Sitting Duck

Grandma caught Sammie sitting up by herself playing with her toys...

What's Eating Mr. Grape?

Well, I went to a few stores today and had to run in Target real quick. I thought I would just carry in Sammie and leave the car seat in the car (Daddy's done it before and she likes it). When I pulled her out, I realized she pooped on herself. So, I went to the potty to change her and once again there was blood! I don't know why this only happens when I'm off and when I go run errands. Maybe it's this shopping strip! Ugh! Hopefully it is because of the peanuts still in my system. UGH! Maybe it's the Sprouts' bread. I bought a new loaf of bread and will stop eating the Sprouts one. She bled the last time I had a sandwich. We'll see.

I started looking at cereals for Sammie today. I am so excited to give her her first "solid" food.  How overwhelming! There is rice cereal, brown rice cereal, organic rice cereal, rice cereal with mixed fruit, barley cereal, oat cereal.... Well, the GI doctor said that if I can't start her on cereal first because of her allergy (that we still don't know), we can try a fruit or vegetable instead. I decided to wait until we see the doctor at the end of the month before giving her anything! But I thought it would be fun to see how Sammie would accept food. As I was eating grapes, I brought one to her mouth and she opened it to take it; then I bit off half of the grape and brought the opened side to her mouth and she kept tonguing at it. I think she may have liked it. She kept pulling my hand toward her mouth to taste the grape. (Don't worry, I know not to give her grapes!) I don't think we are going to have a problem with getting her to eat solid food!

Other things about Sammie~
I am figuring out her happy babbles from her fussy babbles. It's like she is trying to tell you something is wrong or she wants something.

I notice when she drinks from her sippy cup, she still tries to talk. She makes a total mess!

She is sucking on her thumb again and drooling a lot. I finally put some Ora-Gel on her gums tonight. Her face was so funny. She made a "yucky" face at first and then I put her paci in and it kept falling out... ha ha ha

Fat Tuesday

Today is Mardi Gras Day! Although we are not in New Orleans to celebrate, Sammie honored the holiday wearing colors of the season: purple, green and gold. She was in such a good mood this morning- strange because she woke up at 6:00 talking, talking, talking like yesterday morning. I tried to get her to go back to sleep, but she stayed up until 6:45 talking, then fell asleep, but awoke every 15 minutes (about) and chattered away. I was so tired.

She was doing such a great job at taking her 1 1/2- 2 hour naps, but since Saturday only taking 30- 45 minutes. Luckily, Grandma did a great job at wrapping Sammie up, gave her the paci and she took over an hour nap! She was tired tonight and fell asleep on Daddy's shoulder after her night bottle. I hope she sleeps until 7 at the earliest tomorrow.

Blah-Blah-Blah

Sammie was very talkative today. She woke up at 6:00 this morning just talking up a storm. I went in to re-wrap her and around 6:30 and she was still babbling. I had to go and rock her back to sleep. All day was BLAH-BLAH-BLAH. We went to my eye appointment and she was a good girl. She just sat in the corner while the doctor checked my eyes. She's always so curious to see all the things around her.

Talking....

Oh Peanut Butter!

Not eating peanut (butter) seems to be working out. So far I haven't seen any blood in her poop, except for a tiny strand, but the peanut is probably still in my system. I have been chowing down on bread and wheat products, but there is no increase of blood. I'll wait a little longer and either run to the clinic and get her diaper checked or just wait for our doctor appointment. So, I guess our Lil' Peanut Butter is allergic to peanut butter.... how tragic!

As a side note, we went to church service and after wards a new member brunch with Grandma & Grandpa Wells. As usual, Sammie was such a "perfect" girl! Grandma was so impressed at how well behaved Sammie was for such a long time for a baby. We went passed her feeding time and missed a nap, but she just kept her cool and smiled at all the church ladies. She even fell asleep on Grandpa's shoulder during brunch, while Pastor Steve spoke. It was too sweet! Sammie just loves all the attention she can get!

Waiting on Mommy & Daddy to get dressed to go to church brunch

Drinking my sippy cup by myself!

Gas Explosion!

Around 6:00 this morning, Matt AND I both woke up to a loud sound.... Sammie had farted so loud it woke us (through the baby monitor)! Matt said that she probably pooped all over like yesterday morning's incident, so I jumped up to check  her and change her diaper. As usual, I keep the lights off except the blue night light. As I was feeling around her back to feel any poop, I called for Matt to come help me. He came in and striped the sheets and took them and her wrap to get washed. As I took off her jammies and her diaper, I noticed there was no massive poop. Just then I hear Matt say "So, funny story... there is no poop." Just a ginormous fart~ ha ha ha ha.... We are still laughing about it.

