be sure of using the best quality ingredients with no thickeners or additives, its cheaper than using jars and homemade purees taste so much better."

I agree, if you can do home made baby food, it is healthier...and cheaper!!  Just a tip for saving some $ on baby food, and it's so easy.  It just takes some extra time.  :)  Of course Kyle is now eating solid foods...pretty much everything we eat, as long as he can gum it.  I just wanted to share something that has worked well for our family.  :)

Money Motivation?

I do not claim to be an expert on vaccinations...in fact...my research has only begun, and I read more every single day.  I thought that this was important enough to mention (and I'm sure there are more figures out there like what I am about to share with you).  I'm sure this is merely one $ figure of many that are "motivating" our mass vaccinations for "herd immunity."  You can't tell me that vaccinations have nothing to do with money!  They have everything to do with money!

This is written by an M.D.  She tries to give both sides of the coin when it comes to health and vaccinations...but the more I read....the more I conclude that the risks far out weigh the benefits of the vaccinations.  I have come to my own conclusion that the public has turned a blind eye to some very scary truths regarding vaccines!  I have been one of those people for the last year!  We don't know, what we don't know!

Our doctors and pediatricians are required by the states to mandate vaccinations for all children.  Hmmm, I wonder why....

The information below was taken from the Hepatitis B section of the book, so that is why she specifically mentions Hep B.  It applies to all vaccines though, not just Hep B!

Taken straight from What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations, By: Stephanie Cave, M.D. with Deborah Mitchell.

How States "Encourage" Vaccinations

"If you want to encourage people to do something, one of the most effective ways is to offer them an incentive.  The CDC has given hundreds of millions of dollars to state health departments in the form of immunization grants since 1965.  When the hepatitis B vaccine was added to the recommended list, the states could hope to get some of that money if they enforced mandatory vaccinations and tracked them.  Today state health officials who cannot provide proof to federal health officials of a certain rate of vaccinations cannot get the funds.

And the amount of funds is substantial.  The Comprehensive Childhood Immunization Act of 1993 gave the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) the authority to give more than $400 million annually to states that establish a registry that tags and tracks children as they receive their mandatory vaccinations, including hepatitis B vaccine.  Each state receives between $50 and $100 per child who is fully vaccinated with all federally recommended vaccines.  This tracking system is part of a larger registry program under development by the CDC."

Encouragement from Other Sources

"Parents are further encouraged to vaccinate their children with the hepatitis B vaccine through the efforts of the nonprofit Immunization Action Coalition, which funds the Hepatitis B Coalition, a national effort to push the vaccine for all children.  Funding for this nonprofit comes from private donations, including a grant from SmithKlein Beecham, which manufactures one of the two hepatitis B vaccines on the market.  The CDC also gave the nonprofit a $750,000 grant." 

You can decide for yourself...but this information makes me feel very uneasy.

Our First Overnight!

So, two nights ago (Saturday, October 10, 2009), Josh and I went camping at Patagonia lake for our very first overnight trip without the baby!  Kyle is approaching 15 months old, so I was sure he could handle his first overnight without his mom and dad.  The question was...could Kyle's mommy handle an overnight trip without Kyle...?  LOL  Grandma Buchanan came over to stay with Kyle, and he got a very good report card!!  That makes me feel so much better, knowing that he was okay without us, and it wasn't a rough or traumatic night for Kyle OR Grandma!

Josh and I spent some time on the boat fishing in the evening (well, he did the fishing, I did the boating).  We watched a frenzy of thousands of birds feeding right at sunset (on bugs, I imagine).  It was like a tornado of birds all around us!  We fished and camped with Josh's cousin Matt.  It was getting chilly, so Josh made a fire to warm us up, and to cook some hot dogs.  Yum, yum!  Josh caught a 6 lb. catfish after sundown, and we pretty much called it a night.

The night was pretty cold...I'm so glad Kyle wasn't with us...he would have froze!  In the morning we hung out by the fire and has some hot soup and sausages for breakfast before the sun came up.  I know, breakfast of champions, LOL.  As soon as the sun came up over the mountain we went out on the lake so the guys could do more fishing.

I just really enjoyed my time hanging out on the boat, listening to my iPod, and doing some writing.  It was very therapeutic, drifting quietly on the water with the beautiful morning weather, and the array of beautiful lake side trees.  I knew I didn't have to worry about Kyle, because he was in good hands with his Grandma!  :)  It was the most relaxed I think I've been since Kyle was born....which was much needed!  I hadn't actually realized how emotionally unhealthy I have been and how emotionally unhealthy our relationship has been until we were out on the water relaxing, just the two of us.  I realized...we need to do this more often!

I love Kyle more than anything in this world...but...it was so relaxing having an evening and part of a day away with my husband!  It felt like Josh and I were "us" again.  The "us" kinda gets lost when a baby comes along, because all the focus goes to the baby!  We vowed that we would make sure we had "us" time after Kyle was born...but it just doesn't happen as often as we would like it to.  But, we still try!  :)  Thanks to Grandma, we had some much needed quality couple time away.  Thanks Grandma!! :)

Tooth #7 Has Arrived

Today I was looking in my smiley Kyle's mouth and saw tooth #7 poking out.  This is a relief, but it's not over quite yet...

It has been about a week since we have gotten Kyle to eat a decent meal!  He is refusing even his very favorite foods!  Kyle never complained about any of his first 6 teeth coming in, so this one has been very rough in comparison.  Usually they break thru during the night while he is sleeping...he wakes and cries for a minute...and puts himself right back to sleep.  Easy as that!  No fussiness during the day...we have been so blessed!  But, this last week has been a doosey.  Kyle has been super fussy, refusing food, drooling like a faucet...it's been a challenge for all of us!

