Andy Update - Just Words

Sorry to you that love the pictures - this one is all words... Okay, so I found a picture from today and added it at the last minute - just to make you happy!

I feel like I have been cheated out of the last 6 weeks of my baby's life. I'm irritated, and frustrated, and mostly worried - but try not to be because we are hopeful that it is a simple fix - once we find it. But, as a parent you still worry, you hear the horror stories, and you make up your own - why do we do that?

I also realize in all this that I have missed things, forgotten things, and glossed over things. In that, I know I have really fell down on the job as far as reporting the milestones, celebrating the fun, etc.

Andy is the proud owner of 5 teeth - #6, 7, & 8 are CLOSE and coming to a theater near you shortly - I'm sure of it.

Andy is walking. Like all the time. His first steps were Aug. 18th - almost 13 months old! He has had Abby beat in just about everything physical except that. Abby was pretty much walking full time by 13 months. Andy - first steps. That surprised me... I guess it was because he was such a FAST crawler? I don't know. Anyways, he didn't waste long after that. The next two weeks were steps here, steps there. The third week was - "okay, I think I like this - I will do it w/out mommy coaxing me and a cookie treat at the end". :) Last week it was ON. He is walking across the room, he is toddling everywhere. It became his #1 mode of transport. You don't see him crawl much at all. He is now a WALKER.

Because he wasn't into enough before - he is also a CLIMBER. We can't park his little ATV where we originally did because he would climb on it, stand on it, and then climb onto the end table next to it, onto the couch, and then fall off - repeat. He climbs the kitchen barstools, gets on the seat, stands up, climbs onto the table, and then sits in the middle of the table as if to say "now what, nowhere to go from here?" You have seen in recent posts that he figured out his slide, mommy's set stool, and numerous other things. He will be the one that tries to cliff dive and climb mountains - mark my words!

Andy is happy, and is in touch w/his own lungs. He is loud. He is learning "Shhhh". We took him to church this last weekend and I think I was holding my breath the entire time. I was just ready for the random screaming to start. He doesn't need a reason - he just screams. I can't handle it. I try and ignore it, I "no" it, I discourage it. Hopefully it will be short lived - here is hoping...

Andy is a singer. He hums, he sings, he boogies. He is just so dang cute. He just does it all the time - there doesn't even have to be music - he makes his own. It cracks me up. We were in the pediatrician's office last week and she was commenting on his humming. She said she could only think of two others that she sees that do that. I was like "um, is that bad? What does that mean?" Because she seemed so perplexed by it. She chuckled and just said that she RARELY sees that. Especially when they are in unfamiliar surroundings. So, I'm not sure what that means - but, he is cute. And hey - he doesn't have stage fright! :)

Andy has been tummy sick for 6 weeks now. It all started right around July 28th. We have tried something new almost every week for 6 weeks. We have had allergy testing done. We have charted food, and liquids, and poo. It sucks. Really sucks. I hate not knowing. I hate getting a road to go down and finding out that it isn't the answer. I hate changing the diapers and seeing his poor little diaper rash. I hate pretty much everything about this.

We have removed Dairy, Soy, and most recently Eggs (came back positive on an allergy test). So far, still problems. He has been Egg free for over 48 hrs now. I'm hoping his system is just so screwed up it will take a while to recover and not that there is ANOTHER allergy we haven't found yet. We don't know. We have learned a TON about Probiotics and Allergies in the last month and a half. And you start to feel like such a bad parent that you "just wish his system is so screwed up..." I can't believe I just typed that. But, honestly, I can't believe I didn't a little boogie dance yesterday when we found out he was allergic to eggs - really, I was happy?

Our next stop is to a Pediatric GI Specialist at Emmanuel Childrens' Hospital. Last week, he finally started losing weight. Bad for him, good for us because they started taking things more seriously. Six weeks w/no resolve has been hard on all of us. We were able to get an appointment in just four weeks (Oct. 13th). So, hopefully he can pinpoint it down as an allergy before we have to go that route, but we have the appointment just in case.

Anyways, this was an attempt to focus on some stuff BESIDES that, update you on normal stuff too - because I have been lacking in that department, and also to update those of you that might have no idea we have been going thru this. Because, to be honest, there isn't enough time in the day to update everyone and still make all the Doctor's Appointments (about two a week right now), PS activities (Abby has started School, Dance, and Gym again - Swimming starts next week!), Play dates, and still get dinner on the table at the end of the day. In fact tonight Trav microwaved dinner out of the freezer. Yep, it has been that type of summer for us...

Hope you are all well and we will try to keep you better updated on the fun stuff as well!