in lieu of dairy, i shall complain

our little short-stop likes to relax with some literature before bed

did you know that food manufacturers are required by the fda to list the word "milk" on all product labels for food containing dairy?
did you know that milk is often found in baked goods, caramel candies, chocolate,  salad dressing, and nougat?
did you know that a dairy-free diet also requires the elimination of butter, yogurt, and cheese?

i know you're rolling your eyes right now and nodding along, because you surely did know all those things! and i suppose i knew it too, loosly. in the sort of way we know things that only remotely relate to us in our lives and we only stare in disbelief and sorrow at the poor soul who chooses to cut out the milk products for any number of "i'm going to be more healthy!" reasons. and we secretly giggle to ourselves, because who in their right gourd would e.v.e.r choose to eliminate such things as c.h.e.e.s.e, c.h.o.c.o.l.a.t.e, and b.a.k.e.d g.o.o.d.s**?

me. is who. and you know the way to my heart has never been the shiny diamonds. never! chocolate, is what! bake me a batch of soft, gooey cookies. that's it! and yet, i write to you in a state of dairy free health. and need i remind you that caffeine has also been nixed from my life? so for the past few weeks i've been hydrating with decaf coffee and living on cookies, and spinach salads - heavy on the shredded cheese and ranch dressing. i should be ashamed to admit all that, but i'm not. especially because it's over. all of it. except the decaf (spiked with almond milk, not cow) and spinach - thank goodness. and i'm in mourning.

for the last week this guy has been producing unusual diaper contents (and that's the furthest we'll go with that description). he's also taken to scream-wailing here and there throughout the day and bunching himself up into tight little balls of unhappy, which he hasn't done since he was about one month old. so i took him to see his pediatrician yesterday, and you guessed it! he's developed an allergy to milk protein. classic case, they see it all the time. so i got a pamphlet with a list of all things mother needs to avoid in order to make henny's tummy better (we already talked about that), and i was relieved! i'm not kidding, completely relieved to have an answer to every single question i had about henry's curious state. i now knew how to fix him, relatively easily. if you're a mom, you get it. you celebrate that ability to fix it. but that was last night... and this is today. and i want a chocolate chunk cookie. bad. but i'm not going to... i promise! although i would highly suggest you do.

so in 1-3 short weeks huck's tummy will be celebrating and i will be healthier than i've been in all my life :) win, win. but now my husband needs to find a different gift for valentine's day, because obviously his previous plans (should have!) included chocolate of various sizes and flavor. obviously!

henry weighed in yesterday at 16 pounds, 7 ounces, so we know he is growing like the dickens still. he's also doing something through the night that i'm not going to talk about for fear of reversing any saintly behavior that may be happening every.single.night for the past 4 nights! i'm talking, 8pm to 8am. all through the night. but i'm not talking about it, because mother likes her sleep and i am not going to jinx it!

**my neighbor lives vegan and gluten free, and the sweet soul drops off baked goods about once every couple of weeks that go straight to the trash because they taste like the sand casseroles i used to make as a kid, and i grew out of sand-eating decades ago. so when i say "baked goods", you know i'm talking about the real baked goods... high fat, extra fluffy, chocolate that just won't quit.