Gluten Free, is it the way to be?

Since I started to not feel well, the idea of going gluten free has fluttered around in my head. I have talked with a good friend about it, she has gone GF to see if it helps her own (scarily similar) symptoms. Right before I found out about the Graves', I was about to go GF to see if it would help. Of course, once I found out about the Graves', I figured all my symptoms, including the stomach issues, were related to it. I am now a month and a half into the medication and many of my symptoms have subsided or at the very least gotten better, except my stomach. I have read, as well as talked about with the friend mentioned above, that thyroid issues and gluten issues often go hand in hand. Today was day one, and not as bad as you might think. There are a lot of GF options - rice, potatoes, corn, plus all the flours made from non-wheat sources. And although I would rather have a potato than a piece of bread (ok, maybe not a piece of delicious sourdough bread), I will miss not being able to have a sandwich, or a bowl of cheerios. Or cake. Or pizza. Not that I eat those things often but when you can't have something, you want it even MORE! I am thankful that I have a friend who is going through it all and has already helped me in so many ways. She and I will just have to get some soy flour and make our own GF cake!

It WILL get easier!

Ok, so we have gotten to the point again where HMB goes down in his crib at bedtime without hysterics. I know, I know, sometimes he is passed out when I put him down, but he used to wake up no matter HOW passed out or tired he was. He even sleep for a good 3-4 hours before his first wake-up. And it's this wake-up when HMB realizes he is in bed, alone, in the dark...and cries! Last night, I was about to go to bed when he had said wake-up. But I didn't give in and you know what, I might have even drifted off before HMB went back to sleep. He woke up at least once, maybe twice, and each time I did not get him. My husband claims at one point he had to practically jump on me to keep me from getting up, but hey, whatever it takes, right?? We finally did get him at about 4:30am and you know what, I would TAKE sleeping from 7pm-4:30am if it meant sleeping in his crib the whole time! We can work on the last couple hours later!! Although this time, HMB did go back to sleep next to me until 7am. I'm hoping this is progress for us all and HMB will continue to get back to sleep on his own...and I will continue to resist the urge to scoop him up and get him back to sleep!

Lovebirds!

The first pic was taken when they were about 7 months old, the latter was when they one year.

Lots of firsts!

As much as I LOVE to focus on HMB's sleep challenges, I thought I would try something a little more positive! For one, HMB as gotten taller (sadly not chubbier) and he has been eating like a mad man (even with his picky tastes). He still likes baby food, which is fine, and drinks his milk up pretty well. But he would prefer to just eat goldfish and cheese, and really I don't blame him. And he said his first word, besides mama and da - BALL! He actually said it about a month ago when we were in Colorado. BA, BA, BA and he throws he ball. Balloons are balls, too, as HMB reminds me whenever we are in the grocery store. HMB also knows who he is, when I say, "Where's HMB?", he raises his hands over his head and laughs. He has learned his socks and shoes and can get them for you on demand (when he wants to). And one of the funniest things is that he copies animal sounds! We have an animal book and when I make the sound, he tries his hardest to imitate, it's hilarious!!! It's so amazing to see him learn so much and explore his world with wonder!

I am a liar

It's true. When people ask how HMB is sleeping or if I am having a conversation about his sleep habits I generally lie. I might say "Oh, he always goes to sleep in his crib but he wakes up a couple times throughout the night." First, he doesn't always go to sleep in the crib. Some nights he wakes up and screams before we even go to bed. And I will get him and lay with him on the futon couch (a futon that is pulled up into a little bitty couch in his room) and we will sleep the rest of he night on the couch. OK, you caught me again, not really sleep the rest of the night, sleep for a little while until HMB wakes up again and again, until about 5am when I try and decide if we are up for the day or not. He was doing better...for a little while. When I was in the hospital and my husband was alone with HMB, he just him cry it out. And then when I got home, I still had the radioactive iodine in my system so I wasn't allowed to snuggle with HMB for long periods of time so we had to let him cry in the middle of the night. Things were going well. Then HMB and I headed to CO and although grandma of HMB had a pack n play, she had no mattress so for the first few days, HMB slept in the bed with me. But he was actually SLEEPING! It was so nice! Then he got sick and it was miserable for us all! I prefer to not even count those days!! When we got back, HMB was still pretty good for awhile. He was going to bed well, crying for a few minutes then passing out. I was in bed with my husband, READING before I was to sleep! WHAT!? But it's been a slow and steady downward spiral. First it was 5am, then 2am, then 1am, then 12am...and now he doesn't to be in the crib at all. I have tried to put him in about 5 times tonight. I have tried when he is already asleep, half asleep, awake, I tried to give him another bottle to make sure I wasn't starving him. I want to stay strong and tell myself "I DO NOT want to sleep on the futon couch tonight!" But his cries are hard to handle!! It's my fault, I spoil him and now we both have to deal with it, or else I may never get a good night sleep again!

This post about me

Sorry grandmas, this post is about mommy of HMB, not really HMB! I have to get out some recent struggles and I might as well do it here, especially since I just read the blog of a high school. She is chronicallying her struggles trying to lose some weight. Jake was born on January 22, 2009. I signed up for a half marathon at the end of March, that didn't happen. I signed up another one May 10th and started training. I ran the half marathon, maintaining just under 10 minute mile and I felt tired at the end, but pretty damn good. And all the baby weight was gone (ok, I still had to fasten my pre-baby jeans with a rubber band but they fit).

