"...and the Doctor Said..." Part II

I used to ignore the "gluten free" banner across the cereal boxes and other foods, ignorantly thinking that it was for "health nuts" who only ate organic things and the like. Well, turns out I'll need to pay a whole lot more attention to that "gluten free" stamp. Parker's blood work came back and the doctor has discovered that he has celiac disease--a wheat allergy.
In our research, we found that this wheat allergy damages the lining of the small intestine, which makes it impossible for one to absorb nutrients that keep them healthy. There are many symptoms and side effects, but in Parker's case, thankfully, there is only the "no weight gain" symptom. Nobody knows what causes celiac disease, and the only way to "cure" it is to eat gluten-free foods. For the rest of your life.
Our online research pertaining to what Parker can eat has been, oh, so interesting. In short, he can't eat what we eat every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Luckily, there's still the veggies, fruits, meats, and some dairy products that can remain on the menu. But, hey, this new diet to help Parker gain weight may help Cam and I lose weight. This may turn out good after all. :)

New Tricks

The inevitable has been postponed long enough: Parker has finally found the cupboard where the bowls are.

Oh, well... at least he's organized in his mess-making.

Another "trick" Parker pulled happened last week while I was working on my novel. We're borrowing a toy that he loves to walk around with. While he was playing, I heard a muted thud, and nonchalantly turned to look behind me...

Poor kid. Somehow, it kinda tipped too far forward, and he was too stubborn to let go. Being the good mommy that I am, I snapped a picture before helping him up.

Other "tricks" would include Parker's attempts to mimic what we say. He now has three words that belong to his vocabulary: "Nana" (banana), "Mama", and "Dada."

Most likely, not what you were expecting, but we're pretty proud of him!

"Mama Called the Doctor, and the Doctor Said..."

"No more snacking, then he'll be well fed!"

Yeah... that's basically it. No more "grazing" throughout the day. Three meals, two snacks. Period. And lots and lots of milk.

I really felt like I was in the judgement seat as the specialist asked me question after question about Parker's eating habits. Talking about them out loud made me feel rather silly. With only 4 oz. of milk a day and having him eat just whenever he's hungry (which severely inhibits his calorie intake at dinner), it makes sense why Parker's so little, doesn't it?

Anyway, we'll go back in February for a follow up, and hopefully find out that Parker has packed on the pounds.

*Thanks, Heidi and Holly, for your comments. You two are fabulous. :)

Little Guy

Parker's year appointment was last month. He weighed 18 lbs. 12 oz. then, and because he has only gained two pounds since he was six months old, our doctor wanted him to have some blood work done. Turns out that his iron is low, so we've been giving him iron drops and feeding him lots in order to make the news at his next doctor's appointment good to hear.

That "next appointment" was yesterday. And he's six ounces lighter than he was a month ago. Hm...

So, in three days, we will make the trip to St. George to see a pediatric gastrointestinal specialist to see what exactly is going on. Frankly, I'm not worried because everything else about Parker is normal. This "unworried-ness" makes me feel like a bad parent when I talk with Cam, who is always pointing out how "serious" losing that much weight is.

Anyway, we'll see what happens with our little guy. Emphasis on "little"...