$28 vs $6...ill take it

A few months after Koen was born I noticed that he often had red cheeks. I didnt pay much attention to it and just figured it was because he has fair skin and it was cold out. Well the months got hotter and the redness went away but then he started getting bumps on his face. I thought it was just a heat rash or maybe I needed to wash his sheets more frequently. I took him to his 9month check up and mentioned it to the doctor. He said it was Keratosis Pilaris and he suggested Retin-A for his skin. I about died. I asked if that stuff was safe for children and he said yes. He told him I could put some lotion(s) on it as well. So I went home and started looking into it and asking questions. From what I found out there is a good chance the rash is due to an allergy, most likely dairy or wheat :(. I knew I couldnt take him back to the doctor because they dont know much about allergies and nutrition. So I decided on a natural approach and took him to a naturopath. This lady had a wealth of info on what I could give my kids when they get sick, what vitamins to give them etc. It was a lot of great info. So she told me I could try to eliminate dairy or wheat. He hasnt been interested in his formula and I was about to get him off formula and put him on regular milk, so I decided to eliminate dairy. She suggested I put him on coconut milk along vitamins/minerals and fatty acids that I mix in.

So we are on day 2 of no dairy and Im struggling with coming up with meal ideas. I never realized how many things have dairy in them! So we are trying this for 3 weeks and if the rash doesnt get better we will go to plan b. His formula was costing us $28 a week so I am exstatic to no longer be using formula. Coconut milk is more expensive than regular milk but way cheaper than formula. I would love to say we are now saving money since we arent buying formula but the money we were using for formula is now going to the cost of the monthly visits to the naturopath :) Im also excited to get rid of the bottles...one step at a time :)

2 years

I cant believe my baby is 2 years old!! Time has truly flown by. Zane is a hilarious kid and he doesnt forget a thing! He is very smart and has a great sense of humor. He talks like crazy and can say 4-5 word sentences on a regular basis. He loves is obsessed with cars, trucks and tractors. If it has wheels...he wants it. He loves McQueen and friends. We took him to see the movie when it came out and he never gets sick of McQueen or Mater. He can sing his ABCs and count to 7. He just started singing twinkle twinkle little star too! He loves to dance and "go crazy" like they do on Yo Gabba Gabba. He is a good kid and of course like to test him limits and my patience. The joys of a 2 year old. He loves to play with Koen although we are still working on being gentle. Zane is a solid kid and his version of gentle/soft and is so gentle. He keeps me on my toes and makes me smile every day :)

Weight 34.6 lbs - 97%
Length 36 in - 90%  He can ride the kiddy rides at the fair this year...wahoo!!

9 months

Koen is so much fun! He has an infectious smile and loves to laugh. He is a happy baby and is very chill. He cruises all along furniture and is starting to get brave enough to move from one couch to the next. I think he will be walking before we know it. He loves to play with Zane and loves music. He likes to clap and wave bye bye. He kicks his legs like crazy and reaches for the back door when he wants outside. He loves it out there no matter how hot it is! He thoroughly enjoys hose water and often chokes on it because he loves it so much. This kid eats just about anything. Hes not a fan of bananas but loves banana bread and zucchini bread. Now that he is eating more table foods he isnt a big fan of his bottles and Im lucky if I can get him to drink 20oz a day. He sleeps through the night...which I LOVE!!! He sleeps about 11 hours a night...yeah and yeah! Here are his stats

Weight 21.75
Length 29
Head 18 1/4

They didnt write down his % so Im thinking hes somewhere in the 80-85%, just a guess :)