I give Kyle the teething tablets to take the edge off, and that seems to help a lot.  I try not to give him any medicines (like Tylenol or Motrin) unless he really needs something.  This week we actually got to the point of needing to use a couple doses of Motrin (which is recommended over Tylenol for teething).  Here's a very short video about teething that gave me some good ideas to help with Kyle's pain management.  :)

If you have (or have had) a teething baby, you can sympathize with me, I'm sure.  It gets rough sometimes.  Poor little ones, I'm sure it is very painful!  I don't think our battle with this round of teething is over just quite yet...it looks like his 8th tooth is trying to come in soon.  His gum is very puffy and I can see whitish color behind the gum...a sign that it's on it's way!  I hope it comes quick, so we can get back to "normal" living, and normal eating!!

The First Vaccination - Hepatitis B

I was intending to do one long entry about all the vaccinations, but because of time constraints, I may end up doing several separate entries.  This one is about Hepatitis B.

What is Hepatitis B?

Taken from, Vaccine Safety Manual: For Concerned Families and Health Practitioners, By: Neil Z. Miller

"Hepatitis B is a viral infection.  Symptoms may be similar to the flu, including weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, a low-grade fever, diarrhea, sore muscles and joint pain.  A swollen liver and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) are possible as well.  In some instances, individuals who contract this disease are carriers of the virus yet exhibit few or none of these symptoms.  Acute hepatitis B usually runs its course within a few months.  Most patients do not require hospital care and 95 percent recover completely; they will not contract the disease again.  Long term or chronic hepatitis B infections can be serious." page 261

Kyle got this vaccination the first day of his life.  It seems almost automatic for babies to get the Hep B shortly after birth.  Unless the parents feel very strongly about their baby not getting this vaccination in the hospital (or otherwise), it is almost a non-discussion.  When Kyle got the shot, there was no discussion about it at all, or even an explanation of what it was for...just "sign here" to authorize the nurse to vaccinate.  I never really thought twice about it, to be honest.  No one else seemed to have any concerns about it, so it seemed like the right thing to do at the time.  After reading about the Hep B vaccination as of recent, I wish I had done a little more research before Kyle was born.  I would have made a different decision!

All quotes to follow are from, Vaccines: Are they Really Safe And Effective?,  By: Neil Z. Miller.  I find this book to be the most user friendly, short, sweet, to the point...so I will be using it a lot in my entries as a reference.  You might want to pick up a copy of the book for yourself to get the whole picture.

"The groups at highest risk of contracting hepatitis B are intravenous drug users, prostitutes, and sexually active gay men.  Infants and children rarely develop this disease.  In fact, less than one percent of all cases occur in children younger than 15 years." page 49

"Infants born to hepatitis B infected mothers have a greater chance of acquiring this disease.  However, children are very unlikely to contract hepatitis B if the mother is not infected.  Pregnant women may be screened for this disease if they are concerned." page 49

"Authorities often claim that hospital employees are likely to contract and spread hepatitis B.  they use this as a rationale for mandating the shot.  However, in one study of 624 health workers, the risk of contracting hepatitis B was associated with the frequency of contact with blood, but did not correlate with the frequency of contact with patients.  The authors concluded that health workers may become naturally immunized rather than infected through continuous exposure to low levels of hepatitis B." page 50

"Surveys in medical journals indicate that up to 87% of pediatricians and family practitioners do not believe the hepatitis B vaccine is needed by their newborn patients." page 51

In the book, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children's Vaccinations, the author talks about added ingredients in vaccinations (page 26).  She says that the Hep B vaccine has aluminum.  "This metal is added to vaccines, in the form of gels or salts, to promote the production of antibodies.  Aluminum has been named as a possible cause of seizures, Alzheimer's disease, brain damage, and dementia." She also says that this vaccine also contains ethylene glycol.  "This is the main ingredient in antifreeze.  It is used in some vaccines (for example, DTaP, polio, Hib, hepatitis B) as a preservative." 

I'm sure these are only two of the many added ingredients in this vaccine.

So, why are all of our tiny newborn babies required to get this mandated shot?  The only conclusion that I can come up with is $$$.  It makes more money for the companies making the vaccinations if you just require everyone to get it!  Why not just test mother's first, and then decide if that baby should get the shot or not?  Seems like that would be safer for our babies!!

Why is there not more discussion about the necessity of the vaccination before it is given to a newborn baby?  If I had read this information before Kyle was given the shot, I would not have authorized him to have the shot!  He did not need all that toxic crap pumped into his blood stream the day he was born.  It was not necessary!  I guess I will know for next time...!  :)

What Do We Do? - The Vaccination Controversy!

Vaccines.  One of the most controversial topics among the parenting community!  Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and their own decisions for their children.  I will share with you my opinion on this subject, and how my husband and I have come to the conclusions that we have, regarding vaccines and our son.  I am not a doctor, nurse, or scientist...I am merely a loving mother who wants to make the best decisions she can for her son.

Just a couple days ago a friend of mine sent me an email stating that a few months ago she thought that parents that don't vaccinate their children are "nuts,  misinformed and irresponsible."  (She is now questioning that opinion, I think.)  I think this is an all too common belief in our society.  In fact, I have learned recently that if you actually talk to parents that have chosen not to vaccinate their children... those are the parents who have done lots of research on the topic!!!

I guess I'll start with our story and how I got to this moment where I am writing about this topic.  I should start by telling you that our son, Kyle, has not had any adverse reactions to vaccinations. I don't have a super tragic or dramatic story to tell you - but I do have a story that I'm sure many share.

Our son received his first vaccine the day he was born.  Hep B.  There wasn't much discussion about it, it was just the automatic thing to do.  As parents, as far as vaccinations go, we were going off the theory that, "everyone else is doing it, so we should too."

