Evil

This virus is EVIL. Last night I was so close to driving myself to the ER for an IV. I was so dehydrated. Only reason I didn't go was because I didn't like the thought of having to run to the toilet in the hall every 10 mins while attached to an IV. Besides that it would've been nice.

I'm a little better today thank God. But this is day 4!! Reece still has a little diarrhea day 7 for him. So depressing. Some people judge that we've been sick so much lately. Well, I've done all I could do to prevent it, washing hands a ton included and we still got sick. I eat we'll, take supplements. Disinfected bathrooms and kitchen while Cody was sick. I don't get it. It's stretching me so thin. I desperately want to go to church with my family tomorrow.

I weighed myself today and I've lost 6 pounds in 3 days!!!! Not good. Here's proof. Praying my little baby hangs in there and my body holds up. I don't need any cavities from not eating for a couple days and the baby taking my nutrients!

This too shall pass...right?

Getting 15mo to sleep through the night, Night 2 Recap

Another night of torture. I thought this one was going to better at first...but I was wrong.  Since I now have the horrible virus (I've concluded that's what Cody had but had blood because he has other issues), I didn't go to church. So I thought I'll put Reece down at 7:15pm {he was EXHAUSTED ALL DAY from not sleeping much the night before}. I gave him Mac N Cheese for dinner to make sure he was full, and a bottle of strawberry pediasure in bed, which he would NOT take all night long. Sigh. BUT good news I didn't nurse him from 7:00pm till 6:15am!

I hoped he'd cry for an hour tops when I put him to bed, by 8:30pm he was finally asleep...then in comes the family from church and he starts crying again.  I go in and rock him, cuddle him, kiss him, rub his back, but he continues to fuss when I leave the room. DH (Dear Husband, I didn't know the lingo at first) went in the room and did the same, but he cried when he left the room. 

Reece's crib is in the boys room, so the boys had to fall asleep with him crying. Luckily they are like their dad and sleep like a rock. 

Finally around 10:30pm Reece is asleep. Yeeesssss. We are making progress.  11:00pm I'm up running to the bathroom with the runs (TMI).  Every 30 minuets all night long! The dogs barking woke Reece up at 1:38am. Dumb dogs!

I go in and comfort Reece, rub his back.  He lays down and closes his eyes but cries when I leave.  A little later I change his diaper. He still has diaper rash. :(

And a little later he pooped again! gah.

From 1:38am-4:30am he was crying whenever I wasn't in there rubbing his back, and I was running to the toilet a lot. Finally at 4:30am he fell asleep while I rubbed his back for 5 minuets.  He woke up at 6:15am, and I brought him in bed to nurse. We both fell asleep. I woke up at 7:15am to make DH lunch & breakfast (cereal today!) and then I went back to bed where Reece was still sleeping until 8:45am. 

He seems to have diarrhea again today & i's not sure if it's the lack of sleep making him sick again..? I don't know what to do! He wants to nurse a lot today (of course) and I don't know if I should stick with it for tonight if he's sick, but I really don't want to lose any progress we've made and have to start all over again!

Weaning him and getting him to sleep through the night is soooo hard. Especially all at once. I've decided to not make him CIO for nap today, but nurse him to sleep so he gets some sleep so he won't be overly tired tonight. I fear I am losing this battle! He is one strong willed baby! I feel like an awful mom :(

Getting 15mo old to sleep through the night, Recap night 1

Just. Kill. Me. Now.  This is for real like torture.  Reece is 15 months old, and I am 9 weeks pregnant with #4.   He still wants to nurse all night long, and every time I sit during the day. I am having TONS of cramping in the uterus from him nursing, and I just can't do it anymore.

I've tried all the "gentle" approaches.  I've read books on gently getting baby's to sleep through the night with no crying...bottom line, they didn't work!!!! One method was to still bring him in bed with us, but to just refuse the breast. Yeah ok, that would work, NEVER.

 It's so hard to write this, but I am having to let Reece cry it out.  Breaks my heart so much.  But he's sooooo attached to me, and doesn't sleep unless in my arms. For my health and the health of our new baby, I have to make a change, and now.

I am literally in tears right now. He's in his crib crying, and his nap should be over in 30 minuets and he's cried for an hour, and not slept at all. I hear it gets better. I am praying it does soon!!!

