oh, just about everything

Iris can...

• ba like a sheep
• roar like a lion
• indicate who she wants by saying "ma ma" or "da da" 
• sign: nurse, pick me up, all done, more, feed me
• she's actually starting to walk more
• make a "cheese" face when she smiles for the camera - although I've never captured it properly. It involves her scrunching up her eyes and nose, and opening mouth for a giant smile. 



Super Cheese Face: head kicked back, face scrunched up, mouth big.

• clap, keep rhythm on her legs, and shake eggs to rhythm
• get whatever she wants whenever she wants it
• not sleep through the night yet. =(

I actually went into her room the other night and gave her a pep talk. it went like this, "I know you like to wake up and cry and then nurse back to sleep, but we're gonna be all done with that. I'll come in here and hold you, but you can nurse in the daytime." It amazingly seemed to help and for the rest of that night, and last night she enjoyed snuggling instead of nursing. This has cut down our nighttime visits from hour long snoozes on the mattress in her room to 2 minute cuddles. We'll see if it helps.

Inspecting the bath tub

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Clark is pretty amazing. Almost 3 is a cool age, he's smart and remembers stuff, and makes things up.

The other day I said, "Clark tell me a story" This was his story.
"Once upon a time......
there was a bad guy....
and he stole our pig....
wait, he was a good guy......
there were two good guys.....
and they went in their car...."
(and he drives his car off of a cup onto the counter in a big downward swoop)
"and bbbrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr (engine noises) ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh (screaming noises)
down
the end"

he's very creative.

We are reading Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingels Wilder. We read a chapter a day. I'd like to get the activity book from the library and do an activity for each chapter. The first chapter was about killing the farm animals to have meat for winter, the second chapter is about killing wild animals to have food for winter. The third chapter is about cleaning Pa's gun. Then Christmas, then how boring Sundays are, then a story about 2 bear encounters.  I'm enjoying it.  I think Clark likes the cuddles best.

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Well, we definitely have a gluten problem of some sort, and I'm bringing the kids to a specialist tomorrow. I've been glutenating them for the past few weeks.

little Iris rash from "cross contamination" - things that said, "made in a facility that also processes wheat"

the following week after having many things that were contaminated, and a few bites of gluten

and now after having cake and donuts and croissants.

this is Clark.

this is Clark too. =(

They are pooping more frequently, and covered in rashes.  It stinks, but we are enjoying all sorts of previously terrifying foods like cake, croissants, and we went to Dunkin Donuts!  I hope we get some good samples for the testing. I'll keep you updated about any outcomes.

Tom and I are also feeling "foggy" and tired this week, almost like a hangover, and having more tummy troubles. Boo this stinks!  We are all looking forward to being gluten free again, and eating our healthy diet of vegetables, fruit and meat!

Iris, you're doing it wrong.

 Here are the cuties, Clark is being Precious and Iris is being Adorable - just as they are named.

I get what I want.