Kelly's Korner: All About the Girl

Saturday, May 02, 2009

All About the Girl

WHOOOOH!

I just made it through all 257 kitchens and can I just say that there are some AMAZING kitchens out there. I'm glad I'm not building a house right now because I would be overwhelmed. One minute you have me convinced I want black cabinets and then I'm loving the white again. I hope ya'll had as much fun touring as I did.
And just so you get more of a heads up this time - this Friday will be living rooms - so get your pictures ready!

And since I haven't posted any Harper pics in a few days - today will be overload. :-)
How cute are these socks??? I HEART trumpette socks. She has a set and wears them every day and I was in a store recently and saw these little princess crown ones ( a box of several colors) and later found them on ebay brand new for 1/3 the price! Yeay me! They are the only socks I can get her to keep on her feet more than 10 minutes.

Here we were dressed up for the doctor on Friday. My poor little sweetie has HORRIBLE excema. It has bothered me so badly and I finally took her in. We are going to try a few things to hopefully help her. It just makes me sad. If your child ever had that - what worked best? I actually haven't been putting head bands on her lately because I don't want to aggravate it on her head. Just slip them on for quick pictures now and then! (Oh and neither Scott or I have food allergies and pretty sure it's not dairy or eggs because both things make me gag. I might have one piece of cheese a day and that's it).

Harper's new favorite thing to do is to lay and hold her feet. She can even put them in her mouth - she may be a gymnast! I think it's adorable.

She is getting sweeter every day. She hasn't been crying as much and is starting to get more of a personality. I love her so much sometimes I feel like my heart could just break. I even love her even though she is getting up EVERY TWO HOURS during the night. I'm pretty much a zombie these days because I have been getting no sleep.........but how could you care when you look at that sweet face?? I'll sleep when she goes to college. Maybe she'll sleep through the night by then.

For some reasons she always takes long naps on Saturdays. I guess she is just worn out by the weekend. Or maybe it's the fact that it's springtime in the south and it rains every single weekend. I left her with daddy today for a little while so I could do some shopping. I found a dress to wear next Sunday for Mother's Day/Baby dedication and it's not black! ha! Now I just need to find a way to get tan, thin arms and legs by next Sunday because it's sleeveless. Any miracle cures out there? I was thrilled this morning when I finally weighed a little less than I did pre-pregnancy! (and no - still haven't started the Shred. Scott's talking about getting P90X after seeing the infomercials and turning our garage into a gym. Anyone tried it? (Let me clarify - I have NO intention of trying P90X - I would love to have be all athletic and trim - but my exercise plan right now is lifting and carrying a baby and breast feeding and hopefully if the weather will cooperate - pushing a stroller and MAYBE Shred). (But Scott really is trying to get in shape - and he's much more committed than I'll ever be)

Harper took a 4 hour nap and she was SO happy when she woke up. This is her right after she woke up. I just don't think I can take the sweetness!!!

Here we are - me and the love of my life. I can't tell you how thankful I am for her.

Well - I've got to go lay out Sunday clothes, pack the diaper bag and get ready for bed. I have a feeling someone will be waking up soon. And again. And again. And again.

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358 comments:

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Kim said...: My son had very horrible excema also and aquaphor worked wonders for us! hope that helps!; 5/02/2009 9:12 PM
Anonymous said...: I second the Aquaphor. That stuff is amazing! Great pictures, as always :-); 5/02/2009 9:14 PM
Leslee said...: She is sooooooo cute! I still havent made it through all the kitchens!!! I really liked that post!; 5/02/2009 9:14 PM
Heather said...: Praying for some sleep for you tonight!! I loved the tour of the kitchens too and am looking forward to Friday!! My husband is wondering what is wrong with me that I am doing so much cleaning! HA!! Love the pics of Harper, so cute!!!; 5/02/2009 9:16 PM
Amy said...: My toddler has suffered from excema since he was a little baby. We have found that for him it is actually FOOD ALLERGIES that trigger his excema. For example, as an infant he was highly allergic to milk formula so that make him break out all over, breast milk made him break out because of things I ate that he was allergic to (later we found out all the things he was allergic to). Maybe there is something you are eating that you could cut out that might possibly help (fun, I know). Your can give you guidelines on common allergins and where to start.