We had heard a couple people tell us before Kyle was born, "Do not vaccinate Kyle when he is born - those things are poison!"  To be honest, I had not done much research on the subject, but deep down I knew this statement to be true.  A gut feeling, I guess.

I knew that all of my girlfriends, friends, and family were vaccinating their kids, and the pediatrician didn't make me feel like there was much room for discussion.  He (like most pediatricians) are trained to truly believe that vaccinations are good for kids.  "Herd immunity."  We like our pediatrician and feel that he truly does have the best interest at heart concerning Kyle's health.  I did not question the doctors recommendation to vaccinate Kyle, because I trust his medical expertise (after all, that's what he went to school so many years for, right?)  So, with little discussion (other than the warning of the "normal" reactions (fussiness, fever, etc.)) - I signed the pediatricians blue paper authorizing them to vaccinate Kyle.  We had expressed a little concern about autism regarding vaccines, but were assured that there was very little risk for Kyle.

Kyle was at his two month well check, blue form signed, and needles in the nurses hand ready to go.  It took everything in me to not scream "STOP!" at the top of my lungs, as she was reaching for Kyle with the needle.  My husband held Kyle while the shots were being administered.  I watched as she injected Kyle with 7 vaccinations (not that many needles, because some of them were combined).  He was a trooper.  He only cried for about 20 seconds and it was over.  I was relieved that it was over - until the next well check that I knew was coming all too soon.  I was also a little nervous because I didn't know how Kyle would react to all these shots in the days to come.  Kyle had a mild reaction (compared to some).  He was very sleepy, a little fussy, and a tiny bit constipated.  But no fever, so that was good, we thought.  All was "okay", until I had to sign that blue paper again at the next well check....and do it all over again.

Four month well check - big healthy baby - and time for more shots.  Again, I signed the blue form, Josh held Kyle, and the nurse poked Kyle with the needles.  Short bout of crying and it was over.  I once again held in my urge to scream, "STOP!", going against my gut feeling as Kyle's mother.  Reactions in Kyle were mild again, so I though, "Okay, I can do this."  Kyle never got a fever from shots, so I thought we were doing alright.  This continued, same routine for each well check appointment, until his 12 month.

Kyle's fussiness after each set of shots was increasing, and his cry started changing into a high pitched cry (different than his "normal" cry).  His behavior in general was always different after his shots - but only in ways that his mommy and daddy would notice!  It would take him up to 2 months to get back to his usual self...and by then it was always time for the next round of shots!  This was frustrating to Josh and I.  But, this was "normal" according to the doctor.  We also noticed that Kyle was loosing what little "vocabulary" he had.  Kyle was saying "ma,ma" at a very young age when he wanted me - much earlier than expected for the average baby.  So, it was a little odd that he stopped saying "ma,ma".  He points at everything, and wants us to say what it is.  We thought it was cute.  We have made excuses like, "he's just a late talker", or "he'll talk when he's ready."  And maybe this is so - but there is something inside of me that wonders.  That darn gut feeling again!  He does understand everything we say, so I'm not too worried about it...and hope that he decides to talk soon.

12 month well check.  24 lbs., 32", healthy boy!  Time for shots again, and this time they were adding a new set on top of all the others.  MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)  The doc told us to watch for a rash that could show up anywhere from one to three weeks after the vaccination.  This was a possible reaction to the MMR vaccination, but "not likely."

One week after Kyle's shots he broke out in a rash.  Little red dots all over his body - looked just like measles!  Kyle was very fussy, and his rash was getting worse.  I got him in to see the pediatrician right away.  The doc looked at Kyle's rash and told me that it was not from the vaccinations...even though the timing was "coincidental and questionable" (he even said that).  He diagnosed Kyle with eczema.  "Put lots of lotion on him (Eucerin), especially after bath time."  And we were sent on our way.

I had asked the doctor more than once at the visit if he was sure it was not from the MMR shot, and he assured me it was just dry skin.  This didn't sit well with me, since Kyle had never exhibited signs of eczema so far in his 12 months of life, and all of a sudden one week after the MMR, he has a horrible rash all over his body that looks like measles.  (And we were supposed to keep our eyes open for a rash, remember?!)  After a couple days of the rash getting worse I took him back to the doc...again.  Kyle's pediatrician was not there that day, so his office partner saw Kyle.  She said, "eczema", and we were sent on our way...again.

I bought Kyle a tub of Eucerin and we were slathering it on.  There wasn't much change that Josh and I could notice with the use of the lotion.

As a side note (we'll get back to the rash in a second...)...  Another thing that started after Kyle's set of 12 month vaccinations was constipation and irregular bowel.  Up until Kyle's 12 month well check, he was having a bowel movement every day, same time, like clockwork.  His bowel movements were nice and soft, just like they should be.  Ever since his 12 month shots, he has had constipation on and off, and doesn't go like clockwork anymore.  It's been a battle now for almost 3 months.  He was eating solid foods before his 12 month check, so his diet isn't too much different than it was before.  Of course we've added things to his menu, but nothing that should be backing up his system like that.  In fact, we have been trying to give him lots of things to get his system going, and it's still been a challenge.

Getting back to the rash....

In about 3 or 4 weeks the rash was gone.  I though this was very curious, since eczema is usually an ongoing problem for those that have it.  Josh and I know it was not eczema.  Kyle has had some normal dry skin, but nothing that has not been manageable with some lotion.  A friend of mine was over visiting (maybe a day after we had gone to the pediatrician the first time to look at the rash).  She used to be in the pharmaceutical business years ago.  She took one look at Kyle's rash and said, "Beth, Kyle has live measles in his system!  That is a measles rash!"  My heart sank because she was saying what I knew deep down to be true.

I've looked at pictures of children with measles (on pro-vaccination websites), and that was what Kyle looked like.  His rash looked like measles.

