Food Allergies and Intolerance

This food allergy/intolerance stuff is frustrating!!! We have done testing with the pediatric allergist, both girls see a GI specialist and dietician at Mary Bridge, they also are under care from their regular pediatrician, a naturopath and the bottom line is we have no definitive answers. In fact they all say something different and offer different advice. Ugh! Finally the dietician at Mary Bridge said it...this food allergy stuff is really hard and 50% of the time the testing is wrong! Wrong! Well I could have told you that! She also said they only way to know for sure what the girls react to is to do the elimination diet and add things back and wait for a reaction.
One thing we do know is that when we did the Real Food Challenge we had zero problems or reactions to food for Bella.
we opted to do alternative food testing... Waiting now for the results. Hoping that will give us a little more of a direction.
That said... This week I made some mistakes in Bella's food and we have all been paying for it! When she doesn't feel well it results in a whiny, clingy, crabby, emotional girl!! We are currently on a food cleanse... Only whole foods for her and can't wait till it all clears her system. Maybe then I won't be waking up to screams every morning!!!

Balance

First I have to say to my sister Elisabeth..get out of my head!  We are so much alike it is ridiculous.  I read her blog post this morning while I was already formulating and typing this one and we are totally on the same page with how we are feeling at this moment in time.  When I read her blog post I laughed out loud and then cried..and cried.  Thank goodness we feel the same way and I know she understands me so well (and I her).  I sometimes feel afraid of saying how I am feeling because people will take it as me complaining about my life and I am blessed beyond words, so I never want to appear to be ungrateful or to have a complaining heart.  I love my life.  I love my family. 

That being said, Sherman(Elisabeth's husband) was right on the nose when she was feeling inadequate about not doing everything that she thinks she should be doing and he said :

"Who cares? You take incredible care of our son. He's happy, healthy, and you play and teach him all day long."

Sherman, I love you even more than I did before for saying that to her because it is so true.

I have been having a rough time the last few days due to no child care and having to take off work, which is really really tough.  I am committed to my job, even though I work part time...but I have had to miss conferences with kids and parents, a field trip with my amazing third graders, a district team meeting, and having to write sub plans for three days.  Well it had me feeling GUILTY. 

Guilt, the words all moms feel.  We should talk about it even more than we do!  It feels a bit empowering just to talk about it.  I was talking to a good friend of mine today in the midst of me feeling out of balance in my life, and pulled in many different directions.  She said she loved being at home with her child when she was on her maternity leave, but she was always feeling guilty.  Guilty that she wasn't stimulating enough, doing enough for him, etc...etc.  As my sister said there is this pressure when looking at all these blogs and pinterest to be doing more more more....  I read the other day (somewhere but can't remember where) that all those amazing blogs have fabulous pictures of all these great things that moms are doing with their kids that leave others of us feeling inadequate.  But, I think about when I feel good about something I do with my kids, I take pictures and want to share it too.  It's great, and I want to celebrate that at that moment I am feeling like a successful mama with happy growing children.  Those bloggers are doing the same exact thing.  :) 

It's just so the truth.  However I think that the fact we are feeling guilty and searching for that good balance with putting our kids first and making sure they know how loved they are....well it means we are striving for more.  If we all thought we were great and amazing, then that means we would have stopped growing as parents, wives, teachers, etc...  I don't ever want to stop growing and trying to be good at being mama, wife, and teacher.  If I ever do, well you heard it here first, remind me of this post.  I always want to be changing and getting better.  Good Lord, I have change so much since having kids already....hoping to be better all the time.  Now, if I could just find some better balance!  :)

 

First Food

Lily finally got her first taste of food!  Sweet potatoes were on the menu, along with a sippy cup (which she cannot drink from yet) of water.  Big sister Bella helped do the honors of giving her the first bites....she was open and ready.....

 

 

 Finally they are giving me some of that stuff they are always putting into their mouths...food!  So excited....

 

 Hmm...not sure about this

 

 Better try another bite to see.....

 

 I better touch it....not sure what this stuff is....feels strange

 

 Bella says I should try it again...ok.....

 

 Gets a little better with each bite.....

 

 

I think I like these things they call sweet potatoes...I will try again tomorrow.

Lily 6 Months

Our sweet baby girl is over 6 months now!  At her 6 month check up she was 20 pounds 6 ounces and 26 inches long.  90th percentile for weight and 75th percentile for height.  She is a growing girl.

 

Milestones and Likes/Dislikes

 

1. Sitting up really well now.

2.  She is starting to move around when on the ground, in a circle

3.  She is learning to drink water out of a sippy cup.

4.  Loves to nurse still and can tell me when she wants to nurse by nuzzling her face into me

5.  She also gets really excited for her "ba ba"  Her legs and arms start flapping around like crazy when Erika is making her bottle.

6.  Lots of talking: ma ma, ba ba, da da, ga ga...She seems to say Da Da when looking at daddy, but we aren't 100% sure yet.

7.  Loves watching her big sisters and cousin Ronan

8. Takes 2-3 naps a day and loves to stay up late with mama and daddy when everyone else is sleeping.  She's no fool, she knows when she gets undivided attention.  She finally hits the sack with mama at 10pm.

9.  She is always happy and smiling and rarely cries.  Squeals when gets overtired

10.  Loves going out and about and looking at new things/people.

11.  Loves books, her exersaucer, any toy that makes noise, and stuffed animals.

12.  She LOVES the Ergo and loves being carried around.

13.  She also loves going for our daily walks.

 

 We loves watching her little personality bloom.  I can see a bit of both Maddie and Bella in her personality.  She is very sweet, a bit demanding, and super mellow.  She looks the most like mama and when we compare her baby pictures to the other girls, mostly like Maddie.   I look at her everyday and don't think it's possible to love her anymore, but everyday I do. 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Patch 2012

Spooner Farms.. Annual pumpkin patch trip.

Wedding

Last weekend my BFF got married. I had the special role of maid of honor. It was such a beautiful night! She was gorgeous, the ceremony was perfect, weather amazing, and lots of good music and dancing. I am so happy that she has found her love and partner in this world. What a journey they are beginning together.

Happy Birthday Mom

Last weekend we had a little party to celebrate the best mom ever! A nice BBQ with family. I cannot tell you how lucky we are that we all love being together and it's always a good party. Always. I love all the little ones running around and playing...warms my heart. Grandma is so loved and we love to celebrate her!!