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Pregnancy and Future Plans

I am sixteen weeks pregnant (and so thrilled!) and slowly climbing out of the nausea and fatigue. My hormones are crazy though and I can't find any girl names Paul and I agree on. Boy names have always been easy for us; just this afternoon I threw out a boy name and Paul really liked it. I also threw out probably twenty five girl names, none of which he remotely liked, not to mention I didn't half care for them either. There is one girl name I love and Paul sort of agreed on it last week but now he's not sure. Paul and I have always picked out our babies' names before the ultrasound so hopefully we'll be able to settle on something these next few weeks.

Most friends and family, including myself, think baby's a girl, but we shall see! Boy or girl, it doesn't matter. What is significant, though, is that this is our last one. It's a bittersweet feeling, but in a way very exciting. It feels like Paul and I have been changing diapers and raising toddlers our entire marriage, which we love (not really the diaper part so much), but now we are heading into a new phase in our lives - well, we will be in a few years. I know I'll miss having a baby on my hip, but it's bound to happen someday sooner or later.

Right now, my mind is busy trying to find a name, trying to get the boys enrolled in school and soccer, and figuring out the best place to keep the baby for the first year or so. We decided to enroll the boys in school this year because it's something Paul really wanted for them and also it will give me time to chase after Izaac and adjust to having a new baby. Homeschooling the boys would be stressful considering the circumstances. I know how much I can handle and homeschooling two kids plus chasing a one year old plus preparing for and caring for a newborn is not on the list! At first, Joel didn't want to go, but just the other day he said he's not afraid anymore; Elijah is ecstatic about it. That makes me feel great about sending them to the little country school that's 5 minutes down the road.

I've also been de-cluttering the house (inside and out) and it feels wonderful. Paul hauled off over a thousand pounds of trash and junk this week! Talk about an eye-opener! We have also had a garage sale and have taken two substantial loads to the salvation army. Everything that stays is going into a bin with a label or neatly into a closet or onto a shelf. I still have a long way to go but what has been done so far brings a sigh of relief.

Thinking Aloud

It's almost one hundred degrees outside and my baby has to wear footie pjs all. day. Either that or a onesie, tights, jeans, tennis shoes and a shirt. Otherwise he will scratch his little legs, feet, stomach and back until they're oozing, bleeding and infected. I never realized how much I loved dressing my oldest two boys in cute little outfits or shorts during the summer months; or how much I enjoyed seeing them run through the hose in a diaper. When Izaac was born I never imagined he would run through the sprinkler dressed head to toe. Honestly, it's heartbreaking. I feel so guilty somedays, especially when people offer well-meaning advice. It's hard for people to understand that his skin practically drinks creams and moisturizers, leaving him still with blotchy red, dry patches of skin from his sweet face to the bottom of his feet. I have tried gluten-free, dairy-free; I have used every cream on the market; he has had chiropractic care; I have attempted every possible solution but one.

I think this is the one that will make a difference. Izaac, I'm determined, WILL wear shorts this summer, and play in the hose in a bathing suit and will run around in a diaper. Because I'm hoping this issue will be resolved this summer. Through a series of events, some detective work as well as online research, I am convinced Izaac is allergic to detergents. Eliminating detergents from our home is what I believe will be the way we'll manage the eczema.

Here is information I stumbled upon written by a mom whose infant son's eczema, she discovered, was caused by detergent sensitivity, and it describes Izaac to a T.

Possible Signs of this Detergent Sensitivity:

The following signs are not necessarily unique to this sensitivity, but they may help identify it. Your baby/child may have a general detergent sensitivity if:

• He gets eczema all over, but you use disposable diapers and the diaper area is relatively clear of eczema.
  
• Her eczema changes noticeably, either for better or worse, following a bath or shower.
  
• His eczema sometimes seems to fluctuate wildly from day to day.
  
• Washing just with water can sometimes cause an outbreak.
  
• She gets particularly bad eczema on her cheeks or chin where she rests it on your shoulder or against your hair when you hold her.
  
