Only eight months

It looks like my breastfeeding career is over. Evan has been on a nursing strike for more than a week now. It started because he caught the dreadful cold that swept through our household. He became congested and was not able to nurse. I think he couldn't breathe and it was such a horrible experience that he has since been agitated the minute I try to nurse him. I pumped for a week, and even went to rent a hospital pump yesterday. I figured I can ride this one out too. Then, today, this afternoon, after yet another dismal output, I decided to throw in the towel. Eight months (or seven months and three weeks some) is all the nursing Evan is going to get. Funnily enough, the last day he nursed was the Monday morning after Mother's Day. Zoe's last nurse was on Mother's Day morning. I'm going to have to work hard to get him the nutrition he needs. The boy's diapers have been awfully dry. He refuses to take any liquids from sippy cups. I'm forced to get liquid into him by mixing it with rice cereal or by feeding him sip by sip.

Like a Zoo

"Zoe, please clean up your toys before company arrives for dinner. We don't want this place to look like a zoo." I could tell immediately from her expression that she couldn't figure out why that was a bad thing. Next time I'll choose a different expression.

Allergies

It looks like Evan has allergies. Before we started him on solids, his skin was clear or just slightly blemished by eczema on most days. They flared up only when I ingest dairy or some derivative of cow's milk protein. Since he started on solids, the cheeks has been red and rashy. I haven't identified the exact culprit or culprits (allergic children tend to be allergic to many food), but we have very good reasons to think that Evan is allergic to wheat. So we have avoided wheat. But still the eczema persists. I have to start the sort of regiment I kept when Zoe had her eczema. i.e. I have to keep tract of everything that enters Evan and my mouth. Sigh. I was hoping it won't come to this. It was hard work with Zoe the last time. I'm glad it paid off. Zoe has mostly outgrown her food allergies. She is now only mildly allergic to walnuts and hazelnuts.

Evan's First Recognizable Word: PA!!

This morning, Evan uttered his first recognizable word. He looked at Dennis and called him "Pa!" It was an emphatic "Pa," said so while Dennis was changing his diaper. He made Dennis soooo proud and happy.