Chicken and Soy...Oh Boy!!

Yesterday was the BIG day for the allergy test!  Jacob was busy with work so Lisa met us up there.  First I spoke with Dr. Whited about our concerns and he asked me a few questions such as:  Do you have carpet...central AC....PETS???  Then he said that they were going to test Oliver for 30 different things and they would also do a blood test which would be a prick in the finger.  So as I was trying to prepare myself for all of this the nurse was assuring that me the allergy test does not hurt and she is very fast.  She said that they main reason children freak out is because they have to be held down on the bellies!!  So of course the minute I put Ollie on his stomach and he realized he could not roll over he freaked out and continued to cry through the whole test.

First they put 30 dots on his back with a marker and one drop of each different thing they were testing by each dot.  Then they use a needle to lightly scratch all 30 spots to see what he reacts to.   They also poke him in his right arm with a positive test to show what a positive reaction should look like.   Some of the things he was tested for were cats, dogs, milk, eggs, wheat, rice, almond and various meats, fruits and veges.  I think we had to wait about 20 minutes to give everything time to react.  The nurses kept coming in to check his back looking for any reactions.

The reactions are on a scale for 0 to 4.  Oliver showed a 1+ reaction to peanuts and shellfish (which he won't be getting anytime soon regardless) and then he had a 2+ reaction to CHICKEN AND SOY!!!! WHAT????  Who in the world is allergic to CHICKEN....only Oliver James....and SOY which I am told and will learn is in a lot of things including his FORMULA!!!!! So among all of the new lotions and potions (one including TAR) that we have to lather Ollie with on a daily basis we also have to change his shampoo and body wash AGAIN!

Next it was time for the "finger prick" which was a NIGHTMARE!  The lovely lady (and I use the term lovely  very very loosely) in charge of pricking my child said that because of where they had to send the blood that she would have to draw blood from his arm.  Ok whatever...no big deal...lets just do it and get it over with!! Because of course by now my sweet child had fallen asleep and now I had to wake him up for yet another poke.  As soon as I put him down and began to hold him down he lost it.  The lady tried to draw blood from his right arm and FAILED and then said lets try the left arm and she FAILED AGAIN!!  So by this time my child had now been stuck in both arms by this crazy lady and then she decides to just PRICK HIS FINGER!!!! I think at that moment I could have strangled her!  So as my child is crying and crying she pricks his finger and finally squeezes out a tube of blood and WE ARE DONE!!  If the test does not work I DON'T CARE!  If they have to do it again they will have ONE chance to get his blood.

So now that all of that is done we hope that the changes we will be making we help his skin clear up.  We have a follow up appointment with Dr. Whited in a month.

Here are some of Ollie's 6 month pictures...ENJOY!!

Big News

Oliver has a TOOTH!!!!  

I found it Sunday evening after his dinner.  We tried to take some pics but you can't make it out in the pics.  Oh well maybe in a couple of days.  It is a bottom front tooth!!! I can't believe it....before I know it he will have lots of teeth!!  So far he is not acting like it bothers him so we'll see.

Ollie and The Doctors

So I am beginning to think that the Dr.s and nurses will soon know us by name.  I learning very quickly that having a child with sensitive skin is no fun.  The past couple of weeks Oliver cheeks and bottom seemed to always be red, his eczema was getting out of control and I thought that he had gotten an infection on the one spot of cradle cap that has never seemed to go away.  After trying to figure out on our own what might be causing all of the reactions I  made an appointment with Dr. Haynes.

Last Tuesday we went to see Dr. Haynes.  She confirmed that it looked like he had developed a secondary infection on the back of his head.  So for that we were given a prescription for amoxocilin, (mmm...remember that yummy pink goodness?) bactroban cream and ketoconazole shampoo....puh....are ya'll keeping track??  Next she checked out his eczema spots on the back of his knees and told me to go buy a tub a cetaphil and lather him up all the time.  She also told me to give him liquid Claritin at night.  Then she said "IT"....I think it maybe time to go see the ALLERGIST!!  Although I am terrified about what they will do to my sweet boy I know that finding out now what he is allergic to will be a good thing.  I do not like playing the guessing game!! So we have an appointment with Dr. Whited next Friday!!  WISH US LUCK AND KEEP US IN YOUR PRAYERS!!

