Progress
Today's post is just a progress report, of sorts, updating things I've blogged about this past several weeks and months.
Tuesday, we officially finished our "school year". Special K has finished all of her work, but will continue to read to me on a daily basis throughout the summer. Skoshi A will be completing the rest of her math book this summer so that she may begin the next school year at the correct level. Oleander and Stat Boy have biographies to finish up and will have those turned in on Friday. Karate Kid has a paper for history and a couple more units in Chemistry to finish up. All in all we had a pretty good year. We had a couple hiccups here and there, but who doesn't?
Special K continues to do well with the few things we have eliminated from her diet. She has had minute exposure to some of the verboten chemicals but we haven't had any major emotional collapses. Wingnut has struggled more with the diet, as he is the family foody and he loves to bring home treats for the kids. Who knew Cinnabon put food dye into their rolls?He's learning to read labels.
Baby Wingnut will be turning three this June and it had been my hope that we might be able to potty train him fairly soon. He's met most of the milestones one would look for when deciding if a child is ready to potty train, with the exception of one. I don't mean to get too graphic here, but if a child is not having solid BMs it is pretty difficult to potty train them. I have just realized that Baby Wingnut has NOT met this milestone, and he really should have at this point. I've had to take a look at his diet and after some research, we've come to realize the little guy is lactose intolerant. Hooray. Another dietary shift that must be made. Sigh. Do you know how difficult it is to eliminate dairy products in the diet of a child that loves cheese, milk, and ice cream??? I've had friends who've had to make the same adjustment and believe me I finally sympathize with you! It should take about 2 to 3 weeks to see a definitive result in this dietary change, although we have already seen a great reduction in the number of nasty diapers we've had to change daily.
Baby Wingnut is still not completely weaned, either. This is likely due to his charm and my desire to sleep at night. He is only nursing at night, although he talks about it constantly. I've never had one nurse for so long and I'm pretty much at my wits end on how I'll finally wean him, but to be honest I'm really not in that great of a hurry. Heaven knows if we'll ever be blessed with another little one and all I can think of is that he could be our last one. That makes me hold on to him a bit tighter and cherish him that much more. He really is a little sweetheart and I'm in no rush to have him grow up.
Comments
1) We have had too many friends receive a false positive and then spent the rest of their pregnancy worried to death only to have completely healthy children.
2) Genetic testing turns up so few problems that can actually be treated prenatally. They really are used to determine "viability" and then if they discover a problem you will be counseled to "terminate" (their wording, not mine). We just never wanted to have to be exposed to that at all.
3) We have taken our children as gifts from God, come what may, and have always decided if there were problems, we'd deal with them when our children were born.
4) Some of the testing, especially amniocentesis will put you and your baby at risk for miscarriage and in my reading other testing has been linked to birth defects, namely chorionic villus sampling.
5) I can not think of a single positive reason to have the testing, but then again I am VEHEMENTLY opposed to the whole idea and this is just my opinion.
Hope that helps. Don't let them badger you if you choose not to have the testing. Hope you are having a happy and healthy pregnancy. We are so excited for you!
Our hope, and I'm sure his hope, is that he'll grow out of this or at least be able to tolerate a little dairy.
Sam's club is giving away a free sample of stuff for lactose intolerant people. I don't know if it works on babies. http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?catg=12119
As he's been able to tolerate breast milk, the problem we are seeing now would be considered secondary lactose intolerance. He could have goat's milk or sheep's milk and likely not have a problem with either of those.
In extreme cases, a nursing mother might have to abstain from all cow dairy. I had to do that with JP. It has something to do with the type of lactose sugar in cow's milk that most lactose intolerant people have an issue with because they are lactase (the enzyme that aids in lactose digestion) deficient.
He might also be able to have yogurt, as it appears probiotics aid in lactose digestion. His problem may be only temporary, as well, and due to some digestive ailment that will resolve over time.
It is a bit complicated but I hope answers your question to a degree.
Having you disguss about nursing my nephew brings up a lot of different opportunities for me to be funny and brotherish in my comments. The problem is that it would also be extremely creepy commenting on my sister and that subject so I will let that one be. As for BW...dude that bites! I am sorry little guy and I was so hoping to buy you some coldstone when you came to town...I guess you will have to settle for an apple or some tasteless treat. Cinnabon puts food dye in their rolls??? What is this world coming to? What need is there to die a cinnamon roll??? I'm sorry I don't want to buy that cinnabon roll...it's not brown enough? The frosting is not white enough? That's rediculous! What's next...finding out that the secret ingredient in Grandma's dumplings what a pale grey food dye? Well here's to a great weekend, a contiuned undramatic Kitty Kat, productive weaning and solid BMs for everyone!
Love ya Mau,
Your Bro!
We also felt that you could cook with rice milk and it wouldn't change the flavor, but cooking with soy did. Almond milk is a good alternative too (Trader Joe's carries it).
Having been there, done that with the lactose free thing, I feel your pain. It does get much easier and becomes a non issue eventually. OH, and Rebekah has completely grown out of it! She can have a glass of milk any time she wants. :-)
As for the nursing, enjoy it! You will miss it. :-)
Love Dad
Good luck with the weaning. It's your body and your baby. Do what's best for the both of you, yeah? God bless!!