My Primal Nest: One Year Old! (Plus a few months)

It has been FOREVER! Adrian is now 15 months old. He had a wonderful first birthday and has grown so much. He is walking, talking and into everything! I started a few grains when he turned one. He had a rice flour birthday cake and we tried some rice flour crackers but he was not too keen on them. I recently started oatmeal with flax and he loves it. We're still attempting to stay gluten free though he has gotten into a few things (unattended goldfish crackers and a pizza crust) which did not sit well on his tummy.

It's also looking like Adrian is lactose intolerant. After we started milk when he turned one, he started having almost constant diarrhea. I eliminated the milk but kept giving him other dairy and for a while he did ok, but then it started up again. Horrible diarrhea and nasty diaper rash that would show up almost immediately. I've been attempting to eliminate dairy but he will get the occasional ice cream or sour cream on his taco which have the same results. We had this 15 month check up yesterday and were advised to remove all dairy for 2 months, reintroduce it and see if the symptoms come back. For now he is drinking goat's milk and almond milk and we'll see how he does. Tonight he will be celebrating Daddy's birthday with some coconut milk ice cream! He is also still nursing 1-2 times a day so he's getting that as well. I do think he'll probably wean soon though as we sometimes skip a feeding and he doesn't seem to notice. He does still like to comfort nurse when he is tired or sick or if he has a booboo.

We had a great Thanksgiving and I made my paleo stuffs and they came out really well. Adrian had more than 2 helpings and especially loved the almond flour cornbread! He wasn't too big on the cranberry sauce (nor was the rest of the family). I think I needed more sweetener. He did love the pumpkin pie and so did I but Daddy wasn't thrilled.

Almond Flour "Cornbread"

Homemade Cranberry Sauce sweetened with Stevia

Deviled Eggs

Paleo Pumpkin Pie with Walnut Crust

Turkey with Herbes de Provence and Citrus

Paleo Thanksgiving!

Earlier this month, the kids had a nice surprise. Grandma Ginny came to visit! We kept her visit a secret from Diana and Aidan and surprised them at school. We had a really good visit and the kids really enjoyed spending time with Grandma Ginny. She has also been eating Paleo for about 8 months now and has lost over 50lb. In addition to that, her asthma symptoms have completely disappeared since she eliminated grains!

Yesterday, Adrian weighed in at 27lb12oz fully clothed in a questionable diaper, so probably a few oz less and 31 inches, though I'm doubting that measurement as well as he was screaming and wiggling the whole time. He is otherwise healthy and had 5 shots :( .

Trying out the potty.

Cloth diapering is still going well and our original 99 cent China diapers have bit the dust after 8 months, which I think was well worth the money. I started using Alva Baby diapers a few months ago and I love them! They have adorable prints, are bigger and have side snaps that prevent wing droopage. Also they are about $6 a diaper on Ebay, much cheaper than the big name brands. Adrian has started taking off his diaper and bringing us a new one when he needs a change so I went ahead and introduced the potty. I'm not pushing it, but wanted to get him used to it. I've always heard cloth diapered babies potty train faster because they don't like the feeling of being wet.

Love Alva Baby Diapers!

I've just finished up the semester for school (I'm taking pre-requisites for nursing). I ended up with 3 A's and B which is pretty cool. I now only need 4 more classes before I can take the rankings tests to start nursing. I was expecting to be able to take all 4 in one semester and then jump in but it looks like it won't be that easy. I need Anatomy and Physiology I & II which can't be taken together, Microbiology and Pharmacology which can't be taken until until I have completed A&P I & II so it's going to take a good bit longer than I had planned. These classes have to be taken in person so Adrian will have to go to daycare a couple times a week. I am worried about this as I don't know if cloth diapers will be allowed and I am very concerned about what they will feed him. The plan is to feed him before I drop him off (class is 11:30-1:40) and pack him snacks but I'm scared they'll feed him cookies and junk.

The stomach flu has been going around the Herschede household and as in the past, I cannot highly enough sing the praises of Vitamin D3. When Matt started getting sick I started Stoss's Protocol of 500 IUxlb of body weight for 3 days. http://drbganimalpharm.blogspot.com/2009/03/vitamin-d-natures-antibiotic-20-50k-iu.html I also started giving the kids gummies and put liquid D3 in Adrian's drink. Aidan and I both had a low grade fever for a night and I had chills but by the next day we were all fine. I have found a brand I really like. NOW brand liquid Vitamin D3. It is flavorless, contains just Vitamin D3 and MCT oil (an added bonus) and I got it for around $5 on Amazon. Sundown naturals is also great if you don't mind the orange flavor.