I know many moms are super against crying it out, and I was too. And I pray I am not messing my baby up by teaching him to sleep on his own.  I just CAN'T and don't want him to only want me, to only sleep with me, to only be happy with me....and in 7 months we will have another baby and I can't have TWO that nurse every two hours.  My body just can't handle that.

So, here's last nights recap...

9:30pm I nursed him, he didn't fall asleep.
10:00pm I put him in his crib awake, he cried.  Daddy comforted him for 15 mins, but when he left, Reece cried.  And cried. And cried.
10:45pm I want to go to bed, Reece is still crying.  I go hold him, hug him, kiss him, he cuddles me, and I let him rest on my shoulder for a few mins, then put him down in his crib again.  He cries.
11:15pm He's quiet for a while, then whimpers. I fall asleep {I closed his door, my door, set some soft music on, and the humidifier so I couldn't hear him as well. 
 11:30pm Davey comes to bed, I'm asleep, he said Reece was crying on and off.
2:00am I woke up to him crying, I went in and hugged him. I rubbed his back for a few minuets while he laid in his crib, then he finally fell asleep. 
5:00am He wakes up crying, I bring him in bed with me, he nurses back to sleep, and he nurses on and off until we wake up at 7am.

Because he got such little sleep last night he was super tired and wanting to nurse all morning. Finally I just put him in his crib at 10:00am and he's been crying since. Still crying, and I am about to cry again.  I am so frustrated, and sad, and stressed! I know it's not his fault, I trained him like this for 15 months.   All my friends say it should only take 3-5 nights, but man that seems like forever.  I am losing this battle right now! I have to go to Walmart & I know he will fall asleep in the car.  Then be super crabby when I wake him up to get out of the car. 

Prayers are appreciated.  I know this is such a controversial subject, and you may not agree with it. I didn't either, until I had a non sleep monster.


 

BIG SURPRISE!!!!!

Surprise!!!!!! BABY #4 ON THE WAY!!!!! 9 weeks along, Due October 28!!!! So thankful to The Lord for another baby!!!!! He is so good!!!

Update on Cody, Weigh In, Pics

Cody is doing much better! Praise The Lord. All the stool tests came back negative for bacterial infection but dr still thinks he had one. Since they didn't do a stool test the first ER trip his body had already been fighting it for a week.

Reece now has a fever & diarrhea...which is really scaring me. I can't handle another week like last week! I've been missing church so much.

Weigh in: 173.1
Last week 174.8
-1.7 happy with this! Can't wait to see 169!

Here are one pics from today, if your friends w me on FB or Twitter you've seen them..:-)

Love, The Curvy Housewife

Cody

Our 3yo Cody has been VERY sick since Thursday. He started having bloody diarrhea Friday. He's been to ER twice and seen 4 doctors, all who couldn't figure out why he's sick
Finally the last dr last night at 2am asked me questions and is very suspicious that'd Cody has a bad bacterial infection. The first ER dr on Friday rules out bacterial infection by blood work but no one got a stool sample. Going to drop off his stool now to know fr sure. My poor baby has been in so much pain, last night had a CT scan, IV, blood work, yesterday ultrasound, X-rays, and Cody was just screaming last night while they were poking him. Hardest night as a mom I've ever had. Praying for answers ASAP. Sorry I've been MIA, I will be back soon hopefully. Prayers for my guy are very appreciated!

Cheetos

I ate Cheetos today. It's been years.

We are leaving for our home town 5 hours North in 30 mins so quick post to say I'm alive!

Good news: I'm now 173!!! And a size MEDIUM!

I'm happy. :-)

Weigh In!! Huge goal!!!

I'm so excited!!!! I've reached -70 pounds!!!!

Thank you Jesus!!!

Reece, Cody & I are sick as dogs. We have the flu!!! The cold flu. That's why I didn't even take my clothes off to weigh in, I'm so cold & weak!

:-( I can't remember the last time I had the flu... Taking Reece to the doctor today because he's miserable. Fever, ear ache, getting molars, and the flu! Blah!! We haven't slept much in 3 days...

Thankful for the big milestone I finally reached. 174.8, wow. I weighed this when I got engaged!