After the MMR shot (and others), it took Kyle about 2 months to get back to acting like "himself", which brings us to the present.  Again, these are little things that only Josh and I would notice, but that is definitely something to pay attention to.  Kyle is 14 months old, but will go in to see the pediatrician for his 15 month well check at the end of this month.  Hep A is the vaccination that is scheduled for the 15 month well check.

It's been 14 months of secretly questioning the safety and necessity of Kyle's vaccinations.  Every time he gets shots I pray every day that he will "bounce back" from them and be a healthy little boy.  We've been lucky so far that he hasn't had any adverse reactions, such as autism, asthma, auto-immune disorders, allergies, the list goes on and on.....  I know that I would simply die if one day I looked into the eyes of my sweet, happy, healthy, energetic, engaged little boy, and he wasn't there anymore!  It is not a chance I think I can risk taking anymore.

Even though Kyle hasn't had any of what they call adverse reactions, it is obvious to Josh and I that Kyle is being affected by these shots, and we need to start listening to our gut instinct and stop doing what is easy!  It is easy to go to the doc every couple months, get the required shots, and go home with the Tylenol bottle on the counter waiting (just in case).  I know I am "just a mom", but it doesn't seem "normal" for my child to get sick every time he gets vaccinated, when he is otherwise a very healthy little boy!

I am now doing what I should have done over 14 months ago - before Kyle was born!  Vaccination research and education.  How can I make an educated decision on such an important topic, when I have done nothing to educate myself - other than to follow the "herd" and do what the state and pharmaceutical companies say I should do.  I have spent the last 2 months reading and gathering information on this very controversial issue.

In a nut shell, we are putting toxic chemicals in our children every time they get a vaccination.  Just to name a few, here are some of the things that are in our vaccines...aluminum, mercury, formaldehyde, 2-phenoxyethanol (a toxic chemical comparable to antifreeze), Ethylene glycol (antifreeze), antibiotics, and disinfectants.  Also most vaccines are grown in either animal tissue, or aborted human fetal tissue, and all of the effects from this are not known.  Really we don't know what toxins are in those vaccines that shouldn't be!  These vaccinations are not as well regulated as the public thinks they are!  We as parents go off of blind faith that the CDC, FDA, WHO, and our pediatricians, are leading us in the right direction.  When really if you do some reading, case study after case study provides evidence that this is just not so!  It is time to wake up and look at the history and studies that have been done regarding vaccinations.  Do you really know what is in those vaccines?

As far as current events, how do you debate the rise in autism with the increased vaccination schedule, when they are a match?  The people in power use this argument to sway the public, "It has not been proven yet that autism is directly linked to vaccinations."  Are you kidding?  Then why do some children "all of a sudden" become autistic after a series of vaccinations, when they were happy healthy children prior to those shots?  I think autism is terrible, but is also overshadowing (in the news and such) so many of the other things that can happen to your child as a result of vaccinations that a lot of us (me included!) don't even think about ...but there are so many other things....like lowered immune systems, asthma, arthritis, allergies, cancer, and the list goes on.  These reactions are more likely to find your family, unfortunately.  Autism is definitely a risk, but there are other risks to consider as well!

I am shocked at the information that I have come across regarding the very scary facts around vaccination and the companies that are set in place to make sure that these are safe and effective!  The FDA and CDC have approved vaccinations that they knew had toxins in them, but did it anyway.  That does not make me feel trustworthy of any of the vaccinations...how do I, as the consumer (or even the pediatrician, for that matter), know if the vaccines Kyle is receiving are contaminated or not?  I don't!  Too risky in my opinion!  Yes, I question the credibility of the pharmaceutical companies, the FDA, CDC, and WHO organizations...why?....because of their history and practices that I do not feel have been appropriate.  I will go into more detail about the actual vaccines, reactions, metals, ingredients, and how some vaccines are made...in future entries....

Just like we have experienced with Kyle...many reactions are under reported!  The pediatricians do not want to admit that there are reactions to these vaccines if they can avoid it.  Why....?  Money....!  Vaccines and the pharmaceutical companies are one of our nations top money makers!  It is sad, but true.  If we all suddenly stopped vaccinating, what would happen to those companies....they would loose a lot of money!  Another reason pediatricians push vaccines is so that they don't get sued.  If they do not recommend the vaccinations (as the state mandates them to do, by the way), and your child comes down with one of these viruses, they can expect a law suit.  However, if they recommend the vaccination just as they are required to, and your child has an adverse reaction to a vaccine...you can't do anything about it!  The system is designed that way!  There are people who sit on the board of the FDA and CDC (companies that are designed for the public's safety), who own stock in these pharmaceutical companies that produce the vaccines.  That is a conflict of interest, and should not be allowed, but it is happening!

I have heard this expression, "If you decide not to vaccinate, it is safe for you to make that decision, because the majority do vaccinate."   After doing some reading, this statement simply is not true!  Vaccinated children are actually carriers of the virus, therefore, they can spread the disease to those who are susceptible!  Almost all of the vaccinations do not give immunity for life.  Several studies have shown that a larger percentage of vaccinated people actually catch the very diseases that they are vaccinated for, than the un-vaccinated community. Studies have found that un-vaccinated children have healthier immune systems than those who are vaccinated.  Most of the diseases that we vaccinate for are very mild for children if they are to catch it naturally, and most of them often pass for a common cold!  Why the scare tactics from our pediatricians and doctors?  The question is, why do we really vaccinate...?  $$$!  That discussion is for another entry....

One of the rationalizations that us parents use for why we have to vaccinate our children is because of school and childcare.  It is a misconception, really.  People think it will be so hard for their kids to get into school, sports, or whatever.  Josh and I bought into this rationale, why not, that's what everyone tells us.  The reality is that all you have to do is sign an exemption form when you enroll your child, simple as that!  Most states have vaccine exemptions (you'll have to check with your state).  I know that in the state of Arizona there are two different vaccine exemptions that you can take.  One is a religious exemption, and the other is a philosophical exemption.  It isn't the big deal that it is made out to be.  I think people are just not educated about their options!