Also, no lotion I've tried really helps though I think that it does make him more comfortable. I use Eucerin calming creme. (the adult version) Also, I bought on ebay a water filter for the shower head that we fill the tub with for his baths and I'm not sure if it's helped or not, but it's just something we've tried.; 5/02/2009 9:16 PM
julie & joe said...: I love the crown socks! The kitchens have me crazy trying to decide what to paint mine. I thought I wanted the aged cream but the black looks so good. Thanks for hosting. I hope to participate next week. We got home from our trip too late this week.; 5/02/2009 9:18 PM
Melissa said...: oh my goodness.. i love all the pictures!!!
and you look great!; 5/02/2009 9:18 PM
Betsy said...: Sooooo precious! I hope her excema gets better. Bless her heart. I know what you mean about not being able to take the sweetness. They are so warm and cuddly right when they get up from their naps!! Love it! :); 5/02/2009 9:19 PM
Jodie Allen said...: we use ONLY Aveno baby products and that has helped a ton... and the aquaphor is great too! We ended up with a prescription lotion that worked WONDERS and SO fast! I really think the Aveno is helping keep it at bay though.

good luck!; 5/02/2009 9:21 PM
Malinda said...: I love the pic of her holding her feet. That's one of my favorite things to see babies do.; 5/02/2009 9:21 PM
Rikki said...: Aquaphor is great for excema in my expierence. If that doesn't work you may need an RX from a doctor(not sure if the will give Harper on at such a young age though).

I hope she outgrows the 2 hours wakings soon. That cannot be fun.; 5/02/2009 9:22 PM
Josh and Jen said...: Kelly,
My little girl has trouble with her skin as too! She has very sensitive skin! I use Eucerin Lotion and the aquaphor which is made by Eucerin! It seems to help!
Also, I know how those sleepless nights can be, but I read a great book called "Baby Wise" and followed their suggestions. My little Delanie slept almost all night by about 9 weeks! It is worth the read and is a very quick and easy read! Just a thought, I know you receive many many suggestions...but I wanted to share from one Mommy to another!; 5/02/2009 9:22 PM
Gina Dayton said...: Hi Kelly,
I adore your fun stories. However, I just want to tell you...get ready. Sweet Harper will be seeing the allergist soon. Well, about age 3. My son, now 6, had the EXACT same thing. Aquaphor is great. but hydrocortisone ointment is the best. (the most minimal strength possible) Don't get the cream. The ointment. Many moms don't want their babies to look greasy so they go for the cream. However, the ointment nips all excema outbreaks in the bud. Sweet baby skin is so special. We want it to look and smell as delicious as possible.

Much love,
Gina
ginadayton@gmail.com; 5/02/2009 9:23 PM
SLM said...: Regarding eczema:

My boys had horrible skin problems when we first adopted them. By the time we came home with them, they both had serious infections in the eczema...

There were several things we did that worked for our kids.

1) Not bathing them every day. This was a little easier to do when they were younger and not playing outside and/or getting sweaty all the time. Baths seemed to dry out their skin very quickly.

2) Cool mist humidifier in their room.

3) When they had baths, we would barely towel them off and apply copious amounts of Eucerin to their damp skin.

4) They lived in footie pajamas, even in the heat of summer. This accomplished two things 1-it kept the lotion on, and 2-it covered skin that they desperately wanted to scratch because it itched.

5) We were diligent about reapplying Eucerin 2-3 times a day to help keep their skin from getting too dry.

6) Hydrocortisone cream was necessary on the break-out patches of it. We followed the instructions on the label.

7) When it was really bad we went to the dermatologist and she prescribed Derma-Smoothe, which is WONDERFUL. It would literally clear up a patch of eczema in 24 hours. We love the stuff.

8) When it was on their faces, in the very beginning, we used the little mittens they sell for newborns. They hated wearing them, but it protected their faces from getting more scratched.

Hope that helps! :-)
Shannon (crosse@tazman.net); 5/02/2009 9:23 PM
Follow The Stepps said...: Hey Kelly,
My son had eczema and I started adding olive oil to his bath water and coating his head in olive oil and then washing it out. It works really well and it is natural- no chemicals! Also, try Nature's Care eczema cream. I think that is who makes it. You can get it at Wal-Mart. It's the box or tube with the little Disney Animals on it. I slather him in that and Aveeno baby lotion. Hope this helps.
Kelly; 5/02/2009 9:24 PM
Rathi said...: Can I just say that her bunny pajamas are just too adorable! Have a wonderful Sunday!; 5/02/2009 9:24 PM
Reina Danielle said...: She is too adorable! I have seen Trumpette socks before [the maryjane style] and I never knew where to buy them at. Thanks for the Ebay tip!

