Happy 5th Birthday Lindsey Lu!

Thank you for being who you are! You are loved and cherished. Happy Birthday!

Confession

I still nurse Allyson (20 months old). I know I know, you don't have to say it out loud because I have heard it already. "You still do that?" I wish I could proudly proclaim yes, but instead I am embarrassed. I've seen the raised eyebrows and the disaproving grimaces. (Even from the nurse at our doctors office.) We don't even breastfeed in public, it's a quiet time shared at home, and I usually don't discuss it unless asked. Yet, I am writing this to get it out in the open. I am sick of feeling this way.

Sweet Allyson is struggling to gain weight. In fact, she recently had an endoscopy to confirm a diagnosis of Celiac disease. But instead of an answer, we have questions. (She has many of the "markers" but she doesn't have Celiac.) Why is she anemic? Why isn't she gaining weight? Why is she low in a particiular anit-body?

So for now, we are back on a dairy free diet. Hopefully she will improve, but until then I will breastfeed her. It's my insurance policy, and it's her comfort, as well as extra fat and calories. I feel better now, I just hope that my sweet girl does too.