At the end of this month Josh and I will take Kyle to his 15 month well check.  I will NOT be signing that blue piece of paper, and I will finally say what I have said inside but not outside yet, "stop!"  "Stop vaccinating my child, we are done putting toxins in Kyle's body!"

In Kyle's short one year of life, he has had about 29 vaccinations!  What does any baby need that many vaccinations for?  It's way too much!  When I was a kid, the vaccine schedule was about 5 or 6 vaccines over the period of 5 or 6 years.  That was it!  What has happened in the last 30 years that supports such an increase in vaccinations?  This is crazy!  Look at the increase of diseases in this country...it is not a coincidence!  We are putting all these toxins into our little babies at such a young age...before their bodies can even tolerate them, and before their immune systems have a chance to even develop.  Studies show that these vaccines are making our immune systems weaker, not stronger!  We have an immune system for a reason, and it's to fight off unwanted diseases.  I want Kyle to have a strong, healthy immune system for life.  From what I have gathered so far, it does not appear that vaccines are in his favor when it comes to a healthy immune system for life.  Why do we need booster shots...?  Because these vaccines do not provide life long immunity.  And every one of those shots is full of toxins and all kinds of added crap that in reality actually help break down our immune systems (and can cause other diseases long term...like cancer, etc.).  Sign me up!  (Yeah right!)

I am learning that not vaccinating your kids is like being a part of a 'secret society.' It is taboo to not vaccinate. Why?  People who choose not to vaccinate have obviously done a lot of research and decided that this is a healthier decision for their babies.  Why would people take such a stand to do something 'against the norm' if it didn't mean a great deal to them?  I am not one who takes confrontation well (just ask my husband), so for me to take a stand like this is a big deal!  I am very passionate about this, and it is very important to our family.  For our family, the risks of vaccinating are far greater than the benefits!

If you feel compelled, here is a book to get you started... Vaccines: Are They Really Safe And Effective?  By: Neil Z. Miller.  I bought my copy from Amazon.com for $10. It is very short and to the point, with references in the back for you to cross-reference if you so desire.  (This book was revised in 2009, so this is current information.)  There is lots of information on the internet as well.

I am not scared anymore!  I was so afraid of what everyone else would think of our family if we didn't vaccinate, that I didn't listen to that mommy voice inside that told me that vaccinations are not right for Kyle.  After vaccinating Kyle for a year, we are now making the decision to stop vaccinating.  We are making the decision that we feel is best for our little boy, and we are prepared to proudly stand by that decision.  It is such an important decision, and I hope that my friends and family can stand by our decision, even if they don't agree!  I urge you to do some reading....you might be as shocked as I was to find out the scary truth about vaccines!

When Will This Stop Hurting??!! The Art of Breastfeeding!

Ahhh, yes, the natural way to feed your baby.  We have maternal instincts, so it will be easy, right?  For some, maybe, for others (like me), not so much!  It took several weeks of tears and persistence until we got it right.  8 weeks to be exact!  For Kyle it was easy, for me, it might have been harder than dealing with the c-section recovery!  (I'm not kidding!)

Kyle latched on right away at his first opportunity after birth.  He nursed for 45 minutes the first time!  Hungry little guy!  He was getting what he needed about every one to two hours.  That made for a very sore and very tired mommy!!!

In my experience there was nothing natural about breastfeeding.  I would consider it a learned art!  LOL   During our stay in the hospital I had lactation specialists coming in to watch me nurse Kyle to see how we could make it so that I wasn't hurting so much.  Every time someone came to watch us they would say, "Beth, you are doing everything perfect, Kyle looks great!  What's the problem?"  What's the problem???  My nipples are sore, cracked, and bloody!  That's the problem!  I wanted pain free nursing sessions, and I was determined to get them!

I had Kyle propped up on a Boppy pillow (which was a life saver during our nursing sessions for the months to come, by the way).  I had to hold his head just right, and make sure everything was in just the right place every single time.  This is hard to do when you are barely awake at 1:00 in the morning!  And ladies, your husbands can be there by your side, but this will not help you or take the pain away!  Do you know how many times I wished Josh could nurse for me!??  LOL  My husband sat with me and watched while tears were streaming down my face......every time.


After leaving the hospital we still did not have pain free nursing.  I was going to the lactation specialist at the hospital a couple times a week, trying to come to some resolution.  Every time, they told me that Kyle and I looked great, and there was nothing they could "correct" to make it easier.  Meanwhile, every nursing session ended with tears streaming down my face and my words to my husband were, "Josh, I can't imagine doing this one more time!  This hurts so bad!"  But the next time Kyle wanted to eat (usually about an hour later), there I was with tears in my eyes, but my baby was getting his precious breast milk.

Josh and I took a breastfeeding class at the hospital before Kyle was born.  So, we learned the importance of breastfeeding and breast milk.  Not only is it a huge bonding experience for the mommy and baby, but it is super healthy for the baby long term.  Breast milk passes on important antibodies to the baby.  When I got a cold and Kyle was 1 month old, I thought maybe I shouldn't breastfeed because I didn't want to get him sick.  So, I called my OBGYN's office to find out what I should do.  I found out that the opposite is actually true!  It's super important to nurse when you are sick, because the baby gets anti bodies from the milk that will help them stay healthy and not get sick!  Every mommy makes milk that is made with all of the specific nutrients that that baby needs.  It is really amazing when you think about it!  As the baby gets older, the milk changes to fit the new nutritional needs of the baby. 

