How "CORN"-y is that?!?

We went for another flouroscopy last Monday and as it turns out, we just have to thicken his formula to honey consistency.Which is very hard to do with cereal and formula alone.So after all the drama of having a severe cold and trying to get to the bottom of the breathing dilemma...add a terrible case of the DI-RIPPENS (as we so affectionately call diarrhea at our house)!!!We started Scout on this stuff called Thicken Up...to thicken his formula.Two tablespoons and I'm talkin' sludge!!The very next day, he had horrible diarrhea and it continued for a week thereafter! Well, I called the doctor and the nurse suggested that maybe it was just the remnants of his cold;just a viral thing since there was no fever,vomiting or lethargy. So she just said to be sure he didn't get dehydrated. We started giving him Pedialyte(with Thicken Up,too)and of course, he LOVED it!So, problem solved,right? NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!!The diarrhea rocked on for 3 more days!!And as a result...a terrible little case of diaper rash debuted on his little bottom!!!Poor baby! We had had enough of it, so we started our OWN research!(which for 1st time parents consists of massive Googling and WebMDing!)Come to find out....

OUR SWEET BABY WAS HAVING AN ALLERGY TO CORN!!!!!!

Thicken Up is pure CORNSTARCH! And Pedialyte contains a corn derivative,too!!!After much poking around on the good ol' web, I also learned that he may not necessarily be allergic to corn....it's just that corn is a known allergen and you're not supposed to introduce allergens of any kind into their still developing systems until at least 6 months. UGH! I felt horrible about doing that to him but then I realized we were only following our doctors advice. Why would they not warn us of this being at LEAST a possibility??We are now with a new pediatrician,by the way. I shouldn't have to diagnose my own child!!I feel like we were being led to this new doc anyway. She has been recommended to us by several moms, my brother went to her, and then, on accident...I happened upon her Facebook page!!!So I really feel like that's where we are supposed to be. He goes on the 16th, so I'm really looking forward to meeting her.

This Sunday at church, they are having New Arrivals Day for all the babies born in 2008. There will be a short slide show and then a Dedication.We are very excited about this.In fact, we currently will have 20 people there just from our families alone. It's so nice to know that we have such a loving family. And ya know, even with the economy being the way it is, being on a strict budget,working one less day a week, making less but now having to spend more......even with all the unknowns.......I still feel more blessed than I ever have!

Lordy mercy....what a week!!!

Well, where do I begin? On Wednesday, I noticed that Scout was a little more snotty than usual so to be on the safe side, I called his doctor and they wanted to see him since he is so little....just to make sure it wasn't RSV. So we went in and she said it was just a cold but she wanted to send him to T.C. Thompson's for x-rays and a flouroscopy to determine the cause of the little squeaky noise he makes when he breathes. So, Thursday we went to children's and he did so good.(Look at him in his little hospital robe!) I was so proud of him. He wasn't supposed to eat after 6am and we were very worried about that because he has never had to wait on food!But he did just fine. He was talking to all the nurses and flirting with them! You'd never know there was anything wrong with him; he such a little trooper!So anatomically, there is nothing wrong.No hemangiomas.No polyps.No trachiomalcia("floppy trachea").Whew! So now we go back on Monday for a swallowing test.They will test different consistencies of formula to determine which consistency is best for him so he doesn't aspirate into his lungs(which is a concern of theirs). So fingers crossed that all it is is making his formula thicker.

We ended up having to go BACK to Children's on Friday night only this time it was to the emergency room! His breathing was getting really raspy and I was afraid it was moving into his chest so I was worried about RSV and pneumonia. I knew there was a HUGE possibility I was overreacting but I would rather be safe than sorry. The doctor there was AWESOME! He said he was fine...just a severe cold;nothing to really worry about.They sucked all the snot out and sent us on our way!He slept very well last night and all day to day he did fine. The only time he cries is when I have to suck the snot out!He hates that!He still sounds a little rough, but he seems to feel fine. We have stayed indoors this weekend and I am planning on staying home with him all day tomorrow too. I may go a little stir crazy but its worth it if he gets better.:)

Daycare Drama!!!!

Whew! What a day! Talk about a roller coaster of emotions....yesterday was mentally and emotionally draining for me!!! It was Scout's first day of daycare and my first (official) day back at work. TOO MANY "FIRSTS" FOR ONE DAY! I had been dreading this day since the moment I found out I was pregnant. I couldn't sleep that night before at all. I was actually ok until we got in the car. (Jason went with me b/c I knew I'd be a wreck!) My cousin Jessica works in the office right down the hall so she can check on him throughout the day; but she met us at the door and walked us to his classroom. I was okay until Jason asked me if "Mommy wanted to tell him 'bye'?"UGGGHHHH! I lost it! In front of everyone- i boo-hooed like one of the many babies staring at me in awe. But I didn't care...I was having to leave my child for the first time with someone other than family for more than just a couple of hours and I was heartbroken. I absentmindedly went over his feeding schedule with the teacher and then Jason held him up for me to kiss goodbye. Luckily, he was asleep the whole time! I don't know what I would do if I had to stare back at those beautiful babyblues and say bye. So, we left and Jason drove, thankfully,as I bawled my eyes out all the way to Starbucks! That helped alot though; it's amazing what problems expensive coffee can make better. So I only had a half-day at work so I went back and got him as soon as I was done.I tell ya...I couldn't get there fast enough!!But when I got there he was asleep again. His teacher bragged on him and told me how good he had been that day! Everyday, they give you this sheet of paper they fill out thru the day. It's a detailed account of exactly how much they eat and when, how often they nap and for how long, and how many dirty/wet diapers they had and when! That is sooooo awesome! So far, I am very impressed. I think Thursday and Friday will go much better now; I guess I just had to get that out of my system. But can I just say... I LOVE having Wednesdays off! I am really looking forward to going to church tonight; a new women's Bible class starts tonight on Esther by Beth Moore. I absolutely love me some Beth Moore so I am super excited. I believe we will be going to meet Jason for lunch today,too. He loves getting to see Scout in the middle of the day!So today is ALREADY better than yesterday!!