green schmeen!

i'm all about taking care of the planet. i love to garden... i grow things. i try to stick to whole grains and natural or "organic" foods at the grocery store. i look forward to the advances we are making towards chemical-free food processing, recycling, and conservation... but there's got to be a balance.... a happy medium between hemp-toting, straw-house-living hippies and the everyday american mom.

i have bricks in my commode, open my windows on cool days, recycle some things, collect rain for my plants... heck, i've even pulled out tote bags to carry with me to the grocery store in lieu of the evil plastic bag.

however... it dawned on me that my son most likely contracted pinworms on our last visit to the whole foods headquarters in austin. i would guesstimate that the largest concentration of the unmediated and unvaccinated frequent such places... it's not my intent to judge that decision, however i choose steer clear of the disease carrying masses.

it's a personal choice, and as with anything each person has to be happy with their choices made. i love the environment... even moreso i love a sanitary environment. i need lysol and clorox. so don't judge me because i will not be trading in my germ-demolishing chemicals for apple-cyder vinegar and corn starch. i will continue to scrub my tub and toilet with bleach... and leave the lemon juice and baking soda for my poppy-seed muffins!

HELP!

i was running spidey's bath as he went potty, then asked...

"does my buddy jax have a tee tee?" (referring to his... okay, i can't even type the word)

"yes."

"he does?"

"uh huh."

"but you don't?"

"no, i'm a girl."

"what kind of tee tee's do girls have?"

(...pause.... deep breath.... think)

"girl tee tee's."

(..."whew, dodged that one!" ... then)

"what do girl tee tee's look like?"

"huh?"

"what do girl tee tee's look like mommy?"

"ummmm...okay, your bath's all ready, hop in!"


holey spidey undies batman! i'm not prepared for this! just another issue not covered in the multitude of books i've read. HELP! how do i address this???

he has WHAT?

"uummmm, what?"

that is a phrase commonly uttered by me to the various doctors my son has seen during his little lifetime.

i remember "nesting" the months before i gave birth... we had new carpet installed in our tincy tiny apartment... then i had it steam cleaned.

that little place was so easy to sterilize. i had this notion that a sterile environment would lead to a healthy kid.... and that breastfeeding and staying home with him would help dodge illnesses.

ha!

i avoided giving medicines, and read every book published on what to expect, breastfeeding, and parenthood.

i don't believe any of those authors have ever actually raised a child.

i don't recall reading anything about billieblankets, ear tubes, BRAT diet, scarlet fever as a result of strep throat, recurring pneumonia, breathing treatments, rocks in ears and noses, salivary gland infections... when to go to the doctor right away and when you don't really need to go (i always goof that one up) and now.... pinworms?

apparently it's the most common parasitic infection among north american children??? really?

sooo... anyone can get them... but mostly it's kids. they're highly contagious... you can ingest or inhale the eggs.... (vomit)... the worms develop in the intestines... (vomit) and at night the female worm (vomit) leaves the nest in the intestine (vomit) to lay her eggs in a jelly-like (vomit) substance around the edge of the anus. (vomit)... apparently this causes severe itching.... so the child scratches their butt and the eggs are transmitted through the air and on anything they touch.



so.... yeah

now i get to disinfect the entire house.

and wash..... everything in hot water.

good times!