The somach flu, sloppy and violent as it was, went as quickly as it came, with Looly its lone victim. She was a trooper. Countless hours of PBS, snuggles from Nana and Grampy who were visiting, and a get well soon balloon surely sped along her recovery. I'm still trying to figure out how Bean didn't succomb, given the sheer number of times she reached her hands into Looly's stainless steel throw up bowl. Nice. While Roo struggles, her immune system is ironclad.
Thrilled as I am the Roo didn't get sick, I'm now on a quest to figure out why (why oh why!) he won't stop throwing up. He's off the suspected allergens (milk, eggs, nuts, beef) and the improvement was been dramatic in the past three months. He is more active, more comfortable, more enthusiastic about coming to the dining table and generally jollier than he ever was before. All good, right? His clean scope in November indicated that he was indeed on the mend. So why the heck won't he eat, keep his food down, and by all means, gain some weight?
He ate a great dinner Friday night, drank a super cup of fortified soy formula, got in his pajamas, brushed his teeth, read stories, threw up vast quantities of soy milk, hotdog, veggies, and rice for a few minutes, then was perfectly happy to get his pj's changed and head off to bed. Repeat the scene Sunday night with chicken, broccoli, and french fries. I am so frustrated. Is he still allergic to something or is it *just* gagging from the oral sensory delay?
Or is it reflux? He does not seem uncomfortable until the moment before he vomits. As I'm sure I've made abundantly clear, he does not love to eat, but he does not seem uncomfortable while he's eating anymore either. In general it's in the evening, after dinner, while drinking or soon after drinking and by some evil twist of fate, he's much more likely to vomit after a good meal than a poor one. Vomit. Everywhere. Then, he's off to get a towel to clean up after himself (breaking my heart), and happy to change his clothes, go play, take a bath, go to bed, or whatever else is planned. I know it's not a behavioral vomit. He's not doing it to avoid anything. Crying makes it worse - or more likely to happen. A runny nose is our worst enemy (after peanuts and eggs). I am so confused. And so tired. Ugh.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
Onto the Stomach Flu
Looly was taken by surprise this morning and has been feverish, writhing in pain, and whimpering ever since. Poor little munchkin. She is miserable and we've yet to turn the corner. The rainbow of mini-popsicles I got for her seemed to help for a moment but were a mistake. Now I'm keeping my fingers crossed for containment.
But, Roo and Bean ate a good lunch for their Nana this afternoon while I huddled on the couch with Looly.
But, Roo and Bean ate a good lunch for their Nana this afternoon while I huddled on the couch with Looly.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Phlegm Fest 2010
We had a good run going for a while there but the runny noses returned with a vengeance this weekend. You know the oozy, droozy, constant flow that leaves that little divot between upper lip and nose (philtrum - if anyone's wondering) chaffed and raw. We've got it here times three. Sure there are worse fates than the common cold but the frequent gagging that accompanies Roo's runny nose is not helping our cause at all. He's lost a few ounces and we can't seem to keep him properly hydrated because he coughs and chokes while drinking or immediately afterward.
So I'm wondering, does anyone else have a phlegm gagger? Is this a common kid thing or are we just especially fortunate in the vomit department? If it's not one thing it's another it seems...
So I'm wondering, does anyone else have a phlegm gagger? Is this a common kid thing or are we just especially fortunate in the vomit department? If it's not one thing it's another it seems...
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Lucy's at Starbucks
Since my daily trek for coffee is absolutely required to avoid fits of foot-stomping, hair-pulling, and whining - all mine of course, my children are intimately familiar with Starbucks. They frequently flop a shopping bag over one arm and scamper toward the front door asking me for my coffee order in our version of play shopping. Looly whips up grande non-fat lattes and triple caramel machiattos on the pink plastic kitchen stove. Bean and Roo know no greater object with which to whither away fifteen blissful minutes in the stroller than a green plastic splash guard. Yeah, we're regulars.
As the kids have grown, they're no longer satisfied with Mom's coffee run being just for Mom. They've come on strong with ever-increasing demands of their own.