Who knew I was going to have amazing new powers when I became a mom?  My Kyle gained about 2 oz. a day for the first 2 or 3 months, on breast milk alone.  The doctor was amazed at his growth every time we took him for a well check.  We always called my milk, "magic mommy milk."  Here's our healthy (and slightly chunky - but tall) 2 month old baby at Sea World, San Diego.

So, knowing how important this magic mommy milk was for my little baby's nutrition, I was determined to breast feed, no matter what it took.  I ended up with mastitis within the first couple weeks of being home.  (Mastitis is when your nipple gets infected and the milk ducts get clogged.)  So, not only was I full of milk, I couldn't get any out!  This was VERY painful for me, and very frustrating for Kyle because he was having to work really hard and wasn't getting very much milk at all.  I kept alternating heat and cold, and massaging, and pumping, to try to get things moving along.  Not only that, but I had to take an antibiotic as well for the infection.  What an ordeal!  All of this on top of the c-section.  Lucky me!  I think it took me about a week or so to get over this.  

At about 6 weeks the pain during nursing started to subside, and by 8 weeks, we were having pain free nursing!  Hurray!

Don't give up mommies!  Keep at it, and you will get through the tears and the pain, I promise!  It just takes a little determination and persistence!  :)

Kyle nursed exclusively (no formula) for 13 months.  He never took to a bottle (not even with pumped breast milk).  When he turned a year old we started introducing milk in a sippy cup.  And at 13 months I stopped nursing because I wasn't really producing enough milk for him anymore.

At about 13 months we started giving him goats milk instead of cow's milk, but I'll save that for another entry!  No, he's not allergic, and no, he's not lactose intolerant either.  :)  Stay tuned for the post on Goat's Milk vs. Cow's Milk!

Kyle's Birth Story

I never actually wrote down or documented Kyle's birth story, so hold on to your seat belts, this is quite the ride!  The reason I share this story is because Kyle's birth wasn't at all anything how I imagined it being!  Now looking back at the experience, it was exactly how it was supposed to be!

Everyone kept telling me how HUGE I was!  I didn't feel like I was that big to merit people telling me I was HUGE, so I took the comments in stride.  Looking at pictures now, yes, I agree, I was HUGE!  :)

My due date was Sunday, July 27, 2008.  My doctor (Dr. Weisert - OBGYN) was going to be out of town the whole week after my due date.  So, if Kyle didn't come by my due date, I probably wasn't going to have my doctor for delivery.  I was NOT okay with this, I wanted MY doctor to be there to deliver Kyle.  Not just because I knew her, and she'd seen me the whole 9 months...but because I really trusted her and wanted her to be there with me in case something went wrong, or we had to do a c-section, or whatever.  I wanted her to be the one to advise me, and get me through it.  So, I had to make a decision.  The doctor wasn't going to let me go but 2 or 3 days past my due date no matter what.  If Kyle didn't come on his own by then, they were going to have to induce me and it would be with a doctor I have never met before (since my OB was going to be out of town).  So, I had to decide...do I induce and have my doctor there for sure...or....do I chance it and hope he comes out on his own before some stranger has to induce me and deliver my baby.

I decided to induce so I could have my doctor there to deliver Kyle.  Two days before our induction, Dr. Weisert did an ultrasound to measure how big the baby was.  She measured 8 lbs.+.  She thought that as long as the baby was somewhere in the 8 lb. weight category that I should have no trouble with a vaginal delivery.  She said I was tall and healthy, and it shouldn't be an issue with an eight-something pound baby.  But, if the baby was 9 lbs. and up, we might have issues.  She thought that would be too big for me to deliver on my own.  So, all in all, we were ready to do this, and meet our baby boy, Kyle!

Josh and I went to dinner with a couple good friends of ours at the Olive Garden.  We had a nice meal, and then it was time for us to head to the hospital to have a baby!  The induction started at 8:00PM, on a rainy Friday night.  That would make the date Friday, July 25, 2008.

They put the gel stuff in there to soften my cervix.  And from there we just had to wait.  I don't remember too much because I was in and out of sleep all night (waking for sleep interruptions from my lovely nurse).  Kyle had his head down and all, but his face was facing my belly button, instead of my butt (the way they are supposed to be when they are delivered).  So, all night I kept getting woken up by the nurse so I could roll back and forth, from side to side, in hopes of turning him around.  No such luck.  :(

At 5:00AM Saturday morning (July 26, 2008) the nurse asked if I was going to want an epidural.  If I did, the guy was available, and that was my window of opportunity to get it done before they started the pitocin (to make the contractions happen faster and closer together).  The idea of getting a huge needle in my spine terrified me!  (One of my biggest phobias is needles!!!)  But, I knew that the pitocin would make the contractions happen quick and hard, so I knew I would want the epidural.  The worst pain of my entire birthing experience was actually getting the epidural.  All my girlfriends said it didn't hurt, you just felt a little pinch and it was over...no big deal.  Yeah right!  It hurt SO bad, the poor guy was trying to calm me down so that he could get the thing in quickly!  I'm glad I had the epidural when I did, because I would have had to get it anyway, but I'll tell about that soon enough.

Okay, so the epidural is in, I am still rolling back and forth, side to side...now with the help of my husband and the nurse because my legs were pretty numb.  I still had feeling, but not enough to move them all on their own.  The nurse and doctor both said that the pitocin was doing it's job and my body was reacting perfectly!  Yay!  They broke my water (don't know exactly what time) and we were moving along.  Kyle was still facing the wrong way though, so after a while, Dr. Weisert used a tube and put water back in there to try to "float" him so he could turn around and face my butt (despite him not "floating" with the back and forth I was doing all night long).  This was not successful either.  So, we kept waiting, and I finally told the nurse I felt pressure in my butt, and thought I was ready to push.

