Thanks to Graham's request - here is our Friday song. Return to Innocence by Enigma. This brings back lots of fun memories - and as I've done this morning, this song was on the "repeat" option on my stereo for quite a few months. (do they even call them stereos anymore? lol!) Thanks Graham!
Well, I was completely off on her weight. She only weighs 18 lbs 7 oz. How is it possible that she only gained 1 oz in the four weeks since she had a cold and was in there? Anyway, that's what the electric scale (probably calibrated just that morning) said so I won't question. She's still eating us out of house and home and she still feels very heavy when I carry her around:)
Consensus from yesterday's 9 month appt, she's our average girl. Of course this means she's average in stats. We all know she's well above average at being our Monkey! Here are the stats:
Height: 27 1/2 inches - 50th percentile
Weight: 18 lbs 7 oz - 50th percentile
Head: 44 1/2 cm - 55th percentile
She also had her last of 3 Hepatitis B shots so that series is done. And they took a blood sample from her to test for lead. I didn't realize they tested for lead but am glad they did. It's more for babies that live in older homes but with the toys (and the amount of books) this baby puts in her mouth, I'd like to make sure she's fine. Are there really toys being sold with lead paint in them? Probably. If they are made in China or anywhere over seas, who knows. Anyway, they will call with the results. And yes, I'm working desperately to break the book eating habit. It's getting wildy out of control. Honestly, it started as a harmless nibble during our pre-nap story time but now that she has 2 bottom teeth, she's widdling holes in books like a beaver. It pains me that I've created this insane habit. I've now lined our story time area with more teething toys than you can imagine. But what does she want? The books. We'll get there.
I just started "House Rules" by Jodi Picoult and it's about Asperger's Disease (AS). AS is a form of Autism and frankly, both completely freak me out. Even before we had Eloise, if there was ever a story on either disease in the paper, a magazine, online or on TV, I'd stop and check it out. I'm always compelled to read more and more about both and honestly, I don't know where this fixation came from. My heart breaks for parents who have kids with either. I can't imagine having a baby who has no empathy for others or their own ability to feel emotion, can't look someone in the eyes, won't wrap their arms around their mommy and give them a warm hug. I just can't imagine being that parent. Now you can see why I was drawn to this book (and she also wrote the NYTimes bestseller, "My Sister's Keeper", which was made into a movie released last summer. great book.). My compulsion continues to read more about these terrible diseases.
Which leads me to my next subject - vaccines. I'm a 100% believer in vaccines. Eloise will have them all. But with that said, I can't help but admit that I'm scared. The controversy around vaccines and their possible connection to Autism and AS is something, as a parent, I can't ignore. Whether it's rooted in fact or not, I have to read as much as I can and make my own conclusion. I know court cases are being dismissed and families with kids who have Autism are not getting large settlements. Over and over again the American Association of Pediatrics has said there is no connection between vaccines and Autism. But I still worry. I've read all of Jenny McCarthy's books. I think she's funny but of course, I was drawn to them because of her son with Autism. She even said, the day he got the MMR shot, the spirit was pulled right from his eyes. The MMR shot is given at 1 year. That's our next appointment. And I'm starting to worry.
I get the PR part of all of this. Jenny McCarthy was exactly what that disease and the people fighting for it needed. They needed a celebrity with passion to help the cause. And for that, I understand and respect what Jenny has to say. She's likeable, she's smart and she's passionate about what she believes in and she believes the MMR shot caused her son's Autism.
But then I've also read that the controversy is around the preservative contained in vaccines called thimerosal. Prior to 1988, thimerosal contained mercury. In addition to this, the amount of vaccines children have been given has been increasing (case in point - Hepatitis B used to be given in 2 shots, now it's 3). The combination of the two meant that kids tested had as much as 100 times more mercury in their systems than allowable. It's the mercury - Autism connection that has parents up in arms. From what I understand, that's entirely Jenny McCarthy's argument. But then I read that mercury was removed. But was it really removed? Mercury gives these vaccines longer shelf life. Of course they wouldn't lie, right? Is it something other than mercury that is the problem? Are children predisposed to these diseases and the vaccines trigger them? I have a lot of questions. And as I said, it's a controversial topic so I'll continue to follow it. I've got 3 months to figure out what we'll do before the MMR. She'll have the vaccine, I just don't know when or how.
Anyway, there's my parent rant for this Saturday morning. The Monkey is napping and when she gets up we're going running. Then off to Wendy's baby shower. Another little girl nugget is coming in mid-April!
Here are pics from yesterday's Drs. appt. I had the camera with me because I wanted to get some pictures from her music class (which was immediately following her Drs appt but we were late to so I didn't get pics there). Instead, I at least got some Dr. office pics. You can see the wall paper behind her that always entertains. She did very well with the shot and the needle prick for the blood being drawn (per usual - it's amazing really). It's usually because of the wall paper that helps to distract her. She's a brave little girl.
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