I'm still here...

It's been way too long since I've posted.  I've sat down and started FOUR different posts, only to stop mid-way and never finish them.  We're doing great.  We're super busy with school and snow days left and right.  I'm chasing Simon everywhere, and the sound of his feet through my house just melts my heart.  Here's some tidbits from our past month.

We have put our house on the market.  We really, really want to move to a bigger house with land around it.  With three boys, we need the room for them to run and explore.  We have found a house out in Rogersville that has our hearts.  It just feels like home to us. Now we're just waiting for ours to sell so we can buy it.  Happy thoughts and prayers for a quick sell are very much appreciated right now.

Simon is 17 months old now, going on 2 years old.  He is pretty sure he can do anything the big boys can do, and he tries most of the time.  He is pretty sure the universe revolves around him.  He loves to be on the lap of whoever is talking at any time.  His transition to a toddler bed has been more than I could ever have hoped for.  He goes right to sleep when we put him down.  And he stays in his bed until we come in when he wakes up.  We are also forming a pretty good grip on his allergies.  I feel so much better about them all.  I found an Easter bunny for him this morning.  Love the internet!  I hope to start posting some of our allergy friendly recipes soon.  I really want to share some of the awesome things we have found for him.

The big boys are doing great in school.  Spring break starts today and I am so excited for the fun days we have planned here and there.  And I am incredibly grateful the warmth of spring has finally decided to arrive.  Colton is doing great with cub scouts, and Ethan is preparing to play soccer.  Spring is going to be busy around here also.

I have taken on a 20 Challenge with Scentsy.  My goal is to promote to Director by the end of June.  I KNOW it's possible.  I'm  working pretty hard right now to jump into it right.  Let me know if you want to help by hosting a party.  There's some pretty amazing benefits right now for hostesses.

Here are a few pictures from February.  Can't close without posting a few.

 The boys dressed up for the 1950's sock hop that was held for the HABIT superheroes at school.

 

 Simon choosing an apple over cotton candy.

 

 Selfie with the big boys.

 

 First time driving Go-Karts!

 

 Simon was having a bad seasonal allergy day.

 

 Simon loving his new bed.

 

 First night asleep in his new bed.

 

 Meet Fred.  You will see a lot more of Fred.  He was bought for my mom, but Simon stole him out of the bag.  Sorry, mom.

 

 The three boys playing trains together.  This picture is so bittersweet.  The hole there is so real.

 

 Grandma Jo Jo reading to Simon on his birthday.

 

Simon and Emily.  These two are going to have a blast growing up together.

Knowing

S is sleeping.  He's sleeping later than normal, much later than he has the past several days.  He had a rough night last night.  This momma grabbed two containers of a snack from a shelf the other day, one wasn't safe.  I read the label on the first, and grabbed the second assuming it was the same.  Poor kiddo had red cheeks, arms, legs, and torso.  It's not a real itchy rash when he breaks out like this, but it feels warm to the touch.  He had that horrible diarrhea that comes with eating the wrong thing, so I know his stomach hurt something fierce.  I hate this for him.  And I hate that I'm the one that bought the snack and set it out for him to eat.  I know we're still new to all this.  And that less than two weeks ago we thought his rosy cheeks were just him, his on and off skin irritations were just sensitive skin.  And that a normal dirty diaper for him was, well, pretty gross.  And that he was just a temperamental toddler.  So, I'm letting him sleep as long as he needs to.  I'm enjoying the quiet time, now that I no longer am watching Luke.  I miss the little guy, but I have more time now to be the mom I want to be.

I wanted to share this though.  Dru gave us a gift this weekend. It's actually for Willy, he can put it up at work, if he starts spending more time at the office. 

I saw this and the tears came flooding out.  It took a few seconds for me to take in the pictures, then I saw the details.  The thought she put into making this complete.  Knowing that someone other than me was thinking about Lucas and Caleb as they were working with our family picture means so very much.  There really aren't words that can describe how it feels.  And even though two boys will always be physically missing from our family pictures, they are always with us.  And seeing the dragonflies here, is reminder that they are with others around us also.

 

So many thanks to you, Dru.

No More Pulling Labels from the Trash

Simon had his allergy testing this morning.  We've known since birth (pretty sure before birth) that a milk allergy was a definite.  I actually had a milk allergy throughout my pregnancy with him.  One that went away as soon as I delivered.  Then all the spitting up he did when I had ANY kind of dairy while I was nursing him. 

Over the past several months, his dairy allergy seems to have been more and more sensitive.  From milk to including ice cream, to just recently cheeses.  It's painful for him, and I hate seeing him go through it.  We've also suspected a rice allergy after he ate some organic puffs and had a pretty rough reaction.  A reaction that was common with other foods containing rice.  And I've spent the past couple months pulling out labels from the trash to see what ingredients are in something that could be giving him a reaction.

Well, the rice allergy is actually an allergy to soy.  Yes, soy.  Soy and Milk.  The other "common" food allergies are clear though.  I've been learning how to read labels the past couple of months, now I'm going to get a whole lot better. 

The plan is to go completely soy and milk free for a month.  Then to try and see if there are certain foods she has listed that he can tolerate....a food a week.  Things such as baked goods with milk in them, items with soy towards the bottom and so forth.  But he had animal crackers for the first time yesterday, (Willy bought a big container from Sams.) and he's been having a tough time with them. 

We do have two epi pens, one for the house and one for the diaper bag.  She told us not to wait until he had trouble breathing, but to use it if he is really rashing up and it's spreading quickly.  I've used the practice pen....it's going to hurt if we ever have to use it.  But I am happy to have it on hand.

The allergist also heard a heart murmur.  We've traveled this road with the two older boys.  The pediatric cardiologist is nice.  I am sure we'll have an appointment next month.  I'm surprised it hasn't been heard before, but Colton's wasn't heard until he was 18 months.  The big boys' murmurs are innocent, so I'm not panicking like I did with Colton. 

Simon did pretty well with the testing.  Snacks and Tinga Tinga Tales on the Kindle kept  him pretty occupied during the pricks and waiting.  He's a great kid for dr's offices. 

So, we're going to be eating even healthier around here.  Mama Jean's and I will become well acquainted soon.  I am so grateful we know now what is bothering him and am looking forward to a little one who isn't so cranky, and has normal diapers again.  I want him to feel good, and I know cutting these foods out is really going to help.