Resolution

We've done it...we have correctly diagnosed and fixed the problem quite a bit. Ok final verdict: Madeline has a severe milk protein allergy and acid reflux. We thought there could be something more to it than that because she started having black poop that looked like tar. The smell (rotten eggs) was/remains awful. But, after a trip to the doctor with several dirty diapers in hand, we concluded that she is not internally bleeding as initially suspected and the new formula is working wonders.

As I think I mentioned before, this formula is not cheap and is not sold in stores. You have to buy it from the company directly. Her peds stomach specialist gave us two cans and I immediately ordered 4 more from the company. Unfortunately, she used up the last bit of the free formula during her 10am feeding and her new formula, which was due to arrive today, didn't arrive until 3pm. She had to eat at 1pm, so I chose the lesser of the evils and gave her Nutramigen. Ugg...not 2 minutes after I fed her we were right back where we started, with her screaming and writing in pain. I was getting horrible flashbacks of a life I just left! I was finally starting to enjoy my sweet, happy daughter, when BOOM! Good news though, the formula made it in time for her 4pm feeding and although she was still showing some residule discomfort, by tomorrow it should be a distant memory. I suppose that this experience is just another form of proof that her diagnosis is correct.

So what have we been up to? Madeline is doing all sorts of trick. She can smile, laugh out loud, roll over from back to stomach and then do some challenging yoga poses, let us pull her into a sitting position (from lying on her back), grabbing her shirt, discovering her hand, and just being an all around cutie! And did I mention the talking! She is speaking in paragraphs. We cannot understand her, but she pretty much yaks all day long, especially to a particular toy on her swing. We call him her confidant. Ha!!

I would like to formally appologize that we will not be sending holiday cards out this year. I was planning to buy them when we took her to get her picture professionaly taken, but if you read this blog, you know how that went! It did turn out that she came down with the flu that night, but I just wasn't anxious to try again. So, I decided to skip it this year and try again next year. Sometimes, you just have to say enough is enough! We do of course, want to send warm wishes for a Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to all of our friends. We love and appreciate you.