They Couldn't Be More Different....

This already happy baby is even happier when eating:


Mmmmm....Carrots!!!





This one would rather sleep then eat:


Actually, she really is just THAT stubborn.

She was not going to eat the last bite that we asked her to eat. Even if it meant being there all night. She fell asleep waiting us out.

Drumroll Please.....

Gracie is allergic to:







milk.....









and peanuts......







no soy!!!!!!
Which means I can wean. No more stupid pump!!!! (Unless we have another, and that one cannot nurse either) I can give her soy formula when she's out of breastmilk. Yay!!!!! I wish nursing would have worked out with her, but I'm going to be so happy to have my body back and not have to pump anymore!!!

Alana at the Children's Hands On Museum

She had so much fun!!!!

Double Ugh.

I have gotten really sick of pumping. A half broken pump and two cases of mastitis made an already terrible process into a grueling one. I decided that I was going to quit. I got down to just pumping twice a day. Last Saturday, Mom, Gracie, Lizzie, and I were out and about and stopped off at Shipwreck Beads (Alana was with her other Grandma). I had decided to pack formula and a bottle because I didn't have any freshly pumped milk to take along. I figured Gracie would have to have it sooner or later anyways (she has been eating what I am still pumping and the surplus that I had pumped that is in the freezer). While Mom was in line to pay, I went out to the car to feed Gracie the formula. She chugged down almost all four ounces before I had a chance to even burp her. As I pulled the bottle away from her face, I realized that she had horrible welted hives on her chin. "Great," I thought. "I'm going to have to keep an eye on that, we might have to get her to the hospital....." No sooner did I think that then she began vomiting foamy formula all over the place. Okay, we definitely need to get her to the hospital now. Mom was coming out of the store just as I was taking over her clothes and saw that she was covered in hives, and her breathing started getting raspy....We tried to drive to the hospital, but Gracie was vomiting too much to put her into her car seat. We had to pull over and let the medics come and get us. They gave her a shot of Benadryl, and took her to the hospital to be monitored. Luckily, she didn't need an epi shot. "Probably an allergic reaction to the milk in the formula," they said. "Continue breastfeeding, and get her to the pediatrician first thing Monday morning." Okay. Went to pediatrician on Monday. She said to continue breastfeeding until one year of age. I asked her about soy formula. She said that most children who are allergic to milk are allergic to soy as well. I took her to the lab for allergy testing, and I'm still waiting to hear what all she is allergic to. If she is allergic to soy as well it means that not only do I have to continue pumping (I so do not want to), but I have to cut out milk and soy from my diet as well. Along with anything else she might be allergic to. Double Ugh. I'm chomping at the bit for the call...

Hope Everyone Had a Wonderful Easter!

Gracie was dedicated yesterday-here are some of the pictures...Alana did an Easter egg hunt, but I forgot to take still pictures since I was video taping. Here are the eggs she collected though! We had to move the hunt inside, because the weather was horribly rainy and windy all day. Seems like it's like that every Easter around here. Max gets back from the island today, so we waited on the Easter ham for him to get home. I'll be making that tonight. Yesterday I made stroganoff instead (a family favorite). All in all, it was a very quiet holiday, except for Alana being wired on candy of course (she very rarely gets candy). I hope everyone enjoyed their Easter!

Gracie Lynn

Gracie had her 4 month check up the other day. She weighs 11 pounds 14 ounces, and is 23 1/2 inches long (the 13th and 20th percentiles respectively). She is such an observant baby, always wanting to be seeing what you're doing. If you're reading, she leans over so she can see too. If you're eating, she watches intently. The doctor suggested that she might be ready to start on some cereal, so we gave it a try, and she did remarkably well. Alana did much worse after several attempts at 5 1/2 months.
I believe she is cutting her first tooth. Her fingers are always in her mouth, she is constantly drooling, and she's congested...but I've been wrong before.
I got some stretchy purple fabric for a wrap to ease the arm pain from constantly carrying her because she is such a mamma's girl. I'll have to get a picture of her in it to show you. It's so much more comfortable then the carriers you buy. http://www.mamatoto.org/ has instructions on how to make wraps, and how to use them. I love mine.

It will never cease to amaze me....

...On what grown men will sulk about. I like football. I think that Brett Favre was an amazing quarterback, probably one of the best of all time. I admire his devotion to his team and his game. He retired today. I think he deserves it, and good for him.
My husband, on the other hand, has been sulking around all day long. He woke me up this morning with the annoucement. Knowing what a serious matter this would be to him, I clutched him to my chest while he wimpered for a good 5 minutes. I thought this would be the end of the matter. I thought wrong. He acts like his best friend just died. Now, you say, he must be just goofing around. No. He is serious. Everyone around him knows he's serious. So serious, in fact, that it is incrediably comical. All you can do is laugh, to the point of tears, while he explains to you that he has been watching the man since he was nine. Since he was nine!! He has been playing for 17 seasons he says, and played 258 consecutive games....consecutive games!!!! He played hurt, broken bones it didn't matter. When his father died, he played in a game the day later, and played his heart out. Why don't you understand?!?!?!? My husband, who doesn't even have his daughter's names tattooed on him now insists that he must have Brett Favre's jersey tattooed on his back. He has been playing Madden 2007 all day with the screen frozen on Brett's face while Chris Daughtrey's "It's not over" is playing on the X-box. All day long. He caught part of sports center, where Brett was explaining his retirement over a voice message. I tried to turn it off, and he screeched, I just want to hear his voice!!!!!! Apparently, March 4 will always be Brett Favre day in our household. We will mourn the loss. If we ever have a son his name will most certainly be Brett Favre Rheinhardt.