8 Months

Well the summer happened, and I went out to enjoy it.  It happened so quickly, in just a blink of an eye it is gone, with memories and longing for the next.

This summer we dedicated the boys, thank you to all who made the trip it was truly a great day for us.  Levi was in great form and cried, screamed and hit me a few times to be put down.   Who wants to held back from running, playing and exploring?  He grew up this summer.  He became a little boy.  We moved him into a big boy bed..... our crib days are over.  It's so strange, as I write this, tears come to my eyes.  Our baby is gone...... this is what I longed for, but now that its here, its weird.  He is THRIVING.  He no longer needs me to survive.  Although I am still nursing him, it won't be long now until I cut off the latch :P    His immune system is not crazy anymore.  He got the flu and roseola this summer.  I think our ND shed a few tears over that one.  She told me, we would see him get normal childhood viruses once we had some healing...... well we got it!!   We are becoming "normal" and its an amazing feeling.

And so I titled this 8 Months.  It has been only a few short 8 months that we have started the GAPS diet with Levi.  Trying to heal and seal his little gut.  I just went back and re read the beginning posts, and it is sometimes hard to remember how crazy his little body fought off food back then. We still have these 15 wonderful foods

1. broth (5 different ones)                                10. coconut oil
2. grass fed beef                                              11. egg yolk
3. fish (trout and salmon)                                12. banana
4. sauerkraut                                                    13. chayote squash
5. pumpkin                                                      14. honey
6. celery                                                           15. tea: yellow dock, nettle leaf, chamomile
7. cauliflower
8. zucchini
9. carrots

He is getting all of those foods in large amounts, not all of them everyday, but I no longer watch or care how much of these things he eats.  He can eat his heart out :)  I have even caught myself saying to a friend "This kid is driving me crazy always asking for food, and he has already ate so much this morning"  eek...... how quickly our attitude changes :/   We also have added in butternut squash, dill pickles, spinach, egg whites and coconut milk!!  Those are still in the beginning stages, meaning that he has had them 5 times each, but he still is getting them in limited amounts.  Getting normal sick this summer, slowed down what I introduced, how the fear so quickly invades when he gets sick.  It can consume me.

Also 8 months ago, he is gross motor skills were hugely lacking.  He fell all.the.time.   Banged into things, tripped etc.  This summer??  He now can climb up a slide at the playground.  I don't have to follow behind him on the playground equipment with fear of him tripping and falling.  He goes up and down everything all by himself.  His has gained freedom.  He also is talking.  Well, he lots to say, most uncomprehendable yet, but we have a list of words.   Mom, Dad, swing, Papa, which he short formed to Pop, yeah, zae another short form for the name Isaiah, hi, bye, woof.......  Fred has a new name.   He has gotten taller, a lot taller.  He can open doors now, his shorts no longer look like pants.  I have to buy him new shoes, as the ones now just fit.  I could go on.   It has been amazing to watch.

All of these things in a few short 8 months...... oh to speed ahead and see what he is doing in another 8.  Well okay,  maybe I'll just slow down and enjoy.  ENJOY.

“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them. Psalm 126:2”

I tried to get the "same" picture.  But that shirt no longer fits him, and it has been passed on to goodwill, the pants I no longer have to roll.  He also doesn't like getting his picture taken..... so I MAY have bribed him with a banana!!

January 2012

September 2012

Results are in

Here I am, writing you.  Thanking you for coming along beside us.  Lifting us up in prayer.  I can taste joy.  Completely satisfied with life, because He is holding us.   Ann Voskamp wrote: "Sometimes letting go is how to find out He holds."  Firm.  That is how He holding us, and it feels great.   Our hemoglobin levels are UP.   In 4 months, from 79 to 96!  (they would like to see it at 100/110) No meds.  Only diet and prayer.  No talk of IV iron or transfusion.  SO much to be thankful for, so much to celebrate.  Our littlest dude is on his way.  Jesus is a healer, a healer of broken hearts, a healer of messy lives, a healer of sickness.  So let go, and see how He holds!!!

I become a doubter.....

almost always after I have an appointment in the *medical* field.  Levi is not a normal little dude, so he shouldn't have to fit in the norms.  Right?!  He is totally fantastic, and is eating a truck load now.  Don't get me wrong, they are always happy that he is doing well, and that he looks so good, but then they get out their little charts and graphs and *normal* what-cha-ma-have-its, and then well, we fail.  Bummer.   In my head I don't really care, cause I know better and he is the picture of health.  He is eating a stinkin roast beef BY HIMSELF in a week.  That doesn't even include all the rest of the veggies, and egg yolks.   But then the doctors, say things like "if his iron levels stay that low then he is going to have...... blah, blah, blah".   My heart hurts, and I start second guessing if what I am doing is really enough.  See what I mean..... a big ole doubter.  I really don't even have a right to be.  Because...... drum roll.......we did gain just over a pound and we grew an inch.  Good eh?  Actually great in my books.  From 10 months old to 24 months old (that's 14 months if you can't do math in your head like myself)  we grew nothing.  In 4 months we grew!  Awesome is what I say.  But awesome isn't on the *normal* what-cha-ma-have-its chart.  It still says he didn't grow enough, his line didn't move, so if his iron levels (we won't get back until Friday) aren't up, the whole IV iron thing gets put back up for discussion.  Dude.  I don't want that discussion.  So I'm getting back on my knees to the greatest physician, start thanking Him for our growth (cause it really is great) and going to start praying the hemoglobin levels are on the up and up.  If God can change water to wine, then I've got no reason to be a doubter.