• His pattern of eczema from foods is inconsistent or follows strange lines: he might seem allergic to cooked or canned foods but not to fresh ones, or he reacts more to cooked foods than to raw ones (if it’s a protein allergy, it should logically be the other way around).
  
• Her eczema is worse on exposed skin, especially as she crawls around during the day.
  
• Sweating makes the eczema markedly worse. Or the eczema is worse in areas that remain moist, such as behind the knees.
  
• He reacts to just about everything on the allergy skin tests, yet his blood tests show very few allergies. (We have not had allergy tests done on Izaac yet).
  
• Her eczema does seem related to what you are using to wash her or the laundry with, but switching products has maybe improved it but never made it go away.
  
• He seems to get eczema from just about everything he touches and eats.
• (Another one not mentioned on this list is that he has eczema everywhere but his diaper area, if using disposable diapers - which we are - because the diaper area doesn't come into contact with detergents).

I have ordered detergent-free laundry soap, cleaner, soap, shampoo, dish soap, dishwasher powder and hope to soon order lotion, toothpaste (I was amazed at what all has detergent in it!), deodorant and a good vacuum. There is a ton of work to be done (and a ton of laundry) to get our home detergent-free but if it changes anything for Izaac it will be worth it 100 times over!! No more tears, no more scratching fits or tearing through clothing or waking up at night! I have been praying for wisdom, and healing for Izaac and I believe this could be an answer.

Since I am having to wait for the soaps to come in the mail (there are no stores around here that sell them, to my knowledge), I am not able to go crazy ridding our house of detergents like I wanted to do today but as soon as they come, I'll let you know. And I'll definitely let you know when I see results.

This could be the end of a hard journey.

New Page

In case you're wondering, I am returning to the online journal, write-whenever-and-whatever-you-want type format. Maybe a broader range of topics will cause me write something instead of nothing more often. :)

A Prayer for Moms

"In the multitude of my anxieties within me,

Your comforts delight my soul."

Psalm 94:19

Father, I pray for each mother who reads

this today that she would be filled with Your

peace and sheltered in Your comfort.

Give her grace to have delight and joy in You

and in her children today.

Still the anxieties of her heart that she may

hear Your voice.

Tips and Tricks: Let's Play a Game

"Yes ma'am, I'd Be Happy To!" are words I never thought I'd hear (willingly) from my boys, ages six and four, but thanks to a tip in Michelle Duggar's book I now hear them regularly. In fact, a few times I even heard them at Wal-mart and received plenty of approving nods - quite a contrast from the usual looks I receive when all three boys are acting like ping-pong balls in the isles.

After reading about the "obedience game" in the book The Duggars: 20 and Counting!

, I called the boys into the living room, explained the rules and they, having mountains of energy, were ready for the challenge.

I said something like, "Joel, run as fast as you can down the hall and back, jump three times in front of the couch then tag my hand!" and in order for him to go he would have to say, "Yes ma'am, I'd be happy to!" then follow the directions. The boys liked the funny challenges and by the end of the game they got over the initial weirdness of saying "yes ma'am, I'd be happy to". At that point, to reinforce these newfound manners, I explained, "You will get a check mark every time you say yes ma'am today and at the end of the day I'll give you a penny for each one." At that moment it was game-on!

Over the next few days, they competed to see who could get the most marks, and used every opportunity to say "yes ma'am, I'd be happy to!". They earned over a dollar in pennies, and more than that, gained the ability to obey quickly, respectfully and with a joyful attitude. It also gave Paul and I the opportunity to teach them that immediately and happily is the way we must obey God; because God is good, good, good and very wise, and He knows how to lead us in such a way that keeps us close to Him, protected from satan's tricks.

Teaching our children obedience is far more than training them not to embarrass us in public, it's training them to walk with Christ. And how wonderful that there are simple ways, such as the obedience game, to teach them principles that will carry them through life's storms, one obedience at a time.

Mothers, He loves you

"The Lord Your God in your midst,

the Mighty One, will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing."

-Zephaniah 3:17