Happy New Year!

Happy New Year All!

The last several years, Mike and I have always attended New Year's Eve parties with friends. This year, we were HOME! While a little boring, it was nice! I think we're still reeling from the wild schedule of December and we're still trying to get re-fueled. In any case, it was great to have a relaxing evening. The boys were elsewhere, so it was just us and the girls. :)

And on to 2009!! So much to look forward to!!

And since I haven't updated since Monday, yes.........Jennica came out of her "bad mood" at her occupational therapy appointment, as we knew somehow that she would. While we had attempted to mimic the OT exercises here at home in an effort to snap her out of it, I'm having to swallow my pride and admit that there IS a reason that our OT is an OT........she's FAR superior in recognizing the neuro-systems needs for specific types of sensory input and applying them. Even she was somewhat amazed at the level to which Jen brought to the trapeze bar on Monday! She swung on it back and forth some.........but what her brain really seemed to demand was the SPINNING! The trapeze is rigged on a swivel of sorts, and Jen really ripped it and spun and spun and spun. And then she tipped her head back and closed her eyes. Spinning like this with your eyes shut is the #1 most intense vestibular input, and Jen just smiled and soaked it all in. Fascinating to watch! She also participated in a variety of other therapy activities, and her mood improved continuously throughout the rest of the day. I know.........I don't totally "get it" either, but I'm learning!!

Also, one interesting sidenote........The little beast was in her very worst form on Monday morning. Breakfast has been our most difficult meal on the gluten-free/casein-free diet. She has refused virtually every form of breakfast we had come up with. All she wants is bagels or oatmeal which, of course, are both full of gluten. And, no, she flatly WILL NOT eat the gluten-free form of either. BLUK, is her response. So...........Monday morning, I had reached the end of my rope. She was HUNGRY, refusing food, and getting nastier by the minute. So.....I said "To heck with it!" and pulled out the apple-cinnamon oatmeal. She chowed two bowls of it, plus a banana, and an orange. This was the first blatantly gluten-filled food she had eaten in almost 30 days. Two hours later, we got out of the suburban at our therapy appointment, and her face is BEET RED.......a sign of a gluten reaction! We walked in the door and our OT took one look at her and said, "WOW! What did she have to eat this morning? She's in a full gluten reaction!" Confirmation of what I had already noticed. So..........I guess this is positive reinforcement that she needs to remain off the gluten! Obviously, the kid DOES have problems with gluten! Its just fascinating to me that less than 30 days of being on a gluten-free diet.......and she would react so quickly and strongly!?!? WOW! She showed other physical signs of reaction also, but less blatant to the outside world. She has been, once again, gluten-free since Monday and we now have the proof that she NEEDS to remain so. Once again........I'm learning! :)

Happy New Year!