No Woman is an Island!

Sometime ago one of my blogger friends posted about why she blogs. It got me thinking about why I have started to blog and why I have enjoyed it so much just for the short time that I have been doing it. I first started so that those people that don't get to see Noah as much as they would like can keep up with us, mainly my college friends and other log distance friends.

My college friends have been great! I am so glad that we keep in contact. I have some of the best times with them! I enjoy sharing ideas with them and asking their advice on things. I am going to be in one of their weddings very soon, and am honored to do so. Everyone needs to take a break from the everyday,everyday and enjoy some time with friends.

Then as a continued to post I started reading other blogs and I had people comment on my blog! Many of them Mom's who have the same opinions on child raising as I do! This has been great to see that I am not some weirdo mom with strange ideas on what I think is best for my baby! I have also met many Christian Mom's this way. I have gotten lots of encouragement and advice!

I believe that everyone needs support, help, encouragement, guidance, and to feel connected to people around them, even if it is solely though words and pictures. Words can be very powerful especially when they are backed with love and caring for that person. This is why Christ said to first love God, then love people, not cars or houses or traditions, or even your own intelligence. I have found that by loving my friends and family and fellow bloggers!, I have found some really blessed fellowship!

Noah's One Year Check Up

Today was Noah's one yr. Dr. appointment. He is 19.5lbs and 29.5 inches long. Everything checked out well. He said he was concerned about Noah's weight, and wants to have him weigh in in one more month. This is all fine, however I was surprised that he didnt ask for more info about it. For example, both my husband and I were skinny and tall as children, so hes got some of that genetically. Secondly, Noah was breastfed until one year. Breastfed babies have a totally different growth chart than the chart that is typically used. The WHO is working on it ask we speak. Thirdly, it is well known that when babies take off with walking they lose some of their baby weight. He eats well, is active, is hitting all his milestones, and does have some fat on him. So I am suprised that the Dr. wants to check him, but more surprised about not getting the background info. And I am not sure what is typical but I thought that 20lbs was about average for a one year old.

Oh and of course he ask if Noah wanted the chicken pox vaccine. Noah has not had any vaccines yet. I knew for sure that i did not want him to get the traditional 4-5 shots at a time every 2-3 months or so. Way to much to fast in my opinion. Now I am starting to think that no vaccines are best. I have done much research on this topic and I know that there is much debate about the vaccines. I feel that I should do a report on the topic to be fully informed.

Since I work at a healt department I know how that powers that be work, and I know that there have been many things to come out that have to be recalled because of contaminents or because it actually causes the disease instead of prevent. And I know why there is a lack of information out their to support the reasons for not vaccinating. As a mom you know something is wrong when you cant get a strait answer from anyone who should be an expert in the field. When a Doctor gets really upset and defensive about getting or not getting the vaccines, it tells me that there is something that they arent telling us. I have actually have a Doctor tell me that they wont treat my child if i do not get the vaccines. Needless to say we didnt become a patient.

I think I am going to go on my gut feeling on this one ;-P

Noah is 1 yr old!

Noah's Birthday was the 23rd. We have been on the go non-stop since the sat. before his birthday, so that is why I am posting it now...on the 27th! I can tell that this is going to be a crazy time of year for a looooong time to come. I will do all that I can to slooow it down for Noah. (As posted about before).

His birthday could not have gone better for him. He was rested with a nap before the party started, and fed something nutritious before his first sugar spike. He actually opened his presents with very little help! Most of them were wrapped in birthday paper, ya! He really liked his presents, so much infact he wanted to play with each one after he opened it. he got some really great stuff. His John Deere tractor was awesome, he just cannot get enough of it! He loves making his brum..brum.. sound.He also has really taken off walking this week. It is so cute. The last milestone is, sadley he is completely weened. When I stopped the night feeding he just stopped waking up in the morning for the morning one too! He has started drinking more milk, so he is getting enough. I was just surprised, and wasnt prepared for the last feeding to be "the last feeding". I dont know if that would have made me feel better though. My baby is growing up! I am proud of my accomplishment , I met the goal of one year, not that it was that hard, but it did take a level of committment and education. Happy Birthday Noah!

Childhood Obesity

Childhood Obesity is a problem. Everyone knows it. We have heard about it and we have seen it, maybe in our own children. This is the FIRST generation that will have a shorter life expectancy than their parents! Meaning they will be the first generation in america that are expected to NOT live as long or longer than their parents. Why is this happening? *I grabbed this pic from the CDC website.

For many reasons, inactivity, fast food, modern convienence, video games, TV, movies, nutrition (or lack of), and the list goes on. Maybe it is just a lack of education. How can parents have an impact on how healthy their children are?

This is my opinion:

First of we HAVE to be good role models. And it is hard to eat healthy, especially if you have time constraints (all mothers do). But I have learned that nothing worthwhile comes easy.

Secondly, we must start early, and stick to our guns. Start your baby eating only healthy items and their taste buds and brain will develop a prefrence to them. Here is a quick list.

1) avocado

2) broccoli

3) brown rice

4) cheese

5) eggs

6) fish (samon is great, DHA)

7) kidney beans

8) oatmeal

9) whole grain pasta

10) sweet potatos

11)tofu

12) turkey

13) yogurt

14) lentils

Lastly, Encourge activity. I know that if you are worn out yourself this can be hard. Another reason taking care of yourself will help you be a better parent! I have had to learn this the hard way. Take them outside to play and use their imagination. Take them to the park. Dont let them watch too much tv (this is also a hard one).

The more that you stick to this the easier it will be in the long run. It is hard for me as well, in fact it is one of my new years resolutions. I am so thankful for Noah's health and it really is a relief to know that i am doing my part to keep it that way. It is so important. It really is the number one health risk because it influences so many other health things. Info on childhood obesity can be found here.

