Sir Ivan and the 'Saur Illustration

Erik got my film developed today so I started working on the pictures for Ivan's book. I have all the words laid out and just need the pictures put into place. This is my favorite picture so far.

Theories continued...

Yesterday, last night and today I have been giving Clayton rice milk with a few drops of liquid vitamins added and he sucks it right down. My theory is still carrot allergy. He's still itching and rubbing a little, but I have also nursed him twice so I don't think the carrots are completely out of his system yet. I have a little hope, I'm just not sure what to feed him to make sure he's getting all his nutrients. Someday we will figure it out.

Theories

I've discovered that I have a lot of theories but no real answers for Clayton's rash. Just two days ago I thought perhaps he was reacting to the almond milk that we made his formula out of, so we switched to rice milk...and just yesterday I threw up my hands in exasperation when he still refused to take a bottle and said, "Well maybe he's allergic to the carrot juice!" So I went online (which can be a curse or a blessing) and turns out carrot allergies are not that uncommon...sometimes only to raw carrots because of a certain protein in them. It can cause your mouth to get all itchy and make for painful swallowing...this kind of makes sense with Clayton cause on the rare occasions you can get him to drink from the bottle he'll drink maybe an ounce very willingly and then refuse the bottle. He was doing okay with the bottle when it was just rice milk and a little water to learn how to drink from a bottle. Then Beci and I were talking last night and Beci said something to the tune of, "Isn't it amazing that sometimes kids will reject something or refuse to eat it because they are actually allergic to it?" He'll eat sweet potatoes and bananas and sometimes an egg yolk so I don't think he's just upset with weaning. Oh and then somewhere else I read that carrot allergies can cause red, blotchy, itchy skin....hmmm...
Of course this was all after nine pm last night and I had nothing but water to give him to drink, if it is carrots it would do me no good to nurse him because we got a juicer and have been making carrot juices which I have been drinking (and really liking) for the last two days. I really like carrots and have been eating a lot of them on this "pretty-much-everything-free diet".
Clayton did sleep okay last night and I used a dropper to get water in him whenever he woke up and then I did nurse him this morning, his reactions don't seem as bad during the day as they are at night for some reason.
So carrots make sense for a few reasons but so have a lot of other things. So right now I feel stuck with many theories and no real answers.
On a side note, we had a creation speaker this weekend at church and I was thinking, "Well, at least I don't have theories on this, I have some answers in my life..."
This is a "pre-rash" picture of my Clayton-ayton, hopefully we'll see a clear face again someday.

Old Man

By: Mindy Horr

Once upon time there was an old man,
He loved the ocean when he stood in the sand
But when he came to the water to enjoy its wet
He could never cross the line of where the two met.
The tide would creep up and stop inches to his toes
why he wouldn't go further only he knows.

For you see this old man had once been quite small
and he would jump in the ocean before the rest of them all
Squelching and squishing his toes in wet sand
He would even journey far from the dry safe land.

But then one day came a strange rare event
and He wasn't expecting the way that day went
For there was something afoot and something suspicious
underneath that bright surface, something malicious.
Though curious a little and somewhat in doubt
he waited just a moment but then headed out
Out to the sparkle and out to the blue
Not knowing that voyage he could never undo.

For you see our old man, while then just a lad
got carried away to a land that was bad
Heading in for the day he walked onto a shore
and came across colossal-great dangers and more.
He fought with a dragon, a tiger, a brute
all in one day, and all in his suit.
He fought til his legs couldn't hold him up longer
he fought til his arms were ten times stronger
He defeated those brutes and those monsters galore
out on that distant, strange, fairy tale shore.

When all was fought and all was won
He didn't know what to do when the day was done
Should he hop in the water and hope to float home
to the sand that he knew from whence he had flown?
But what if he was carried to a quite different place
where monsters were very much harder to face?
He really didn't have much choice in the matter
so he held to the hope that no place could be badder.

In he went and out he came
only to face the like and the same
monsters and ogres and such gruesome big gorts
again, only dressed in his bright red shorts.
So he geared up his courage and set his chin
and he plowed into the fight ready to win.
Now our old man, well then just a kid
why win, of course, that's just what he did.

And yet again faced with a hard enough fact
hop into the water? would it bring him back?
Resigned to his fate of battles and wars
he waded in deep, awaiting more shores.
And so he headed off to each distant land
fighting against villains and taking a stand.
He would beat them all soundly and they knew his name
for the boy in red shorts had gotten much fame.

