We're Falling

Things have been quite busy around here the past couple of weeks (or has it only been one?). Between Cowboy's stint in the hospital and Cowgirl's pregnancy not going as planned we've picked up an extra child now and then (which we are happy to do). They have had quite a trying month and we're not sure how long to anticipate this one. A day at a time is all the Lord gives us, though, right?

I took Dimple and Chirpee to over to the Whisperer's house to pick out a pumpkin to carve. He was far more interested in her boys' numerous trucks and toys than going to the pumpkin patch (even though he has been talking about this for a long time).
This is the best of the numerous awkward pictures that Whisperer took. Chirpee wasn't interested in posing so I was posing with Dimple near him so he'd turn and look at the camera. Oh well! We had a good time. Whisperer showed us her horses and Chirpee got to pet them. Dimple wasn't so sure about those big heads up close and personal, for that fact, I'm not really either. I've always been a bit timid around horses.


In other news...Dimple has developed a fear of bathtubs. He fell a couple times in the big tub and I made his water too hot another time...since then...no go. I tried putting his little infant tub in the larger one and he wasn't having that either. I've tried with Chirpee in the tub and that isn't working either. So after a week of sponge baths I had a revelation to try the bathroom sink. He did pretty good and he's had a couple there so far. Hopefully this will get him by until his phobia resolves. It makes me thankful Deereandy installed that silly rotating tap a few months ago!

My slow to eat nine month old has eaten two meals a day for the past four days!! I'm really excited because he has also given me two nights of virtual rest. Typically I'm up twice with him, but those two nights...only once...and it wasn't until almost 5am! Wow...I'm hoping it is related to eating and not just a fluke.

Today his first tooth poked through as well. He is moving with the big boys these days. He is able to push a chair in front of him and walk behind it, crawl, pull himself up on all sorts of things. He is getting into lots! I'm happy for him and sad for myself.

Deereandy and I have been experimenting with our diet the past few months as well. I've blogged about my changes a little, but Deereandy has also jumped on the life change train as well. Or maybe he got thrown on since I'm the cook (no really, he's on board by will)! So the results are in and it appears that I have trouble with eggs, dairy, gluten, kidney beans and almonds. Deereandy has trouble with egg whites and dairy. He also has a little problem with gluten and we already know he can't do tomatoes or refined sugars.

This certainly throws a wrench in things (I was hoping our blood tests would come back with one reaction for each of us). That said, with diet changes we've felt so much better as far as our bad joints, sleeping and energy levels. We have both lost a bit of weight since the summer. So much so that we bought new wardrobes a couple weeks ago. I now feel about 50 years old instead of 80... we'll work on feeling my age some other time. Of course we got final results last week so hopefully we'll feel even better as these weeks progress and our systems are free from trigger foods for awhile. An IgG and IgE reaction can linger in the body for up to 21 days apparently.

If only I could overcome this sugar addiction I have. I've gone from baked goods to candy...bad. I still do less sugar than I did a few months ago, but I'm not sure the trade off has been good. It has only seen the addition of high fructose corn syrup to my diet. I'd be better off with white sugar.

On this note, I've discovered the gluten-intolerant's best friend...Pamela's Products. Deereandy and I talk about Pamela as if she is a family member; we adore her. There are a lot of bad tasting gluten-free products out there and she is like a breath of fresh air...or wheat.


Yummm. Tasty brownies.