No Dairy, No Meat, and Now No Soy

Yeah, right!!  So Keller's had this ongoing rash issue...doctor said eczema and actually one patch needed some antibacterial ointment which we've been doing for over a week now.  Poor guy gets lubed up from head to toe 3 times per day and his face gets Aquaphored with every diaper change.  His belly is all speckled and his elbows have red eczema patches.  His chin is a disaster.  But he is generally in good spirits...He went back to the doctor on Thursday and we mentioned a little more blood in his poo last week so she suggested that we have his poo tested for blood which could indicate further allergy or sensitivity.  She (not our regular doctor) suggested I come off dairy (already doing it) and I asked if soy could be the culprit since I tend to have a lot of that in my diet and I know it's a common allergen.  She said to try it for two weeks and see if that helps.  Ugh!  So first I kept my regular "with soy" diet as I collected his little poo samples and when I dropped the goody-bag off at the doctor's office, my regular doctor was there and said to be sure to keep wet towels around the house to keep moisture in the air...oops...we better get on that.  She said to be sure we're not using fabric softener, which we had already stopped using on his clothes...we'll also switch detergents to the no-scent kind although we've been using Mrs. Meyer's which I thought was a fairly all-natural choice, but I think it sneaks not so friendly smelly stuff in there...not just essential oils.  So I hit the health food store for some rice milk to replace the soy milk and looked for another butter alternative with no luck.  And when reading labels at home, so much has some kind of soy in it...soy lechitin, soybean oil, etc.  God I would love a slice of pizza!!  But anyway--for dinner last night I was tired, cranky, hungry, and at a loss as to what to eat.  Trav suggested our standard Chinese bean curd and broccoli, which of course is out for me so what the heck, I got the chicken and broccoli version...Last weekend when I had my family over for mom's birthday I had a turkey sandwich.  I'm all kinds of confused about my moral and health-related choices surrounding my not having eaten meat in about 12 years, but alas, I've just been hungry and unsatisfied lately.  And now to limit the diet more with taking out soy, forget it.  While I know it's doable and there's plenty of delicious soy, dairy, and meat-free dining options, I'm just not up for the planning and preparation involved.  I don't like to cook and I especially don't like to try new recipes unless I happen to have all of the ingredients on hand.  Lazy me!  But anyway, I'll probably be heading to the deli this week to at least pick up the hormone/antibiotic/nitrate-free turkey to keep on hand to make some sandwiches this week.  And I'll commit to trying at least one new recipe...but this has sure stuck me with a big challenge.  Interestingly enough, this may be just the situation I've been needing to help me in my meat-eating decision-making which I've been struggling with for over a year or so...I'll get into that whole thinking process another time.  Hopefully we'll get to the bottom of this rash thing soon--  

one tired mama

so last night i sat on my bed to pump since keller's been so finicky about whether he'll take the boob or not, travis laying beside me, and keller babbling on a pillow when  i begin to feel something warm and wet on my hand...ohhhhhh!!!!  you're supposed to attach the drop-in to the pump before you start pumping...dork!!  

Dear Keller,

This is a little note from your mommy reminding you that since you're still just a little baby, you really are supposed to take naps like all the other little babies in the world.  When babies sleep, that's when they grow and if you don't take your naps you won't be big and strong like your other baby friends who DO take naps.  I understand that you are a big and strong baby already for your age and all but would you like to stay this size forever?  I don't think so!  You'd never get to go on the big kid rides at the carnivals or anything fun like that and you can forget about trying to get into a bar when the time comes!!  So dear baby boy, I know that everything is oh so new and exciting in the world for you, but rest assured that in this little house, you won't miss out on anything exciting if you just allow yourself to snooze a bit.  And yes, I know how much fun I am to be around with my good looks and witty sense of humor, but I'll be just as pretty and fun to hang out with (or moreso) when you wake from your nap...Try it!  You'll like it!!

