My [mostly] well-child.

Monday morning, KayTar had her nutrition evaluation for the quarter. The nutritionist was mildly concerned that she hadn't gained an ounce in three months, but she said we could give it three more before starting Pediasure again. Today, we had a well-child check with the pediatrician and discovered she hasn't gained an ounce in 6 months. Although six months ago she was weighed in the minus clothes and today she was clothed, so she might have even lost just a tad. According to the pediatrician's measurements, she did gain a bit of height in the past six months (once they stop growing taller it becomes a real problem) but according to the nutritionist, she hasn't grown at all in three months. And so, either way, we begin Pediasure again. She will be going in for weight checks every two months for a while to keep a closer eye on things.

To make things more complicated, her eating has taken a hit recently. Yesterday it was only three stage 2 jars. 12 ounces of food, all day long. She's been making a habit of refusing all day, and finally accepting food around dinner. Some nights she will still take in her 5 jars for the day, but split between 4 evening hours. A few days ago, Josh called me from work and thought KayTar was having an episode because of the level of distress she was in when I answered his call. She wasn't having an episode. I had asked her if she wanted lunch. Only asked. I didn't pull out a jar of food and show it to her. I didn't make her sit in her eating spot. I didn't even have a spoon in my hand. I only mentioned it and she was in hysterics. I know she is two, and two year olds are nothing if not impetuous and predisposed to dramatic emotional outbursts, but methinks a simple "No." would have sufficed. Today, though, she has eaten two jars already, which is a relief. Two jars isn't much, only 8 ounces. But she took it and did so willingly, which is a nice change of pace.

I asked the pediatrician about switching from bottles to cups or straws, since KayTar is slowly becoming competent in drinking with them. She still struggles a good bit, but the skills are emerging. She said to leave things as they are. We all know KayTar is quite capable of going on strike from food and drink, and because she gains most of her calories through the bottle a switch could be detrimental, especially with her weight already a bit spotty. The "She will drink/eat when she is thirsty/hungry. She won't starve herself." line of thinking does not hold true with KayTar. She will indeed refuse to the point of weight loss and nutritional deficits.

She received four immunizations. We postponed her two year set in February, because she was ill at the time. Strep, I think it was. Today she finally received them. When we go back in two months for her weight check, she will also get her flu shot. The pediatrician doesn't want to risk her catching it this year, and neither do I. We already dance in that limbo between healthy and ill too often. With her nutrition and weight concerns, a little flu could seriously set us back. Or send us in for a little stay at Chez Hospital. We can live without that for a good while.

She's pooping well for a change. [poo talk, on a mommy blog, who would've thought] We were in a scary place a few weeks ago, involving the purchase of an child-sized enema. Thankfully with a few well-placed Miralax adjustments, we were able to work out the kinks and get things moving again without said-enema. When we go back in two months, we will also go in for GI x-rays, just to be sure things are really clearing out. The pediatrician said it takes a few months of good motility to clean out a clogged bowel. Hopefully, things will be nice and sparkly when we get it checked out.

We got the results from her spinal fluid tests. Normal. Everything is normal. Dr. H came in and said, "It's all normal, don't you hate that?" Because we DO hate it. We'd never wish for something to be wrong, but something IS wrong and we'd all like to know why. All these inconclusive tests are frustrating. There is a cause somewhere in her little body, we just can't seem to find it. Jury is still out on the EEG. I called the neurologist's secretary, but she said the report isn't in yet. So we wait.

In other news, the croup she had a few weeks ago never really went away, although it doesn't sound anything like croup anymore. She's been hacking and gagging at night for two weeks now, although her lungs sound clear. We've had quite a few late nights. We've discovered that the more tired she is when we tuck her in, the less coughing she does. The less coughing she does, the lower the odds are of her vomiting all over herself and her bed. KayTar seems to know this as well and is reluctant to go to sleep at anything resembling a normal bedtime. She's been up past midnight more than once this week. Things will go back to normal soon, we've done this enough times to know that for sure. A few late nights of partying with mom and dad don't do any long term bedtime damage, at least not in our house. Once she is feeling better, we'll go back to tucking her in at 9:30 and she will drift peacefully off to dreamland. But in the meantime my evening Me Time has taken a hit. She's been up until 12 and 1am, so I've been up until 1 and 2am to make up for it. I have to have a bit of concentrated adult time, even if I have to sacrifice sleep in order to get it. Life will return to normal soon enough, so we just have to wait it out and make due in the meantime. And waiting is what we do best, evidently.








PS: If you make it through this, you get a gold star. I didn't realize how long it was until I previewed it. Eeek.