Freaky Baby Widget

Has anyone else noticed that it has gone from hot dog bun to manatee to whatever this may be:

6 Weeks Pregnant

A newt perhaps?

Well, whatever it is that baby looks like right now, it's making me sick as all bloody hell. Dry heaves are horrid. Laying in the chair praying the barf goes back down is only made worse by the toddler rolling all over me, elbowing me in the stomach, and rocking my chair.

Unless Louis can carry the next one, we're never doing this again.

Here's what the baby's up to:

This week starts a period of rapid cellular development for your baby-to-be, who looks like a mini tadpole, with a tiny head and tail. His or her eyes, ears and mouth have begun to form (though they're a little more Discovery Channel "creatures of the sea" documentary than Gerber Baby at this point).

Other exciting milestones include:

Your baby's heart is now beating to a regular beat, although it's still too faint to hear.

His or her arm buds are just beginning to, well, bud. They look like teensy swollen bumps at this point. In a few days, they'll resemble itsy-bitsy flippers.

Why isn't Athena's Blog updating on blog rolls??

You're missing sweet pictures.

Super Fun Halloweekend!

Heading out for Point Place preschooler daytime trick or treat.

Other little cuties.

Love dogs in outfits.

Go Bucks !

I think I've given the wrong impression to some.

I'm not anti-vaccine. Take a peak at what people go through in Africa with disease. We'd be there as well without them.

I'm just not comfortable with the AMOUNT of vaccines that "they" say babies and children should get at one time. Athena has been vaccinated against everything she's supposed; just on a slightly different schedule than the doctors prefer.

Friends, please lend me your ears for some sobbing

It's been like this for my parents since the day they got together; always being knocked down and tested. While it's ALWAYS been better since Tom, my step father, got us away from my biological dad, my parents have NEVER had it easy. So I suppose this is just par for the course. Tom was diagnosed with advanced Hepatitis C very recently, and it is completely ravaging his body. The treatment that he is on is extensive and makes him feel similar to someone going through chemo, therefore he can not work. He can barely get out of bed some days. Well, my mom lost her job at the university today and in 2 weeks loses her pay and health insurance. Tom's weekly injections alone will cost $46,000. Needless to say, they are in trouble.

I hope I haven't exhausted everyone we know with my charity work before I start working on the most important benefit of my life: The one to save my parents

There are worse ones than me

RE: helicopter parents


Time magazine tells of a child abuse case in Italy. It centers on the overprotective mother and grandparents of a 12-year-old boy known only as Luca.

Prosecutors say that:

• Luca was not allowed to play with other children, go to church, participate in sports, or leave the house before or after school.

• He was sent to school with his snacks already cut into bite-size portions for him.

• He was both physically and psychologically stunted from such around-the-clock doting.

• He didn't know how to run.

• He had the motor skills of a 3-year-old child.

The boy's mother and grandfather have already been convicted of child abuse and are appealing the verdict. The grandmother is still facing charges.

In this case, do you think overparenting equals child abuse?

Read more:

http://www.momlogic.com/2009/10/is_overparenting_child_abuse_luca_time_magazine.php##ixzz0UbnvoZCD

H1N1 Clinic we attended + Pictures + I'm a Know it all

CRAZY long lines. It was surreal.

Frick. Why didn't I think of masks??

Would you believe I vaccinated myself and Athena against the swine flu? Well, I did and I'm relieved. I began researching this shot with the goal of proving that it was a horrible idea to inject us with this stuff. What ended up happening was I got a new appreciation for this horrible strain and a look at how flu shots are made. Yep, even though many would have you feel differently, it's simply a flu shot.

Q. How is the H1N1 different from the seasonal flu shot?
A. The only difference is the strain that's in it. There's a different variation of the H1N1 in the seasonal shot, but they had already started making the seasonal one when this one turned up, otherwise this strain would have just been in the seasonal one and no one would be making outrageous claims about it.


Q. Isn't it too new to be safe?
A. Every year the seasonal flu shot is a "new" vaccine. They put new strains that have mutated in it, but the basic method of making it is the same every year. Just like the swine flu shot was made the same way.


Q. But they didn't have time to test it like they test new vaccines. Is it safe?
A. The main components aren't new. It went through the same tests that ANY flu shot go through. It wasn't rushed through. It didn't bypass safety testing. It went through EVERYTHING the seasonal shot did.


Q. I heard it has 10,000 times the legal amount of mercury in it. Is that true.
A. Yes, yes it is. And we will all become human thermometers after we're injected. Seriously. Like that's even possible. If you're so concerned about the Thimerosal, get the one without it. Simple as that. And if you DO get the one with the Thimerosal, you'll be fine. I was joking. You won't really become a thermometer.


Q. Is it really made out of HIV and animal cancer??
A. Now I'm just starting to think that people are morons. What in God's name would be the point in making something out of HIV and animal cancer?? This was made in the same labs where all vaccines are made, not in the garage of your meth-head neighbor 'mkay?


Q. Isn't this just a way for "Big Pharma" to get us out of a recession by forcing people to get shots?
A. I suppose it MAY help the economy if people had to pay for this but guess what? These are free clinics. YOU DON'T PAY FOR THE SHOT. THE GOVERNMENT DOES. So I can see where taking MORE money from an already struggling government would totally work... wait. No I can't.


Now let's stay away from the blogs and sites written by people wearing foil helmets and keep our heads here.

Don't get the shot if vaccines in general make you nervous, but don't NOT get it because you're seriously un/misinformed.


Ah yes, one more question from the lady in the back?
Q. Who died and made YOU an expert.
A. I have a blog. That makes me a loud-mouthed professional authority on everything. Duh.

'twas a lovely fall day for a swine flu clinic.