Allergies are killing us here

Skunk is just one big histamine reaction all day and all night. She wakes about 12am and sleeps the rest of the night on me. We usually wake at about 230 or 3 and I feed her again. She is hardly eating in the day so I don't begrudge her dream feeding at night. She drinks so much better when sleepy and so I go with what works for now. Bear is struggling some with allergies/histamine reactions but nothing like Skunk is. T and I are just itchy, tired, snotty and allergic as well. Such joy!

Moving on

Skunk is truly moving on... she has gone from scooting backwards to crawling all over the living room and kitchen. And she is pulling up on the window sills, fireplace, foot stool - pretty much anything that she can reach. She will not wait to walk until 12+ months like her sister did.

She and Bear are totally enjoying playing with Mega blocks, Noah's ark and all her other toys. Bear is happy that she finally can play with Skunk and have a good time.

We seem to have recovered from the spraying of almost 2 weeks ago except that Skunk is still waking at night but at least she is sleeping in the day and mostly at night. She is round and plump. I fed her bits of my breakfast bread today and will do so for breakfast the next couple days and see how we do. She still gets her milk but I am trying to get her eating some CP stuff instead of just drinking it. Then I want to add in some of her calcium and get that in her too. She does the B Vit's and probiotics so far but it is so hard to test out supps when she reacts to so much else. The multi-vit was a not well tolerated so we are trying out separate supps to get her minerals in her.

That is all for now in the pollen infested world I live in... waiting for tree pollen to go away!

Sheesh!

Fertilizing and spraying weather has returned. Both girls have been struggling for 5 days. I just find this misery almost unbearable. Skunk has taken to refusing about 1 feeding per day (still drinking her CP milk and eating chicken the rest of the day though) and waking about 3 times at night. Makes for a tired mom and then Bear is crying, sensory issues 'way on overload, arguing over. every. little. thing. Makes me want to resign my post but there is no other way.

Bear and I were up and about this evening and we heard Skunk hitting a toy that she should not have been able to reach from the floor. Here is what we found:




Aren't they beautiful? Just have rotten guts like their Dad and Mom. But God is the creator and sustainer of life and made them just as they are. He is also the healer and Great Physician and is capable of caring for them so much better and more competently that I.

Growing

All of us are growing... Bear and Skunk are physically growing and I am learning new ways to depend on the sufficiency of our heavenly Father. I am so thankful that the girls are able to eat and play. I pray more than daily that God will allow them to grow physically, mentally and spiritually. Bear is doing better - not arguing all the time, is still eating and still doesn't like to do her schoolwork. Skunk is growing as well - she is heavy and round. Praise be to God for providing for my girls physically. I am continuing to pray that he will provide a way for Bear to be able to get to go to park day or just to play with others. If we get out, Skunk has much trouble. It is hard to balance keeping Skunk going with what Bear needs emotionally and mentally. But God is faithful and I know that he is providing a way for my girls. Probably pretty easy to see why I love this verse the last 7 years.

He tends his sheep like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart: he gently leads those who have young.

Isaiah 40:11

Better and still working...

We are still here... Skunk is still eating chicken and drinking chickpea milk. We have tried the multivit and she can take it but does react. So have asked Fiona about alternatives for her. We still have big ups and downs and lots of things affect her but we are surviving better than on Neocate. The washing machine is wreaking havoc on all three of us girls. I don't know how long it will take to "air out." Neither girl (nor I for that matter) have been the same since mid-December when we got the washer. Bear struggles and requires bicarb to help with the reflux in the afternoon and evenings. Skunk - poor Skunk- struggles with the oil we use and I think her bucket is just at the brim. She can drink the milk made w/ oil but I still can't cook with it without causing her to have horrid poo, struggle to eat and sleep - just our basic chemical reaction here. Maybe as she can heal? I am praying more than daily for God to provide for them so that they can grow strong and healthy.

Bear has lost more teeth - I think we are up to 6 gone. =) One upper incisor is half in and the other is starting in. Skunk has 2 bottom teeth and the left lateral incisor. My girls don't get their upper front teeth first, they get the side upper ones. I haven't ever seen a baby get teeth in like that but both girls have had it this way. Skunk is scooting backwards and wants badly to go forward. She has gotten good at going from sitting to all fours quickly. It won't be long before she is going where she wants to go. Life is about to change for all of us here when that happens.

Spring is here - trees are dripping pollen and neighbors are mowing. Oh joy!

Trying not to be too excited

Today, Skunk has drank only chickpea "milk" and had poached chicken. She is happy and is full for the first time in months. My baby still likes to be carried and entertained but I know that she is not hungry all the time. I pray hourly that God will provide for Skunk and Bear and allow them to grow and be healthy. Praise be to God alone!

Treading water

I have been trying to keep my head above water lately. Skunk is up often in the night and *early* in the mornings. Yesterday she was up at 1230am, slept on me until 5 am and then was up. Today, she didn't wake in the night and was up at 545a. She is just unable to sleep - she just lays on me and nose rubs for about 20 minutes. Makes me sad as I walk the floor in the dark.

She has been eating poached chicken breast for about a week and doing great. Today she had 25gms and then 15gms at supper. Tomorrow we stop Neocate and start CP milk. Skunk has only been getting about 420ish calories daily and isn't growing or gaining weight since I quit breastfeeding her. I up her Neocate 1gm at a time or she reacts by spitting up, being unhappy and losing more sleep for a couple days. But she is still off her PPI (for now) and tolerating the probiotic. So since this worked for Bear, we are going to try it for Skunk. As T says, we can always go back to Neocate and just survive, if we have to. I pray that she will drink the milk (it tastes good!) and continue to eat chicken. I would love for her to eat chippies, drink CP milk and chomp chicken!

I am still praying for our home situation. Skunk is up on all fours and pushing backwards, can't go forward yet. =) I would like to be in a place that she can be in more than just her bedroom and the living room/kitchen. I know that God will provide grace for where we are - even if it remains here. I am praying hourly for endurance and I know that he will continue to provide for us in every way.