My Ry Guy

"Mom, another picture?  Seriously?  Can't a kid get a break from the paparazzi?!"

Priceless finger prints on my clean windows

Diving into play

Crawling in the grassy yard

Ry being silly with his hoodie

Proud parents on Ryan's 1st birthday!

It's been a busy Fall.  Em's enjoying school so much!  She went to camp with her class and loved it which is a huge milestone for her!  She literally loves getting up each morning and heading off to see what the day will hold.  If I hadn't mentioned it, we aren't homeschooling this year.  Jason and I prayed a lot about it and with no other explanation other than the Lord opening the doors wide, Em headed off to a very special local school this year and is loving the experience of learning once again!  Jason is a pretty wonderful guy as he attributed her return to a love of learning to our time together doing homeschool, spending quality time reading and, not to brag, but to be plain honest, me taking the time to listen to my kid.  It was a difficult year and wonderful all wrapped up in one package.  I'll do it again if God leads us, but as of now, she is flourishing and we trust God she is in His hands and in the center of His will.

As far as Ryan goes, that little man has brought so much joy to our lives.  Em thinks he's great and we think she's right!  

I just have one bone to pick with the kid...

He has had the "Big D" for over a month now.  I don't think I've informed you of his digestive journey thus far, but early on he struggled with the "Big C" for several months, trying to pinch it at all costs because it was obviously painful.  I will spare you the details but let's just say, it wasn't pretty!  I started pureeing prunes and giving him a natural plant source of arabinogalactan which worked wonders!  He stopped avoiding what Freud said we all love to do and was pooping along seemingly for a good 5 months or so. 

And then, a little over a month ago things started flowing a little too freely.  Let's just say bath time became a part of our morning routine!  He has maintained an exceptional appetite, along with reaching his milestones.  But more recently on our road trip to and from South Dakota, with Ry's behind being washed off at an Interstate Rest Area, well, let's just say this mama has been pounding the Internet and library research sites.  

And the diagnosis, "Toddler Diarrhea" just isn't acceptable, nor scientific enough for me!  Yeah, there were several websites that said it's normal for some babies to just have diarrhea for the first 3 years of life.  What a load!?!!!  

Diarrhea=Mal absorption=Poor Nutrition 

If a professional ever gives you the diagnosis "Toddler Diarrhea" turn around and walk out the door.  They are stating the obvious.  It's just like the "diagnosis" of "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome" which is a fancy way of telling you what you already know!  You are tired all the time!  Duh!  BUT WHY?!  Don't get me started here...

I haven't fed, knowingly at least, Ryan foods containing major allergens.  I did give him a few gluten free/dairy free/egg free waffles, but of course they had soy in them, so have halted those.  He literally just had corn for the first time in his 14 months of life, 3 days ago.  And I'm not on the American corn bandwagon, so he won't be consuming mass quantities of that!  The only grains he's had are brown rice, gluten-free oatmeal, quinoa, and chia, with the exception of kamut which I soon realized was a fancy Egyptian name for wheat.  That's been out of his system for maybe 2 months now.  I know he's allergic to eggs because his little belly immediately breaks out in a rash after eating them, which sucks...but I'm allergic to them, too, so it's not that hard not to buy them...anyway, he's mainly been a meat, veggie, fruit and rice kind of guy.

So why the "Big D" is the big question.

He has an appointment tomorrow with our doctor.  I have a feeling I already know what's going on...the kid, along with his sis, parents and pretty much whole lineage of relatives, has some food sensitivities which, in turn, translate into bowel issues.  Diverticulitis, IBS, chronic constipation/diarrhea, minor and major food allergies/sensitivities, gluten/dairy/egg intolerance, just to name a few of his genetic contributions.  I will seek to find answers without invasive procedures...I think his brother endured enough of that for our whole family.

Add to this the fact that the FDA thinks it's awesome to genetically modify foods (GMO) that God Almighty created differently, throw in 100 years of refined foods that our bodies aren't used to breaking down, and that's my theory of why we have a whole generation of food allergies, sensitivities, certain diseases and other disorders.

Anyway, people, when they hear the food sensitivities/allergies that I have or Emily has, always say, "What can you eat?"  I can eat a ton of foods and there are so many awesome blogs and cookbooks out there that are allergen friendly, so I never think of myself as missing out on anything.  Em and I made homemade Oreo type cookies from Cybele Pascal's cookbook just recently...Em said she likes them way better than the original!  I'm a foodie, I'll admit it, so I'm seeking food that tastes good and is good for me and my family, not just something to shove down our throats.  Having food sensitivities has helped me think a bit more about what we eat and why.

So, this is where we are on our journey.  Thankfully, in spite of the diarrhea, we have a very active and happy little man on our hands.  We know we will need to tweak a few things in order for him to flourish and be healthy, but I'm thankful for the last 5 years plus of research I've already done so that this task won't feel so overwhelming.