Milk it baby!

Noah has officially started whole milk! The last few days he has had a few oz. (diluted) and has responded favorably. He will be one year old on the 23rd. He has not had any allergies, and has never had any bad responses to new foods, so I feel pretty comfortable starting him now. After he gets used to his milk I will stop nursing him in the morning. Right now he nurses two times a day, morning and night. This is totally doable, but I like to start working out in the mornings which means getting up early and leaving the house. Also his night feeding I feel that he still needs for emotional closeness, he is actually awake unlike the morning feeding. So he will cut back to one nursing a day.

Weening him has been pretty smooth so far. I have eliminated the nursing times that he seemed the least interested in first. For example, the first meal to go was Breakfast when he was getting plenty of nurisment from his oatmeal and juice. Then I eliminated supper, followed by lunch and finally, the middle of the night feeding. the middle of the night feeding just kinda of went away on its own because he stopped waking up hungry. So we have been on two nursing a day for awhile now.

I am so happy that I was able to meet my goal of nursing for one year. Had I relied on the hosipital nurses though it would have never happend. I was even dissapointed in the lactation consultant! This is a loong story, and i will give breastfeeding advice to anyone who asks, but i would not have made it with out reading The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding and finding a LLL nearby to help me. There were also somethings I just had to learn for myself because every baby is different. In my opinion the key is having your baby latch on right after birth while they are in that "quiet alert" time. I was thankful to have alot of this, Noah was awake and alert for about three hours before he crashed for the day.

I have given some thought to continuing nursing for longer, but I will only do so if Noah needs it. I can tell when he really wants to nurse. I will not do it for my purposes, even though I love breastfeeding. It has definantly been a positive experience, but its purpose is for Noah. The last few times that he has nursed I have thought about how I will miss the quiettime spent together, but alas all good things must come to an end (or so I have heard). So wish me luck on cutting the morning meal out:)

Genetic Testing for Moms to Be

When I was pregnant with Noah they offered me the genetic tests, but my doctor also told me that they have a very high rate of false positives, i think she said 40%! This means that the test will read positive for a genetic disorder, but will be false 40% of the time. That is soo high when you think about it. She actually recommended that i not recieve the tests. And I fully agree.

The reason why this is such a hot topic is because many of the test that come back if they do test positive for a genetic disorder they recommend that the mom terminate her pregnancy. If this were the case taking into consideration the false positive rate, 4:100 babies would be killed because a test was wrong. OK so admittedly i am making a guess at what the false positive rate is but isnt one killed baby to much? Why are we trying to take the power from God and put it in our hands? Why are we always questioning God's perfect timing?

So lets logically look at how genetic testing improves the lives of pregnant women. In one corner we have the mom who takes the test. It comes back negative! Cause for celebration! Then what happens if the test was wrong? OR their was some other complication during childbirth? Has the mom unknowingly put her faith in the hands of the Doctors only to be let down?

Lets say that the test comes back positive, and the Doctor suggests abortion. The mother is then faced with she either spend her pregnancy preparing for a life of care for a disabled child or she kills her child and has to deal with this loss forever not know if she did the right thing. Where is the upside here?

How would it help the pregnancy to know if your child will have a problem. How would worring and stressing out about the genetic makeup of your unborn baby encourage bonding between the mother and child? In my opinion when you are pregnant you know that it is risky for many reason, many parents try to prepare themselves for any outcome. In my opinion genetic testing is a lose lose situation and all mothers should refuse it.

Christmas Traditions

Right now Kurt and I are deciding what to have for christmas traditions as a family while Noah is still to little to know better. I am sure that i do not want him thinking that Christmas is all about Santa and presents. What we are leaning towards is telling him the truth about St. Nicholas and not that Santa is real or magical.

I have recently discovered why seemingly harmless ideaology like magic can be used as a crutch or a distraction from the real meaing of Christmas. I want Noah to grow up with Christ as the center of Christmas. I am up for suggestions on actual traditions. I have thought about always volunteering as a family, making a birthday cake for baby jesus, and focusing on how God gave us a gift so we should give to others, etc. So if anyone has ideas let me know.

Also throw in the fact that Noah's birthday is on the 23rd! I have given some thought to giving him a half birthday party, but some people will be against this because it is not on his birthday. I want him to beable to separat the two. Or I could go with the idea that he shares a birthday time with baby jesus. Oh the possibilities! But we wount have too much longer to decide. So give me some feedback people! Here is a pic of Noah all bundled up for the weather, and forward facing in his car seat!

Teeth for Christmas

I admittedly have fallen off the blogging horse. A lot has happened since last time. Noah has taken some of his first steps around the house. He can walk from one end of the room to another if he is properly motivated. He also is pointing to pictures of babies and pictures of himself, and then he points to himself! It is so funny. He is just getting over being sick. He threw up twice on the weekend and is now getting some of his appetite back. Right now he is taking a super long nap! Since 10:30 he has been asleep. He will probably wake up here at 1:30 or so. He has wanted more sleep lately, maybe because of being sick or maybe because of all his teeth that are coming in. He got his first tooth around early November and now he was four with another on the way. He is basically going from no teeth to a mouth full in little over a month.
We are getting excited for Christmas, Noah has helped wrap many presents. I can’t wait to give him his. I hope that he is able to un-wrap his himself. I also can’t wait for my presents. I ask for a new camera. So maybe I will be able to post more pics soon.
We put up the Christmas Tree after Thanksgiving sometime. Noah loves it, but doesn’t bother it to much. He is to busy for something that doesn’t do much but glow. It is hard to believe that he will be one soon.