Sick Boy

What I have been told is that Keenan has Rotovirus. Which is super
common and super contagious for kids under 5. Stats say that 90% of
kids will get it by age 5.
There are only 2 places that I can think of where he could have caught
this as it is only transfered by feces.
1. Shopping Cart
2. Change Table in Restaurant.
I will be carrying antiseptic wipes to wipe down change tables and
shopping carts from now on. I would urge you all to do the same, and
to be extra vigilant about washing your hands as well as your babes.

This experience has also made me reaffirm the way I (personally)
parent. I saw countless numbers of sick kids at the children's. Keenan
was one of the older children, and none of them were nursed. Even the
new ones. All I saw was bottles (and these children were not bottle
fed with love, more like shove a bottle in your mouth so you stop
crying). Pacifiers on every child, dragging on the hospital floor and
put back in the mouth. Stroller after stroller and screaming babies.
It was overwhelming.
And the comments on my wrap and my nursing. I cant tell you how
invaluable those two things have been. The doctors said that he would
be in such worse shape if he had not been nursed.
And the wrap. If you don't have one I would STRONGLY suggest you get
one. The mamas at the hospital that were holding their sick babes,
because all they could do to calm them was to stand and rock. A sling
or a wrap would have helped them so so much.
Keenan would only sleep on me, while he had been sick. I LOVE my wrap.

I think the worst is over. We are using homeopathics and they seem to
be working as there is nothing the medical world can do for rotovirus.

We will be quarantined until after the weekend.
Take care of yourselves, your children, and each other.

Letter From Delta

Here is the reply to my previous post.

Dear Mrs. [my last name]

Thank you for your e-mail to Delta Air Lines.

Delta Air Lines is disappointed to hear about the removal of the passenger onboard Freedom Airlines Flight 6160. As you may know, they are one of our Delta Connection partners.

Delta supports a mother?s right to breastfeed her baby onboard our aircraft. Please let me assure you that we are working with Freedom Airlines on their investigation of this matter. Following the results of this internal investigation, Delta will work with Freedom (a subsidiary Mesa Air Group) to ensure that their procedures mirror Delta?s service standards.

Please accept our apology for the poor impression, and we welcome further opportunities to be of service.

Sincerely,

Lewis Wright
Online Customer Support Desk
http://www.delta.com

Breastfeeding Mother Kicked Off Plane!

Below is the letter that I wrote to Delta airlines regarding

http://mothering.com/sections/news_bulletins/november2006.html#emily

Re: Flight 6160 from Burlington, Vermont to New York's La Guardia

To whom it may concern,

By this time I am sure that you have received countless emails from angry mothers demanding restitution for the way that Emily Gillette was treated by your flight attendant. I will not shout and name call; I will only offer you facts.
Fact - Nursing during liftoff, or before and during landing can significantly calm a baby/toddler who has no idea why his ears have suddenly started to hurt. I understand that the flight was not taking off at the time of the incident, but I want to remind you that mothers are keenly aware and therefore anxious about the way that their child is going to act when taking off/landing. I believe that nursing before takeoff is a preemptive strike so that the child is comfortable and not disturbing other guests when it comes time to takeoff.
Fact - The World Health Organization recognizes the need of children to breastfeed up until 4yrs at a minimum. As the mother of a nursing toddler it is my belief that Emily was discriminated against because she was nursing her toddler (22mos) and not an infant. If it is a policy for your airline to have a child in arms while traveling under 2 years old, there should be no issue with the child nursing in arms as he is where he was supposed to be. IF however the child was in his own seat, or not belted in and it was a safety issue, then I could MAYBE see where the stewardess was coming from, but because this was not the case and it was because she was "uncomfortable, and offended" then perhaps she should find another job. Or at least educate herself and become more tolerant.
I understand that the United States are very archaic when it comes to womens rights for breastfeeding and for children's rights to breastfeed, and I could go on and on about violations and discriminations, but I am sure that you have gotten plenty of those emails in the last few days, so I will not comment further.
I only had one other question. If this stewardess was offended or felt uncomfortable because of someone's race/ethnicity or sexual orientation, would they be thrown off the plane as well?
I will not fly Delta or any affiliates until this issue is resolved and Emily is compensated to the full extent. I want the stewardess to publicly apologize for the way that the Gillette family was treated.

Sincerely,
Alisha

A Glimpse

C.A.A.D.D.


If you have been secretly wondering what is wrong with me, I now have the
answer...

Recently, I was diagnosed with C. A. A. D. D. (Child Activated Attention
Deficit Disorder)

This is how it manifests:

I decide to do the laundry. As I start toward the basement, I notice that
there are cheerios all over the floor and my car keys are in the cereal bowl


I decide to pick up the cheerios before I do the laundry. I lay my car keys
down on the counter, put the cheerios in the trash can under the counter,
and notice that the trash can is full. So, I decide to take out the trash.

