One year ago today

So a year ago today we left Virginia, well we left Danville. We wound up spending the night in Roanoke that night so we actually left VA the next day.

We had moved three times before and yet this was the first time we actually had friends to help us. Don't know what we would have done without K & L!

DH asked me why I was sad when I was thinking about the move. I'm not sad. There are few things I miss about Danville. Outside of my friends from Southside VA I have everything I need. But it marks the last time of many things. The last time I ever saw B/will ever see her. The many friends who promised I would see them at least once more we left. The last time we would ever be in the house where Audrey was born. My whole changed in that house. I became a mom to two fur-babies and then a real baby. I finally found a job I loved and friends. I grew up.

When we moved to VA we were kids with nothing to our names but degrees. We came back to Texas as parents, as grown ups. I do miss parts of my life in Virginia but our move to Texas was beyond the right thing to do.

I didn't want to want to move back. I thought I meant that I had failed. Turns out it means that I was letting go and Letting God take the wheel. The move is a success. I hope we'll make a trip back soon but I know we'll be going back next summer for K & L's wedding. I can't wait. Virginia was nice but I'm a Texas girl at heart.

Audrey's words

Now that my little baby is all toddler I have decided to type up a list of her words. 
So here we go:

1.  No
2.  Eyes
3. Hair
4.  Ears
5. Nose
6. Cheeks
7. Teeth
8. Eyebrow
9. Arms
10.  Apple
11.  Juice
12.  Water
13.  Out
14.  Side
15.  Walking
16.  Boob
17.  Gibby (which is what she calls her pacifier)
18.  Barney
19.  Mama
20.  Daddy
21.  Puppy
22.  Yasmin (our dog Jasmin)
23. Noopy (our dog Snoopy)
24. Sleepy
25. Peepee
26. Poop
27. Please
28. Thank you
29. Wecome (Welcome)
30. Amen
31. Elephant
32. Pig
33. Cow
34. Fish
35. Duck/Dog (She is still confusing these two)
36. Mouse
37. Sheep
38. More
39. Night (short for good night)
40. Bye
41. Agua (water in Spanish)

I think that is just about everything in her vocabulary.  Of course her number one word is "No!"  The rest she uses as needed.  Pretty good list, I think, but then I am a bit biased :)

The wheat challenge

So about a month ago, Audrey visited the allergist.  She had the skin tests done, everything was negative.  She also had blood tests done about a week later and those results also negative.  So what is a mother to do?  Challenge the diet.

You would think I would happy and jumping for joy.  No more wheatlessness, horray!  Not really.  I remember the screaming, the horrible skin, the baby that was so unhappy.  Why would I want to do that again?  But you have to take the plunge, right?

We decided to try it.  First just Audrey having a little bit of wheat.  She had a chicken nugget from Chick-fil-a.  Her reaction that night, not too bad.  She seems more irritable than normal but no midnight screaming fits.  That was Saturday; Monday she had a tempuraed shrimp.  Again nothing bad that night.  So we move on to Friday, now it was time for me and Audrey to both go back to wheat.  I had onion rings and a crawfish salad (crawfish were breaded).  Audrey was allowed to eat anything off our plates, as usual.  That night, not so good.  She was not a happy child.  No screaming fit but she was scratching all night.  The next day her skin didn't look bad but by Sunday the poor baby had her whole back covered in eczema. 

We are wheatless once again.  We are also sleeping pretty close to the whole night.  We are unsure of what do.  Tests say no allergy but her skin is reacting.  DH has a wheat allergy so being wheatless really should be a must for him.  Honestly I'm feeling a bit clueless.  We go back to allergist next week.  I guess we'll see then what the next recommended step might be.

Store Brand Formula

This post brought to you by storebrandformula.com. All opinions are 100% mine.

So I'm sure your are wondering why a Lactiavist, La Leche League member, and proud breastfeeding mom is talking about formula.  Well it comes down to this, I think all women should research anything they are choosing for their children.  So if you decided that formula is right for you, then you chosen the right formula for your child.

Now I think that it is unfair for moms to be given formula at the hospital.  I mean whether they mean to or not, it is basically an endorsement by the hospital/doctor/staff of whatever brand they place in a mom's hand.  I mean if the doctor gives it to me it has to be the best, right?  Even I was given formula by my pro-breasfeeding doctor!  Formula samples are everywhere.  So with so much free name-brand formula how is a mom to really chose the best thing for their child

I don't endorse formula.  I don't use formula.  But I will say this, from my research, store-brand formula and name-brand formula is the same thing.  Even a U.S. Circuit Court upheld a $13.5 million false advertising claim against Enfamil maker Mead Johnson basically for claiming that Enfamil was better than store-brand formula.  So it is legal precedent that store-brand and name-brand are basically the same.  Here is what the judge said:

“As the litigation history of the parties demonstrates, despite having twice been restrained from disseminating misleading advertising, Mead Johnson [maker of Enfamil] continued to do so,” Circuit Judge Andre Davis wrote. “PBM [company that brought suit/formula maker] cannot fairly compete with Mead Johnson unless and until Mead Johnson stops infecting the marketplace with misleading advertising.”

The court found that Enfamil’s advertisements of superiority to store brand formulas were false and misleading because store brand formulas offer the same nutrients at the same levels as Enfamil.  So name-brand has better advertising not a better product. Think about it, when was the last time you saw an ad for store-brand formula.  Now think about the last time you saw one for name-brand.  I'm watching TV now and can't get away from formula ads. 

So basically my take is this: research.  Don't let the free sample sway you.  Don't let the TV ads sway you.  If store-brand and name-brand are basically the same then save those hard earned pennies.  There is no reason to pay the extra money for a fancy name.

Click here: for more information

or go to storebrandformula.com

Wordless Wednesday: co-sleeping fun

Just a few minutes before the day starts.