3 Candles on my Cake! 3 Wishes that I Make!

Unbelievably amazed at how much Holly has grown and learned in the past year! One morning, she pointed a flashlight at Anna, and remarked "Well, well. What do we have here?" Holly learns lighting fast and remembers everything. Even the Christmas parade from last year.

She does't have an appointment with the plastic surgeon for another 6 months, but all her scars are healing nicely. Most people don't even notice. Still having some milk allergy/lactose intolerance issues, but Zyrtec seems to make a big tremendous difference. (And if you are a parent of a newborn with a cleft, Holly can drink out of any ol' straw you give her! Hooray! Not that you'd think that is a big deal..but every success is Success Worth Celebrating!)

When I went to pick up her preschool pics, I was so overwhelmed at how far she has come. Grateful doesn't begin to describe it. Thank you for all your prayers for Holly Marie! And Thank you Jesus for blessing our family with a truly precious child!

The Baby Whisperer

Did you heard that Oprah had a guest on her show who was an expert in baby cries? Too bad that market is taken. After 8 weeks of Holly Marie crying and crying and crying, I too believe I am a Baby Whisperer.

Here is a little bit about what I have learned, in case you need a little baby whispering at your place:

1. It might be colic..it might be: Milk allergies/lactose intolerance take 3-5 days to show up. Symptons are rash, gas, distended belly, wheezing, gasping or choking on the bottle. And don't forget persistant diarrhea or constipation.
2. It might be colic..it might be: Reflux. One sign to look for is a small croupy sounding cough. In addition to other symptons like frequent or painful spit ups or vomiting. There are lots of good websites out there to help better understand this. This can take 2 weeks to show symptons.
3. It might be colic...it might be: time to change outfits. This is my favorite cry. How can a two month old know what she is wearing????
4. It might be colic...it might be: time to change a diaper. Duh.
5. It might be colic...it might be: time to blow her nose. Duh. This requires some coordination on your part, possibly the help of another person, one of those bulb syringes and maybe even infant nasal saline. Better ask your doctor about this.
6. It might be colic...it might be: a stray string wrapped around your baby's toe. This is another favorite. I remember my brother John crying for ever one night. Mom finally changed his clothes and discover The String! So check your sweeties feet, often.

If your child does show signs of milk allergy or lactose intolerance...well, welcome to the world of buffet bottles. With your doctors direction, you will have to begin the most important science experiement of your life: new formulas. Talk about needing a Baby Whisperer. But more on that later.

Try this website for some perspective on the situation. Holly Marie never got as bad as "Little Dude" but I can certainly relate.