Dear Delilah...

Dear Delilah,
You are almost 1!!!! How did that happen!?!?!? I swear I was just finding out you were a girl last week and now you walk and talk! You are so funny now and daddy and I both love to hang out with you. Today we got to spend a surprise morning together and we went to town and visited Nana and Auntie DeAnna at their work. We went to the grocery store and found your favorite fruit on sale for the first time this year (Yay nectarines!!). Did I mention that you slept 15 and a half hours last night? Because you are one crazy, good sleeper. Mom isn't so good at sleeping, so I am glad that you didn't inherit that particular characteristic.
You say 8 words now too. And you are walking around like crazy. I decided to put a "real" pair of shoes on you today, so that you could get used to wearing them before it actually became necessary for you to. You were so funny trying to walk in them, you kept lifting your legs really high.And last night you clapped for the very first time for daddy and me.
Daddy and I also made a big decision, one that will no doubt change how your entire life may play out. We decided that we aren't going to have any more babies. While Daddy feels like we could try for a brother or sister for you, I just don't think I can do it and I would rather spend my time being the best mommy I can be to you, than try for another baby. I hope you understand this when you are older and wonder why so many of your friends have brothers and sisters and you don't. Someday, when you are old enough I will tell you about how we wanted you so much, and how long it took and how hard it was and then maybe you will understand why I can't do it again. But I have no doubt that when daddy and I are gone, you will still have people all around you who love you and you won't be alone.
I love you more than Coach purses, and Reese's Peanutbutter Cups!

What I'm Reading vs. What I Should Be Reading...

After leaving my previous book club in Seattle so I could move to Alaska, I haven't had much chance to feel guilty about not reading the book I am supposed to. And now, since my wonderful Kindle has come into my life, I don't even have to be embarrassed about the covers of my smutty romance books in public.
But I do currently have 7 parenting books on my kindle that I am blatantly ignoring, even though those nasty toddler years are running up to us while holding scissors (did I mention she's walking now?).

Ahhh, dirty vampire sex, how I love you...

I just recently finished the most recent novel in Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed Series and I have to say, I am wondering how she is going to follow up with 2 more books. I mean, how many antagonists can you possibly put into one series? Perhaps I should have learned my lesson from the Black Dagger Brotherhood series who just seem to keep finding bad guys around every corner. Or the Morovian Dark Ones who just fight with each other (and miscellaneous other supernatural creatures).
But with the completion of this most recent Midnight Breed book, I am out of vampire smut to keep me entertained until the new BDB book comes out later this spring. I am contemplating starting the Black Jewels series by Anne Bishop but I can't decide if I want to read it, or listen to the audio book.
I am currently about half way through The Hunger Games on audiobook and I have to say I am enthralled. I am trying to get J into them, since Harry Potter and Eragon are both done and those are literally the only books he reads. I have got him started on The Game of Thrones, but we both gave up on the first book since it is exactly like the HBO series. I am wondering if I should even bother reading the others, since they will no doubt be just like the HBO series also?

Lets get on a moral high horse...

Let me just start by firmly stating my stance on the issue. I am certainly in the Pro-Choice camp when it comes to abortion, only because I don’t feel any of us have the right to make decisions for anyone else. If you find yourself pregnant and don’t feel like you have the means to responsibly care for a child, then you do what you feel you need to.  Even after all of the infertility and pregnancy loss I am still a “you deal with your shit and I will deal with mine” kind of person. I’m the same with gay marriage, because what a consenting adult does in their own private time is their own business, and I certainly don’t want anyone feeling like they have a right to tell me what I should do.

Since my journey through life thus far has led me to completely throw any common concept of “God” out the window, I don’t have religious morals to site, but personally I believe that if you find yourself pregnant and cannot, or will not, care for yourself and your unborn child during the duration of your pregnancy so that they can be adopted by families after birth, then it may be best for everyone involved if you terminate the pregnancy. Believe me, there have been times in my life when, if I would have become pregnant, I would have marched myself right down to Planned Parenthood. At the same time I don’t want my tax dollars paying for women who view abortion as birth control instead of an unfortunate necessity.

But I am disappointed in the recent decision by the Komen Foundation to stop funding cancer screening to Planned Parenthood because of a “change in policy”. It seems like a politically motivated move based on pressure from Anti-Abortion advocates. Especially since a look at Planned Parenthoods financial records would probably show how grant funding was allocated and I am pretty comfortable with assuming that the Komen funds were used for breast screening and education. Cancer screenings and education in regards to breast health is an important service provided by Planned Parenthood and even though the Komen Foundation funded only about 7% of those services, allowing your foundation to be bullied, or taking up a hidden agenda based on what you consider moral is wrong. But what I really hate to see is how this decision is causing generous supporters of the Komen Foundation to cease giving donations, because the Komen Foundation does donate millions and millions of dollars to breast cancer research, which is a great cause to support. And I can’t help but feel that this decision will inevitably hurt those they are trying to help.