Love Always,

Mommy

Lost the Magic Touch

Last week was a busy, visit everyone kind of week which kicked off with a breakfast here last Saturday with a couple of couples;)  That was the day that Keller was Mr. Crank and had the slight fever...On Monday (MLK, Jr. Day) we had double visits to the grand-parentses and on Wednesday a visit to my old neighborhood in Hartford to catch up with Tasha and our long lost friend Michael (aka Rainbow Boy) who is off to India for the next year, and a Thursday visit to see Jill, Chase, and Cali up in their neck of the woods...Lesson learned...Too Much visiting...need more stay home time (or shorter visits:) but of course, it was great to feel so social. 
So here's where I lost my magic touch...the boob has not been cuttin' in for Mr. Keller over the past few days...not sure why...Luckily he's willing to take the bottle (which I might brag he is holding himself...how cute is that???  particularly since he rarely has had bottles...)  So that's the latest puzzle.  Luckily he's been taking the boob for the nighttime feedings (two last night...we seem to be regressing here)...last nights feedings were easy enough though as I was back in bed in 1/2 hour each time.  The night before that I had him back in the crib in 1/2 hour but then was UP myself with a racing mind to the point of having to get up out of bed and start a new LIST...ugh!!  Some of it was important stuff to write down like "See if new insurance covers eye doctor" and "Get frame for mom's birthday present" (watch, this will be the ONE TIME my mom actually reads the blog and I've gone and ruined her present!!) but then there were things like "Get prints made", "Make photo books", "Wedding Album" (shamefully I STILL have yet to have the photographer make us one of these although we paid for it--years ago!!--don't know if we'll still be able to get one and don't know if I'll ever get around to picking the darn pictures to go in it!!  I just get overwhelmed.  So anyhow...I wrote a list and eventually fell back asleep a couple of hours before it was time to get up again and finish getting things ready for my mom's birthday gathering at our house (that was Sunday).  By the time everyone was gone at 6pm I was ready to go to bed already!  It was a nice day though...all four cousins were together and all of mom's kids were here so I think that's really all Mom wants for her birthday these days...I'm so glad we're all local enough to be able to all be together.
This here is a picture of Trav and Keller engrossed in the inauguration on Tuesday.  While we've read all about the Academy of Pediatrics recommending against "screen time" for the first two years, Keller gets his share of computer watching...The TV part is easy since we're a cable-less therefore channel-less household and I have yet to need the emergency Baby Einstein time (though I'm armed with a whole collection of them also thanks to Marisa;)  
And here's the busy man in his "flying saucer."  Look at those chubba-chub cheeks!  Delicious!  The dragon off to the left is the current favorite toy...he especially likes to eat his horns!!

Other news, I just "signed up" to be part of my town's Mom's Meetup...we'll see if it's a good fit or not...I'm just not so good at meeting new people so we'll have to see how this goes...wish me luck!

My Magoo

Keller went to the Dr. today because he's had a rash on his face that's been coming and going...the Dr. confirmed my eczema diagnosis and prescribed an antibiotic to put on his cheek.  She pretty much said to really keep him lubed-up several times a day.  She also said he might be starting to teethe--already??  He has been quite a roller coaster baby as of late with his sometimes up at night to eat and sometimes sleeping a full 11 hours; sometimes napping all day (today--unusual) and mostly exhaustedly resisting the nap...Throughout his inconsistencies from day to day, there is one absolute...I can always count on Keller being hungry and eating heartily all day, every day--the man loves the boob!  And he's packed on the 15 pounds, 10 ounces to show for it!!  Mr. Chunk!  Yup, we're dappling in the 9 month clothes now---(he's actually 3 1/2 months)...

Last week we went to visit my sister-in-law Marisa, Samantha, and my brother--Samantha let Keller borrow her exersaucer which he is so ready for.  His feet don't quite touch the bottom, but Trav put a big thick Harry Potter book down there so he can "reach":)  He's so excited to be able to play independently (well, sort-of)...It's a nice change from him having to be laying on his back to play...Thanks, Marisa! 

On Saturday night, Keller had his first touch of fever:(  He was cranky all day long and then developed bright pink cheeks.  We tried the heiny temperature but didn't get any readings that made sense so we went with the armpit...he slept through the night and had a much better Sunday:)  On Monday we visited all the grandmas and grandpas (without a bink...oops!) and Keller managed to fight the naps at both places.  I eventually went to Babies R Us to get a new bink, which helped a little...he and Trav managed an impromptu nap on my dad's Lazy Boy chair--

3 Months

             So stinkin' cute...My sister Abby gets props for the name wall hanging!!

