Immunizations

First, I have no idea why some of my posts are center-aligned. So don't ask. Blogger just did it. Probably because it was bored.

Baby E got her second round of shots on Friday. She was pretty okay for the rest of the day. Just a little grouchy. But Saturday. Not so well. Around midday her fever peaked at 102.2 F. Her legs were swollen and any time I moved her she started to cry. She just wanted to lay still on her back. She started to get really fussy around 3. Dh got home early from class, around 4, and sent me away for a little "Anth time." Which was greatly appreciated. Being the NERD (yeah!) that I am, I went to the library. [By the way - I checked out The Red Tent - to all y'all who suggested it - so I will keep you posted on how I like it!] Around 5, Dh called me on the cell and Baby E was clearly screaming in the background. Luckily by then I was just down the street at the grocery store.

Upon arriving home, I tried to nurse Baby E so she would calm down enough for Baby Tylenol. She wouldn't even nurse! So we tried to give her the Tylenol anyway. It ended up everywhere, including on our bed sheet. And all over Baby E, who just cried harder. I asked Dh to give her a blessing. To give a blessing, though, you have to have special oil that has been blessed. Of course we were out. I had succeeded in calming Baby E just a bit by this point. Dh prepared some oil, and went to put some on her head. The stupid oil container fell apart, and oil poured all over Baby E's head! She started shrieking, and we didn't know whether to laugh or cry by this point. And now there was liquid Tylenol and oil on our sheet.

Dh gave her the blessing, and it worked! She calmed down during the prayer, and by the end both Dh & I were in tears. We were so glad she wasn't crying and in so much pain anymore. She dozed off for a while. After she woke up, we all watched some TV because quite frankly I know how hypnotized Baby E is by that bloody box. Ha ha Around 7:30 I nursed her, and it was like the past 4 hours had never happened. She smiled a few times, and would sit up, and I could move her legs without her crying.

This morning she was still rather swollen but she seemed okay otherwise. However, during the first hour of church, she just fussed, fussed, fussed, so Dh dropped us off at home (we only live a few minutes from our church house) and went back for the last two hours. She has been really serious all day. Usually she laughs when Dh goofs around for her, but today she just looks at him solemnly. But her fever is gone, and she is moving her legs around again like normal, so I know she's doing much better.

Ugh. If I didn't know the consequences of no immunizations could be so much worse...

S-i-l told me that if she has kids, she doesn't plan on having them immunized. I told that to Dh, who responded, "Her husband will talk some sense into her." Ah, Mr. Tactful. Ha ha Anyway, I haven't done a ton of research on the risks involved, but from what I have read, I still feel it is worth it to have Baby E immunized. I wasn't going to have her get the chicken pox vaccine when she is 18 months. I had chicken pox, all my siblings had chicken pox, and ditto for Dh and his family. When I mentioned this to Baby E's pediatrician on Friday, she told me she has personally seen people with permanant bone damage from chicken pox, bad enough to require surgery. She further said she has never seen side effects from the vaccine to rival that at all. I didn't realize chicken pox was so serious. I just remember it being a major pain in the butt. So I've changed my mind on that as well.

Right now Baby E is squirming around on the floor, rolling on her side. Getting my hopes up for a back-to-front roll, but so far, no dice. I bought a baby carrier this past week and I LOVE it. Baby E is portable again! We are having insanely nice weather, so Baby E and I went for a walk and I paused in front of trees and flowers so she could practice grabbing.

S-i-l is still at our house. Dh and I talked about it last night as we bought the ingredients for Caramel Apple Cider.* She's a great houseguest, and her prescence is not bothering either of us, so we're cool with her staying. Dh said if a month goes by, he'll say something. (It's been two weeks.)

Trav, one of Dh's brothers, and his wife J live in San Diego. They are moving to Seattle at the end of February (i.e., close to us). But they want to see Baby E so badly and do not want to wait until February. So they bought a ticket for me & Baby E to go down and see them in a couple of weeks. The ticket was just over $200. This kind of mystifies me. If Trav & J had had a baby first...well I don't know if I would want to see that baby $200 worth. You know? Maybe I'm just cheap. But yay! for a free trip to San Diego.


*We just discovered the caramel apple cider at Starbucks. (Don't make fun! We never go there!) Dh happened to watch how they make it, and was appalled that he was paying $3 for one. We bought: apple cider, caramel syrup, and whipped cream. You just heat up the cider, put some cream on top, and then put a bunch of syrup in. It's delicious. And we bought an enormous jug of apple cider for $3, so it's a lot cheaper.