This past week, I think instead of going by the old saying, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it, we adhered to the, if it is broke, by golly, do something different.  

Case number one- Brayden

Brayden had been taking a long time to get to sleep at night–sometimes an hour.  He woke up before six in the morning nearly every day.  Nap times were often under an hour.  Independent playtime was like pulling teeth.  So, last week, we stopped naps.  This of course, is like a mother’s nightmare.  Nap time is more for US than it is for the kids, right?  So that I didn’t lose the down time in the afternoon, Brayden still has “quiet” time in his room.  He has a Superman nightlight that is set to go on after he has been in there for about an hour and a half.  He can play, color, use his Leapster, Tag reader, etc.  I think this is a struggle for him–entertaining himself for that long.  But it’s good for him, I have actually found that he seems better at playing by himself when he is not having his quiet time.  Lately, he’s been playing non-stop with his legos, which I totally love.  It reminds me of Brayden’s cousin, Riley, who loves legos and can play them ALL day long.

This past week, Brayden has been falling asleep nearly as soon as we put him to bed.  AND he has been sleeping until at least 6:30 a.m.  Thankfully, he doesn’t turn into a monster by dinner time.  I think it was the right choice.  

Case number two- Carter

If you have been reading my posts lately, I’m sure by now you know that we are going through a rough patch with Carter lately.  His lack of weight gain and his “diaper” problem (which we don’t need to describe in full detail because of how utterly gross it is) have been leaving us worried about his health.  

We have had Carter gluten-free since Friday morning, and already, there has been a huge difference in him.  Instead of going through about seven really bad diapers a day, he is down now to about two.  And they are much less gross.  AND, his diaper rash is completely cleared up, thank goodness.  We are still waiting for official results from the blood work.  But, I’d say that something seems to be headed in the right direction.  Oh, except for our bank account.  

This is what our pantry and fridge is starting to look like.  All this organic dairy-free, gluten-free stuff.  It’s really a whole new world for us.  While I thought that dairy products were in so many food items, I am blown away by what the word “gluten” encompasses.  Gluten is nearly in every kind of food there is, except for meat, fruits and vegetables.  I don’t really appreciate paying triple (or sometimes four times) what something would normally cost.  But if it’s for the health of my child, then I’ll do it.