As for the Eczema, I think my oldest daughter had a mild case of it on her face when she was about 3-4months old. I used A&D Ointment and that always made it better fast. She gets dry winter skin on her legs now [she's almost 5] and the doctor prescribed Aquaphor. That stuff is the best!; 5/02/2009 9:25 PM
Mary said...: I'm another Aquaphor girl! Great on anything dry or raw. My daughter has Pityriasis Rosea and that is great for her.
When she was a baby (now 4) I bathed her every night and her doctor said to stop that bcs it dries out the skin. So even though it was part of her bedtime routine, I did stop and sure enough, her skin got better.; 5/02/2009 9:26 PM
Shannon Willcutt said...: Hey Kelly! Lucy has eczema too. It really flairs up in the extreme heat and extreme cold. My pediatrician recommended the Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief products...they have a great body wash and moisture cream. It really is great! We have used Eucerin as well (also recommended by our pediatrician) for really bad flair ups.

Have a wonderful Lord's Day tomorrow!

Harper is so precious!!

Love ya!
Shannon; 5/02/2009 9:27 PM
cmeandthree said...: My dermatologist gave me the following instructions with my son's excema (spelling?).

1) reduce number of baths
2) when bathing, use lukewarm water
3) he recommended an over-the-counter lotion that he likes better than Eucerin. It's called CeraVe (I buy it at Walgreen's and it's about $12).
4) Use Cetaphil bar soap only (super mild)
5) apply plain hydrocortisone (with no other additives) on the patches (face is 1x day, body is 2x day).; 5/02/2009 9:28 PM
Tori said...: My little guy had terrible excema as a tiny infant too, and we definitely should have invested in aquaphor then! We gave him a bath every night (but only used soap every two or three nights) and applied aquaphor to his damp skin before bed. My doctor said this helps seal in the moisture and it seemed to work. Aquaphor is greasy, but usually that shiny look was gone by morning! We also used a cool mist humidifier in his room at night. He ended up outgrowing it, so here's hoping sweet Harper does too!

Tori; 5/02/2009 9:30 PM
Sarah Joy said...: Haven't read the comments, so sorry about repeating any ideas ...

It is bad for a baby's skin to bathe every day. They only need to have a bath about 3 times a week. After their bath, don't "wipe" them dry - "dab" them dry. Wiping them with the towel wipes off the moisture and skin cells, when you really want the moisture to be absorbed. And then right after you've dabbed her dry, lotion her up but good! Aquaphor (made by eucerin) does wonders with eczema. They even make an Aquaphor baby wash and shampoo that I'm sure would help.

I hope you can get rid of her eczema - oh, also, when her eczema is not there anymore, keep doing what you did to get rid of it!! Continue lathering her up, etc. because otherwise it will come back!; 5/02/2009 9:31 PM
Patty said...: Harper is just so adorable! Thanks for sharing so many great pictures of her with all of us!

A good friend of mine literally just told me about P90X and she and her boyfriend have been doing this for about a month. She already swears by it! She's a fit girl but her arms are really defined now and she says it works really well! I say go for it!!; 5/02/2009 9:32 PM
dawnmramsey said...: 5 our of the 6 kids I was a nanny for had eczema. I used the Aveeno Baby Soothing Lotion in conjunction with the hydrocortisone cream. The pediatrician also told us to try crisco, but I was not that brave (I mean it's hard enough to get it off utensils when cooking)!; 5/02/2009 9:32 PM
AKat said...: SO CUTE!!! I love Trumpette socks, too! They really are the only ones that will stay on, aren't they?!; 5/02/2009 9:32 PM
Nitzia said...: For the excema, have you tried the "Johnson's soothing naturals" / soothe and protect balm? it looks like a minideodorant bar. It doesn't take it away completely but it helps to sooth or relief the dryness on their skin, both my kids have had excema problems too and this have helped my second baby some. I think it gets worse on them because it itches and they scratch their face and looks so bad so this might help.
Did you ask the Dr. if you can start Harper on cereal? maybe cereal might help her to sleep better in the night and the iron the ceral has it's good for them anyway! Hope you get some rest soon. God Bless:); 5/02/2009 9:33 PM
Todd and Courtney said...: Love the new pictures!! I still haven't made it through all of the kitchens. I'm so glad I'm not moving or remodeling soon, I would never be able to make up my mind!; 5/02/2009 9:33 PM
Rebecca said...: Both of my kids have terrible excema. Cortison or an Rx creme work for bad break outs, but the only thing that makes it go away for our daughter is Aquqphor (greasy like vasline)and for my son....getting rid of milk. He is not allergic to milk (we had him tested) but when his excema flares up the most, we cut out milk for a few weeks. (He can tolerate cheese & yogurt though.) I don't understand it, but it works. Good luck!; 5/02/2009 9:36 PM
Stephanie Laney said...: So I read your blog everyday and thought I would start commenting now. I don't know much about excema, but i do know that I'm so white all the time.I'm not a tanner and I have found the jergens lotion with a sunless tanner in it works great. People always ask if i've been tanning...nope just jergens. Its gradual enough that it doesn't streak and you don't wake up the next morning 8 shades darker...ha; 5/02/2009 9:36 PM
Unknown said...: We've been fighting eczema, too... We use (unscented) baby Aveno for baths, and Cetaphil for a lotion... we buy the new "Daily Advanced Ultra hydrating cream" and its working wonders! Hope Harper's gets better soon!; 5/02/2009 9:36 PM
Jennifer said...: Eurcerin works wonders for Excema. I use it every night at bed time for my son. Harper is the sweetest thing since sliced bread. ;) She keeps getting cuter.; 5/02/2009 9:37 PM
Kristy said...: I am normally a lurker, but I have to comment on this one. My son is 19 months and had HORRIBLE eczema as a little bitty baby. His little arms, legs, back, and face were just huge patches of rough skin. We tried the Aquaphor and it is great, but is greasy and stains anything it touches. On a recommendation from a friend, I tried the Aveeno Baby products. They are wonderful and he has had absolutely NO flare-ups since we started using it, and that was 17 months ago. Just a caution, stay away from the ones with the lavender top, the scent can aggrivate the eczema. We use the ones with the dark blue tops. They are unscented and extra-moisturizing. I highly recommend both the body wash and lotion.