Then it all started, first as really bad heartburn and difficulty swallowing. About a month later, my stomach issues started, as well as the high blood pressure. I wasn't running as much as I wanted to, mostly due to my mom visiting then vacationing in CA and eating LOTS of food! I did the army 10-miler and although I finished, my pace was almost TWO minutes slower than my run in May. So from August to October, I gained a few pounds. Fast forward 4 months and many symptoms later and I am finally given a diagnosis: Grave's disease, or a very hyperactive thyroid. I had been working out but not running nearly as much as I had in the past, when I would try to run, I would get tired so quickly and my breathing was labored. And I finally knew WHY! I had gained a few more pounds, even though people with HYPER thyroid usually lose weight despite being hungry and eating like a crazed teenager! But for me, even though my metabolism was racing, I wasn't running as much as I was used to and I was eating all the time. Then I start on the medication, while my symptoms got better, my belly grew! All in all, I was about 15 pounds heavier than I was before I got pregnant.

I can definitely put things into perspective and I am so happy that I know what is wrong with me and making the moves to get it taken care of. But that doesn't mean I have to like it! I dusted off the 30 Day Shred by Jillian Michaels and put it to the test. I might have gone a little two far, doing two of her workouts at once, come on - twice as much equals a 15 day shred, right? WRONG! It equals a crazy amount of lunges and busted knees! The knees healed after a few days and back to the shred I go, in addition to running, lifting, and other cardio. As my friends will tell you, I can get down with the best as far as working out, it's the eating that usually messes me up. And we're not talking about big macs and krispy kreme, either! I tend to overdose on triscuits and cottage cheese, cheerios, and natural peanut butter. But calories are calories, so I need to be careful! I am not aiming for pre-baby weight, but 10 pounds less wold be ideal. I will keep working at it and see what happens!

OK, I know HMB stories are much more exciting but I had to get it all out! As I blog, HMB is asleep in his crib, which is where he starts out...inevitably, he will wake up and scream! And I will get him, sometimes I remember, sometimes I don't, and sleep with him on the futon couch for the rest of the night. Needless to say, he is still a little HMB (but of course a freakin' cute HMB). I will keep working on that and also see what happens....

Are you kidding me?

The day started out like many (fabulous) others, HMB was a happy boy and even slept in his crib until 5am! He napped while I ran and took a mini nap later in the afternoon, wow! We headed to basketball and brought HMB along since we finally had a 7pm game (most are 8 or 9pm, too late for HMB). HMB ran around chasing balls shouting, "BA, BA". Then we had to pick him up because games were starting and he got pissed! My husband gave him some goldsish crackers and although he was crying, he tried to eat one and ended up inhaling it. He coughed, sputtered, and finally spit out orange fish bits. He was OK, just a little shaken. But he was also coughing...a lot. He coughed a lot through the night and through Wednesday. Wednesday night he went to sleep in his crib but I noticed that he was breathng fast and wheezing a little. Was a piece of the goldfish stuck in his lungs? What s just the aftermath of his cold? My husband reassured me and I went to sleep, until about 12am when HMB woke up and we tossed and turned together until 2am, finally going to sleep until 4:30am, then up again, me for the day, HMB finally went back to sleep for another couple hours. OK, still wheezing and breathing fast, something is wrong. We went to the doctor and HMB's oxygen was low, he got two breathing treatments and it went up. The doc suggested getting a nebulizer and also prescribed some steriods. As well as a chest x-ray just in case. $100 at the pharmacy and a nap later, we headed to the hospital for the x-ray. HMB was such a trooper through the waiting and the x-ray and the waiting! Finally, we found out the new, nope, the goldfish was NOT the culprit. PNEUMONIA! What??? Are you serious? Yes indeed! So the doc called in a prescription for antiobiotics and HMB's breathing is alread so much better. I just couldn't believe it! Fortunately, HMB has been in a pretty good mood throughout except that one night. Last night he did pretty well, waking up at 3am and going back to sleep (with me on the futon cough) until 6:30am. He is napping now and it's going on 3 hours, I think the antiobotics are kicking in!

I will assume I have loyal followers, and to all of you, I apologize for not posting in a LOOONG time! I ended up spending two awesome weeks visiting my family, most of which we didn't even leave Ft Collins proper!

First let me tell you that grandma of HMB has a boyfriend who loves to cook! It was like a Food Network show every night of the week! We had veggie fajitas with chile rellenos, lasagna with spinach and artichoke hearts and amazing fresh mozzarella...Needless to say, I was well fed. Thank goodness for the elliptical maching my mom recently bought and daily walks (sometimes in the snow). I hung out with my brothers, even going out to a college bar! Good times! HMB had a great time as well, except when he was SICK! Yep, HMB got sick a few days into the trip and he was MISERABLE! Cough, runny nose, fever, not sleeping, not sleeping, not going to anyone else but me! It was pretty bad!! We finally took him to the urgent care and he didn't have another ear infection, but he did have a crazy virus that all the kids were getting. I decided to stay a couple extra days, for two reasons: one being, I did not want to take even a remotely sick baby on a three hour flight by myself, and two, grandma of HMB had not been able to spend much quality time with a healthy HMB. So we stayed and HMB was happy and eating again, sleeping again, and playing with his grandma and uncles.

Finally it really was time to head home, we had a 7:30am flight and I was hoping HMB would pass out soon after take-off. But the nap he got on the way to the airport was fabulous and HMB was ready to PLAY! Fortunately, the flight wasn't full at all and HMB ran around the back of the plane, climbing on the seats and flirting with the flight attendants. He is so damn social, he started climbing on a stranger's leg! Good thing the stranger was a very nice grandpa who had just visiting his own grandchildren.

We were sad to leave grandma and all our other family, but it was nice to see my husband and get back into the groove of things here. Hopefully grandma of HMB will come visit us soon!!