Hopes and Dreams: We have an egg allergy

Today I took Taylor to an allergist for the back prick test. The test confirmed what his blood work told us, which is that he has an allergy to eggs. I'm feeling pretty bummed about it. And on the other hand, it's such a minor thing and overall he's so healthy. Other people have really sick kids so I feel bad for feeling bad.

The doctor we saw today made it seem like a much bigger deal and gave us a prescription for epi pens! I must have had some bad proconceived ideas about those because I'd always assumed they were for kids who were in anaphylactic shock. Apparently not.

So now I have a dilemma. I need to eliminate eggs from my diet completely or quit nursing. I'm surprised that I feel this way, but I don't want to be done nursing. So I have to do some thinking and praying about that.

While at the doctor's office today I found out that he weighs 21 pounds!!! He's put on nearly three pounds since his six month well child exam six weeks ago! Crazy. But last week he had a visible growth spurt. He was eating like it was going out of style. I can't believe how much bigger he looks.

He got his first two teeth on the bottom and they're so cute. He's a big fan of teething biscuits, but I am not. Those things are SO messy! I have to watch pretty closely because as he gets toward the end of it there's just a little nubber left and I take that part away. He doesn't know how to chew it and I don't want him to choke. The other day I took it away and he had his first tantrum! He was sitting in his high chair and threw himself back and wailed! His face was beet red and he was MAD. It was crazy! I couldn't believe he was throwing his first fit! I might have laughed if I hadn't been so stunned to see my not-quite-8-month-old-son being angry!

I've also figured out that it isn't green beans he doesn't like. It's my homemade, not perfectly smooth green beans he doesn't like. He's texture person, I guess. So he'll eat green beans as long as there are NO clumps or chunks. I've tried to pull one over on him, but he knows! He gags and gets mad at a hint of a chunk.

He's trying so hard to pull himself up. Any day he'll do it. But he can stand next to furniture and hold himself there. It's incredible how fast they learn to do things like that! 8 months ago he was in my womb. And how he's standing. What?!

Lily's doing great. Her conversation skills keep getting better and better. She's so fun to talk to.

She has an absolutely amazing imagination and can pretend that anything is something other than what it is. You follow me? Coasters are cookies. Blocks are bars/brownies, spoons are flowers, etc. I love her imagination.

Today at the doctor's office she said the following things:
"I have a boyfriend." The doctor asked her who her boyfriend was and she said, "Taylor!"
When asked what her favorite food was she said, "Fries. I'm going to turn into a french fry if I keep eating french fries."
"My grandma's name is Vicki. And my grandpa's name is Sam. They have ice cream magnets and a pie magnet at their house."
When the nurse told her that his daughter's name is Olivia she said, "Another Olivia! There are lots of Olivias."
She's a riot!

Well, I guess that's the update from us. It's COLD here today, but is supposed to be in the forties by the weekend. I hope so! Our friends Chad and Megan are on vacation at Disney this week - I'm a weensy bit jealous. =)

Here are some pics. The past several posts have been a little "Lily heavy" so there are more pics of Taylor this time. (I have a cute video of Taylor that isn't working right now, but as soon as I figure that out I'll post it.) Enjoy!!!

I left his onesie and jammie shirt on his head while changing him one day. He couldn't have cared less and went about his business of chewing on the diaper cream. He's such an easy goin' kid!

Now he cares!

Standing and holding onto his exersaucer

This boy loves to pull his socks off =)

Yanking on the other sock

He got this toy from Mandi and Bryan for Christmas and he's starting to enjoy it

I love that gummy smile and I know it won't be around much longer

It's like he knew it was funny to have something on his head

Lily was reading and Taylor was listening...

...until he decided to eat the book. This is what he does with books. It's so funny to us because from the time that Lily was six months old and could sit up on her own she would use her little pointer finger and turn pages and look at books. It was amazing. And it seems even more amazing to us now because Taylor couldn't care less about looking at books. When I try to read to him he's just trying to get the book in his mouth.

This is Lily at about 9 months old. Sadly, the pictures I have of her reading at six months old aren't on the computer because that was before we had our digital camera!