My kid dances like me....

Sovereignty of God, Vaccines, Fires, and Choking...

Have I intrigued you :)

I think that most of you know that Blaine and I have chosen to forgo vaccines for our kids at this time (not saying that it could not change in the future.) Well, I have felt 100% behind our decision for this entire time, but as of late, I have been coming across a lot of controversy as well as opinions that say we are doing the wrong thing.

Truly, there have been nights that I have not been able to sleep, since thinking so much about it. I have been venting to Blaine, reading more, praying, asking friends, and still have come up with the same conclusion...Blaine and I are in agreement about it and we feel strongly about it.

There are a lot of reasons as to why we have not gotten Noah (nor will be this future kiddo) his shots...fear of the unknown, the autism debate, adverse reactions, brain development, our bodies were made to fight this stuff off, etc. But then I realized that the BIGGEST reason for me is a Spiritual one. If God is sovereign (which He is) then can I possibly make ONE decision that could mess up His plan? If something were to happen to Noah because he did not get a shot, did I make the one mistake that God could not overlook?

What about the mom that accidentally runs over her child? Or the parent that finds their child has suffocated on something in their crib (this just happened to one of my friends a year ago)? Or the one time you leave your heater on and your house catches fire and your child is burned? All I am saying is that I make decisions every single day and it is God's grace that allows me to still have my precious boy around. Our days are numbered, a time to be born and a time to die...I want to make the best decisions that I can for our family, but in the end, trust that God is in complete control and remember that my kids are on loan to me for the time being.

I know, I know, super deep, and I know most of you will disagree to some point. But I am glad that I am now at peace with this whole thing and know that the decision that we have made is the best for us. For me, I would rather take a "risk" (which I really don't think we are doing) and not vaccinate our kids, than knowingly put something into their bodies that I know has side effects, whether just a fever or something really bad like cancer, austism, or the MANY other things they are finding might be caused from vaccines.

Ok, I am done know...whew!

Forget having one baby...

Have any of you heard about this? This woman delivered, not one, or two or even six, but EIGHT babies!!!!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090127/ap_on_re_us/mother_octuplets

And I thought being pregnant with one was tough ;P

Pregnancy-34 weeks

For those of you who enjoy this sort of thing...here are a few pics of me getting really pregnant.





As of late, here are the new details (I have another appt Friday, so if anything new happens, I will let you know!) I have gained 14 pounds...yeah, that is super exciting, as I had a hard time at the beginning! I tried on bridesmaid dresses the other day for Tyler and Aimee's wedding and put on a twelve (or maybe a 14?) and it was a bit tight, although QUITE humorous to say the least. I have definitely started to not be able to go more than two hours without peeing at night (yipee)! And the really fun back and pelvic pain has hit, so that means I will be making a trip to the chiropractor very soon. I also am starting to waddle, which is quite a funny site to say the least! i started thinking today...wow, I still have 6 weeks to go, and even then I could go over my due date by two weeks...that would mean that I will have a one week old baby while in my brother's wedding! Oh, please don't be late little one ;)

Yucky....whatever you are, stay away!

I have been having a super sore throat all day, with congestion and the fun random times of feeling like I need to throw up :( I don't really get sick anymore (since having Noah). I guess as a mom, you do not really get that option, so I really hope this is just a one day thing!!!!

Since not feeling well today though, I have gotten lots of good laying down and resting, scrapbooking, and I made yummy beans and rice...and now I am going to go enjoy a huge bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream and watch American Idol from this past week. Well, maybe feeling a little sick is not so bad...

Look how big!

Just wanted to show a little bit of how my little man has grown...I cannot believe we are about to get the chance to do it all again...I am so blessed!

Life...

So basically life is hard...huh? Do I have anyone out there that agrees? Yet, in it all, I would not really change it, as it makes me stronger, keeps me on my knees, makes me ask for help, and does not let me take the good things for granted! But golly, if it was not for all that, I don't think it would get my vote!