My Breastfeeding Story

I am currently taking courses in breastfeeding to hopefully one day apply to being a lactation consultant.  I am taking it slow, right now doing a program that takes about 6 months. I'll do what I can when I can. I want to help Mom's breastfeed their babies like I had ladies help me.

My breastfeeding story....

While pregnant with my first son I knew I wanted to breastfeed him.  I knew it was the healthiest choice for him.  My mother in law breastfed all 7 of her children for a year each.  She never pressured me to breastfeed, but she encouraged me to do so.

My Mom breastfed my sister, but was unable to breastfeed me. In 1985 there just wasn't very much help for ladies to breastfeed.  As was the trend when my Mom was born in 1958. In fact then, usually you only breastfed if you were low income.  My Mom tried to nurse me for 2 weeks, but her poor nipples kept bleeding and she was in so much pain. My sister latched on great right away, but I didn't.  And with no lactation consultants there to help her, she decided to bottle feed me. And I don't blame her!

Knowing the hard time my Mom had with me, I fully prepared myself {or so I thought}. I read books, I watched videos, I even attended a class even I think.  But nothing can really prepare you for it, except experience. It helped I knew some things, but it didn't help him actually open his mouth and latch on. 

I was in so much pain by the second day he was born.  I told my husband, "I can't do this. I am just gonna pump! It's the same thing."  A lactation consultant told me, pumping wasn't the same thing, and that my milk supply would not be enough being stimulated just by the pump.  I cringed through that day, and finally that night I had a wonderful lactation consultant come in.

Dawn say my nipples, and said, "Oh my, you can't go on like this can you?" and I cried and cried and said no.  It was too much pain.  She then told my husband to go buy me a nipple shield, which literally saved our breastfeeding journey.   It was like immediate relief. He latched on perfect, my milk came in.  She encouraged me to stop using it when my nipples healed.

Then came another issue. Weaning him from the shield.  Oh boy that was tough. I spent many nights in tears.  I was also trying to "do the right thing" and get my baby on the "Babywise" schedule.  Then I wondered why he wanted to nurse for 45 mins at a time.  The book says babies should nurse for 30 minuets, 2.5-3 hours apart.  Ugh. Why is MY baby so difficult? Why does he cry ALL.THE.TIME?  Oh he has "colic". Even though he was skinny, because he had just nursed for 30  mins he couldn't be hungry. Wrong.

I finally wised up. I realized my son was just hungry.  By then my milk was established and it wasn't enough for him {or so I thought}, so I supplemented with a bottle of formula a night. Now I know, some babies really are just more hungry and need to nurse more.  He was a different baby after he started getting a bottle at night.  He finally did sleep through the night.  Because he was satisfied. By 6 weeks old he was off the shield and onto bare breast, and around 6-8 weeks old he had one bottle a night.  Life was good.

When Shane was 6 months old, I got pregnant with Cody.  Nursing became uncomfortable and I didn't know if it was safe to be pregnant AND nurse, so Shane started getting more bottles as well as solid foods.  Finally by the time Shane was 9 months old, he preferred the bottle over breast.  I was very sad that he weaned so early, but thankful I was able to nurse him at all, and confident I'd nurse Cody.

I used the shield for Cody as well but only for 2 weeks, while my nipples healed because again I had terrible pain and bleeding.  He was easier to get off the shield. I breastfed him on demand and he was a very happy, easy, chubby, healthy baby. He nursed for 21 months.

I am still breastfeeding our 15 month old son, and will continue to nurse him until he is ready to wean.  I used the shield with him for only 3 days. I breastfeed him on demand, and he is also a very happy healthy baby boy.

I used the assistance of a lactation consultant all 3 times.

80/20

Although I am an advocate for clean eating, and eating low sugar, and making nourishing meals, I DON'T do it all the time. GASP***

I believe some  people, myself included need to refrain from processed foods and sugars for a time to heal their bodies/guts and to detox.  I am going to be started back on the Whole 30 again {maybe this time I will finish it?} because my stomach has been really acting up again.  I don't eat gluten %100 of the time because it's just not worth it to get sick. But what about gluten free treats? Pizza? Ice cream?

I had to really think about this though....do I want to live a life where I can never enjoy a treat? Never have a cookie or donut? Never go out to eat? The answer for me is NO.  No one can be perfect all the time and to pretend to do so is just setting myself up for failure. 