How can I resist such reasoning? And honestly, who am I to argue with my Starbucks Black Card in pocket and steaming cup in hand? So imagine my delight that Starbucks is now offering a selection of milk-, egg-, nut-, and gluten-free cookies! They're called Lucy's and they're not half bad. The cookies are a bit crisp, so Roo just sucks on his more than actually eating it. The real beauty is that now I can satisfy the girls with "Starbucks snacks" and not worry about who left theirs in the stroller, or who dropped crumbs that might migrate to Roo's mouth somehow. He can scavenge for bits and pieces all he likes and it's perfectly safe.
As the kids have grown, they're no longer satisfied with Mom's coffee run being just for Mom. They've come on strong with ever-increasing demands of their own.
Looly: "I want a vanilla milk."
me: "You just had milk."
Looly: "Can I get a scone?"
me: "Do you know what a scone is?"
Looly: "No."
me: "Why do you want one if you don't even know what it is?"
Looly: "I'm dying to find out!"
How can I resist such reasoning? And honestly, who am I to argue with my Starbucks Black Card in pocket and steaming cup in hand? So imagine my delight that Starbucks is now offering a selection of milk-, egg-, nut-, and gluten-free cookies! They're called Lucy's and they're not half bad. The cookies are a bit crisp, so Roo just sucks on his more than actually eating it. The real beauty is that now I can satisfy the girls with "Starbucks snacks" and not worry about who left theirs in the stroller, or who dropped crumbs that might migrate to Roo's mouth somehow. He can scavenge for bits and pieces all he likes and it's perfectly safe.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Week in Review
Happy Valentine's Day!
We boasted a relatively successful week. Tacos, pork chops, and pork/tofu fried rice all received glowing reviews from the articulate members of the family. The little ones took bites so I take that as two additional thumbs up. The lemon-dill halibut was popular with the adults, but Looly refused to touch hers. Looly ate a few bites by force and Roo protested the best way he knows how, by vomiting his back onto the table.
I'm proud to report that in the continuing effort to expand our allergy-free horizons, I whipped up a hefty pot of vegan potato leek soup last night. It was pretty good, though I did add some grated Parmesan and a few splashes of Tabasco sauce for the grown-ups. Fortunately Looly can't read this because I told her it was cheese soup since she doesn't like potatoes. She stirred in some broccoli and claimed it was just like Panera. Uh, thanks. I think.
Tonight I made falafel and tabouleh which went over better than I anticipated with the kiddos. Looly actually liked the tabouleh and ate some of her falafel. Bean, my carb girl, loved her pita bread and Roo choked down most of one whole falafel and a few diced tomatoes. The big hit, however, was the chocolate fondue for Valentine's Day dessert!
Still on tap for this week...barbecue chicken, pasta with meatballs, turkey burgers, and one of my favorite (easy!) standbys, rotisserie chicken with ginger-salt dip, edamame, and brown rice.
We boasted a relatively successful week. Tacos, pork chops, and pork/tofu fried rice all received glowing reviews from the articulate members of the family. The little ones took bites so I take that as two additional thumbs up. The lemon-dill halibut was popular with the adults, but Looly refused to touch hers. Looly ate a few bites by force and Roo protested the best way he knows how, by vomiting his back onto the table.
I'm proud to report that in the continuing effort to expand our allergy-free horizons, I whipped up a hefty pot of vegan potato leek soup last night. It was pretty good, though I did add some grated Parmesan and a few splashes of Tabasco sauce for the grown-ups. Fortunately Looly can't read this because I told her it was cheese soup since she doesn't like potatoes. She stirred in some broccoli and claimed it was just like Panera. Uh, thanks. I think.
Tonight I made falafel and tabouleh which went over better than I anticipated with the kiddos. Looly actually liked the tabouleh and ate some of her falafel. Bean, my carb girl, loved her pita bread and Roo choked down most of one whole falafel and a few diced tomatoes. The big hit, however, was the chocolate fondue for Valentine's Day dessert!
Still on tap for this week...barbecue chicken, pasta with meatballs, turkey burgers, and one of my favorite (easy!) standbys, rotisserie chicken with ginger-salt dip, edamame, and brown rice.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Good News Bad News
The good news is Roo hit the 20 pound mark on the scale Monday night! We've been anticipating this milestone for oh, I don't know, 14 months now, so this was huge. In all fairness, we weighed him at the end of the day, after drinking several ounces of milk, and the scale teetered between 19 pounds 15.5 ounces for several seconds before finally settling at a beautiful, perfectly round 20.00. Still. So proud of the little guy.
