Desiderata

"Desiderata" is a poem about attaining happiness in life.

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;and listen to others,even the dull and the ignorant;they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,you may become vain and bitter;for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;many persons strive for high ideals;and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,no less than the trees and the stars;you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,whatever you conceive Him to be,and whatever your labors and aspirations,in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,it is still a beautiful world.
Be careful.
Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann

Darfur

Help Stop the Genocide in Darfur!! To learn more, go to: www.savedarfur.org, www.eyesondarfur.org or www.genocideintervention.net.

Kingston again

Happy, happy baby!!!

Did I tell you that I could touch my toes now?

Root Canal

I had a root canal done yesterday, with the help of enough medication that I probably couldn't have told you my name if asked. I can give birth totally unmedicated, but have convinced myself that it is necessary to be drugged in order to visit the dentist. And I have a wonderful dentist.....I like him ALOT!! He's great with the entire family. Unfortunately I had to "pump and dump" the liquid gold (breastmilk) during the time that I was under the influence. I HATE to dump my milk. I really am very sensitive about that. I just feel that it is too nutritious and too beneficial to be discarding it. Nonetheless, I survived, my mouth is still a little sore and even though I really like my dentist, I hope after my follow up appt., I won't be seeing him for a very long time:)

Nigerian saying

"Not to know is bad. Not to want to know is worse. Not to hope is unthinkable. Not to care is unforgivable." --Nigerian saying

51 Things About ME

1. I'm happily married to my rock
2. My zodiac sign is Sagittarius
3. I was born in Washington, DC
4. I've given birth to 5 children
5. I love fresh flowers
6. I LOVE photography
7. I am a birth doula
8. I'm terrified of the dentist
9. "Imitation of Life" is one of my favorite movies
10. I love to travel
11. Retail therapy is my downfall
12. I love to receive mail & packages at my house
13. I have a shih tzu
14. I have a brother and 2 sisters (that I know about:)
15. I prefer Pepsi but love a McDonald's coke
16. I LOVE reading
17. Am ready to relocate
18. Consider myself a "weak" swimmer
19. Thoroughly enjoy watching "24" with Jack Bauer
20. Am never motivated to exercise
21. Am a damn good mother
22. Think Don Cheadle is an excellent actor
23. Enjoy browsing through model homes
24. Gave birth at home as a waterbirth
25. I breastfeed and am PROUD of it
26. I LOVE good movies
27. I enjoy spending time with "like-minded" people
28. Am very real, a straight shooter, very blunt...I don't sugarcoat
29. Am blessed
30. Despise cigarette smoke
31. Have 2 tattoos
32. I try to treat people the way that I want to be treated
33. Love genuine people
34. I love helping others
35. I have "locs" and love that my hair is natural
36. Want to visit all 50 states
37. Enjoy scrapbooking
38. Make jewelry
39. Wish my kids grew up "back in the day" so they'd be exposed to healthier foods, less pollutants, better music, being more respectful and less technology
40. Love organization, but am disorganized
41. Love laughing
42. Am a "birth junkie"
43. Have a blended family
44. Eat entirely too many "thin mint" girl scout cookies
45. Want the genocide in Darfur to end
46. Enjoy strawberry shortcake
47. "Action speaks louder than words" is one of my favorite sayings
48. Am a "Operation Special Delivery" birth doula volunteer
49. Think flying coach is uncomfortable
50. Never played sports growing up
51. Am a SAHM (Stay at Home Mom)

Father and son

Two of the loves of my life.......my hubby (my rock & strength) and as you all know.....KINGSTON!!!

Pics after visit to the allergist

In his Dr. Seuss onesie (a favorite of Trinity's because she LOVES Dr. Seuss books) we headed to the allergist. In the top picture, you can see (if you look real hard) the tiny red areas from the skin patch test.

Strict Avoidance

Yesterday while my husband was busy on back-to-back conference calls, J (my 17 yr old son) and Kingston (my youngest that just turned 4 mths old today) trotted off to an allergist. In my 38 years of living, I've never been to an allergist. As of late, Kingston had developed a few symptoms that concerned me, because they weren't the norm for him. He had spells of inconsolable crying, excessive gas, a rash that presented itself like eczema, off and on congestion and irritability. I basically applied pure refined shea butter to his entire body after a bath and we did what we needed to do to keep him as happy as possible. We thought that teething might have been the culprit responsible for his irritability. Low and behold, we get to the allergist, and the Dr. suggests "skin patch testing" ( http://allergies.about.com/od/allergies101/a/allergytest.htm). Kingston was a real trooper with the testing. He didn't even whimper. After waiting about 20 minutes for the results, we found out that he tested positive for an allergic reaction to egg and soybean. More than likely, this has been why he has been acting the way that he has lately. Because he's an exclusively breast-fed baby, when I eat these things, he has an allergic reaction to them. The Dr. told me that these 2 allergies can be outgrown, and those are my hopes, but allergies to food can also be very serious and even life threatening. With the high amount of allergies, food sensitivities and asthma in today's society, I would highly recommend everyone be tested for allergies. They are very common and there are quite a few, such as pet dander, dust mites, gluten, peanuts, soy, seasonal, dairy, casein, etc. Alot of autistic children are on restricted diets, as their choices in food seem to help or hinder their condition. I thank God that I was steadfast in trying to figure out what was causing my son to be so uncomfortable. Often times it is a long and frustrating path to the correct diagnosis when there are issues. Now, both my husband and I will be tested for allergies, as well as the rest of my children. When parents have allergic reactions to things, it increases the offsprings' chances of having allergic reactions.

While we live in a world of instant gratification, a microwave society, I am going to have to take a slowcooker approach before I choose my foods, and prepare them. I now have to be conscious of Kingstons' needs, instead of my desires. I have to abstain, avoid, decline, forgo, skip and steer clear of eggs and soy. In doing this, I will make smarter food choices and provide a better source of nourishment for my baby. Am I willing to scour every aisle in Whole Foods, or specialty stores searching for egg-free and soy-free items? Will I be vigilant in reading ingredient labels? Are we willing to pay the exorbitant prices for special foods and chemical-free living? Am I willing to spend a little more time preparing foods at home, instead of that occassional fast food trip? As much as I like to dine out, am I willing to give it up? Will I practice "strict avoidance"?The answer to all of the above questions is "ABSOLUTELY!!!!!" It is one of the many sacrifices that a mother makes. It is a lifestyle change and I will learn to adjust and be resourceful. We will adjust our lives to meet the parameters of a healthier lifestyle.

I highly suggest "skin patch testing", as it can provide inside information to mysterious questions regarding health situations. I also encourage people to educate themselves and be compassionate to others with allergies, or any other characteristic that sets us apart.......it makes a huge difference.

Below are great resources:

www.allergyconnection.com
www.food-allergy.org
www.foodallergy.com
http://kidshealth.org/

Health & Happiness