Your little Harper is a doll! Wish we lived closer, she could be my little Sam's girlfriend! :)

Kristy; 5/02/2009 9:37 PM
Lisa said...: Can't remember if I have left a comment or not - Harper is such a blessing. As a mom of 2 who just thought I struggled to get pregnant (almost 1 year and then had 2 within 17 months - short story I will share some time:)) YES you will sleep when she goes to college. Until then, don't worry, be happy!! I love your dress advice I wear dresses all the time, Love them!!!; 5/02/2009 9:38 PM
Flo and Grace said...: My BIL did PX90 and man...what a difference. It's tough - strict on what foods you can and can't have, intense body-workouts, but it made him look completely different in just 3 months. But he took it seriously!

BTW...take tons of video. There's nothing like looking back at videos and remember how precious and little they once were!; 5/02/2009 9:40 PM
Alicia said...: Kelly,
My daughter (12 months old) had to go to the doctor for eczema right around the same age. She had it ALL over her body and scalp and cheeks. Our doctor is very slow to prescribe medication and prefers to handle things naturally as much as possible (especially in babies so young). We found a routine that worked for us without having to use medication. Here goes:
We only bathed her in lukewarm water using adult Dove sensitive skin body wash (unscented). We use this on her hair as well, but it is not tear-free, so we're really careful. We pat her dry and apply lots of Eucerin (original, scent-free). When her skin is dry, we apply Eucerin liberally at each diaper change. When she has actual eczema patches, we use Aquafor. As for the scalp, I would cover her head in baby oil (olive oil will work too) and use the baby brush to loosen all the dead skin and scrub really well before each bath. Then I'd bathe her to wash out the oil. Sometimes she'd have really bad rough spots that bothered her like crazy on her scalp. In this case, we'd use a tiny bit of Selson Blue to wash, and it would clear up immediately.

Just to give you a little encouragement - my daughter's eczema rarely flares up anymore. We're able to use good-smelling lotions and bath washes (finally!) unless she gets dry. She also has no known food allergies, and the only thing she hasn't tried is peanuts. A lot of times eczema is linked to food allergies, but certainly not in every case. It also does not necessarily point to future allergies. Some babies just have sensitive skin.