But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the
trash I may as well pay the bills first. I take my checkbook off the table,
and see that there is only one check left, my extra checks are in my desk in
the office/playroom, so I go to my desk where I find a sippy cup full of
juice. I'm going to look for my checks, but first I decide I should put the
sippy cup in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

As I head toward the kitchen with the sippy cup a vase of flowers on the
counter catches my eye - they need to be watered. I set the sippy cup on the
counter, and I discover baby wipes that I've been searching for all morning.
I decide I better put them back in the bathroom, but first I'm going to
water the flowers.

I set the wipes back down and splash some water on the flowers, but most of
it spills on the floor. So, I get some paper towels and wipe up the spill.

Then I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day: the laundry isn't washed, the bills aren't paid,
there is a warm cup of juice sitting on the counter, the flowers aren't
watered, there is still only one check in my checkbook, I can't find the
wipes, and I don't remember what I did with the car keys.

Then when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm really baffled
because I know I was busy all day long, and I'm really tired.

I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it,
but first I'll check my e-mail.

Do me a favor, will you? Forward this message, because I don't remember to
whom it has been sent.

Don't laugh - if this isn't you yet, your day is coming.

Disapointment

Today was the start of a weekly mom's only coffee date, for the moms in my area. I was so excited about it because I really wanted to go and meet up with my friend P who just went back to work. I haven't seen her in almost 2 weeks.
I thought that Chris was coming home on Friday night so that I would have a sitter no problem on Saturday morning. I was mistaken. He didn't get home til tonight.
I called my mom to see if she could sit, and she said no because she is not feeling well. So, needless to say, I missed the coffee date.
It really sucks too because Chris has been working so much and I really felt like I needed a break from parenting Keenan 24/7 for weeks on end.
That is the worst part of being an EMS wife. The shifts. Even when he is home we are so disconnected because we never see eachother, and because we are both working so much, we have nothing exciting to talk about. And then, if I have plans with friends and they happen to fall on a day when he is home, I cancel so that I can spend time with him...and then we just end up wasting the day. So when I really need a break from the home life, I cancel and then he goes to work, and I am stuck with Keenan alone for another X amt of days. It's so sporadic as well, somedays he is gone for a day, then 2 or 3, at the most 4 and then it starts over again.
And like I said we are not as close as we once were, he thinks alot of it comes from the fact that I am addicted to the computer, but that is not the case. I DO go on the computer after I put Keenan to bed as I had no time during the day to go on, and then I use the computer as an escape, to talk to friends or get caught up on workstuff. It's my release for the day. De-Stresses me.
And boy, sometimes do i need that!

Weaning

Keenan is 17 months old, (18months in 2 days), and I am getting an overwhelming pressure to wean. My hubby, my mom, my inlaws, my siblings, my non-ap friends. We talked about this at the last LLL meeting and the behaviour that everyone is uncomfortable is the "mom, booob" and the reaching into my shirt and "twiddling" (think of it like tuning a radio station).
I have real mixed feelings about this. Somedays, I want Keenan to nurse less as I am tired or busy cooking dinner and he wants to nurse all the time. But is he wanting to because I am so busy and he is trying to reconnect?
Other days, I think he is still a baby, not even two and nursing is so special between us. And I dont want it ever to stop.
And then I think, it will have to stop sometime, so I can have another baby.

Business

I started a Parent Education company and it launches on Saturday at the Natural Family Fair. I am so excited and scared $h!tless as well. I have so much to do and hardly any time to do it.
You should see the state of my house. Chris is at work (again) and it has all gone to h#ll in a handbasket. I am going to have to work my @$$ off before he gets back so that he doesnt complain about how I sit on my butt all day.
Which I really didnt do this time, as I have been super busy. But I dont think that my family realizes how serious I am about this business and how I really want it to take off.
I feel like I am being pulled in so many directions.
Finishing my practicum, doing business stuff, doing fair stuff, watching Keenan, cleaning house, going to the doctor for health concerns (lost 20lbs in 1month), and I am in two courses for general education. (homeopathic for kids and fertility awareness).
Needless to say my plate is overflowing. And I am up until 1am everynight finishing things and doing things on the computer that I wanted to do all day but couldnt because Keenan wants to play kneebouncers.com
And then I am up at least once to nurse and he is up for the day by 6:30 am. (Did I mention he doesnt go to sleep til 10pm?!? DAMN Daylight Savings)
I find that once you finally get them on a schedule, something happens and it all goes to $#!T!!!
(Can I swear enough on this post?)