What to do...

So it's been a few weeks, I still have hives. Not only do I still have hives, I'm starting to get them places I haven't had them for months, like the bottoms of my feet and my scalp (along with all the usual everywhere else places.) When the hives first started 14 months ago it was on the palms of my hands and the bottom of my feet, let me tell you it feels like you're walking on bone when you have hives on your feet. Now that I'm facing a miserable hive-y existence that my OBGYN says he doesn't believe is related to breastfeeding but rather that "giving birth" changed my chemical structure yada yada in such a way that I'm now allergic to something I wasn't previously, I'm a little dismayed. If you Google chronic hives, those people are not happy people... in fact most have had it as there is not much to be done. So, my Dr. told me to see an allergist. I will, then I'll let you know what said allergist says.

This last weekend was eventful. We found that we have birds in the attic, with lots of babies just chirp chirp chirping in there. They are actually in the house exhaust fan tube. Adam was unable to get to them this weekend (couldn't quite reach the nest,) so Gar won't be getting his ladder back until next weekend.

Adam was hard at work in the backyard getting the last corner weeded, he put down landscape fabric and a drip line. He also planted a dwarf japanese maple for me. Now I just need to figure out what else I want to plant back there and put down some bark-a-mulch. I'll post a picture soon.

Bittersweet

Christopher is growing so fast. I suppose he would now be classified as a toddler, being as that's what he spends most of his time doing, toddling around. He's using signs, talking, eating more and a larger variety of foods. He's still in 9-12 month clothing and only has his bottom two teeth, but he doesn't let his size slow him down or his lack of chompers stop him from eating anything.

We reached a bittersweet milestone however. I took a weekend hiatus to prepare for a week long one coming in July and I decided if Christopher did well with Adam over the weekend and didn't seem to miss nursing much than I would wean him. We were down to one session a day as it was, nursing just when he woke up in the morning at 6 a.m. or so. I've had awful hives the entire time I've nursed, they started as soon as my milk came in and have not gone away. After consulting with 3 doctors or so we've come to the conclusion that I'm allergic to the hormone breastfeeding produces. I enjoy the half hour or so in the morning when he's just cuddling with me and was a little worried I'd have a hard time giving it up. I was pretty sure Christopher would be ok, he's never been "boob crazy," tugging at shirts or demanding it, it was really just food to him and not so much of a comfort thing.

Well, he did great with Adam and took to getting whole organic milk instead of breastmilk just great. I wasn't having any engorgement issues and was doing well with the transition emotionally, so we weaned him. I'm proud to say I nursed him for 14 months. I know many moms who didn't choose to continue it that long and I know many who, had they had the hives I have would certainly not have gone as long. So, I pat myself on the back for a job well done. It's been a week, I still have hives. I'm hoping they will go away, if they haven't within a month which I believe should be enough time for the hormones causing them to subside, then I will have to consult a specialist and maybe go get some allergy testing done. They truly do make me miserable and I can't see having them for much longer being as I've put up with them so long already.