It was totally worth it for 2 reasons:

1. We now know that Mandy has no allergies - to food or pets or plant material. Nothing showed up at all. We'll see the gastroenterologists again, but I'm guessing it means we're still dealing with a digestive system to imature to break down certain proteins.

2. The doctor was just the prettiest man I've ever seen. Seriously into weight training and many other fine features besides. I'm thinking of having myself tested next...

Right now, it doesn't bother her.

I don't remember all the details of the infertile woman's treatments, and I'm too lazy to look them back up, but all total, she had harvested something like 80 eggs over 5 separate treatments. The Christian woman stated that she had murdered 80 of her own babies. She went on to say that any fertility treatment is akin to Abraham sleeping with Hagar to get Ishmael. Her opinion is that all fertility treatments are wrong and playing God.

Now, since I've never taken fertility treatments, I am somewhat ignorant of the process. But I do know that when embryos are viable, they save and freeze them. So I think it's logical to assume the vast majority of those eggs, or embryos, were not viable or they wouldn't have continued harvesting them. If they are not viable, they are not going to result in pregnancy; therefore, how can we claim they are "murdered babies?"

Her other criticism, that all IVF is wrong, is where I get a little fuzzy. I don't agree with her, but I'm not as able to defend my position. I will say that God is still God, even in the fertility clinics. If He has decided to close a woman's womb, no doctor is going to be able to overcome that. I also think that reproduction is a biological function and that medical science is just trying to restore that function to what it should be. When a pancreas stops working, we think nothing of taking insulin to restore bodily function, so when an ovary stops working, why does it become a moral issue to use medicine to restore its function?

Reading this little battle between these two women really bothered me. I think, as a pro-life Christian, we can rather say that she brought two children into the world that would not be here otherwise, instead of blasting her for creating non-viable embryos in the process. I do know that in the course of her IVF, she did at one time selectively reduce a pregnancy that had resulted in 4 babies. I cannot defend that and do consider that abortion, but neither have I been in that situation with a doctor telling me I was risking all the babies by trying to keep them all. I believe, I hope, that if that had been my situation, I would have been one of the freaks on TV having 6 or 7 babies rather than aborting some of them.

I had a Christian friend undergo IVF & she could not let any of her viable embryos be discarded as medical waste, so she ended up with 5 babies, over two pregnancies, which was a bit more than she wanted originally. I also know of Christians donating their embryos to other infertile women, which sounds like a marvelous idea.

I know there are several Christians who read this blog and I just wondered if you had given any thought to IVF and what that means from a Christian perspective. Do you think it is morally wrong and Christians should rather wait on God to bring them the baby?

In my mind, I refer to this child as "that other baby." That other baby started sleeping thru the night at 6 weeks. That other baby lets her parents accessorize her with various headbands, hats and even a bracelet. I myself cannot wear jewelry or Mandy will pull, twist and finger it until it breaks. She has never allowed anything to be placed on her head and in fact will scream her protests as I just try to towel dry her hair. That other baby sits quietly and still on her parents' or grandparents' lap during the whole service. When the parents of that other baby want to stand for a hymn, they sit her on the pew and give her a book where she remains until they sit back down. That other baby doesn't seem to be bothered by teething. When you smile at that other baby, she smiles back and lays her head on grandmother's shoulders, looking a little shy perhaps. When you smile at Mandy, who is almost certainly already standing, she gets excited and starts bouncing and stomping her feet.

I have been able to keep Mandy in the service with me for a couple of months now. My sister-in-law and various friends want to see her, and apparently they like the wrestling match that is trying to hold her. If we let her pull every object out of her diaper bag and my sister-in-law's purse, she's fairly quiet through most of the service, but never - ever- still.

I would be lying if I didn't admit that sometimes I wish Mandy was as easy as that other baby, but I have to also acknowledge that Mandy is infinitely more fun. And she has the admirers to prove it. Every lady for several pews up & several pews back are totally charmed by her; whereas it doesn't seem that other baby gets much attention from anyone besides her parents. And it's not about looks because that other baby is just as cute.

So I don't want to trade, but after an hour of wrestling with Mandy, I really don't want to look at that other baby and her well-rested, quiet, relaxed parents either.

Her torment is performed using a most brilliant vocal maneuver. I'm reminded of the Sirens & the mythical affect they had on sailors. Her vocals may not be as pleasant, but they are certainly as powerful. Strangely, and I must contemplate this further when strength returns, these vocals only effect the female of the species. Does she set the tone to be specific to females, or are the male's ears formed differently allowing them to sleep thru? It only adds to my despair to know that I am being singled out.

Another thing I must contemplate is how she herself is able to survive the sleep loss. It's a remarkable phenomenon that I must present to NASA. I've tried the medical profession, but they seem singularly unimpressed by her ability and unconcerned with the effect on me. In fact, the man I spoke with stated he had 4 such tormentors in his own home. How can this be? How have we survived as a species? Is it possible to adjust and live normally, and if so, how? I must research this. After a nap.