But then one day he came within sight
and walked onto a shore that had no one to fight.
In fact it was empty and peaceful and quiet
no ogres or gorts and no loud rumbly riot.
So he built up a tree house and built in some bunks
and decided to retire those bright red swim trunks.
He lived such a life, relaxing all day
with no one to fight and no one to slay.
He grew up strong and he grew up to be old
and that's where our story began being told.

This old man decided that his was the life
of no pain and no gain,and he missed all the strife.
So he got out his shorts and they fit him just right
and he went to the ocean to look for a fight.
But just as he got to his knees in the water
a wave swept a lady into his arms and he caught her.
Her hair was the color the same as a silver lining
and her eyes were as sparkly as the stars when shining
And she looked up at him and thought finally "at last!"
here was a place where there were no more tasks
No supper to make, no houses left to clean
for those were the islands that she had seen.

Carried to and fro and all over the place
she cleaned up people and picked up their waste.
Finally, too she had come to a land
where she was not needed and didn't lift a hand.
But laid around all day and all night
breathing in deep with all her might.
But she had grown old, and alone she was too
and so waded out in her bright yellow suit.

And here she was in the arms of another
who had feared wading out into the deep, deep water.
Glad that they did, because they soon became aware
when he had stepped in, the waves carried her there.
So they lived on that island for the rest of their days
no longer swept away, so they played in the waves
His bright red suit just as it ever had been
and her yellow one shining along next to his.



My sister Mindy wrote this the other night when she was suppose to be doing her homework. Not bad for procrastination. She kindly allowed me to post it for the enjoyment of others.

Fevers

We had a minor set back yesterday in the weaning department. I'm pretty sure Clayton is teething and he had a fever most of the day yesterday and therefore refused the bottle so I ended up nursing him a little more often to make sure he got enough fluids, so now we must try again the bottle and hope he takes it. He's not to thrilled with the whole bottle thing and teething just makes it worse. He's learning to cry with his mouth closed cause every time he opens his mouth I try and get him to take the bottle. : ) By the way Jessie, I did try the clove oil and it quieted him down almost instantly and then he slept for awhile. Good suggestion. But needless to say I didn't get much sleep last night because Clayton was feverish and restless most of the night. His rash still looks better though. Small victories.

Good News

Clayton's rash looks better for the second day in a row! He is pretty much weaned during the day and then nurses at night. Cutting out the night nursing is going to be much harder. He always itches more at night and sometimes nurses for comfort more than food and it means more work for me in the middle of the night. Lately I've been falling asleep when he nurses, but I can't do that with a bottle. Oh well, I want his rash to keep getting better and I want to eat what I want again without feeling like I'm poisoning my son if I eat something I shouldn't. He has been grumpy the last two days and a little feverish but I think he's getting another tooth. Clayton, by far has been my grumpiest teether. With Hannah and Ivan they'd be a little grumpy or more tired for a few days and you'd happen to look in their mouth and see a new tooth, Clayton not so much. He's miserable and he lets you know. So now I must go and try and comfort him a little.

Sir Ivan and the 'Saur

Sir Ivan the Clifford of Dante, that brave little knight with battles to fight, took off one morning on his red schwinn trike. He pedaled quite fast and he pedaled quite furious. Going where? We all were curious. He pulled up his bike, that red schwinn trike in front of the bedroom door and jumped off with an eye for a fight. For there happened to be, oh woe is me, a green scaly 'saur standing there in the door. And Fair Lady Hannah who was stuck on the inside saw Sir Ivan and with delight cried, "Sir Ivan the Clifford of Dante I"m glad you've come, for this dumb ol' 'saur won't let me out of the door!" Sir Ivan mustered his strength and he readied his might, he grabbed hold of his shield and his sword for the fight. The green scaly 'saur blocking the door lashed out at the brave little knight and the little knight swung his sword with all his might and thus began this 'saur's last fight. Now this 'saur was all bad - not grumpy, misunderstood or sad. So the brave little knight knew what he had to do and he fought for what's right with his life. With a prayer and a leap the knight plunged his sword deep and the evil 'saur fell down dead. Sir Ivan then chopped off his head. Thanks and cheers were voiced and the peasants all rejoiced. And Sir Ivan the Clifford of Dante, that brave little knight with battles to fight, cleaned his sword and hopped on his trike. And he'll always be ready, strong and steady to fight for what's true and what's right. For there are battles to fight and evils to beat and those that are able must stand - armor on and sword in hand.

