Friday, October 8, 2010

In search of a good mechanic OR Hell Hath No Fury Like A Mom OR Dairy Free

Simon is off dairy.
Simon hasn't barfed.
Simon wants to play with food all the time.
ALL THE TIME!!
I haven't had to change his or my clothes more than once in a day for over a week.

It's been 2+ years and, whether or not this is rational, I am in a fury that no one (including me) thought to see if dairy was an issue.
Why should we have? His barfing coincided with heart failure and the introduction of several powerful medication that each carry the "possible side effect of nausea and vomiting."

Jaime and I also realized that his barfing also coincided with the supplementing of my breast milk with a fortifier that is cow-milk based.

Simon never barfed before he was symptomatic. Not once. Not even a spit up.

This is so hard to suss out because of all the other intense things that were going on right between 4 and 5 months of age, but goddammit I can't help but feel this intense rage over the possibility that my son (and me too) could have avoided 2 FUCKING YEARS OF VOMITING if we had possibly thought to check him for a dairy intolerance.

It's not an allergy. It doesn't present itself as such but there is no denying that since we have made his food soy based instead of cow milk based, that his barfing has decreased no less than 90%.
90%
That's huge.

And

What a difference in his wanting to play with food. He really is in a place where it's clear that he wants to eat  and right now just needs to work on the mechanics of it.
It's intense to watch him. He puts the food in. He plays with it with his tongue. He is enjoying it. He just doesn't know what to do next.
It's like an Argentinian Tango where you know how to get into position to start but you have absolutely no idea how to begin the very complicated next series of steps. (Thank you SYTYCD)
There's salivating, there's biting, there's breathing, there's moving around the mouth, there's all different kinds of chewing, and there's all those things over again in different orders. It's a dangerous dance and the stakes are high. Choking is the ultimate fear.
We've all had those moments. Something goes down the wrong way and there's the split second question of 'can I clear this?'
For Simon that's the overriding feeling. But, we're on our way.

Tomorrow we're off to NYC for a week. Dude's first big plane ride. For sure I'll be wiping down everything but more than that I'm excited to see him charm the pants off everybody he meets.

Another big adventure.



Post bath love


The adoration actually goes the other way- Simon looooves his friend David


With Skeeter and her male crew (Raphael, Moses, Shimmy)

That's my boy



Mama and Simon at the Redwoods

"Please just let me enjoy the ride"



Enjoying the Ride

A little wind in my hair



Post Peanutbutter and Spices (100% organic)