iron deficiency anemia

that's what his pediatrician called me yesterday to tell me luke has :( luke went in for allergy testing last week (we thought he may be allergic to cats as he always comes back with little red rashy spots on his face after an afternoon at his grandmas - she has 2 cats) and while they found him to be free and clear of all allergies... he tested low in iron!

my baby boy has an iron deficiency!! fail as a mother! of course it's all my fault, right? because i made the choice to EBF, because i make all his food, because i don't give him commercial iron-fortified cereal.. because instead of said iron-fortified cereal, his first solids were avocado and butternut squash. IT'S ALL MY FAULT! that's exactly how i felt at 10pm last night, crazily researching the causes and long-term effects of IDA while sobbing because IT'S ALL MY FAULT! between sobs telling dh not to tell his sister because she would say, "see, i told you you should've started him with cereal!" big.fAt.FAIL! that's how i feel.

i talked to his pedi today, he helped relieve some of the guilt; homemade cereal is perfectly healthy but i should increase his solids intake from 2 to 3 times per day and make sure to include lots of iron-rich food like chicken, beef, and green veggies. i'm also adding wheat germ to 2 of his meals, he seems to love his food just fine (thank God!!). oh, and the pedi prescribed an iron supplement, because luke just LOVES taking supplements (insert sarcasm)! so great, twice per day, now, i have to fight with him to take his vitamins and iron, ugh. the iron actually makes him gag and spit up, it's horrible. i've tried adding it to food, he just refuses the food. ugh, here's hoping and praying that a month of lots of iron-rich foods increases his hemoglobin level.

here are some of the pics taken at the park last night, trying to get out of the house after a pretty rough day for both mommy and baby. the plan was to take his monthly pics outdoors this month (sure - after i've got my handy dandy seamless setup all ready to go ;) but i completely forgot to bring his 8 month sticker!!!

oh well, there are worse things in life. maybe another photo op will present itself within the next couple of days.

oh, and check out this crazy hair!!! luke has, like, 4" bangs! we desperately need to cut them but wahhhh, i'm in denial!

he's on to us... he knows to turn away when he sees the dropper

and then he promptly spit it out.. nasty iron!!

ahhh! all better!

my attempt at b&w conversion... still learning and struggling!

Luke's First Cold

my poor baby boy woke up this morning with watery-runny eyes, a runny nose, coughing and sneezing. really?! ALL the symptoms?! hubbs called a few hours later and asked, "do you think he's getting sick?" lol, so i guess i'm not the only one in denial.

yep, Luke has his first cold. his mouth has been permanently open since he woke up, because he can't breathe through his nose. i've suctioned his nose at least 4-5 times already and it really doesn't seem like it's helping at all (and poor Luke cries every time he sees the aspirator).

i was still able to get him to laugh this morning, though it was a very sad laugh :( i stopped trying after i saw how much energy it took out of him to give me that half-laugh. and of course, since i find every opportunity possible to exploit my baby with a photo, here are a few of him taken this morning.. after i cleaned his face and suctioned his nose (you can see his nose is just a facet).

achoo!

and here's a b&w because i love the little expression on his face

"mommy! put the camera down and clean my nose!"

I'm Sick... but Luke got new toys today...

hubbs took the day off of work so he could stay home with Luke while i got some much needed rest. last night I felt like i was coming down with the flu, my body was all chilly and achey. this morning i woke up and was feeling worse so, with exception of feeding Luke (i EBF), i couldn't take care of my son :( all 20 lbs of him felt like 100! my arms ached like i had just lifted weights for 4 hrs.

i got an email from walmart that Luke's highchair came in so while Luke was napping, the hubbs ran out to get it (i think he was just as excited as i was).

sick as i was, i managed to run to the door when i heard the doorbell ring. the UPS man, my favorite visitor :) one of the two carseats we ordered came in today (see carseat post below.. we decided to purchase both the britax boulevard and sunshine kids radian to compare them). again, i do believe the hubbs was just as excited as i was, maybe more even, that he got to be home to put together two new toys for Luke. it's so much fun having a baby!!! oh - and not certain about the carseat... i asked hubbs, "so, is the carseat ready to be tried out?" his reply, "uh, i think so?!" well i don't think so! not until he can say that again with more certainty this time :/

so here's Luke in his highchair, doesn't he look like he's having so much fun?! it's going to be so nice to sit him at the table with us, getting him closer to be ready for solids, yay!