The Great Baby Debate

For over the past year there has been a debate going on in our house over whether to have a third child or not. Now, one would think that after a year a decision would have been made, but it hasn't. I wish this were an easy decision and that the answer would just come to us, but we go back and forth. A great deal of my day is consumed with thoughts over whether or not to add that third addition and what it would be like if there were five of us instead of four. Four is such a good number. We aren't outnumbered at this stage, it is easy to travel, shop and do most everything. But really, is that a good reason not to add another? Another sibling for the girls, more laughter and fun each day and during the holidays. More hugs and kisses and "I Love You." Yes, there are these great positives, but there are also the financial hardships, the cost of three college degrees instead of two, Ballet, Gymnastics, Soccer, Piano lessons, etc all times three, how do you know? I think that a lot of my hang-ups are the finances and the way that I was raised. I had a very great childhood filled with travel, and vacations and playing soccer, doing gymnastics and ballet and having opportunities that I want my children to experience as well. We have already started to season the girls on travel and we continue my family's tradition of going to Maine each summer and the girls and I go to Florida in the Spring. They have their activities and they are starting to make friends. How would their life change and would we be able to continue to give them the lifestyle that I had and want them to have. I know people say don't worry about finances and if you wait until you are financially stable you won't do it. But we have been so blessed with two little angels already is it fair for us to want another, or is that too selfish of a move? All of these thoughts run through my mind and I wish we could come to a conclusion because not deciding is really wearing me down. It is almost like I am at the point where I want to say, "okay we are pulling the trigger, let's do it." Or if we aren't, "okay, let's stop talking about it and get on with life and focus on the girls". Ahhhh if only I could see the future and know what the right decision is, ah life, you gotta love it!

Well no wonder

Today, after having put it off for years, I finally went and had allergy testing done. I was pretty sure I was allergic to the usual dust, pollen etc, but I had no idea I was pretty much allergic to everything in one way or another. It turns out I am allergic to dust, mold, grass, candida (yeast), dogs and cats and a few other things. As my dr. put it, i am severly to moderatly allergic to everything including the cats and dogs, which is pretty comical, because we have two cats and one happens to be a long hair. My dr. gave me some options of using Allegra and Nasonex or starting immunotherapy treatment in the form of shots. I agreed to the allergra and such, but am having to think about the shots. It is a 3-5 year commitment, where the first year you have to go every week to get a shot. That seems like a huge commitment, but in the end it will probably be worth it, so we will see.
My doctor also recommended that there are things around the house I can do to help alleviate some of the household allergies, which most of these things we already do and I really wonder if other people don't?!
1. Vacuum at least every two weeks, can anyone really go two whole weeks without vacuuming? We vacuum almost every day if not at least 4-5 times a week, so once every week is easy.
2. Launder the sheets and bedding once every 7-10 days. The best thing in the world is clean sheets which I change at least once a week or more depending on what is going on, it never really occurred to me that others wouldn't change their bedding as frequently.
3. Keep the cats off the furniture and out of the bedroom. On this one I was laughing hysterically in my head because not only do we let our cats in the bedroom and on the furniture, but my cat, for the last 8 years, has slept with me pretty much right by my face or at the very least at my feet. I was like okay this is one of my main allergies how do I kick her out after 8 years.
4. Eat a low yeast diet. This one will ,if I chose to proceed, be the hardest to accomplish, it basically is a diet of fruits, veggies, meat and nothing else. While this is the hardest to implement for me, a lot of my health issues may be related to this allergy. Headaches, pms, anxiety, depression, Lactose intolerance, fatigue, panic attacks and digestional distress can all be caused from this one allergy and of course I suffer from these almost daily if not weekly. So I am going to start working on my motivation to try that diet, but giving up sugar sounds like and awful hard task and one I am not sure I can handle. I love me some chocolate.
So basically it was a little shocker to actually find out what my allergies are, but at least I have a starting off point and maybe I won't have to spend the next 30 years in pain and depressed because I least have a little idea of what is causing some of my problems. So here is to a very clean house, and a possible diet change that could definately change my life for the better.