Just thinking a bunch lately, as this little boy is about to be here, and how $ has been tough for us (well and the rest of the world), and how I am feeling really pregnant lately and just having a harder time getting around and doing stuff. As well, Blaine wants to do so many things and has all these great dreams and stuff, and I am not really able to help much, as I am staying home with the kids. Not that I would change it, but I wish I could contribute more to the money thing. Maybe I will take up a new hobby, any suggestions? I was thinking with going with paper mache' or knitting...there seems to be a lot of money in both ;P

Well anyways, I am off to go "nest" or clean, or whatever the word for it is when your house is a disaster and needs to basically be lit on fire and re-built to look good, and I will try and make it look a little prettier!

SO much to do!

I just put Noah down for a nap, after we (well me, and he has been pulling it all back out) have been cleaning and organzing all morning. I am trying to decide if I should go take a nap, or do the 27 things on my list? And that is just the list that I made last night off the top of my head!

I feel like I am running out of time before this baby gets here. I mean, he could come tonight if he very well wanted, or could wait another 10 weeks and let me go past due, but still the unknown makes me even a little more frantic to get everything done. The good thing is that there will always be stuff to do, right? I just have to figure out which are the most important today, and then tomorrow, etc.

I guess I just needed a little vent...ok, I still gotta go decide what to do right now...

New stuff with Baby Chartier

Just wanted to let you all know (espcially those of you who have been praying) that all is well with baby! I have been measuring kind of small the last few appointments, as well as had a questionable placenta early on (we thought it was kind of low). But I had an ultrasound today and he is weighing in right on schedule, actually a little ahead (two days earlier)! He weighs around four pounds, had a HUGE head (like Noah did, three weeks ahead), the placenta has moved, and all is well! Praise the Lord for the great news! Thank you everyone who has been praying and I will keep you posted with any other news! We hope to meet this little guy some time in early March...cannot believe it!

Playdate January 2008

Here are some pics from our most recent playdate! I will say that it was nice...I got to play some since Noah took a nap until the very end (hence, why he is in so few pics!) We had chicken enchiladas and queso and chocolate...what else could a mom want?

 

 

 

 

Lots of things...

Well, I am having a lot of thoughts tonight, so this will be an ALL words post with no pics (I know, very unlike me!)

First, I have not commented yet on the 20/20 special that was on the other night...it was about extreme motherhood, and very interesting to say the least. It lumped together homebirth (which they called "unassisted" and that is not the case) with a woman who was still nursing her 11 year old daughter. I guess it kind of frustrates me when people do that, talk about issues that they think are weird, and then twist others to fit into that mold, to make good tv, etc. Well, I started thinking, how often do I do that with things in my life? Like make a verse fit a situation that I want it to to prove my point. Or lump all sin together when I am trying to be judgemental about someone's life, but then try to separate them when having another conversation that it seems right to do so. Hmmm, tv teaching me something spiritual, interesting. Anyways...it was a good show, but lacking when it came to the true facts about homebirth...I digress.

Second, Christmas is over :( So sad, and already ready for next year! I have all the stuff packed and ready to be put away. Maybe I will keep up my tree all year though...

Third, I am officially off my partial bed-rest!!!! Which in my mid-wife's terms means, just do what I have already been doing the last 10 weeks (since I was breaking a lot of her rules anyways ;P) but keep it easy! I am so excited, even though not much is changing, just to know that I am off it is a good thing. I am having an ultrasound this week, as the baby is still really small, so I am getting him checked to make sure that he is ok, as well as check my placenta, as during my first ultrasound, it was really low, and that can be a bad thing. I will let you know how it all goes. And of course, to make sure that he is still a boy ;)

Lastly, something I am going to do this year is read through the Bible again. I am only on day four, and can already see that God is going to use this to sharpen, stretch, and grow me. I am especially excited to be doing it when the baby comes. It will give me something consistent to do even when things are crazy and hard!

Ok, well, enough from me, maybe more tomorrow. I am off to bed now! Ok, I lied I will leave you with one pic, just cause it is cute!