2015 was a big year for us. Here are some of the biggest and best moments in photos. There have been, of course, many little moments (good, bad, and ugly) throughout the year, some blogged and Instagrammed, others simply tucked away as memories.
Trevor's interview and acceptance to the U of MN School of Dentistry.
It's a Boy! Niko was born. I highly recommend waiting until birth to find out the sex ;)
Trevor graduated Cum Laude with a BS in Biology-Biomedical Sciences with a Chemistry Minor.
Made it through three weeks without Trevor while keeping our house spotless for showings.
They missed Daddy
Sold our first house and moved closer to MSP. I've been able to maintain my part time job despite the move.
Trevor started dental school.
Trevor's view from Moos Tower.
Myra and Niko started a new school, too.
Trevor's White Coat Ceremony, his formal welcome into the medical community.
Myra passed all her food challenges and we could declare she outgrew FPIES! (More info on FPIES tab at the top of this page)
One semester of dental school in the books, thoroughly enjoying Trevor's brief break!
Go Gophers!
Break from school, yes. Break from studying, never!
Putting all these photos together really puts the year in perspective. All the long days, sleepless nights, cooking, cleaning, packing, unpacking...we accomplished a LOT this year. Just a few years ago, I can remember some years that seemed very different with a miscarriage and Trevor leaving for a deployment. We've lost grandparents, good friends, and watched friends say goodbye to their children. We have learned a lot and accomplished a lot, too, and here we are years later, finally chipping away at the big long term goals, no more baby steps and unknowns (will our house sell? will Trevor get into a dental school? where? will we have to move across the country? will our baby be healthy? boy or girl? will Myra outgrow her allergies? will Niko have FPIES, too?) to get there, we're here. Looking at how far we've come in a year is a nice reminder to not wish these difficult years away. I think we do pretty well with not doing that, but it can be challenging (we're broke college kids again LOL). Kids grow up fast, first homes get sold, your number one choice of a dental school asks you to be a part of their program and...poof! onto the next year.
Thank you all for being a part of our lives, for supporting us, and for reading along. However sporadic these posts may be, they're fun to write and even more fun to look back on. It's been almost four years of blogging and I'm so glad I've kept it up!
We are excited to see what 2016 has in store, a little less of the BIG big stuff would be fine. Sometimes boring is good. Happy New Year, everyone!
As many of you are aware, it's taken me a long time to write this post. The video above is from November 23, 2015 when Myra passed her final food challenge (a retrial of a food that had previously caused a reaction-in this case, avocado). It's just that I don't even know what to say. For almost 3 years, our lives revolved around FPIES and special diets, first mine (for Myra's breast milk as proteins do pass through to breast milk) then Myra's. You guys, kids eat a lot...like five times a day, if not constantly. And for us, basically all of that food had to be separately prepared. No restaurants, no potlucks, no friends hosting meals...I mean, those things happened, but always with our own food prepared ahead of time for Myra. Her health and all of our sleep and sanity depended on it, don't get me wrong it was well worth it, but now that's all just done. No more FPIES! I got her a kids variety basket at Joe's Crab Shack a few weeks ago and didn't even read what all came with it.
Of course, we've gotten off to a great start of feeding Myra, and now Niko (who shows no signs of FPIES at all) nutrient rich foods like quinoa, spinach, and squash. Myra is used to hearing no, and doesn't really argue if I tell her she can't have something. It hasn't been all bad-I know a lot about nutrition now! She's still a toddler who wants what she wants even if it's the same thing she's had for the last two weeks (and two years!).
I have to thank everyone who has been mindful of Myra's FPIES and special diet over the years. It really means a lot when people remember, ask, leave labels out, and especially prepare things so that she could be included, too. It's not easy, trust me I know, but it hasn't gone unnoticed.
I also have to thank the wonderful people I've met along the way. Thanks to medical professionals and the world wide web, I've crossed paths with some great people who have understood our struggle and shared their wealth of knowledge and that has been such a blessing.
People have been asking me if it's weird just feeding her whatever now. Somewhat, yes. But we've been so hopeful and optimistic this day would come, it's like we shut the door on FPIES as hard as we could when it was time. But yes, it's weird and great and exciting and relieving and...you name it. We ditched her MedicAlert FPIES bracelet and got her a new bracelet with our phone numbers on it since she really did like her jewelry. And that, my friends, is a wrap. For the FPIES/allergy families who are following along or will read this sometime in the future, please don't hesitate to contact me! I am happy to share our experience, offer insight, or listen to venting at any time. I mean it!
I missed a nine month post, Niko turned 10 months on December 11, and I am already procrastinating this one in the name of waiting until I "really have time to sit down and write it." #thingsthatwillneverhappen So, here goes a speed post. Photos first because I accidentally did it that way and I'm too lazy to redo it.
So proud of himself
Pulling up in the crib that has since been lowered
Children's Museum
Children's Museum
He crosses his fingers while sucking his thumb
Chili
We all got slammed with a nasty cold
Sick baby
Spaghetti
Niko now has four teeth with a fifth on the way. He is completely mobile now, does this dolphin kick/worm thing to get around, though he can actually crawl, too. He is pulling up on anything and everything and we finally lowered his crib more so he can't flip himself out of it. We're making good progress with solid foods, he loves pizza, spaghetti, yogurt, and any of the melty baby treats (puffs and the like). No concerns about FPIES or allergies, though we haven't given him peanuts yet (no specific reason, just hasn't happened, maybe tomorrow!). He's starting to figure out sippy cups and straw cups, but they're mostly fun to bang around. "Dada" was first, but "Mama" is his new favorite. He dolphin kicks his way to me and climbs on me while repeating "MAMAMAMAMAMA." I haven't weighed him, but maybe I will tomorrow and edit this for posterity. At his 9 month check up, he was 21.5 pounds (80%ile) and 28.8 inches (70%ile)...with a 18.5 inch head (93.5%ile). As amazing as my memory is, no, I did not remember that. I just looked it up on our clinic portal. He's in 18 month clothes, some 24 month, and growing quickly. Still the happiest baby ever, Niko is a big, jolly fella who smiles with his whole face. The ladies who watch Niko at Myra's school during her class know when he's ready for a nap because he simply stops smiling so much.
Niko usually thinks Myra is great. She likes to stretch him and roll him over, neither of which he actually needs assistance doing. They make each other laugh and she's a little protective of "her" things, but very good about giving him something else instead so he doesn't usually mind. Rowdy is getting a lot more attention from Niko these days, now that he can follow him around.
I'm sure I could add plenty more, but this will have to do!
