So behind---catch up post

Busy, busy, busy. That's us lately. Not necessarily with places to be and go, but here in the house mostly. So, let's get a random update to catch us all up, shall we?

First, chicks! We have baby chicks. They are now about 2 weeks old. We had talked about getting some but never put our order in. When they came in Jeremy (my sister's boyfriend) called and told us to come check them out at Country Max. We went, we saw, we conquered. 12, yes a whole dozen baby chicks. They are still living in our house until they are a few more weeks older and we get a coop built outside. They're tough since the boys handle them a lot, upside down, squished and loved a lot. 2 Plymouth Rock barred (black and white speckled) 4 Rhode island reds, 4 golden comets and 2 'hatchery choice'--this means "a bunch of chickens got together and fertilized these eggs, we don't know what they are". We could have up to 4 dozen eggs a week if they all lay their maximum, but not for a couple months yet. So, there will be quite a bit of chicken posting and updating in the future.

Second, new routines are set up in the house, which we are following through with pretty well. We started with the preschool addition in March (which Kian loves and wishes he could attend more than 2xweek) then we started a new housekeeping/cleaning routine (I am very visual and had tried a few different routines, but found a good one that stuck and is on my fridge) also craft/school/science type stuff for the boys during our new daily routines--also posted on the fridge. Definitely the chicks fall under the "science/life experience/hands-on" category.

Also trying to figure out Kian's preschool situation for the fall. He's in an afternoon class right now and that works well for him as he does not nap. But, the downside is that Karter is now over the 2 naps per day and so that means he either gets a very short nap or a very late one, and neither is desired, by him or us. I think for the fall we will do mornings. He can do up to 5 days/week but, I don't think I want to be running him there and back 5 x each week, every single day, blah. So, we shall start with 3 and see what happens, how it goes, and there might be an opening for more, later on. This has been a great thing for him and I, and it's getting scary that we're getting closer to kindergarten/school age. It's sooooo very different from preschool and daycare. I really am disliking the thoughts of putting my kid on a bus and not seeing or hearing from him for 8+ hours. Yes, I did that when he was in daycare. But, it's just different. I mean I dropped him off and I knew what he was doing and being taught and there was lots of napping and such since he was so young. I'm going to publicly admit, that yes, home school has entered my head...maybe just a year or two? Another post in and of itself eh?

Karter, let's see...finally putting words together-some of my fave: no all done!, no bye bye!, daddy grumpy (repeating me haha). I still am a little paranoid about his sounds and yes you are all rolling your eyes, but I've seen enough speech sessions with 18 month olds to recall what needs to be done. Kevin also pointed out to me that he thinks I probably am not sitting down as much with Karter or we're not making him talk as much as we did with Kian. Realistically, due to time, having more than one child, etc. So, I have been a little more focused and intent on remembering that.

We also got the results from Karter's complex stool analysis back a few days ago. Why do answers just make more questions?
Results:
1. Normal fat digestion
2. Elevated amounts of meat and fiber (may be that Karter is young and just doesn't chew his food well enough)
3. Low stool pH (too acidic) - this may be from malabsorption of sugars in the intestine
4. The good bacteria Lactobacilli is absent from the stool
5. There is 1+ growth of yeast which is considered to be within the normal range
6. The was the presence of fecal lactoferrin which is associated with inflammation in the intestines. Karter had a very normal sedimentation rate on his blood test in December. This normal value would make it seem extremely unlikely that Karter has a significant inflammatory condition in his intestines (such as colitis).
(as per doctor's email report)

So, what does this mean? His morning cocktails just turned into all day cocktails...sigh. First, add a good dose of probiotics to build up that 'good bacteria' and get his gut flora in balance and make sure we don't get yeast overgrowth. Also, on that note, cut back on sugars and carbs (especially white). Second, added in enzymes to aid for digestion. Third, we are still giving him extra vitamin D and iron along with a multivitamin. In the morning, I mix up some enzymes and probiotic powder in his juice/cup, give him a multivitamin chewable and a chewable vitamin D + calcium tablets. Then later on in the day I give him iron drops (can't mix them with calcium or it won't be absorbed by the body). Then, for dinner and lunch I also have to give him some enzymes. Because they are capsules I open them up and dump half the powdered dose into another drink or food. Hemp milk or almond milk, and sometimes an omega 3 chewable. Fun. I need to get him a pill holder for easier dosing. Sheesh, it's a lot to remember. I am also going to focus on getting more alkaline foods in him (fruits, veggies, complex grains-as meats and dairy make the body produce more acid during digestion). And we are going to try a true dairy and egg free diet for 2 weeks to see if that makes a difference. I have been lazy about the dairy especially. But, both of us are feeling the affects of that (thanks gallbladder!).

He was sleeping better, but then was working on those eyeteeth (I call them canines haha) and that along with a 3 week long cold (his first or second, ever) made for some crappy sleep for us all the past couple weeks! Hopefully, with some new additions and changes to diet will help us all get more sleep.

Other things? Steaming and scraping the wallpaper off the upstairs bathroom so we can paint. Maybe some baby goats coming soon. I shampooed/steam cleaned the carpets, the entire downstairs, took me almost 4 hours the other day. Sheesh. I think I might want some more non-carpet flooring! Went to some baby showers this month and more babies coming this spring and summer. It was definitely fun shopping for some girly stuff for Amy. And of course seeing what new boy stuff they have for Robin ;) Perhaps I can convince Kevin to give me a girl of my own soon...everything is blue, green and brown around here. Seriously in need of some pink and polka dots and flowers!

Well, now that Karter is crying upstairs, it's late, I'm exhausted and my computer is telling me it needs to be charged (yes my new laptop! and I scored the new photoshop CS5, going to have to teach myself that!) methinks it's time for bed!

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