Grace is three...going on 16!

Where does the time go?  Wasn't it just yesterday we were driving 30mph on the freeway as we brought our brand new baby home from the hospital?  Didn't she just learn how to toddle and babble?  Weren't we just snapping onesies and changing diapers?  I guess time has flown by.  My little Grace is three years old now.  No more toddling, it's walking and running for this girl (in sparkly pink shoes, of course).  Talking a mile a minute, unless she's singing (a princess song, no doubt).  Now Grace puts onesies on her dolls and helps change Emma's diapers (and wears only princess underwear herself).  We live and breathe princesses at our house.  Grace is typically dressed up in Cinderella clothes (or one of her fashionable friends), and pretty much always wears a crown.  She loves to have her fingers and toes painted, and had her first official mani and pedi with Nana and Gigi this past weekend.  Definitely a girly girl! 

What a fun time we had celebrating her 3rd birthday!  First we had a fun dinner party at Nana Carol's house. Both Gigis were there, as well as Uncle Bups, Uncle Danny and Mel.  

Because every princess loves a good carbo load, we had spaghetti!  Then we sat around and visited before digging in to the cake.  The cake....

When a certain three year old cutie patootie requests a princess castle, a certain mommy delivers!  I had soooooo much fun making this cake.  I'm pretty sure Grace loved it, too.  And it tasted pretty darn good, as well (thanks goes to Mrs. Betty Crocker!).  

And then there were the presents.  When in doubt, go for the girly stuff with this kid.  Tea sets, princess costumes, carriages and Cinderella dolls, princess backpack, princess blanket, frilly dresses, a magic mirror, princess "chopstick" for her beautiful lips, princess bubble bath, and princess books.  Did I mention princess stuff?  She was in heaven!

 Then came the real birthday.  We decided to forego a formal party for friends, but we wanted a low key, fun celebration.  A playdate at the park was perfect!  Cupcakes for a snack, lots of room to run around and play, and a chance for mommies to chat and have some grown up time.  Everybody was happy!

At the end of the day, Grace was a happy camper, and that's what matters most.  We are so blessed to have such a healthy, bright, and spunky little girl.  It's hard to believe in the fall she will be starting preschool, it seems like she should still be my little baby!

A light at the end of the tunnel?

Emma Joy-less.  That's what she has been for far too long.  Perhaps we finally have a solution?


It all started back in February.  No wait, I guess if I want to be really accurate, I should say it started back in October.  Yes, October.  We all got a cold.  Emma and Grace each had their first set of ear infections.  Then Emma developed this awful cough.  It.would.not.go.away.  By January, after countless doctor visits and nurse phone consultations, she finally saw a children's pulmonologist.  (These guys are not very easy to get in to see!)  The verdict - Asthma and some funky condition called Bronchomalacia, which I am more than likely spelling wrong.  On with the inhalers and nebulizer, and within a couple of weeks she was much better.  We thought.  But, wait.  Next came the second ear infections (both ears) in February.  More antibiotics.  But they didn't work.  So, more antibiotics.  And they worked this time!  For exactly two weeks.  And then she had another ear infection.  I failed to mention that this entire time her eczema has been driving her crazy, and her scalp has been scaly and itchy, too.  Back to the ears - a new antibiotic and she was set.  For a couple weeks, when the problem of course returned.  Or never went away.  Who knows which.  All I can tell you is at this point we were losing our minds with not getting any sleep, repeatedly visiting a doctor of some sort, and trying to entertain a busy, chatty three year old while keeping an irritated one year old comfortable.  (Not having much luck)  Ear surgery and tubes were finally done on June 5th.  We were excited at the prospect of sleep and a happy baby.  Only, that didn't happen.


Turns out there is this thing called "atopic triad" which I can't pretend to know enough about to describe, but I found some helpful info here and of course from our doctors.  To sum it up, a combination of symptoms (such as chronic ear infections, asthma, and eczema) are often attributed to severe allergies, likely food.  Had an allergy test done last week (blood draw for babies = heart palpitations for momma, a mild cry from baby).  Here we are on June 22nd and we finally have some answers (or so we hope).  It seems that Emma has several food allergies.  Mostly things that she eats on a daily basis.  Lovely, I now feel like I have been poisoning my kid.  No more eggs, bananas, wheat, dairy, chocolate (poor thing!), or tomatoes.  Or beef, but I don't believe she's ever even eaten it, so she won't miss that.  What on earth am I to feed this kid?!  She's already been off dairy for a couple weeks, drinking coconut milk in her bottle which makes her smell insanely delicious.  But I was really hoping to get her back on cheese and yogurt since she loves it beyond belief.  Guess we'll hold off on that.  (And of course you probably know we are already a nut-free family due to Grace's allergy, sheesh!)