Disappointingly, the afterglow was short-lived. He's throwing up again and needless to say, the 20 pounds are no more. It started a little over the weekend, a couple of spit up episodes early this week, then a full-fledged vomit last night, again after breakfast today, etc. So it goes.
To complicate matters, I can't think of a single new or contaminated food he's eaten lately, but with our infrequent floor sweeping, who knows for sure. He has a runny nose, which tends to make him gag when he eats and drinks or then again, maybe it's the other way around. Perhaps he ate something that's giving him the runny nose. Now the best we can do is wait to see if his eczema flares to verify my hypothesis of an allergen exposure. Good times.
Last but not least, the night waking is intensifying. Last night he was up often -drinking milk, crying, contorting, and eventually vomiting. The two of us finally rendezvoused in the guest room for a few hours of unrest. I can't figure out if it's the recent transition to a toddler bed, a stuffy nose, an irritated esophagus, stomachache, or a combination of everything that's waking him up and making him sick. Regardless, we are both surly today.
Disappointingly, the afterglow was short-lived. He's throwing up again and needless to say, the 20 pounds are no more. It started a little over the weekend, a couple of spit up episodes early this week, then a full-fledged vomit last night, again after breakfast today, etc. So it goes.
To complicate matters, I can't think of a single new or contaminated food he's eaten lately, but with our infrequent floor sweeping, who knows for sure. He has a runny nose, which tends to make him gag when he eats and drinks or then again, maybe it's the other way around. Perhaps he ate something that's giving him the runny nose. Now the best we can do is wait to see if his eczema flares to verify my hypothesis of an allergen exposure. Good times.
Last but not least, the night waking is intensifying. Last night he was up often -drinking milk, crying, contorting, and eventually vomiting. The two of us finally rendezvoused in the guest room for a few hours of unrest. I can't figure out if it's the recent transition to a toddler bed, a stuffy nose, an irritated esophagus, stomachache, or a combination of everything that's waking him up and making him sick. Regardless, we are both surly today.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Menu Planning
Each week I plan our dinner menus. I've been doing this for years, since long before we had children. I have a much loved green binder full of magazine tear-outs and photo copies of hit recipes from the last ten years. My green binder is not getting much play these days. Who knew how central a role both cheese and nuts played in so many of my old favorites?
In my abandoned stash I have a great slow cooker recipe for Thai peanut pork stew. I make a mean feta and spinach tarte. And I'm dying to make this gorgeous, rich flourless chocolate cake for Valentine's Day but will save it for Mufasa's birthday instead. When it rolls around the first week in March I will pour seven ounces of molten dark chocolate over eight freshly cracked eggs, a splash of amaretto, and whip it into a frenzy without the tiniest bit of guilt that Roo can't have even a taste. We'll savor it once he's in bed and throw away the sponge when the dishes are done. Don't worry - the kiddos will get their turn with dairy and egg-free cupcakes a couple of weeks later for the twins' birthday.
These days the menu planning is about necessity rather than experimentation. Instead of my old green binder, I've been relying on my own ingenuity and a couple of decent cookbooks that address Roo's allergies. Unfortunately the cookbooks leave a little to be desired in terms of creativity. What's to Eat? and it's sequel, What Else Is to Eat? both by Linda Marienhoff Coss, provide quick, generally family friendly recipes that are completely milk, egg, and nut free. These have been helpful and were a great starting point when we first received Roo's diagnosis and I was facing the grocery store with much trepidation. The recipes are largely made up of what my Indian husband affectionately refers to as "white people food" - meatloaf, roasts, sauteed chicken breasts, homemade barbecue sauce, tuna salad, you get the idea.
Now that I'm starting to get more comfortable reading labels, substituting, etc. I'm getting a little bored and while they've been kind enough not to shout and pump their fists in protest, I imagine that everyone else in the family is too.
So, I'm hereby making a commitment to experiment more. I vow not to fear the dreary box of egg replacer that is lurking in the recesses of my pantry. I'm opening my heart and my oven to lamb in all its various forms. Rice cream sundaes? Why not? Hominy? Here I come. And really, who doesn't appreciate the sheer versatility of polenta?