I hope these suggestions help sweet Harper!; 5/02/2009 9:41 PM
Sandy Morgan said...: Kelly, my brother in law did the p90x program and said it is awesome! Really, really challenging but does the trick! I've been thinking about starting it too, but can't seem to get motivated enough! Ha! I also have a friend who did the bikini boot camp and she swears by it! I keep saying each week that this is going to be the week! Maybe this week will be! :); 5/02/2009 9:42 PM
Anonymous said...: My husband is doing P90X and he is excited about it. Also, the nutritional guide that comes with it has some great recipes. I was a little hesitant to try them, but so far we have found three delicious recipes out of the book!!! It's pretty entertaining to watch him do the yoga part of it, too! Cute pics of Harper!! Hope you have a very blessed Sunday!; 5/02/2009 9:43 PM
Kim Phillips said...: My son has TERRIBLE eczema! We tried all the cream and lotion and finally went to a dermatologist who said to use CRISCO - yes - the stuff you cook with. It is cheap and it actually works. We also use cetaphil lotion soap to bath him in because it is very gentle on the skin. It has made a tremendous difference.; 5/02/2009 9:43 PM
Carrie said...: My baby has excema too, so these tips are great! :o) As for P90X, my friend does it and it's supposed to be great, but you have to do it for about an hour a day. Who has time for that, especially with a baby?! I do the 30 Day Shred and it's only 25 minutes a day. It's very challenging, but it works! :o); 5/02/2009 9:45 PM
Kristy said...: 2 of my three have it and we only use AVENO baby products. It does wonders. The Aquaphor is good and A&D ointment is good, but it's kind of messy. Good luck! She is precious and I your blog is fabulous! Blessings to you all!; 5/02/2009 9:45 PM
Laurie said...: I took a sabbatical from blogging/posting, reading etc. and just discovered I missed Friday show your kitchen, do you want late entries? I also want to try P90x sooo bad to lose my baby weight. I have found it cheaper on Craig's list--just have not bought it yet.

Also, my baby had skin issue too and we used A&D ointment and triple antibiotic ointment.

Super cute pics of Miss Harper!; 5/02/2009 9:48 PM
Aaron said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 5/02/2009 9:49 PM
Jane said...: AHHHHH ... Try the shred! It is the most horrible thing in the world. But it works ... quickly. The day after I did it the first time, one of my coworkers saw me walking into work and asked if I needed a wheelchair! Its that intense! :) Good luck ...; 5/02/2009 9:50 PM
Emily said...: You should read "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" The ped. who wrote this book has great insights on not just forcing a child to sleep by crying it out, but actually developing good sleep patterns. My little guy is 6 months and sleeps 12 hours a night without waking and is SO happy.; 5/02/2009 9:51 PM
Jess :) said...: Sweetness is an absolute understatement!! Now, more than ever, I so want to try with you what I sent you a message on FB about!!! I would seriously LOVE that!! :)

Thanks for the update and the adorable pictures. I will NEVER, EVER get sick of pictures!!

Oh, and has your Sonic stopped giving out the free Route 44 coupons at the end of your receipts?!? Mine has and I'm bummed! Just thought I'd check!

Love you tons; 5/02/2009 9:52 PM
Lacy said...: Hey Kelly!

Both of my nephews have pretty bad excema. Different things have worked for both of them - and one is a little crazy!

-for the oldest...Crisco shortening worked WONDERS on his skin...it was really amazing...after a bath and crisco, he was ready to be fried! Also, it is cheap!

-for the youngest, only Eucerin has helped him a little.

We do know that food allergies/sensitivities from breastmilk probably triggers the reaction, but you have to have balance in your life. My SIL just didn't want to go there if it could be controlled. Both boys do not have any food allergies now that they are older, but they do still suffer from excema. Hope this helps!
Lacy (Mandi's real-life, blogless friend!); 5/02/2009 9:52 PM
Aaron, Lacey, Audrey and Elle said...: My daughter had excema also, not bathing every day worked best for us. Every other day was good enough when she was Harper's age because she wasn't crawling or eating baby food yet. And we use Cetaphil lotion and that helped a lot, only after Aquaphor didn't work for us. Hope it gets better for her...she's so adorable anyway!; 5/02/2009 9:54 PM
The Gilliland Family said...: Sorry if my comment is the repeat of anyone elses, but I am too tired to read through them first :) My daughter had horrible eczema! I tried everything and it seemed to work, auqaphor, eucerin lotion...but it never made the eczema go away. The ONLY thing that worked for her was Arbonne Baby. YOu can go to www.arbonne.com and go to their baby products, unless you know someone that sales it. It is 2 different bottles that you have to order and use on her skin. One is a baby oil type and the other is a lotion to follow. This took her eczema away. She is 19 months now and has none and I can now use the regular baby products and it does not ever break her out anymore. Anyways, if you have further q's about it just send me an email and I will answer you :) gillilandfamily@austin.rr.com
Hope this info helps!
Amber; 5/02/2009 9:55 PM
Annetta said...: LOVE the pics of Harper. She is just SOOOO cute!! And I love your blog. And I love the house tours!! Thank you for coming back! :) I missed you. (Although I've never met you! Isn't it weird when strangers say that?); 5/02/2009 9:55 PM
Michelle said...: My youngest son has bad excema, he is 4 now, and it is still bad on somedays. The one thing our allergist said was to bathe daily, the water actually helps, I had always been told the opposite! Who knew?!?