I've plied her with many sleep-inducing comforts. Tasty medicines, a dark room, a comfortable bed, a warm blanket, a white noise machine. I've even let her have a sucking device known as a pacifier, something I swore I would never let her sleep with a few months ago. Did you catch that? "Let her." It would seem at one point I considered myself in charge of this tormenter. Clearly that is not the case as I am utterly at her mercy. Is that why she began the torture - to establish her authority? If so, I am doomed. She must realize that given an adequate amount of sleep, I will regain my control. I'm quite sure it is her goal to never let that happen.

So I'm talking to Daddy today & somehow this comes up. He said "why don't you drink out of a travel mug with a lid." Crap. How can you worry about something for 13 months & not come up with the simplest answer there is? Am I even smart enough to raise a kid?

Alas, he said her sleep was probably due to teeth & there's nothing he can do. Despite me stressing to him that it had been 2 weeks already and mommy is falling apart.

But he had Access Pharmacy mix me some diaper cream from Aquapur and Malox and I just want to tell you that is the best stuff ever! We knew the rash wasn't yeast in nature because I had tried the anti-yeast creams. Since both of those products are over the counter, I bet they could mix some up for anybody without a prescription, so if you're dealing with a very stubborn rash, go try some. Access in Hixson & Kingwood in East Ridge are the only two pharmacies in Chattanooga that can compound that I know of.

I've tried everything on this diaper rash - the Nysatin he prescribed her after her last round of antibiotics - baking soda baths - cortisone cream. She's never even had one bad enough to wake her up at night, and I don't have a clue why we have this one. Normally, I can tie it to something new we've tried in her diet, or the obvious antibiotics. This one is just out of the blue and it's looking like we're going to have to have professional help to get it resolved.

Luckily, Mandy doesn't yet know what is fun & what isn't. About a month ago, from the looks of it, I was windexing my living room tables and she was smearing her hands all in the windex. Doesn't make for a very attractive glass table. So I gave her a paper towel & she rubbed that on the table instead, and seemed very proud to be doing it! Then last week I was getting dressed & she brought me one of my shoes. I could see the other one across the room, so I asked her to bring it to me & she did!

Daddy may be more fun, but mommy is way more practical.

And I saved the best for last:

Ok - I don't particularly love the way I look. I'm not very happy with my hair right now. I've fought dark circles under my eyes all my life. The biggest issue (no pun intended) is the fact that I weigh more than ever. But grandmother - seriously? Do ya'll see wrinkles I don't? I mean, this is me with no makeup on - naked faced. I just don't see it.

This is hard. I had seen mothers with their young children before, and was amazed at the huge energy output they had to give, but I still don't think I realized it would be this hard. One friend, a single, working mother of two toddlers, really wanted to learn to crochet, but said she didn't have time. I didn't understand. Now I think I should have gone to her house & mopped her floors. If you know any single, working mothers, feel free to take that as a suggestion.

To start with, that whole sleeping thru the night thing is just a myth. I'm aggravated at so many people urging me to teach her how and giving me the false hope that it would actually happen on a regular basis. I would much rather they had just told me that toddlers are ALWAYS either teething or fighting a cold & to just learn to deal with the sleep interruptions.

Some aspects I handle quite well. I'm ok with not being able to crochet, knit or read while she's awake. If she's awake, I consider it my job to watch her anyway. I deal with having to take baths rather than showers pretty well. I've never complained about changing diapers, feedings, baths, etc., or even wanted to complain about those things.

But what I don't handle well is doing something I don't particularly enjoy anyway while she is making it harder. For example, my tub just really needed to be cleaned yesterday. The entire task was done with her trying to climb on my back, trying to climb into the tub, and pulling my pants down or my top up. When I moved to cleaning the toilet, I had to literally hold her back with one arm while I cleaned with the other. For whatever reason, she didn't want me to vacuum either, so I was carrying her in my left arm while trying to vacuum with my right - using my foot to kick chairs & other objects out of my way. Until, that is, the power went out, at which point I just gave up. I decided maybe it would be good to get out of the house so I ran some errands. I made the unfortunate decision to let her walk from the car to the store. I say unfortunate because after the freedom of walking all that way, she was utterly pissed to be then confined to a shopping cart & screamed her way thru the whole store. You'll be glad to know that after after all the screaming she did as a baby, I've completely gotten over the embarrassment of a screaming kid. I don't even know if people were looking at us or not, 'cause I just really didn't give a flip.

And I have to admit to being just a bit scared. Baby Center describes this at the "honeymoon" period of childhood. Before things get "difficult" as they turn 2 & 3. How much harder is it going to get!?

Since I'd had such a hard day, and on such little sleep, I decided to go to bed early last night. It was about 9:30 & those covers felt so good! Until, that is, my leg bumped into the cat vomit. If you are interested in owning a cat, I have 4 that have been fixed & de-clawed. Come get 'em.