After our visit with Dr. Haynes there has been a lot of discussion about our Zoo.  If it turns out that removing the animals from our house will help Oliver's allergies then that is what we will do.  I think it will be so hard to find GOOD homes for ALL of them. We will wait to make a final decision after we see Dr. Whited.  I hate the thought of having to find new homes for our animals but I am going to do whatever it takes to keep Oliver as healthy as he can be. So for now we wait...

The next Dr.s visit came this past Thursday when we finally got to go see Dr. Brown, the peds surgeon, about his growth on his belly button.  I was a little worried about this visit even though Dr. Haynes was fairly certain that it was nothing to be worried about.  Dr. Brown told us that he too thought that it was nothing to be concerned about and that if we wanted to have it removed he recommended that we wait until after his first birthday.  Waiting until after his first birthday would be safer for him and give us more time to find out what he is allergic to.  Dr. Brown also said that he could feel a very very small umbilical hernia under his belly button.  He said that the hernias almost always heal on their own which is another good reason to wait until after his first birthday.

So now you are up to date with Ollie and his issues....now for the MILESTONE of the week....

Ollie finally rolled from his back to his belly all by himself!!!!  I was off work today and during his morning nap I was trying to do some cleaning and about an hour and a half into his nap I noticed that he was up.  Ollie is very good when he wakes up he never cries (unless you keep him waiting too long) he just plays until you come and get him.  So I kept an eye an him in the monitor while I finished what I was doing.  Just about the time I was going to go and get him I glanced back at the monitor and noticed that he was trying to grab his pacifier which was just slightly out of his reach.  As I watched him struggle to try to get it without rolling over he finally gave in and ROLLED right over onto his belly!!!! I was so proud and I called Jacob to tell him.  He actually stayed on his belly for about 5 mins before he finally rolled back onto his back.  I knew he could do it he is just stubborn and wanted to do it on his own time!!

We are also working on holding our own bottle and making some progress...sometimes...

My little BIG boy!!

Ollie's 1st "Snow" Day

It is "snowing" and Oliver doesn't know what to think...

YAY FOR "SNOW"!!

Ollie says MOMMA!!!!

Thats right all the brainwashing finally paid off!!  Haha  Oliver is babbling MOMMA although he has no clue what he is saying it is the sweetest sound ever!  HE also pulled himself up on his crib this weekend!!! Ahhhh he is growing up too fast!!

 Be still my heart!!

Oliver's Last Christmas Outfit!

Finally Oliver got to wear his last Christmas/Winter outfit.  This is the outfit he wore in our Christmas pictures but it is too cute not to wear again and again and again!!

So adorable, but I think I need a new camera...PUH!!

Christmas With Oliver

Wow what an important year 2010 has been for us.  I can't believe that it has already been 7 months since Oliver graced us with his presence.  He truly is the greatest gift we have been given.   It is such an extraordinary miracle to be able to watch him grow and learn.  His innocence and curiosity is so endearing.  It is so true that you can never know how much you can love someone until you have a child of your own.  The unconditional love is so overwhelming and beautiful.

Christmas with Ollie was so much fun.  Getting to show him off was such a joy.  I know we have 2 Christmas outfits to catch up on and the first was worn on Christmas Eve.  His Great Granny bought him an adorable Christmas outfit and I waited till we had Christmas with them for him to show it off.  Sorry in advance for the quality of the pictures...I am not a photographer!

Opening gifts on Christmas Eve

Christmas with Ollie's Grandpa (my dad)

Oliver's 1st drum!!

(maybe the talent skipped a generation...ha)

Christmas Morning

Since it was Ollie's first Christmas we decided to have Christmas morning at our house this year.  Everyone came over and Ollie's Gammy and Daddy made breakfast, which consists of the traditional red and green pancakes with all the fixin's!  Jacob and Meagan never liked the colored pancakes growing up but I think it's cute so we will continue the tradition! 

Sitting with his Paw waiting to open presents

Santa came to town!!

His 1st pair of cowboy boots!

Loves loves loves PAPER!!

Ollie can READ!

 I love him...can you tell?!?!

 Lunch time with Daddy

Christmas evening was spent with Jacobs Dad side of the family.  Shortly after arriving Oliver was ready for bed so we didn't get any pictures of him that night!  When Oliver is ready for bed there is no stopping him!!

We had such a wonderful Christmas and were so blessed with all the love that is shown to our sweet Oliver!!