When he was little we also noticed that when others would hold him his face would break out or if laid on a bed or couch @ my mom's or my in-laws, so we would have others wear one of our blankets on them when holding him and lay it down wherever he was laying if not at home. Aveeno is a great cream, so are some of the others listed here. Hope that helps! Harper is a doll!!; 5/02/2009 9:57 PM
Nichole Fisher said...: My cousin has the sweetest twins and she swears by aquaphor.

I started Jillian's 30 day shred this week and my stars it is the most grueling 20 minutes of my day. After the first day I could hardly move, but the other days have been better.; 5/02/2009 9:58 PM
Anonymous said...: My daughter has exzema (sp?) too. We use Triamcinilone on hers and it works wonders. You need a script for it, but it does had a steriod in it so I'm not sure if they use it on babies or not. My daughter is three. Harper is such a doll! Love the pics!
Millie and Colin-HLHS; 5/02/2009 9:59 PM
Kristin Stegent said...: My two year old has had bad excema. It has gotten way better since we've started using "baby aveeno lotion" found at Walmart or probably any other store like it. We tried all the doctor creams and none of those helped long term, so we just do the lotion every night before bed and long sleeve pj's to sleep. He rarely has bad breakouts now. Hope you find something to help Harper! You guys are so cute!; 5/02/2009 10:00 PM
Kodi said...: My hubby did P90X and it didn't give him the results that are expected, but he toned up a little bit. He did it faithfully and correctly, so I don't know why it didn't work better.

I, on the other hand, tried to do it one time and LITERALLY could not breathe in less than five minutes.

Try it out, but the shred sounds like a picnic comparably. :); 5/02/2009 10:00 PM
L said...: my son has it too... aveeno soothing bath and oatmeal bath for babies worked for him. I would do an oatmeal bath once a week or so if needed and the thick aveeno baby lotion and wash..dark blue caps i think it says something like soothing body wash or lotion. Dark blue caps..not the light blue. It really makes a difference on his skin. I used the lotion right after bath and at least one other time a day.
also my sis in law does PX90 and LOVES it! my brother in law is a trainer and recommends it for a at home workout!; 5/02/2009 10:00 PM
Staci said...: Both my kids have excema and it turns out they have a sensitivity to laundry detergents and fabric softeners. I can only use Tide Free on their clothes and NO fabric softener. I use vinegar in place of fabric softener in the washing machine, then just the dryer balls in the dryer. Not quite the same as fabric softener but better than itchy, raw skin. Good luck!; 5/02/2009 10:01 PM
Carol Kennon said...: For the excema...Aquaphor is wonderful! Used that and Eucerin lotion.; 5/02/2009 10:01 PM
shanna said...: hi kelly, i read your blog regularly but have never posted. first i will say both of my children have excema but it looks like you have already got some great advice concerning that. so, second, we have had P90X for about 3 months now...my husband has been VERY diligent with the workout and has lost 30 lbs and a huge percentage in his body fat.....unsure the exact number. i do the cardio and legs/back workout that comes with it....i will tel you it is VERY intense, but if you are really serious about losing weight go for it... you will definitley need to eat plenty of protein or it will be bad....sometimes i feel like throwing up when i am doing the workouts it is so intense.; 5/02/2009 10:01 PM
Anonymous said...: My 4 year old has had very bad excema since he was a baby and we tried EVERYTHING. every cream out there. Finally we met with a dermatologist and he has 4 different medicated creams as well as bandages and oral medication. NOT FUN so I try to avoid it if at all possible. Well last week I decided to try Vaseline Intensive care lotion just to relieve his itch... I had never tried it because I didnt know if it would be gentle enough.WELL IT HAS BEEN AMAZING!! Clearing it up quickly... Just an idea!!; 5/02/2009 10:02 PM
Judy said...: The main reason I wanted to comment was to encourage you about the sleeping. Disrupted sleep is the worst. You might get 8 hours of sleep a night but when it's broken up into four chunks it's awful. My 14 month old spent the first 13 months of her life pretty sick (yay! She's been healthy for a whole month) and she is a horrible sleeper because of it. I've never let her just cry herself to sleep b/c she has so many breathing issues. Sometimes she would wake up 7 or 8 times a night. After a year of that I thought I was going to have a nervous break down :) thankfully my husband realized that I was about to crash and burn and we've worked out a deal where I stay in bed as long as I want on Saturdays. Sometimes knowing that I can sleep in on Saturdays is what gets my through the sleepless nights the rest of the week. I'm sure Harper would love a little extra Daddy time every now and then so you can catch a few extra zzz's. After all she looks just like him. The pictures in this post show such a daddy resemblance! So cute!! You're doing a great job being a mommy to this precious little girl!; 5/02/2009 10:02 PM
Unknown said...: We are one of those whose horrible eczema took us down a long road that lead to life threatening food allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, eggs and mustard - we have outgrown soy and corn. Hopefully that will not be the case for you guys, but either way, watch what you eat and see if that coincides with her flare-ups. Another thing, my twins' eczema would flare as the weather would heat up, and it would get better in the cooler months.
Unscented Dove, unscented detergent and no fabric softener, Eucerin and hydrocortisone OINTMENT (NOT cream, it is too thin) was how we kept our skin clear in the months it wasn't bad. When it got bad we added prescription strength steroid cream but we used it sparingly as it can thin the skin. (Too this day my girls have pigment loss in the areas where the eczema was bad, particularly behind the knees and in the bends of the elbow).
Eczema is horribly, horribly itchy and can make her miserable. If she is waking so often in the night she might be itching but can't scratch b/c she's so young. Ask the ped (if you haven't already) about an oral antihistamine she could take before bed to help her sleep - like Benadryl or hydroxyzine. Not that I am advocating meds by any means, but sometimes the creams just don't do the trick to alleviate the itch. My girls never slept at night, they screamed all night. At 4 months we tried the oral antihistamines and it helped them sleep a lot better.
Definitely don't towel dry her, cover her with the Eucerin (or whatever you are using) liberally and put the pj's on immediately. It will seem weird and her skin will stick to the pj's, but it will make a marked improvement.
Good luck! She's as precious as she can be!; 5/02/2009 10:02 PM
Anonymous said...: We use Burts Bees buttermilk body wash and lotion for my son and it has cleared up his eczema.; 5/02/2009 10:02 PM
It Happened One Christmas Revisited said...: Kelly,