I didn't realize how much time had really passed (I was so tired and in and out of sleep).  At 2:30PM Dr. Weisert came in (around the time I was ready to push), and told me that it had been 5 hours and I was still at 8cm.  She said that usually after the water is broken you dilate a cm every hour.  I had been at 8cm for 5 hours.  Uh oh!  "Honey, I think this baby is too big and I think we are going to have to do a c-section."  Oh God, the words I was most dreading were coming from my doctors mouth!  No, not a c-section!  So naturally this was my response: "Is the baby okay?  Because I am fine, I can wait."  Yes, I was totally serious, I would wait 5 days if I had to, but I did not want a c-section!  I had seen so many baby stories on TV where the mom had to have a c-section, and I did not want that to be me!  NOT ME!

Dr. Weisert had always known that I did not want to have a c-section, so she regretfully gave me that news.  She is so sweet, she told me that the baby was fine, and she would go do some paperwork for 30 minutes...if the baby didn't start coming by then, then we would talk about a c-section.  Of course she knew we were doing a c-section, whether I wanted to or not...she was just simply giving me a few minutes to let that sink in so I could prepare myself.  At the time I really thought I had 30 minutes to get that baby out, and by golly, I was going to do it.  LOL

3:00PM Dr. Weisert comes back in.  There was no sign of Kyle coming on his own, so I knew I only had one option left.  The anesthesiologist came in to put the spinal medication for the c-section into my epidural (this is when I was glad I already had the epidural - it would have not been ideal in my opinion if I was having contractions and had to hold still for them to put this huge needle in my spine).  Both the anesthesiologist and Dr. Weisert spent the next 10 minutes talking with me about the c-section (while Josh got into the OR garb so that he could come with me) to try to make me feel better about it (I was scared to death, to say the least!).  My biggest concern was that I could not believe that I would not feel anything while I was laying awake on the operating table!  I had the epidural all day and still had some feeling, so I was scared to death that I was going to feel her operating on me!  They had answered all my questions, and around 3:12PM or so they wheeled me into the OR.  They assured me that I would not feel anything, except maybe a little tugging.

This is the part that happened SO fast!  The anesthesiologist gave me some concoction to drink that was supposed to keep me from throwing up.  They had me on the OR table before I even knew it, and the anesthesiologist said he was going to poke me with a safety pin.  He gave me a poke on my shoulder to demonstrate what feeling it would feel like, and then he poked me all down the side of my body from about my chest down.  I couldn't feel a thing, so I didn't know he was actually doing anything!  He was checking to make sure that I couldn't feel anything, and I was glad for that.  :)  There was a blue sheet up so I couldn't see anything.  My arms were straight out to my sides, and the Dr. told me not to move my arms because she was going to be standing right next to me, so not to bump her!  Bump her!  Oh my gosh, now I am nervous that I am going to bump her and she's going to cut something she isn't supposed to!  Josh was standing next to my head to the right, and the anesthesiologist was standing at my head to my left.  They could see over the sheet because they were standing up, so Josh could see everything!  (Josh later said that he wished he could have been standing closer than he already was so that he could see even better!)

I told Josh to let me know when the Dr. had started cutting (keep in mind we'd only been in the OR for a couple minutes).  The anesthesiologist quickly replied that she had already started about a minute ago!  She was already operating and I didn't even know it...I couldn't believe it!

Then there was this weird sound that kind of sounded to me like a aerosol can or something of that nature.  There was this terrible smell, and I asked the doctor what the smell was.  She answered me, but I didn't fully understand her answer until the next day when I talked to my husband about it.  She said that she was cauterizing to keep the bleeding down.  So, I thought she was spraying something in there to keep the bleeding down, and boy did that stuff stink!  LOL  Little did I know that she basically had a little torch type thing and was burning through some layers of whatever...muscles, nerves, skin, who knows!  I'm glad that I didn't understand at the time what was happening, I think it would have freaked me out!  Josh didn't seem bothered by any of it at all, he was totally cool throughout the whole procedure!

Here's the comedic part...Dr. Weisert was doing her thing getting me open, and in the process she says to me, "Honey, you have such nice [healthy] stomach muscles!"  She was totally being serious!  LOL  I think I responded with something like, "Oh, that's nice."  But I was really thinking, "That's great, can you just make sure to put them back that way?!!!"

Dr. Weisert told Josh, "Get your camera!", and before I knew it I felt some tugging, and the next thing I heard were all of the nurses (including Dr. Weisert) saying "He's huge!".  "Snap, snap, snap" went the camera in front of Josh's blue face mask.  Then came the deep, low cry of my baby boy!  He only gave 3 "waaa's" and he was done.  Kyle David was born at 3:17PM on Saturday, July 26, 2008.  It took Dr. Weisert less than 5 minutes to take that baby out of me from the time I entered the OR!  I could not believe how efficient those people are, they don't mess around in the c-section OR room!!

Then came the moment when I got to see my little Kyle for the first time!  He was all swaddled up in a blanket already, so I only got to see his head really, but I'll never forget it!  One of the reasons I did not want a c-section was because I knew I wouldn't get to hold Kyle right away, I wouldn't get to watch them clean and weigh him...like you do when you do a vaginal delivery.  But, these were the circumstances and I had to make the best of it.  Josh and I both got to "hold" him, and the anesthesiologist took a picture of Kyle, Josh, and I.  Our first "family photo."