I am perfectly content with the 80/20 plan. Clean %80 of the time. %20 of the time, not.  This might mean a meal a week, a treat every two weeks, whatever.  I don't want people not to want to invite us over for dinner because "They don't eat that". Although I believe it is already like this with mine and Cody's gluten intolerance.  Even family gets a little awkward. lol.

There is a difference in not eating something because it makes you sick, or because your being snobby and saying, "I don't eat junk".  I would never do the latter.

Bad timing for this post....because soon I am going to cut all processed and sugar out again for a time...{30 days} {14 days} {7 days}.  {Most days the only sugar I have is from fruit, and maybe a little Chex cereal}.
 I don't want to....but I have to, because my stomach is telling me it's time.  I have something going on with my gut, it may be Candida, it may be SIBO {small intestinal bacterial overgrowth}, I don't know...and doctors don't either...they just say it's IBS. My chiro told me I had a bacterial overgrowth he determine through muscle testing.  I already thought I did because of the symptoms.  Sugar feeds bacteria. 

What I really need to do is go on a strict detox to rid the bacteria, but since I am still breastfeeding I am waiting. 

Cody gets sad every Sunday when he can't have a donut at church.  He's been begging me to make some "Guuten {gluten} free donuts".  How could I say no to that? Today I through together some ingredients I already had {I'm sick with a cold and didn't want to venture out to the store}.  They turned out great! I'll be posting the recipe soon :)

Can our kids avoid Braces?

Did you have braces? I did. I not only had braces, but I had a jaw expander, a bottom retainer, a tongue thruster {keeps your tongue from hitting your front teeth when you swallow} multiple spacers, my wisdom teeth pulled, and braces.  I started getting orthodontics when I was about 8 years old.  I finally got my braces off when I was a Freshman in high school, and shortly there after my teeth shifted back to my cross bite. Stupid braces didn't work.
Ok, so maybe I didn't wear my retainers enough...but my teeth shifted so fast they didn't fit any more!

And now, you all know I've been suffering with TMJ for several years. Probably something to do with all the orthodontics, or the fact that my bite doesn't line up. Or both.

The last thing I want my boys to go through is orthodontics and oral problems.  That's why the book, "Nutrition and Physical Degeneration" by Weston A Price is so fascinating to me.  In his travel and study through out the world, he found that cultures that still ate their native diets {no processed foods} had no cavities, STRAIGHT, white teeth, strong jaws, and healthy wide arches in their nose and mouths.

Hm. Well it's obviously just genetics. Right? WRONG. He has documented proof that people from the same tribe/village/culture would move and eat a western "modern" diet and the children from those adults were born with narrow jaws and faces, cleft palates, severely crocked teeth, and teeth ridden with cavities. Also the adults would began to lose their teeth to decay.

Here are some photos.

So CAN we avoid braces for our kids? If so then HOW?

1. Starts before conception- This means in MOM and DAD.  Toxic substances from both mother and father preconception affect the baby.  Source. 

2. Getting enough Folate, B Vitamins and SAM-e during early pregnancy. Source

3. Avoid Soy {very harmful for pregnant, breastfeeding moms, and couples trying to conceive} and other high phytic acid foods. Source.http://www.westonaprice.org/soy-alert

4. Getting enough fat soluble vitamins {vitamins A D E K are found in fat} from animal fats. We can almost only get these vitamins from animal fats. It's ingrained in us that we should eat low fat dairy and lean meats. This is extremely unhealthy for us, especially a growing unborn baby! Source.

Well I already had braces, my kids have cavities, and braces too. NOW what?

This is most of us. Good news though....
 It's not too late! With the proper above actions certain genetic traits can be turned off. Even though it may be too late for dental formation and braces, tooth decay and other deficiencies can be reversed. Source.

Straight from Weston A. Price's book, 27 school age children were given one nutritious meal a day, and didn't even take out all the other processed foods they ate at home or school. It reversed their cavities and prevented new ones from forming.