All in all, as overwhelmed and frustrated as I am and have been by all of this, I am grateful to at least have some direction that doesn't include pumping more drugs into my baby's little body.  There are so many helpful blogs and sources out there by moms who are pros at this.  In all of my free time (ha!) I have been exploring them a little, now I am ready to research the heck out of them.  Thinking about cooking and baking for my family in the long term feels daunting, even dreadful (which is crummy because that is one area of mommyhood that I have always enjoyed!), and it certainly is an art.  Those that have it figured out, hats off to you!  Anyone that has some helpful suggestions or resources, they are graciously welcomed.  In the meantime, I am hoping *fingers and toes crossed* that by eliminating these known problem foods she (we) can get some quick relief and a good night's sleep.  

Can Preschool Start Tomorrow?

Normally I love Tuesdays.  Normally.  Under a normal set of circumstances. But today was just one of those days....I thought it was going to be great.  I woke up early and was ready before anyone else was even out of bed.  I was excited because it was the last day of MOPS before summer break.  Our morning went as usual, we got to the church and a great time was had by all, as usual.  Home for lunch and then naps.  This is where things took a turn for the worse.

Grace is new to the world of bed-sleeping.  For the most part she has done really well, but the past couple of days have been challenging to say the least.  Knowing that we needed to get to Target after naptime (let me back up and explain...at bedtime last night I bribed Grace with a new pair of sandals if she stayed in bed all night....yes, I've become "that" mom.), I really needed her to get her rest.  But no, a mountain of animals on her bed, Grace nowhere to be found, and naptime was already haflway over.  So, whatever.  Off to Target with an incredibly grumpy and testy kid.  Oh, and her cheerful little sister. 

Here's what I don't understand about children's clothing and accessories.  Why, when we spend so many years as adults wearing adult things, do designers and stores feel it's necessary to make toddler shoes that are trendier than the ones I wear?  Wedge espadrilles for a three-year-old? No thank you.  Gladiator sandals in pewter or bronze for a toddler?  We'll pass.  Where are the pink and purple mary janes?  What happened to those cool little shoes that light up when they walk?  Thongs with bling bigger than her toes?  I don't think so.   

So, we proceed to buy a few household items and even a few groceries.  Target really knew what they were doing when they started selling food.  As I was attempting to "teach" Emma not to suck on the cart seat strap, I looked over and saw Grace munching on an apple, and we are still nowhere near the checkout aisle, love this kid.  I jokingly told her she was going to go to jail because we didn't pay yet, and all hell broke loose.  She started yelling she didn't "wanna" go to jail (not even knowing what it is) and she was sorry she ate the "magic apple" (one too many Disney movies?!)...and people were staring.  No, they weren't staring.  They were glaring.  Because I'm "that" mom.

Somehow we made it home in one piece.  I made dinner and convinced Grace she would be oh-so happy if she ate outside at her picnic table.   Alone.  Ahhh....peace.  Or so I thought.  But she kept needing this and that, and my vision of sitting down at the kitchen table was quickly squashed by countless trips out the back door.  When she asked for a third helping of noodles, I told Grace she needed to eat the chicken sausage on her plate first.  When I peeked through the blinds to check on my sweet child, she was burying her sausage in the garden.  Either she believes chicken sausage grows on trees or she's more clever than I thought.  I'm pretty sure it's the latter and I have to give her credit for that.  But really?!

After dinner, despite our repeated instructions not to do so, Grace was yet again talking about poop.  When I gave her "the look" she began SINGING about poop.  I told her to sit in time out, and she informed me singing is different than talking, so "it's ok Mama."  Oh. My. Goodness.

Tomorrow afternoon I am having an allergy test done, and the girls will stay home with a sitter.  Am I crazy to actually be anxious to go to my appointment?!  Needles and itchy arms....crazy three year old who thinks she has the world figured out...I think preschool in the fall will do her some good.  And me.  It will definitely do me some good.

I did mention I love her, right?