Say Cheese

you probably thought I was going to tell you I gave that kid of mine some cheese.  HA!  Nope.  Why say cheese then?!?  Well I know some pretty great peeps.  One lovely family defeats autism everyday with lots of hard work, and oodles of love.  They also have set a family goal of raising 10 thousand dollars every year for Autism Speaks.  They have reached and exceeded that goal 4 times.  See what I mean by great?  This year Exquisite Exposure helped them out by taking pictures all day long.  We signed up, and we were not disappointed, she pretty much rocked the monkey, on one of the hottest days yet.  It was oodles of fun.   I may be a tad bias, but I think we're pretty cute. 

We are dedicating our boys in a lovely service at Rotary Park in Kincardine at 6 p.m on July 29.  From our little family to yours, we would love to have you come and celebrate with us all the amazing things God is doing for us.  We would love to thank you for your all your support and prayers.  I can not begin to tell you how you have held me up during some of my darkest days.  But those days are behind us.  I know we still may have our struggles, but I have never felt more at peace or had so much joy.  FPIES has given me lots to be thankful for.  

These are a few of my favorite things

Well, we've done it.  We have worked in coconut oil, egg yolk, banana, and chayote squash into our growing menu.  He has had each of them 3 times with hardly a symptom.  No cough, and very little eye goop came with this rotation.  A first for us.   Our mucous overload hardly made an appearance, another beautiful sign of God's healing mercies.  We are thrilled over here with our progress, remember January?  I asked you to pray BIG with me.  5 foods by March, when he turned 2.  We did it then with 5 broths and beef meat.  Since then BIGGER things have happened.  We slowly have a menu.  Here are a few of our Favorite things:

1. broth (5 different ones)                                10. coconut oil
2. grass fed beef                                              11. egg yolk
3. fish                                                               12. banana
4. sauerkraut                                                    13. chayote squash
5. pumpkin                                                       14. honey
6. celery                                                           15. tea: yellow dock, nettle leaf, chamomile
7. cauliflower
8. zucchini
9. carrots

A miraculous list of 15 items.  With God's help we defeated our list of 5, three times over!!!   I have 3 more items I want to add, before we just sit back and let him start eating larger portions of these items.   Lamb, onion, and dill pickles.  I'm planning to run through the last rotation this week once again, and then we'll start the 3 new foods early next week.

I'm going to ask you to join in prayer with me again.  On July 23, we have another GI appt.  Our iron levels have not been checked since our last appointment in March, when they were deemed transfusion worthy.  He also hadn't grown or gained any weight at that appointment which is a concern.  So this is what I am asking that you will join me in prayer from June 23 until July 23.  A month of prayer.  Prayer that Levi's iron levels will go up, that he will have gained weight, and have gotten a little taller.  I would love to walk out of that appointment with the doctors as pleased as we are with his  progress!

2 more of Levi's favorite things, Papa (his first word) and the cottage!

Oh WOW!!

This post is going to be a little scattered.  Basically because I'm practically jumping out of my seat with excitement.   Lets see if I can get it out, with it still making sense.  

Over the weekend,  we took the plunge and went in for the next rotation of coconut oil, egg yolk, and banana, then a friend found me some chayote squash, so we quickly added that in as well.    This rotation was freaking me out.  Mostly because I want coconut oil, and egg so badly, and also it feels like these are tougher foods to tackle (at least in my mind).  I seriously had to talk myself out of a panic attack on Saturday, before giving him the coconut oil, and then Adam ever so nicely reminded me, that really the worse thing that could happen is that he would get sick, but God would help us through it, so really what did we have to lose?  It's true, what did we have to loose?  God loves Levi more than I do, so with that knowledge we can rest in His hands.  And you know what?  NOTHING happened.  It was a teeny, tiny amount, but there was NOTHING!!  There was also nothing with egg yolk (which he LOVED) and with banana today.  2 hours (almost to the minute) after the squash he woke up in the middle of his nap screaming, and I was preparing myself for the worst, but I went down, rocked him back to sleep, and he woke up an hour later happy as can be.   But this my friends is only the beginning of my excitement, you see today after dinner Levi had his FIRST formed poop EVER in. his. life.  I'm so sorry that you have to read about poop.  But you see, this is HUGE.  It means his body is working!!  In the middle of my scariest rotation ever, God sends me a beautiful sign that He is healing his body.  His promise of healing is coming true, we are seeing the signs!!!  There may have been some tears tonight over poop.  Happy, joyful tears, and I'm cool with that!!

Also...... today Levi started saying "Oh wow".  Yes little buddy "OH WOW"!! 

Tomorrow I give him coconut oil a little braver.  Oh wow, what a day!

Choices

Last week, 2 people I know were taken from this earth far to quickly, way before their time.  One was a well love high school teacher who made everyone feel equal and truly cared about.  She was killed in a car accident leaving 3 children and a husband.  Another was my cousin's husband.  He died of a massive heart attack, with no known heart disease in the family.  He left 2 sons and a wife behind.  These families had their lives completely shaken last week, leaving all of us the never ending questions of "why?" Life certainly has a way of dealing us things far different from what we want or request.  I know that God will give you as much strength as you need to walk through these dark seasons.  BUT you have to allow Him to, you have to ask Him in.   Jesus answered "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me."  John 14:6   Life passes by so quickly.  People, ask Him in, cling to Him in the bad.  Praise Him always.  Live and Love fearlessly.  You can die fearlessly as well.

3 little people who give me great joy,

 ALSO:
Our next food rotation is coming up, we are keeping all 5 veggies!!  Next up are:
Egg yolk, Banana, Coconut Oil.    Not exactly when we'll start, sooner than later.  I'm still working on giving up my fear!