America's favorite parents?

Well, probably not... but, who can resist?
While I don't even have cable, you have to be living under a rock to not know who TLC's reality stars "Jon and Kate" are.
Evidently, the show was going to go on without Jon. Not so much, he says.

Flu shot and McDonald's

Today, my daughter and I went and got our flu shots. This is only the Influenza A vaccine, not the H1N1 vaccine since it's not yet available. (Though we will be getting the H1N1 vaccine too, when that becomes available, mostly because I'm pregnant and we'll have a newborn in the house for most of the winter!)
I just feel so bad when my little one has to be sticked. I am a semi-conscious vaccinator, and we did a different schedule for her than the CDC recommends (although, she now is up-to-date), but I can't risk the flu in the house this winter because of the new baby. So, I treated her to the McDonald's playland after she was so good for the nurse at the doctor's office.
McDonald's is something else that I have mixed feelings on. But, she loves the playland more than the food, so fortunately I feel like it's a nice treat once in a while. And I have to say, she's a little too small for the playland (at least the one at this particular McDonald's), but it was fun for her. I love it when other kids come up to your child and say, "Want to be friends? Want to play with me?" That is just so stinkin' cute. Of course, there were also children that nearly ran over her (mostly boys, duh).
It was a decent trip to the doctor's and a nice trip to McDonald's, but I don't know that we'll be going back to the playland anytime soon. I saw so many kids coughing and sneezing AT the playland, I figure we should really just do one or the other to build her immune system. Both might be too much.

When Parks and Dogs Collide

I'm a frequent park outing kind of mom. My daughter and I probably go to the park 3-4 times a week. In fact, we went to two different parks today alone.
I have heard other friends lament, "Why do people bring their dogs to the park if the dog doesn't like kids?"
I actually do this. To be fair, I do this because if I don't bring our crazy OCD dog (pictured) on the short walk to the local park, this dog would never get walked. Tragic, I know.
But in my defense, the only time that I bring our dog is when we're just going to the park right down the street, and another adult (most likely my partner) is with us. I find it hard to run after a toddler and keep track of an unruly (albeit leashed) dog.
And yet today, I was so irritated by the etiquette of a fellow park goer. A fellow mommy with a youngun of around a year. She had a West Highland Terrier, commonly known as a "westie." Now, I should say that although I myself prefer "mixed breeds" (that's the p.c. term for "mutt," dontcha know?), I'm not intolerant of pretty little purebreds. Yet, she let this dog run all over without a leash, and when he wouldn't leave me alone (sniffing my leg, probably smelling my dog, doi!), she made no effort to call him back, just simply said, "He's really friendly."
Really friendly? I mean, in her world, he might be really friendly with her darling child, but I'd prefer not to find out if this dog is going to have a come-to-Jesus with his animalistic canine roots in the presence of my two-year-old.
Know what I mean?