The baby had to go up to the nursery to get a diaper (they only had newborn size, and they didn't fit him...the nurses said he was wearing a "speedo" in his newborn diaper...LOL).  At birth Kyle was wearing a Pampers Size 1 diaper.  Wow, I wasn't expecting that!  Josh went with him to the nursery, where they weighed him, measured him, and tested him for health, etc.  Meanwhile, Dr. Weisert spent the next 15 minutes or so "putting me back together" as I call it.  When she pulled Kyle out, all the personnel in the OR were taking guesses at his birth weight.  Dr. Weisert guessed 9 lbs. 8 oz.  She gave Josh and Kyle a few minutes to get up to the nursery, and then she called up there to find out the exact birth weight.  9 lbs. 8 oz.  She was right on the money!  Kyle was 20.5 inches long.  The doctor said Kyle was covered in vernix (the white stuff that protects them...it usually sheds before birth).  She said he wasn't planning on coming out any time soon...so I was glad that I had made the choice to induce with Dr. Weisert by my side!

 The anesthesiologist warned me that the roughest part of the c-section was when the Dr. was putting all of my organs back where they were supposed to go.  He warned me that it may make me feel sick.  Oh boy, was he right!  As soon as she started moving organs around, I was sick right into one of those little pink buckets!  That part was really rough, but it was over pretty quickly.

I had to stay downstairs in the recovery section outside the OR for monitoring, while Josh was in the nursery with Kyle.  As soon as they were done in the nursery, Kyle was brought to me right away to breastfeed.  I was SO glad that they got him to me as soon as possible, because in our breastfeeding class they had told us it was important to breastfeed as soon as possible after the baby is born and "processed", of course.  Josh said Kyle had his fingers in his mouth right away after birth, so he was definitely ready to eat!  :)  The nurse brought Kyle over to me to have him latch on, and I knew that I was too exhausted to hold him.  I was so tired I could hardly keep my eyes open, so I asked the nurse if she would hold him for me while he fed.  She held him for me while he nursed for 45 minutes straight!  When he was done nursing we were allowed to go up to our room where we would be staying for the rest of our time at the hospital.

I was so sick, and I got super panicked when we got to our room.  I felt like I needed to go outside to get some fresh air.  The room felt claustrophobic, and I was having a mini panic attack inside, but trying to keep as composed on the outside as possible, so as to not appear crazy, of course.  I was trying to figure out how I could get some "fresh air" being stuck in the hospital bed.  I asked if they had a fan they could bring in the room, and thankfully they did!  I was so relieved!  I was so hot, sick, and generally didn't feel well.  Not surprising 19 hours, and a c-section later!

I had my baby, and all was going to be okay!  I will never forget the nurse coming in to check on me.  I was nursing Kyle on one side, and throwing up in a pink bucket on the other side.  She said "What are you doing?"  I didn't really understand the question, because Kyle was very hungry and I was nursing him.  I didn't want my being sick to get in the way of his dinner!  LOL  So silly, now that I am thinking about it!  I was feeling better by the next morning as far as the sickness, and we allowed visitors to come and meet Kyle.  The immediate family came the evening Kyle was born, despite my condition.

I stayed in the hospital for 4 days.  On my third day the doctor came to look at me, and she said I was okay to go home, but if I wanted to stay one more day insurance would pay for it.  Of course I stayed!  I didn't mind the extra help for both me and for Kyle.  The nurses tried to give me Percocet, which the Dr. prescribed for the surgery pain.  I refused all medication, although I did take Ibuprofen twice while I was there.  After all Kyle and I had been through, and I did have some antibiotic put in my IV before Kyle was born (that was because of my heart, just as a precaution), I decided enough was enough, and we didn't need anything else in either of our systems.  Mind over matter, I had decided that the pain was not bad enough that I needed any medication, and therefore, it was so!  :)

After 19 hours of labor, one c-section, and 4 days at the hospital, we brought Kyle home for the first time.  We left a family of two, and came home a family of three!  Toby (dog) and Shadow (cat) welcomed us home, and were very gentle with the new addition to the family.

Now it was recovery time......

I realize that this was not how I in-visioned Kyle's birth.  I expected to have a pretty typical delivery, with no complications.  But in the end, after all of that, I came home with the most perfect little baby in my arms, and I would do it all again in a heartbeat!  Everything happened exactly how it was supposed to, for me to have the experience I was supposed to have (and Kyle too)!  I do not regret any of it (even though it was all out of my control).  Everything happened in divine order!

Butterfly Kisses

Well, I have about 14 months of catching up to do, but I'll start with tonight.  :)  I am starting this blog entry at 5:45pm on a Friday night.  I just put Kyle down for the night, and he was asleep in less than 30 seconds.  I am a blessed mommy to have such a good sleeper!  I will delve into sleep on a later blog though.

Kyle has decided that the rocking chair is reserved for mommy and Kyle only!  He doesn't want daddy to rock him, or grandma...just mommy!  (Kinda sweet, really, but also hard when I can't be there.)  About a week or so ago Kyle and I started doing butterfly kisses at night.  Boy did that melt my heart!  So sweet!

Here's how the routine works... either Josh or I read him a couple stories while he holds his little "blankie bear" and drinks milk.  When he's done with the stories, the lights go off, and I rock Kyle while he finishes his milk.  When the milk is all gone, Kyle rocks with me with his head on my chest (just like a newborn), with his body laying all the way down mine and his feet just hanging off the edge of the chair.  My sweet, big baby!  He knows how to do butterfly kisses, so he'll move his head so his eye is close to mine and holds real still so I can bat my lashes on his.  Kyle giggles, then I giggle, and then we just start giggling back and forth just for the fun of it!  Every once in a while Kyle will fall asleep rocking with me, his head on my chest/shoulder.  But most of the time after rocking for maybe 5 to 10 minutes, he will point to his crib, letting me know he's ready to go to bed.  I give him big hugs, kisses on the cheek, and lay him down.  He goes right to sleep, all on his own.  No crying, no screaming, no fussing.

I cherish these sweet moments with my little angel of a boy.  He is 14 months old, and probably weighs at least 26 lbs. by now...but he will always be my baby, no matter how big he gets!  It doesn't get any better than butterfly kisses!!!