I love your blog! I look forward to reading every day and missed it when you were taking a break last week!

My 6mo old, Kaleb, has recently been diagnosed with eczema. I also breastfeed. I'm working on taking milk products out of my diet. Do you know how hard that is??? There's NOTHING in this world like an ice-cold glass of milk. Is Harper having green-sticky diapers?? If so, that indicates a milk protein allergy.

-anniya77; 5/02/2009 10:03 PM
Anonymous said...: Get a spray tan girl. That's what I did a few weeks ago before our trip to Mexico. It's instant and looks good! Adorable pictures!; 5/02/2009 10:04 PM
Jacquie said...: I haven't done P90X, but heard it's VERY tough. Lots of pullups and stuff. I think there's supposed to be exercise modifications to make it easier for someone who can't do it full form, too.

As for sleep, ummm, I hate to break it to you... but you won't sleep that much when she gets to college, either. It's a totally new phase of sleeplessness. Ha!; 5/02/2009 10:04 PM
carolinagirl said...: Cute pictures of Harper! I have been praying for you while you were "away" this week. About Harper's skin, I would check to see if it is something that you are eating that might be irrating her skin. My husband just started P90X two weeks ago! He loves it and I love watching him do it. However, it is very difficult and my husband has to be careful of his heart rate going too high. The other thing I find difficult is, the workouts are all about an hour to an hour and a half 6 days a week! That's a lot of time. (I do enjoy watching him do the Yoga. He is telling everyone that he didn't realize how much work yoga was.) I have seen change in his body and it's only been two weeks. P90X is a big commitment-for him and you with how much time it takes up each day!; 5/02/2009 10:05 PM
Sandy said...: Hey girl - it's Sandy - the Easter dress lady. I took your advice and started my own blog - although it is really for me more than anyone -it has inspired me to take pictures of my kids and keep up with my new exercise plan.

I can remember times that my kids would nurse ALL THE TIME - especially at night. That usually means your little one is going through a big growth spurt - and just watch - I'll bet in the next little while you'll see a big jump in her development!

I loved the pictures of Harper in her dress - she is sooooo adorable. I loved your sweet thank you note, and your postage reimbursement was so thoughtful. I put it aside in my "pay it forward" fund - I'm working on a special dress for a little girl who is being adopted from Ethiopia - her mom read about me on your blog and just knew she wanted me to make the dress and pray for her new daughter while I worked. I am thrilled and humbled to be able to make something for such a precious event!

