Got Milk?

It has been somewhat difficult to make sure Owen gets the protein and fat he needs since I have quit nursing him. He has an allergy to the protein in cow's milk and can't have soy, so finding a milk for him has been a challenge. Until last week, we have used Rice Dream (lots of carbs, hardly any fat, and no protein) in things like his oatmeal and for a snack before bed. I became exhausted trying to put extra oil in his veggies and sneaking extra bites of chicken in, so we went to work researching other options. Goat milk sparked our interest, and as we researched, we learned that it does not contain casein (the most popular allergen) and is actually more similar to breast milk in composition. We went to the store and were so happy to find it at Publix right with the other milks. I have been adding it to his Rice Dream a little at a time praying that he will be able to digest it, and he seems to be doing well! Hopefully, he will continue to do well, and I can feel more confident that he is getting all his vital nutrients. We have joked about buying a goat since the stuff costs $3.50 for a quart. It is well worth it though for a healthy boy. Owen is now only walking. He is so funny to watch. He used to make up little obstacle courses for himself when he could crawl going around the room and under the tables, and now he walks around in his own little pattern all over the house. Lately it is: crawl into the rocking chair, up onto the bed, turn himself around, climb down (a new trick,) and walk around the bed to the chair to start over. It is hilarious. One big difference since he has been walking though is that he is never still. He used to stay in one spot for a decent period of time playing. Now, he is constantly walking, not really getting into anything, just walking in circles around the house. He is in the process of learning to duck under the highchair on his course downstairs. He has added back his morning nap and sleeps about 16 hours a day again. He is exhausted and his little legs are getting so strong.

Owen's favorite animal is an elephant and he loves to tell everybody what one says. The funny thing is, no matter what animal he sees, he makes the elephant sound! I think we have finally mastered the lion over the past couple of days. I think it is so neat to watch the boys' personalities develop. We never pushed an elephant on him, in fact I tried to get him to like ducks since those were Micah's favorite. Micah is keeping us entertained lately with his funny sayings. He is also becoming more and more loving toward Owen. Unfortunately, we went through a phase a couple of months ago where Micah wasn't that interested in him and wanted him to always leave or go to sleep. It came around the time Owen started crawling and staying awake with the family more. I know the oldest has to learn to cope with a new baby, and I think we just dealt with it a little later in the game. Micah never minded Owen much as a newborn (probably because Owen didn't require too much of our time,) but now Owen needs us more. We have been trying to teach Micah about kindness, encouraging one another, and selflessness. I have written out several note cards of Bible verses for us to memorize. The other night as Owen was walking all over the backyard (it was the first time he could really keep his balance in the yard) Micah said "Good job walking Owen!" very enthusiastically. Matt and I were thrilled to see the Holy Spirit working in Micah's little heart. We were so proud of our sweet little boy, and we could tell he was happy too. It is amazing how the Lord can work in a child so small. I think we often underestimate the power of God's word, but isn't that how he works in our hearts? Of course it is how He will work in our children's too. It makes all the hard work of teaching and praying worth it when you see the fruit in your child's life. I am so thankful God gives us glimpses of what He is doing to encourage us to keep it up.