                                                                The standard shot...

"Bear eaten by small boy..."

Okay, so I'm a little late on the 3 months post...I took the teddy bear picture a day late and am posting this 2 days late.  For some reason I've been too distracted to get to doing the blog thing.  At the moment, Keller is in his sleeping bag in the crib, asleep for 10 minutes (and counting) so we'll see if I can pull this off!  

The developmental update goes like this:  Keller likes to be busy, he seems to becoming a little bit bored with his playmat, probably because it's really the only "toy" he's been playing with.  He fits perfectly in the Bumbo seat which I've put on the playmat to change his perspective, which he likes EXCEPT that he has learned how to stand/stretch so his but comes out of the seat, legs stick straight out and head leans way back---danger!!  I'm thinking of trying out the tray that goes with the Bumbo so that he can actually play with toys or something while in the seat.  

Sleepwise he's been a little out of whack since New Years (more or less).  We kept him out on New Years while we were with our friends and although he went to sleep at his regular time, we then transitioned him twice after that...poor peanut.  So our uninterupted 10 to 11 hours is now varying night to night particularly over that last week and a half (although part of it could be growth spurt related).  It hasn't been terrible by any means, probably more like your standard 3 month old kind of thing.  One nighttime feeding and he's good to go...although he does require rocking to sleep (no, we don't put him down "drowsy-eyed"....he's a spoiled baby and we're probably screwed parents....or not---we'll just have to wait and see!)  

As for naps---he hates these, fights off tiredness like it's no one's business!  We are now officially swaddling him for an afternoon nap, which seems to be working (knock knock) although we still don't have a timeframe for how long this nap takes...somewhere around a half hour to 3 hours...and regardless of whether he sleeps during the day or how much he sleeps, he still turns into a pumpkin at 7:30 no fail!

On that note, Mr. Magoo is up and my leisure is done--

Finally A New Post!!

So we're just hanging out a lot these days...playing with toys and talking it up!  Keller had his first official giggles a few days after Christmas and that made my day...we love trying to get him to giggle--too cute!  I realized that so many pictures we have of Keller are of him being Mr. Serious even though he really is much more of a smiley kid these days.  The problem is that as soon as you hold up the big black camera in front of him he becomes a bit more like a deer in the headlights. 

The above picture was one of my lone attempts to not look through the camera viewfinder to take the picture...you can at least tell by his somewhat squinty eyes he was smiling!  Below is a little better, but that actually might be more of a babble expression...


Then we have Keller's new favorite pastime here...finger/hand sucking....too cute...I had to get the video camera out so I could record the lip-smacking sounds he makes when doing this...very cute.  His other new discovery is sucking his bottom lip....hmmm, I should see if I have a picture of that.

I've been getting out for various errands here and there...mostly trying to check out Gap's clearance racks...I think those are my favorite clothes for him although he only really wears sweats most of the time...I really need to not buy anything really since I'm technically poor and unemployed, but who doesn't like a cute little well-dressed baby!  Luckily we have been getting clothes from Keller's little buddy Joseph (Jackie, can I post a picture of them??) so those combined with what people have given us is pretty much sufficient for now, but I guess I just like to supplement a little:)

I still can't believe how quickly the days fly by, even when he doesn't nap at all....well, I guess he always naps a little, I just don't count the 1/2 hour naps that he likes to take.  He's actually been sleeping for about 2 hours now...I guess I need to make a habit of putting him in his swaddle bag to nap from now on.  I just figured that he didn't need to be swaddled for just a nap but I guess I'm wrong.  I'm hoping to modify his sleeping schedule a little because I'd like him to stay up a little later so that I can sleep a little later in the morning.  Of course I shouldn't complain by any means about his sleeping but if I can swing a 7:30 wake up time over 6:30 I would prefer that:)  He also has been up the past few nights at around 4 or 5  but I've been able to feed him and get him back to sleep...I'm loving being home with him...he's such a stinkin' cutie!!  Lucky us!!