Jude Update!

This has been a really fun week for me. Jude just continues to get better and better the longer he is off of gluten! The results are just amazing to me!

I remember back to when he was just 5 days off of gluten and the joy we experienced from seeing the new changes in him. Then at one month off of gluten I marveled at the difference in him. And now at 3 months, I'm seeing new things still that blow me away. Jude was a ball of happiness today! It almost made me laugh because I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. Who is this new kid? :)

So what has changed recently? Well, Jude has become more and more affectionate and vocal - something that had kind of disappeared back when he was hypoglycemic and "sick" due to gluten. Jude has recently turned into a cuddle bug! He loves for me to hug him and cuddle him. He even lets me kiss his boo-boos now when he falls! Before going g-free any time he would get hurt he'd put up his hand and say in a nearly angry tone, "Don't touch me!" It use to break my heart. :( Now he'll come to me and show me where he got hurt so that I can look it over and give it a kiss.

We made strawberry smoothies the other day and Jude requested to eat his smoothie while sitting in my lap. Whoa! That was a big deal to me. Initiating closeness. He even wanted me to put my arms around him while he ate it, like a hug. How cute is that? Tonight he asked to sit on my lap again to read a new book, and after bath time he snuggled in my lap all wrapped up in his towel and chose to stay there rather than get down right away. These sorts of things make Josh and I look at each other and silently mouth, "wow!" to each other.

He's been saying, "I love you" so much more too. Yesterday, as Selah was going down for her nap she said, "Good night Jude! I love you." And he joyfully said in return, "I love you too, Selah!" (Melt my heart!)

I forget that this might be normal behavior for most kids, but it hasn't been for Jude the past year and a half. This is something new we're seeing again and I'm just SOAKING it up! It makes me so happy that when I tell Josh about his progress each day it sometimes makes my eyes well with tears.

The other thing is Jude's speech. We went through a year and a half of his speech getting worse when he was "sick". There was a lot of mumbling and pointing and saying, "eh". Whenever we drive in the car Selah will sing along to every song on their Psalty CD and Jude will sit quietly. In the past two weeks he's begun to sing, sing, sing! It's been so sweet to hear his cute voice. He's been singing around the house on his own! He just thinks of a song and starts singing it! This is totally new. Now, I know that some people might say, "oh, that's just toddler development, and has nothing to do with gluten." But I would have to disagree. :) I use to have a very miserable little man who was disagreeable and frustrated and struggled with daily situations and communication. I feel like the healthy, real Jude is continually emerging, catching up, and I'm just in shock at his behavioral differences and his much happier disposition!

I think we've been on a really good streak avoiding any gluten or cross-contamination and I'm so very thankful! I've read of so many other parents who have had the same experience as us and it just makes me want to spread the word (shout from the rooftops) to help anyone else who might be facing such things! There's hope!

I can't thank God enough for this new child of mine who clearly finally FEELS GOOD! Thank you Lord! You are so good!