quick update from the snow-blasted state

I can't say I miss all the lake effect snow up in Rochester. While they were getting pummeled with it the last few days we haven't had half as much...plus it has been so windy it just blows away into a drift on the one side of the yard. I had to drive up through it all, one particularly bad spot near East Rochester/Pittsford exits of 490, were so snowy I couldn't see well and the roads were terribly covered. One lady spun out a few cars in front of me and ended up smashing her back end into the guard rail. But after that, it was fine.

I ventured up on this snowy, freezing, crummy day for Karter's 15 month check. Uhhh. Got there with time to spare, even though it was slow going. But the usually timely doctor was late getting in our room. It is very hard to entertain a 1 and 3 year old in a 10x10 room for very long, with only 2 toys and 3 books. Yeah. And because he was now running behind, I don't feel I got to talk and discuss as much as I would have liked to, or usually get to.

The stats: Head size-26th perentile, fine. Height: 30.25 inches-25th percentile, fine. Weight: sigh. 19lbs. Not even near the chart. Like, more than 5% under it.

So we discussed my concerns--not eating much, sleeping too much during the day, not sleeping at night well, how it's related to food, possible reflux, my thoughts about delayed gastric emptying (something I've wondered about since he started solids, which is when all these problems surfaced) blood work, tests, etc.

We decided to do some more food allergy testing (blood tests) for egg, corn, soy, wheat (since Kevin is also being tested for Celiac's after his hospital stint and colonoscopy and tummy troubles, probably not it, but you never know). Problem is he might not be allergic to foods, but just intolerant or sensitive, which will not show up on tests. Ugh. And that might mean he can have small amounts but not large amounts, etc. Also in that blood tests, which they took 5, yep that's right, 5! vials will be: thyroid, celiac's, iron, general inflammation in his body, general blood counts, other allergy flags, etc.

He asked if we wanted to try prevacid again for the reflux but I said I'd like to know if that's really what we're dealing with or something else in his digestive system. So we're doing a Scinta scan (spelling?) which is where Karter will swallow some dye stuff, and we will see if it goes up for reflux and how long it takes to go through his system, if it's delayed, too fast, etc. They also want me to bring a dirty diaper for testing for malabsorption issues, etc.

Until then and until results, I continue to play with his diet. I find a high protein diet with low carbs, no/very low dairy, with fruits and vegetables that he likes and won't have ill affects (citrus, etc.) seem to do the best with him and he's happiest those days and sometimes sleeps better. His sleep is such that he prefers to really eat around 8:30, which is usually after he's gone to bed, then eat/nurse a few times in the late night, and then sleep soundly from like 3-9am. I suppose it's probably reflux related as by the early to late morning all acid would be gone from his system and allowing him to sleep. Not fun at all.

Okay I said this was going to be quick....besides Karter who has now added a few words to his vocab-uh oh, cookie, tree, Kee (Kian) and another I don't remember...and has gotten his 2 top molars and working on the bottom (backwards from Kiain and most other kids I think they usually get bottom first)... we put up 2 trees. The nice artificial one my grandparents left--that's our "pretty" one with ribbon and just silver balls and crystal ornaments. Then Sunday we picked the coldest, windiest day of the entire year to get a tree on the windiest, coldest hill on Canandaigua lake with Patrick and Savannah. Karter was fine in my Ergo carrier on my back in a snowsuit. Kian was fine at first but cheeks got pretty frozen and he got pretty tired from running in all that snow. Finn came along and he and Zoey and Duke ran around like maniacs in and out of the trees. He slept the rest of the day I think, tired dog. He loves the snow! Loves running, rolling, eating, jumping, digging in it, it's fun to watch.

The boys are loving the Christmas decorations-especially the "activity sets" as Kian calls the Nativities. We have 3 or 4 and they play with them all the time. Kian collected all the baby Jesus' and then put them in little present boxes under the tree. I think that's a fitting thing for the real reason for the holiday actually...

My shopping is almost done. We can't do a lot this year, as I would like to, but with 2 houses still on our plates, blah! I did mostly online shopping using www.ebates.com (I get cash back for everything I buy through that site! It's sweet!) and all the free shipping, coupon codes, etc. it was just so worth it to not drag 2 little, sticky-fingered, getting all crabby and tied and hungry boys, who will see their presents, or see things they want, or hate getting in and out of the car a billion times. Directly to my door with one click and it's done. I think I only had to go to Target for one thing and BJ's for another. Score. Kian still found my hiding spot and saw some of his. I wonder how long he'll buy the "it's for your cousin" story? Especially since he only has 2 so far! ha!

Well...that's my "quick" update, after a very long, busy day all over 2 counties...I'm off to bed!


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