We saw the allergist yesterday

He did a scratch test for basic allergens (milk, soy, wheat, egg), and they came out negative. This doesn't mean that C isn't allergic, it means that he won't react with hives or a respiratory issue, which is good.  The doctor said that he most likely has what is called eosinophilic proctocolitis.  It's when his body has an immune reaction to certain foods/proteins when they reach his lower digestive tract.

He told me to continue avoiding dairy and soy, but nothing else should be causing problems.  Since the last time I tried to reintroduce some foods there was a mild reaction, I thought I'd try again and see if maybe he just had a bad day before.  Well I ate wheat yesterday, and 3-4 hours later C got super fussy.  I thought, "well we saw the doctor today, he got poked for the test, he didn't nap well because we were out, maybe it's that," so I had some pasta for dinner.  He was fussy all night, wouldn't go to sleep until an hour later than he normally does, and just had a bad evening.

Fast forward to this morning; he had a poopy diaper.  There was lots of mucous in it, and maybe a little blood.  I called the allergist to see if the scratch test could've caused a reaction like that and they told me no, so it was definitely the wheat.  I feel so bad, because I noticed reactions last time I tried, but I tried again because a doctor told me that it didn't make sense for him to be reacting.  So I went against my instincts because a doctor told me to, and C had to suffer for it.  I can handle another 8 months of going without so C is healthy and comfortable.  It's not his fault or his choice that I have to restrict my diet, so I'm not going to punish him for it.

Here's some info I found: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10634300

C's 4 month appointment

Today we saw the doctor for C's 4 month appointment and vaccinations.  He is 15lbs 4oz, 25 inches long, and his head is 16.16 inches around.  That's a little above average for weight, average for height, and a little below average for head size.  But, he's right on track on his pace, and that's what we're looking for!!

He had to take an oral vaccine (he's great at those), and 3 shots, 2 in one leg and one in the other.  He wasn't very happy about the shots, but he calmed down right away after I scooped him up.  I fed him before we left the doctor's office, and he fell asleep in the car, with an unhappy look on his face:

C is 4 months old today!

I can't believe how big he's getting!

Pot Roast

I made this pot roast in my slow cooker (of course), and it was delicious.  I made a lot so it lasted Bryan and I a few meals, but it would serve 4-6 people I think.  A lot of people brown the meat before putting it in, and that adds nice color, but it was delicious even skipping this step.  Also, I have a large Crock Pot (9 quarts, I believe) that I used; you can halve the recipe for the smaller, standard-sized ones.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs pot roast (Mine was actually two 1-lb portions)
• 4 large or 8 small potatoes
• 1 large bag baby carrots
• beef broth (I had one box)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 tbsp dry rosemary
• 1 tbsp dry basil
• seasoned salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• water

Directions:

• Put meat in bottom of Crock Pot
• Top with garlic, onion, potatoes, carrots,and spices
• Pour beef broth over top, and add water until everything is submerged
• Cook on high 6-7 hours, or on low all day

You can really add whatever you want or have on hand to this recipe.  Celery, turnips, etc. would work, but we like potatoes and carrots best.

Keeping myself in sight

Recently I had a friend ask me if I was ok, and he seemed really concerned about me.  I looked at him like he was crazy; of course I was ok, what could he possibly be talking about?  He said that recently I've been really quiet, and he wanted to make sure I didn't lose myself.  I'm also a wife and a person; he doesn't want to see me lost in my "Mommy" identity.

The truth is, I just don't have anything to contribute to most conversations.  I'm a stay at home mom and all my time is spent with C, so unless the conversation is centered around diapers, spit-up, naps, or breast feeding, I'm at a loss.  I don't want to be "that mom" who talks only about her kids all day long, and thinks that everyone else in the world is just as fascinated by their antics as she is.  C is the center of my world; I love him, I think he's the cutest, smartest, funniest, most handsome, genius baby that's ever been born.  But, I know that not everyone feels that way.  Nobody wants to hear baby talk all day long (some people like my husband and C's aunts and grandmas have a much higher tolerance), and that's all I have to give.

I suppose that I have lost some of my old personality with being a mom, but I feel I'm a better person for it.  I'm more patient, calmer, more confident, a better listener, etc.  I don't really miss the "old" me because I'm so happy in my role as a mom; I feel like I have a purpose now.

I feel bad because I know that so many stay at home moms get burned out and feel like they need to reclaim their old selves; I haven't gotten there yet and C is almost 4 months old.  It's like that burnout is waiting for me and it's only a matter of time before it hits.  I try and maintain a sense of balance so that doesn't happen, but I don't know.  Am I just lucky? Am I naive to think I may avoid severe burnout?  Am I wrong for letting my "Mommy" identity take over and pushing everything else aside for C?

I feel like there will be plenty of time when C is older and more independent for me to "find myself" and do things on my own, have hobbies, etc.  Right now, he depends on me to be there for everything, and it's the least I can do to be the best for him.  Right?

By the way, here's us:

My craftiness :)

Today I made a ring sling (a baby carrier)!!  I used a dark gray linen, finished the edges with black bias tape, and added a pocket to the tail to hold my phone, keys, chapstick, whatever.  I'm very proud of myself!  Here's a picture of me and C:

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

I love my slow cooker; it makes it super easy to cook, and if C is being fussy I don't have to jump up to get something out of the oven at a certain time.  Flexibility is awesome.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salsa (I'm a wimp so I use mild, but you can choose whatever heat level you like)
• 1 can whole kernel corn (with liquid)
• 1 can black beans (with liquid)
• 1 tbsp minced garlic

Directions:

• Put chicken in bottom of crock pot
• Cover with salsa
• Pour in corn and beans, along with liquid
• Make sure everything is covered with salsa/liquid
• Cook for 4 hours on high, 6-8 on low

I served it over rice, or you can shred the chicken and make tacos.  It's also really good with cheese, but I have to refrain :(

Bedtime

So I just finished reading The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley.  She had a lot of good tips, and I've used just a couple and we're already seeing improvement.  She mentions that babies usually get tired early and most need a 6:30 or 7 pm bedtime for optimal sleeping (C goes to sleep between 8:30 and 9:30 pm most of the time).

When I thought about it, C usually gets a little fussy around 6 or 7 pm.  Maybe he's tired and would go down then, before he got his second wind.  Makes sense, right?  Perhaps not.

Tonight I started his bedtime routine at 6:30 or 6:45.  He had a bath, jammies, we laid in bed to nurse, and relaxed.  I had the room dark, some relaxing music on, etc.  Nope, wasn't going to sleep.  I tried reading, and while he relaxed, still didn't fall asleep.  Then he decided it was playtime!  He was squirmy so I sat him up, and he was smiling and talking and cooing and being adorable.

Lo and behold, around 8:50 he starts to act tired.  I nursed him for less than 5 minutes, and he was out like a light around 9 pm.  Just another area where C doesn't fit into the "most babies" category.  I guess I can start bedtime early and have it last for 2 hours, or I can start it late and have it last 20 minutes.  Either way, C will go to sleep when he's good and ready.