Kendall's allergic reaction

Last week Kendall broke out in this crazy bump like rash. At first I thought it was flea bites. But they continued to get worse and worse and no one else was getting bites. After about 5 days of it progressing, it hit me that we had started her on oatmeal a few days before the rash appeared. I should also mentioned that while she had the rash, she puked like crazy. She's a reflux baby but hasn't spit up like this ever. It was crazy. So I looked up and of course self diagnosed her with an oatmeal allergy. But the internet said a reaction would be exacty like she had. She's been oatmeal for 5 days and the rash and continued to improve. Yea! Though now I'm scared about what kind of allergies she may have. I'm hoping this is something that just didn't agree with her right now. But I'm worried she may have a wheat allergy or worse a gluten intolerance, which will change our eating habits drastically. See pictures below... I had taken these prior to realizing what it was... I was prepared to post them on here to ask people what they thought it was... bites, rash, eczema. But now I know. We see the doctor on Friday so we'll see what he says about that... along with her eczema and cross eyes. I'm sure I'll have something to blog about then.

Taylor is TWO!

Taylor finally turned two on Saturday. She's been tempermentally two for a while ... now she's there chronically. heh. We decided to have an Elmo party because she has been into Elmo this year and I figure I should be able to get away with a neutral gender party while she's younger. I figure the older she gets she'll want more princess, fairy, pink parties. I was real happy with how it turned out. We originally were suppose to celebrate at the park but at the last minute moved it to Popsey and CiCi's house due to the weather.


We had a good turn out and Taylor got alot of good gifts. One of her favorite gifts is a talking baby and baby size play pen. She LOVES these. The doll is kind of freaky. It has a motion sensor setting so it starts talking, cooing, laughing when you walk by it. Adam says he's going to take it out and shoot it. Ha! She carries that baby doll around everyone and at times drags the playpen around behind her. She feeds the baby, puts it in time out, and puts it to bed. Too funny. She has also enjoyed her new 'lawn' chair. It's been deemed her 'tv' chair. Instead of rocking at night, she wants to 'sit here.

Baby Kendall (live baby, not doll) in Taylor's baby play pen.

It's hard to believe Taylor is two and she's made so many accomplishments this year. We've started potty training, she's sleeping in a big girl bed, started at a new school and adjusted well. She's learning her colors (knows orange, white and purple) and alphabet (A and B). Her favorite game is pointing and counting the school buses to and from school. Her favorite are the 'white' buses. She may even have her first 'boyfriend' as she asks about Tyler, a kid in her class, every night. Though she's hit her two's with a vengence (I'll save that for another blog moment) I am excited about what she will come up with next. She sure makes me smile.

Things I've realized....

Random things I've realized....

1) I hate asking for help. I don't necessarily turn help away but find it hard to ask for help.

2. I have forgotten how to relax. Even when I have moments to relax, I choose to do something else that needs to be done. In the end, I am the only one who suffers.

3. I don't give my husband enough credit for all the hard work he does.

4. My children are so darn cute... even when they are irritating.

5. Vinegar makes a great household cleaner.

6. There's no point in cleaning house when it becomes stain splattered dirty in a matter of minutes.

7. I'm so done with animals (for now)... I have enough mouths to feed, poop to clean and cries to attend to without having dogs or cats.

8. Revelation: According to Taylor's baby book, every time she was sick last year with her 'fever viruses' she also got a tooth or teeth at the same time. The runny noses caused her to have ear infections but I believe most of her 'illnesses were really teething symptoms. Therefore, I'm thinking this on and off low-grade fever for two weeks and runny nose is her getting her two year old molars. Plus she told me last night that her teeth hurt... however I did catch her gnawing on her bed rail.

9. I miss my own kid imagination. I enjoy watching Taylor play with her ceramic garden frogs. She treats them like other kids treat baby dolls... I know... my kid is special. She rocks them, changes their diaper, feeds them, spanks them, puts them in time out and this weekend we had her school nap stuff home to wash and she kept her frogs in nap mode with blanket, pillow and milk... after singing Amazing Grace to them. It was so adorable.

10. Kendall isn't ready to sleep through the night. She did sleep from 7 to 5 ish for about two weeks but that stopped a week ago. She's back to her one night feeding again.

11. I also realized this weekend that the pesky skin rash on Kendall's face is really eczema and it is spreading. We've started to treat it with Aveeno.

12. For the first time this weekend, I was almost embarrased by one of my babies and am almost ashamed about it. We ate at IHOP and Kendall was very alert and looking around. It seemed everyone was oohing and aweing over her with giggles. Then it hit me are they awwing or laughing at her cross-eyes. I can't wait for her Oct appointment so we can see what the doctor says. I'm sure we are past the stage for them to correct themselves.

13. Should feel blessed for all I have and am but wear myself out so thin that I forget how blessed I am.... that's a problem.

Growing up too fast....

Taylor started 'school' this past Monday. It's really not school... not even a preschool... it's daycare. But after being in an in-home daycare since birth it's a huge change. Overall I think she's adjusting well. She cried a good bit on Monday. She still cries at drop off in the mornings and says she doesn't want to go to school. But she dries up quickly and has a good day. I can already tell a difference in things and am so excited about school. First, she's wearing panties and still going to the bathroom. Now let me explain this. At home, the only way we could get her to go potty is to let her run around with no britches (no panties, diaper, nada). She would pee, poop,etc all by herself. Put a diaper, pull-up or even panties on the girl and she would pee in them. So today I put panties on her (trying to get away from the bare bottom phenomenon) and she pooped and peed in the potty all by herself. YEA!! Second thing she has learned this week (remember in just three days) is the letters A and B. We are just sitting there playing when she starts telling me "that's B." At first I ignored her but she kept repeating herself. Sure enough, when I looked up she was pointing to the B on the title "Mega Blocks." Ask her where the "A" is and she knows where it is as well. I was so proud I had a tear in my eye. And lastly the funniest thing was coming home from school. All of a sudden she starts screaming "Stop!" "Stop" Momma, Stop the car!" What two year old says that? Ohhh... it was soo funny.


Kendall is also getting so big. I weighed her at home (so probably not very accurate) but she's about 15 lbs. I'm shocked... but not. I think Taylor was only 10 lbs or so at 4 months... I should look. But Kendall is such a big girl. We started her on rice this week (a litle early, I know). I was just experimenting to see if she was ready because she has been eating us out of the house. She gobbled that stuff up. It was crazy! She doesn't eat much of it but she seems to like it. Imagine that! She is also starting to smile and laugh alot. We think she is very tickilish. She giggles every time we change her clothes, wipe her neck play with her hands/arms. It's pretty funny. She seems to be such a happy, laid-back baby. I can't wait to see what her personality will be like.

Ahhh these moments are the ones we cherish for a lifetime.