" About four ounces of tomato juice or orange juice and a teaspoonful of a mixture of equal parts of a very high vitamin natural cod liver oil and an especially high vitamin butter was given at the beginning of the meal. They then received a bowl containing approximately a pint of a very rich vegetable and meat stew, made largely from bone marrow and fine cuts of tender meat: the meat was usually broiled separately to retain its juice and then chopped very fine and added to the bone marrow meat soup which always contained finally chopped vegetables and plenty of very yellow carrots. For the next course they had cooked fruit, with very little sweetening, and rolls made from freshly ground whole wheat, which were spread with the high-vitamin butter. The wheat for the rolls was ground fresh every day in a motor driven coffee mill. Each child was also given two glasses of fresh whole milk. The menu was varied from day to say, and fresh fish chowder or animal organs substituted the meat stew." 

Other things that cause a need for braces are, pacifiers, thumb sucking, and bottle feeding.  According to a study, "The authors believe this might affect the development of the muscles of the mouth and palate in some way, which in turn could affect how the teeth and jaw align." Source.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4017283.stm 

 In my own children, I breastfed my first son for only 9 months, and supplemented him with formula due to the schedule I was trying to get him on inspired by the book, "Babywise".  I now know that was a huge mistake and has directly affected him even to this day and he is 5 years old. Although he is very healthy, he is the only one out of all 3 that has a slight under bite. He was breast and bottle fed and he had a pacifier until he was 22 months old. 

I breast fed my second son until he was 21 months old, and he never ever took a bottle {wised up and realized feeding on demand is the way to go}, and he never took a pacifier, and his teeth are perfect {Lord willing they will stay like that!}. Perfect bite, plenty of space between each tooth for his adult teeth.  

The baby is 15 months old, and is still breastfeeding.  He also has a seemingly perfect bite with plenty of room between each tooth {so far}. His pediatrician also mentioned this and said he if I'm lucky he won't need braces because his teeth have nice wide gaps. He never took a bottle or pacifier either.  But, he does have a couple white spots on his teeth which I think is result of not eating fat while pregnant with him due to my gallbladder, and after he was born eating a mainly vegetarian diet for a while. Trying to make up for that now by taking Fermented Cod Live Oil.  

I'm not saying breastfeeding alone will prevent the need for braces.    Also not saying bottle fed babies will definitely need braces. My dad was bottle fed and didn't need braces. But like it says in the above link, some genes can be turned on by deficiencies or events in lifestyle.

Did you have braces? Do your kids?  

Following Blogs

I love reading all your blogs, and the blogs I follow, but have been so busy lately & I don't have a way to notify me when you all do a new post. I know I can do a blog roll again, but I don't want my sidebars too cluttered {hope that doesn't sound bad}.  Is there an app or something I can do to log in all my blogs? Also leave the name of your blog in the comments and I'll google it and add it to my read list {if there is one haha}.


 

Overwhelmed.

This was not a good week. Weigh in was stinky. 177. GR. Doesn't make any since, I was busy all week and didn't eat all that much.  I think I'm retaining water {or so I tell myself}.

Ahddndbndhdjklkdj!!!! {that's me yelling into a pillow}.

It's Friday afternoon, and I still have heaps of laundry everywhere, bathrooms that need to be cleaned, laundry that needs to be washed, and a kitchen that needs a good scrub.  I have had to leave my house every day this week! H.A.T.E. that!  My to-do-list is still undone, didn't get to work on either of my classes this week, and I barley worked on my blog. Oh yeah, and I didn't run. AGAIN.  I'm really thinking husband is solo on this half marathon.  Oh goodness that makes me tear up.

I am having a little pitty party aren't I? Snap out of it A!
Ok, but I am feeling overwhelmed.  I had to take both dogs, and all three boys too the vet today where I had to wait for 2 hours. Isn't that nice? Try controlling two dogs and three boys in a tiny spot for 2 hours.  That sent me over the edge and I left in tears.  Where I drove straight to In & Out Burger and bought fries and milk shakes. I felt better for five minuets. 

I have company staying the night, and need to run to Lowe's to rent a carpet shampooer to clean up some accidents our doggy had.

I am excited about our company! Not excited about all the cleaning needing to happen right now.

Oh look! Reece just stuck his whole hand in my Vaseline jar. Yay.  What's that I hear? Water??? Splashing? Oh yes, the boys took it upon themselves to run a bath. And jump in while wearing their swim shorts.  

Ok, here I go! I can do all things through Christ. :)

 Ta Ta.