More Gluten-Free

Saturday we played outside all day while concrete was being poured in our backyard. Well, we played outside all day except for the spell when Ivan had to sit inside for throwing a rock in the newly smooth concrete. But we played in the dirt and had a wonderful time. Oh, I was also inside for a time to make the most amazing gluten-free oatmeal raisin cookies (of which I ate too many and felt sick all night, but it was worth it). Needless to say we were dirty. So I ran a bath for the kiddos and just before they climbed in, Hannah made sure to ask, "Is this bath gluten-free?"
Yes Hannah, it is. Thank goodness.

Only Chickens

Today on our walk we walked by the cemetery and Hannah asked what all the flowers where for. I told her that people brought the flowers to put on the graves of people they knew because it was a way to remember friends who died and it looks pretty. Then came the typical 2-4 year-old's question, "Why?". And I said, "Well, when people die we put their bodies in the ground." And she told me that, "No, we only put dead chickens in a hole in the ground, not people."

Gluten-Free and Loving it?

I'm discovering that life is not so bad gluten-free. It's not much fun gluten and dairy free but gluten free is not the hell I previously thought it was. I've started adding a little bit of butter back in my diet and Clayton seems to be doing okay with that so baking has gotten easier. Today I attempted to make almond butter cookies (kind of like peanut butter cookies only with almonds) and they didn't turn out that bad. But oh, for dinner I made rosemary/thyme dinner rolls with buckwheat and montina flour...they were amazing and yet gluten-free. Now I'm just praying that Clayton doesn't react to them. Montina flour is made of white rice flour, tapioca flour and flour made out of Indian rice grass. That's the part that makes me nervous. If Clayton is allergic to grass (like I think he is because of last Wednesday) then will he be allergic to the Indian rice grass? Guess we'll find out. Indian rice grass is apparently what the Indians used for hundreds of years but this wonderful grass (and it's not related to rice) was lost to civilization for a long time until research by Montana State University found it again and discovered that not only was it drought resistant (makes for easier growing), it was also gluten-free. Fancy that.
Erik mentioned the other day that he would actually like to try going gluten-free for awhile to see if anything happens health-wise. I also read today that gluten intolerance is higher in Caucasians descended from Northern Europeans. I'm fascinated by everything that I'm finding out but still not convinced that I'll ever get over wheat. I just hope that I don't have to give up oats. My goal is to try and reintroduce oatmeal into my diet by Wednesday or Thursday depending on how Clayton is doing. I really hope that I can, the kiddos had oatmeal this morning and I took one tiny little nibble and it tasted so good. One small step at a time.

Theological Discussions

Hannah and I had deep theological discussions the other night when I was putting the kiddos to bed. She was asking why we have Easter and why people die and many other questions that take you a moment to figure out how to explain something like this to a three year old. I love when she asks these questions; not only do I get to share with her but I get to look again myself at some of the basics of what I believe. We talked for maybe a hour or so and I think my favorite part of the conversation was when we were taking about dying and going to heaven. I told her that when you believe in Jesus and believe that he died for your sins and came to life again, he writes your name in his special book and when you die, if your name is in his special book you get to go to heaven to be with him. She promptly asked "What color is his book?" and "What color does he write with?" I have to admit, these are things I do not know.
Some times there are much more important things than going to bed.

And...

And I discovered this afternoon that Clayton is getting a tooth. He has one on the bottom that just decided to peek through.

God is Good

So this morning Clayton's rash on his face looked the best it has in a long time. There where only a few red patches, but I could feel smooth skin and there weren't any skin flakes. Then he reacted to something and he's rubbed his face raw again and it's really red and inflamed tonight. He's still breathing normally so I'm not scared-worried, just frustrated. I'm not sure again what caused him to react. I'm wondering if he's allergic to grass. Today at MOB he sat on a blanket outside on the lawn that had been recently mowed and I still had grass on my sweatshirt from holding Ivan when I picked him up... but he's had his rash in varying degrees since Christmas...why grass, why now, what else has changed. I still feel so helpless, though not hopeless.
Erik got the flu Sunday night and Clayton didn't sleep well Sunday night, which means I didn't get much sleep. So Monday we were all a little worn and tired. Then I received a very encouraging e-mail from a friend saying she woke up thinking about me and was praying against weariness for me today and that she could picture me singing a song of praise even though I was tired. Monday was also the first day in three or four days that I had actually sat down and got to read my Bible uninterrupted and so though I was tired and weary my spirit was not. How good is our amazing God?! And tonight I am weary and tired but I know that God knows, and he is watching over me. Thank you to all who are praying.