Admittedly, this week's menu is rather bland, but will provide a glimpse of how I've stagnated at the moment. I hope to expand our family's taste repertoire over the next several months, while continuing to increase Roo's caloric intake without poisoning him. Yikes!
Here's the week in a nutshell:
Saturday: Chicken tacos were a huge hit. The kids loved all the colors (tomatoes, avocado, black olives, lettuce, chips, salsa, etc.) and everyone ate well, including Roo. Major success!
Sunday: I took a pass on cooking due to a Superbowl party and lots of snacks. The little ones ate leftover taco meat with corn and bread and butter when we got home. Pathetic, perhaps, but it is what it is.
Still to come...
Monday: Pork chops, brocolli, and hashbrown potatos
Tuesday: Leftover pork and tofu fried rice using Trader Joe's prepackaged vegetable fried rice (love it and it's vegan!!)
Wednesday: Lemon-dill halibut, brown rice, edamame
Thursday: Chicken breasts, corn and black beans, couscous
Friday: Date night! Kids will eat leftovers or chicken nuggets and fries, or some other equally deplorable (and easy) option.
Here's hoping for healthy appetites.
In my abandoned stash I have a great slow cooker recipe for Thai peanut pork stew. I make a mean feta and spinach tarte. And I'm dying to make this gorgeous, rich flourless chocolate cake for Valentine's Day but will save it for Mufasa's birthday instead. When it rolls around the first week in March I will pour seven ounces of molten dark chocolate over eight freshly cracked eggs, a splash of amaretto, and whip it into a frenzy without the tiniest bit of guilt that Roo can't have even a taste. We'll savor it once he's in bed and throw away the sponge when the dishes are done. Don't worry - the kiddos will get their turn with dairy and egg-free cupcakes a couple of weeks later for the twins' birthday.
These days the menu planning is about necessity rather than experimentation. Instead of my old green binder, I've been relying on my own ingenuity and a couple of decent cookbooks that address Roo's allergies. Unfortunately the cookbooks leave a little to be desired in terms of creativity. What's to Eat? and it's sequel, What Else Is to Eat? both by Linda Marienhoff Coss, provide quick, generally family friendly recipes that are completely milk, egg, and nut free. These have been helpful and were a great starting point when we first received Roo's diagnosis and I was facing the grocery store with much trepidation. The recipes are largely made up of what my Indian husband affectionately refers to as "white people food" - meatloaf, roasts, sauteed chicken breasts, homemade barbecue sauce, tuna salad, you get the idea.
Now that I'm starting to get more comfortable reading labels, substituting, etc. I'm getting a little bored and while they've been kind enough not to shout and pump their fists in protest, I imagine that everyone else in the family is too.
So, I'm hereby making a commitment to experiment more. I vow not to fear the dreary box of egg replacer that is lurking in the recesses of my pantry. I'm opening my heart and my oven to lamb in all its various forms. Rice cream sundaes? Why not? Hominy? Here I come. And really, who doesn't appreciate the sheer versatility of polenta?
Admittedly, this week's menu is rather bland, but will provide a glimpse of how I've stagnated at the moment. I hope to expand our family's taste repertoire over the next several months, while continuing to increase Roo's caloric intake without poisoning him. Yikes!
Here's the week in a nutshell:
Saturday: Chicken tacos were a huge hit. The kids loved all the colors (tomatoes, avocado, black olives, lettuce, chips, salsa, etc.) and everyone ate well, including Roo. Major success!
Sunday: I took a pass on cooking due to a Superbowl party and lots of snacks. The little ones ate leftover taco meat with corn and bread and butter when we got home. Pathetic, perhaps, but it is what it is.
Still to come...
Monday: Pork chops, brocolli, and hashbrown potatos
Tuesday: Leftover pork and tofu fried rice using Trader Joe's prepackaged vegetable fried rice (love it and it's vegan!!)
Wednesday: Lemon-dill halibut, brown rice, edamame
Thursday: Chicken breasts, corn and black beans, couscous
Friday: Date night! Kids will eat leftovers or chicken nuggets and fries, or some other equally deplorable (and easy) option.
Here's hoping for healthy appetites.
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