MILK PROTEIN ALLERGY - What next!?!?

Sorry it has been a while since my last posting.  Between me and the kids we have all been sick!

This poor little kid of mine- I went away on business, come home to find a horrible rash on my little one.. on top of it he ends up with blood in his stool and you know what.. he is STILL smiling!  So back to the Dr. we go to find out he now has a milk protein allergy . So away we go on Similac Soy formula ...after the first bottle, no more blood, and a change in his disposition!  Now of course he has a terrible cough, (welcome to daycare) and we are right back watching for that fine line of a cold vs. RSV vs. bronchitis etc... and yes he is still smiling.  What a little miracle.  Makes you wonder how some people can complain so much about things- myself included - and then you have these little babies that go through all the illness he has gone through and yet he is always smiling.  Amazing.  Then you have Kylie, who's little feelings get hurt and the world is ending.  However when Kylie was a baby- she too was very sick with respiratory issues and she also was always smiling.  So much so that the Dr's never believed me when she was sick!  And yes we did switch Dr's at that point!  Her Dr. now knows I know when something is wrong and believes me! If only they were all like that!

Viral Meningitis... don't underestimate symptoms

There was an article in the paper about a boy that had meningitis- had it almost identical to me.  It really hits home with my husband and I because it is amazing that once they determine you are viral and not bacterial they minimize it all so much.  Viral meningitis is just as awful as bacterial in so many ways, I think it is time to educate folks on the affects.  I am attaching the story from the Union Leader as my story is one of my first blogs, and the reason I started writing this blog in the first place.  It took me almost five months to recover, and it was not pleasant at all.  It took a huge toll on my family who thought I was going to die.  They watched me crying because I was in so much pain and the pain medication was not helping.  They watched my blood pressure go so high I could of stroked out.  They watched me as my memory faded away.  They watched me go into a medicine induced coma because the swelling on my brain would not subside.  This all from VIRAL meningitis.  My white cells were as high as someone with bacterial.  People should be worried about it if they have it.  http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Making+a+return+from+a+battle+with+meningitis&articleId=190b7b42-af0a-4335-a773-9b7cca903d27

So don't underestimate the warning signs because you never know!

Little ones and their germs!

Children are so good at sharing.. too bad they are really good at sharing their germs!  You guessed it, I have caught whatever it is my little man has!  I currently have no voice- am exhausted and can't even believe how tired I am ... which would be great if I could sleep!  But that is the problem with this little virus, you are exhausted and can't move and I think the only thing working is my brain cells, they are working away as usual and keeping me awake!

Although Nicklaus wasn't quite himself today, he got to try a little bit of cereal for the first time, once he got past the weird "what do you expect me to do with this" he seemed pretty happy about it-- as you can see my cutie pie taking it all in!
Gerber Cereal, Rice Single Grain with VitaBlocks, 16-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 6)

first time with cereal

And then we topped him off with the bottle- and well a picture is worth 1000 words- he couldn't make it!


Dr. Brown's BPA Free Polypropylene Natural Flow Bottle Newborn Feeding Set


I find the Dr. Brown's bottles the best so far especially if you have a preemie! Not that you can tell by looking at him here.... but yup he was 4 lbs- down to 3'11 hard to believe it now.  Such a fighter I am amazed at him every day.  Here I get a little cold and granted I am miserable, but I almost feel guilty complaining about it.  So I'll keep this short and sweet!  We need to come up with a virus solution.  Or some medicine other then antibiotics that work!  Nick gets the RSV shot once a month and what a great drug for the common cold.  It really lessens the affects of a virus.  I wish they could make that into a pill for grown ups, like zrytec or something.  Wouldn't that be great, you won't have to worry all the time about missing work, spreading germs everywhere and sharing back with our kids... the endless cycle!

Nicklaus First day and the joys of motherhood

So Monday was supposed to be Nicklaus;s first day at day care after being home and out of the NICU however, I think the fear of school must of subconsciously weakened his immune system (not likely) and we found him sick - listless with congestion (RSV symptoms).  How terrible it is to hear a little one cough like that and not eat, not smile, just sleep..  so we kept him home, I too was home sick with you guessed it - a relapse of that nasty stomach Flu that won't seem to leave our house.  And to top it off Kylie got a touch of it followed by dad- So the day was complete.  Now it is Wednesday and we are all doing much better- tired but that is nothing new these days.  Life with a newborn, amazing but exhausting!

I try to type in between crys.. and here goes one...ahh the joys of being needed.  The four year old does not seem to understand if her feet are hot she can take off her own socks! Back to bed she goes. Cute.

Well life has been hectic as usual, between coming home from the hospital and trying to recover from my infections, taking care of the kids, all of us being run down and sick we had the holiday to attend to.  I also had to return back to work in January so I wasn't home that long with Nick.  It was a blessing that my husband was able to stay home with him and share that bond.  A mom always has a bond with a child, but a dad I think has to work a little bit harder sometimes.  They have to learn what comes natural to a mother.  Of course I am speaking in most cases-  It is an amazing thing- motherhood.  Nothing that anyone can put into words and trying never seems to give it justice.  I won't even try- who am I kidding I am sure at some point I'll squeeze it in haha