Got Milk ... We Don't

After a visit with the allergist yesterday, we confirmed that Lily is highly allergic to milk and eggs. Thankfully, wheat is okay and she didn't test positive for peanuts and fish - although we still have to avoid them until she is 3. I also have to follow the same diet until she is fully weaned so it has been a lot to take in over the past 24 hours. Hopefully, Lily will outgrow the milk and egg allergy, but we will have to closely monitor her diet and keep an epipen on hand for at least the next couple of years. 

I went to Kroger this morning to begin reading labels and figuring out what she and I can and cannot eat. I was already feeling a bit overwhelmed and then to add insult to injury, I got half way through the store and realized I had left my wallet at home. I guess we will try again this afternoon...

 

 

Lily's first buddy, Kinley Connett, in town for a play date. The last time they were together they could barely sit up unassisted and now they are both pulling up and trying to crawl. They pretty much ignored each other until we brought out some snacks. 

All Things Lily

A few weeks ago, our church had a Baby Blessing service where all the kiddos born in 2008 were publicly honored and prayed over by our church elders. The night was of course special for us and we appreciated the support offered by our church family and the opportunity to publicly acknowledge that Lily is a gift from God and to affirm our commitment to raising her in His image.

In preparation for this night, we were to email our children’s minister a short list of what made our child unique. I must admit that at first, everything I thought of did not seem unique to Lily at all, but could just as easily be attached to almost any nine-month-old … she likes to laugh, is learning to eat solid food, plays patty-cake, etc. The more I thought about it though, the more I realized how much Lily’s unique personality has emerged in the past few weeks and months and how much I wanted to savor this exciting time in her life.

That being said … this post is more for my “online baby book” record-keeping so feel free to scroll on down to the latest pictures or click over to a more interesting site.

Laughing
To me, Lily getting tickled is just about the best sound there is. She grins from ear to ear – which is no small feat considering the weight of those cheeks of hers - and begins with a “huh, huh” and then if you really put for the effort, her chuckle will escalade into a full blown, gleeful squeal. She gets tickled more and more each week by new things, but there are a few tricks that really get her going:

1. Tickling her rib cage or thigh – you get the best laugh when you go after her with your nose or mouth.
2. Putting a blanket or diaper rag over both your heads
3. Wearing a hood or towel on your head (she is also partial to anyone with a hat or glasses)
4. Playing peek-a-boo by hiding and jumping out from behind something
5. Looking at herself in the mirror

Her Favorite Things

1. She loves to get nose to nose and to crawl all over you. Sometimes she reminds me of our boxer, Cooper, in that we always say being next to us is not enough, he wants to be in your skin.
2. Speaking of Cooper, she loves animals. She will squeal with delight at any animal moving around. She loves to go to the dog park and even gets a kick out of dogs on TV.
3. She also loves the wind in her face. This usually happens as we are walking somewhere from the car and I am trying to hold her head against me in efforts to shield her. She will resist with all her might and then grin joyfully as her bangs blow in the cool breeze. I can just see her at sixteen begging for either a motorcycle or a jeep (hopefully the later)
4. Lily loves church and Bible class. She can be in the worst mood of all, but as soon as she is plopped in her seat in class or front and center in the auditorium listening to Jerome, our spirited song leader, she perks right up. It’s also a bonus anytime there is a high soprano seated behind us.
5. Her favorite thing to eat right now is probably Rice Krispies. Due to the allergy issues, we decided to stick with non-wheat products until we spoke to the allergist, so we traded in her Cheerios, for the messier, rice alternative. I think she likes how when they get the slightest bit wet, they stick to her hands and face and anything else nearby – which makes them easier to eat. However, the ones that somehow stay dry get everywhere, no matter how much I sweep. I am hoping we can soon go back to the Os so I can quit hearing a crunch every time I take a step on our hardwood floor and quit having to worry about the little ones getting stuck in her snotty nose.

My Favorite Things
There are small moments throughout our day that make me feel like she has this secret that she and I alone share. One of those moments is when I am holding her close to my face and we bonk foreheads. I started doing this to make her laugh and she will initiate it now - which is so sweet. She leans in ever so slightly and looks up at me with a knowing grin. When our foreheads touch, she gives a little “huh, huh” laugh and that’s that.

We also play a little game where she will squeal out a sound and then I echo her. This began when I was trying to keep her happy playing by herself while I was in another room. Now, we just do it for the fun of being loud and silly.

In moments like these, I am so grateful to be there to share in her simple joy of life. I always knew that I wanted to stay home with my kids if I could. However, as the reality of it approached, I was a little apprehensive about completely changing my day-to-day way of life. I knew that it would be rewarding and that keeping my own child would not be the same as the babysitting jobs I grew weary of as a teenager, but I had no idea the extent to which those two statements would be proven true.

I do grow weary of the housework and sometimes wonder if my life has really come down to the daily emptying of the dishwasher and picking up the same toys over and over. But those discouraging feelings pale in comparison to the joy I experience just watching her grow and learn new things every day. She truly has changed our lives forever and we would not have it any other way.

peeping over her bumper pad at me

trying out her new swing

climbing pinnacle mtn.