This afternoon, an old coworker/friend- Kristie and Chris- came to visit and meet Sammie. Sammie was a little fussy in between her flirty looks and smiles, but she was hungry and tired. She wouldn't take her nice long naps today. Kristie fed her a bottle and Sammie fell asleep in her arms. It was very sweet.

For dinner, we honored Mardi Gras. Matt made his famous family gumbo. As usual, Sammie helped him in the kitchen.  He told her the all the family secrets and everything!  And there's king cake for dessert. YUM!

Daddy and Sammie cooking

"Kiss Goodnight Sammie"

First Night Out

What a day! Mommy's been crazy today, not knowing what time she had to go in to work and rush, rush, rush all day! Her and Daddy went to dinner tonight to celebrate their 5th anniversary and I stayed home with Grandma and Grandpa. I was good for them. I couldn't go to sleep for them because they don't know the trick to put me to sleep. But once Mommy and Daddy got home, I was out like a light!

Oh Sammie~ Dinner was yum! It'll be my last good one out for a while. I ate whatever I wanted and even had a drink. Now, I'm back on a restrictive diet. Since Matt and I think it's more of a peanut allergy, I am going to cut the peanut products out. We'll do that for a couple weeks before cutting the gluten out, and then we'll see the doctor at the end of March.

Oh! This morning when I went in to get Sammie, I picked her up and I felt my arm was wet. She had pooped all through her jammies, wrap and sheets! I had to strip the sheets and mattress protector and throw them in the wash. I keep a water-proof pad between the sheet and mattress protector, but of course she had already wiggled down. No wonder she was so smiley!

Happy Anniversary, Mommy & Daddy

Today is Mommy and Daddy's 5 year anniversary. Daddy took me to the store to buy some flowers and a card. I love going in the store without being in my car seat!
Grandma said that she didn't see any blood in my poopie diaper today. I guess that's a good thing?

Working Backwards

Instead of taking things out of my diet to see if the blood stops, I thought it might be a bit easier to work it backwards, Dr Jatla said we should see more blood if I eat more of the culprit. So... I am going to eat more gluten to see if that gets a reaction. I had a few helpings of wheat chex (AKA "Matt Crack") last night and there were little bits of blood in her diaper today. I don't think it means much, but I guess I can continue to do so. Right?

Hi Mommy :)

Well... after the "Matt Crack" (wheat chex, peanut butter and chocolate) and a PB&J sandwich for lunch today, while I was strolling around Hobby Lobby, I couldn't help but notice this funny smell following me. I brought sleepy Sammie to the potty and she had pooped all over! When I got her diaper off, there was so much blood. Now we wonder... was it the wheat or the peanuts?! I confirmed everything with the nurse when she called and I can be gluten and/or peanut free when I am ready. Since we are going out to dinner (anniversary date) on Friday, I will begin this new diet Monday. We are getting a little closer to closing this case! OH! and the funny thing is... while I was changing her diaper at Hob Lob, she kept smiling... and when we got home, she kept talking and talking. I called my mom and she couldn't believe how much Sammie talks! Really... she is in NO PAIN. And that makes me feel happy!

Tickles with Daddy

No Germies

I called the GI doc today, impatiently awaiting the lab results. The nurse I spoke to was super nice. She said that the results came back negative for all the bacteria they tested for. Man, I haven't heard all those bacteria names since I was in Microbiology and tested them myself! She left the doctor a long message about what we should do next and that I will plan to eliminate gluten soon. I wish they could just blood test her and tell me what to stop eating! I feel like by the time we figure it out, she'll have outgrown it!

Sammie had so much fun in the bath tonight! Normally, she's reclined and just kicks her legs- we've discussed this before: how she likes to "swim". But tonight she sat up and splish-splashed with her arms, like she was swimming. She did a very good job! We'll do it again tomorrow. Also, I got to give Sammie her sippy cup of water. She really does like to take it and does it by herself. It's funny, because she paces herself and gives herself breaks in between big gulps :)

Happy Birthday, Noah~Today was Noah's first birthday. He celebrated it yesterday and we wished that we could have been there to celebrate it too. We are hoping so badly that they will visit in the summer... Annual Wells-Rogers style!

Sammie would not hold still for a pic and her bunny ears kept flapping around LOL