Happy Earth Day!

Some Photos

Some Photos... goodness, that's a boring title, but, there it is... and here they are...

Genuine Smiles. :)

Robbie's last bath in the duck tub before he realized he could climb out of it.

Robbie and Poppy (Jack Leahy)

A life without oatmeal?

My doctor says it's highly unlikely.
The daycare says they've never seen it before.
I can't find anything online.
BUT I'M ALMOST POSITIVE it is true!!!

I think Robbie is allergic to oatmeal touching his skin.

When we brought Robbie home from the hospital, we started using the pink J&J brand baby lotion that we got several bottles of at our baby showers. I felt like his skin was still really dry, so we switched to Aveeno lotion which has the "colloidial oatmeal" in it to improve skin condition. Robbie constantly had/has sensitive skin issues. He'd break out into these little dime sized rough/scaly dry patches. On our doctor's recommendation, we started using Eucerin lotion and Dove unscented/sensitive skin bar soap. We double rinse all of this clothing/bedding and use only a teeny tiny amount of sensitive skin fabric softener. The dry spots cleared up.

A couple of months ago we started Robbie on cereals. He took to rice very well. He took to oatmeal really well. Then, I started noticing that his chin and area around his mouth was really red and dry several hours after eating. I stopped all oatmeal and it cleared up. I got to thinking about Aveeno's lotion we used to use that had oatmeal in it. I asked the pediatrician if he could be allergic... but he doubted it. Oatmeal isn't supposed to be allergenic... oatmeal is good for skin... he's not breaking into hives all over his belly like babies do when they've injested something they are allergic to.

And yet... we started back on oatmeal (just a tablespoon at day) this week. I also bought some barley. His chin is red again and I found a scaley dry patch on his belly tonight after his bath.

Is he allergic? Doesn't that make sense? Will my poor baby never know the joy of Quaker Maple and Brown Sugar oatmeal, of granola in yogurt, or of warm oatmeal cookies? Is he doomed to a life without oatmeal? OR am I just overreacting?

After all... how could oatmeal touching skin cause a reaction, but eating it causes no problem...

Maybe I'm just crazy. What do you think?

Semi Successful Sippy Cupping

Robbie was sick last week, but has rebounded quite nicely. He had his first meat this evening... turkey blended with sweet potatoes and ate it quite vigorously. Sam and I rearranged the living room this week to make it more conducive to our little explorer. If needed, we can block him off in his own little prison of couches and big baby gear. Robbie started pulling him self up to his feet yesterday! Very exciting times! We also tried the sippy cup today and he actually got it! Well, sort of. I had to hold the cup like a bottle for the first ounce of juice, but then he figured it out and held it himself.

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes and prayers over the last week. They were felt deeply and very appreciated.

Funeral Arrangements

Arrangements for Gene Strunk
Cresthaven Funeral Home, Bedford
Visitation: Thurs 4/9/09 3pm-8pm
Funeral: Fri 4/10/09 1:30pm

Grandpa Strunk has passed on

Grandpa Strunk went to Heaven today at 2:44pm. His family around him sang his favorite hymns at his bedside and the doctors gave him medicine to make his transition from this life to the next as painless as possible. Thank you all for your prayers. Please continue to hold up my family in your prayers as we learn to live without this wonderful man.

Please Continue To Pray

My mom is flying up today to be with Grandpa Strunk. He took a turn for the worst during the night and will not be with us much longer. Please continue to pray for my family. Below is my grandparent's wedding picture. Just a couple of kids. They've had more than 60 years together.
I am home with Robbie today because his daycare got struck by lightning and has no heat or power. He is also Sir Crankypants today due to the teething, so I guess it's good that he can be with his mommy. As a side note, what is up with this crazy weather? Snow, in April??? Robbie told me that if I took him out in the snow again he was packing up his teddy bear and heading back to Florida to be with Papaw and Grandma Childers!

Pray for My Grandpa Strunk

Please every who reads this say a prayer for my Grandpa Gene Strunk.

He has been admitted to ICU at Bloomington Hospital and was put on a ventilator today.

Grandpa has been fighting with Lymphoma for quite a while.

Please pray for healing and that God takes away his pain and suffering. Pray for my family, especially my Grandma, that we may accept God's will whatever it may be.

Sam and I got to visit him for a few minutes today. He couldn't speak but we were able to tell him that we loved him and were praying for him. He squeezed my hand.

Florida Pictures

Here are a few pics from our trip to Ft. Myers to see my parents. We had an absolutely wonderful time. Robbie did fabulous on the plane both ways.