Vax Attacks

This picture has nothing to do with this post, I'm simply sharing it because its TOO. DAMN. CUTE. Lest there ever be any doubt that my kids are loved, I submit to you photo proof.....who else would "dance" with a newborn at a wedding but a doting Grandpop? :)

We have sick, tired, snotty, fevered kids. I went to a yoga class on Thursday afternoon. Afterwards I went to pick up Luke and Julia and could not help but notice the walking GERM of a kid who was playing near Luke. He was coughing, and snotty,and sneezing, and veritably oozing general illness. I said to the girl who was handing Julia to me ~ "That kids sick, why is he here?"..........WHY do people bring their sick kids around other peoples healthy kids? Who is that selfish, that inconsiderate, that......jerky? Anyway. My kids are sick, thanks to some poor sick kid whose mother dragged him out to the gym so that he could share his germs liberally.
Well done, stranger Mother, well done.

We also had the kids well baby (ironic, eh?) visits on Friday. Luke's 15 month and Julia's 2 month. Jules is rockin it in the 95ht % across the board for height, weight, and head. My solid Luke is 70% for weight, 60% for height, and has a giant noggin like his Daddy :) My OB still blames that big ole noggin for my C Section (I blame my OB, if blame has to be assigned, but that's a whole nother story). Shots were distributed. In case anyone has missed it, you cant swing a dead cat these days without hitting some story about Vaccinations creating everything from Autism to ADD and everything in between. There are passionate feelings on both sides of the issue. The Vax'ers vs. the Non Vax'ers. To me this is such a tough issue. I have fears of Vax's, and I have fears of not getting Vax's. I pick and choose. I try to educate myself, I talk to my Pedi, I read, I listen to my heart. Julia skipped some Vax's (rotovirus and HepB) for now, and Luke has had a few on a delayed schedule and skipped the Chickenpox Vax. We don't do the flu shot. Any of the shots that they DO get are thimerosal free. Other than that, I go with the Vax's. I wince, I flinch, I cry before the appointment, especially with my newborns. But I do it.

Luke had 2 boosters yesterday....he has graduated from the shots in the legs to shots in his arms. He was sitting on Nate's lap for the shots, and it made me tear up when Nate put his hand over Luke's eyes right before the needle swooped in. Sweet Daddy. Luke is a tough cookie, he didn't even cry for a second with either shot. Jules....well, her reaction was not quite as stoic. She screamed. She writhed, she turned red, she broke my heart. You spend your life nurturing and protecting these little critters and then you hand them over to a giant nurse with a giant needle.

And it blows.

While I know its in their best interest in the long run, I sure do feel like a traitor in the moment.