I truly think I'll change my name to "Dorcus" if the Lord keeps giving me these neat opportunites to smock and sew for such precious miracles!! Have a great day!; 5/02/2009 10:05 PM
Sue said...: My grandson had the worst case of excema I've ever seen. The doctor prescribed elidel. It was the only thing that worked for him, but when we started using it, his little face cleared up. Hope this helps.; 5/02/2009 10:07 PM
Ashley said...: 1. Love Trumpettes.
2. The Shred is killer. I've done it once. I guess I should do it again?
3. Evy is getting dedicated Mother's Day too!
4. I started crying tonight when I was cuddling Evy because I thought my heart was going to burst with love for her. I totally get it :o); 5/02/2009 10:08 PM
Ashley said...: Oh, #5:
Thank you for your sweet note in the mail! Brightened my day :o); 5/02/2009 10:08 PM
Lynn said...: Harper is so pretty. I know that with such Godly parents she will flourish. Thank you for being so open with your faith, you have helped me in many ways understand more about how AWESOME our God is and knows what is best for us even if is not what we are asking for. Our family has been going to church and making more of an effort to sit down to family dinners together in spite of having such active jr high school schedules. We are able to see a diff. in our family already. Thank you! Bless you.
I do have eczema advice, today I guess God was speaking to me in other ways. You do good things with your faith, even when you do not realize.; 5/02/2009 10:11 PM
The Segrest Family said...: kelly!
i am no help on the excema... but i will say, my hubby and i bought p90x and returned it. i used to be a personal trainer and like working out - but since i had my second son, i was not able to get to the gym b/c one or both of them were always sick and i didnt want to take them to the nursery! anyways - i thought p90x was the answer... BUT it is REALLY difficult (even though i have about 30 lbs to lose, i used to do all of this kind of stuff) and it takes about and hour and a half! i was never able to do it with my kids awake... and had other things that HAD to get done during naptime.
so, there is my two cents on p90x. =) one day i will get to the gym again =) just not today with my 1 and half and my 3 and a half year old!
i love the picture of harper after her nap - so stinking cute!!!
AND i must say, i love your hair curly!; 5/02/2009 10:11 PM
Hansen Happenings said...: My nephew had bad eczema and she was breastfeeding too. She kept asking the dr about allergies and he didn't think so. She found out when he was 14 months old that he is severely allergic to peanuts and eggs. Now, anytime he has even eggs in something he breaks out... otherwise he is all clear. He's 3 now. I know it's overwhelming to think about, but do you or your husband have allergies? For us it runs in our family. Hope you get some sleep tonight and thanks for sharing your beautiful loveable little girl!; 5/02/2009 10:11 PM
Jessica said...: Hey Kelly, I follow your blog daily and I have a 3 month old little girl named Ella. Well she has acid reflux and just started to get really fussy and her face has been breaking out too. Her ped could not figure out what to do with her, because we have tried 4 medicines and nothing was working. Well I then saw a lactation consultant, and she said to cut dairy out of my diet and that she will get better and not be fussy and her face will clear up. Well I have been dairy free for 3 days now and her face is all cleared up and is alot less fussy. :) It can take up to 2 weeks to fully see results. Also she says that dairy effects most babies some way because it is really harsh on their digestive system. I hope that helps!!! :); 5/02/2009 10:13 PM
Katie said...: My son had excema earlier this year and I tried all sorts and what cleared it up for him was Weleda Calendula baby cream. It is totally natural and cleared it all up a treat. I found it in Target with the other natural brands that they carry. I have also switched our laundry detergent to perfume free and use Burt's Bees bath products for him (Johnson's didnt suit either my daughter or son) and don't bath him every day.
I remember those sleepless nights all to well, I wont tell you how long Nathan took to sleep through the night eeek!!
Katie (Texas)
P.S. My hubby is a fireman and he and a fellow fireman do the P90x and he says its pretty intense but it does give results.; 5/02/2009 10:14 PM
twinsplusone said...: hey girl!! love your blog! My 4 month old daughter- jayne elizbeth-- yes her name is jayne elizabeth. Not jayne, not elizabeth! ha!!! has eczema...not the kind you treat with aveeno and it goes away. I am a physical therapist ( prior having babies!!) and I know wounds and skin, and our angel has eczema-- the kind her sweet daddy, grandpa, and great grandpa have! she is her daddy's girl! Anyway we see a pediatric dermatoligist- and this is our crazy regimen...bathe tap water less than three minutes, pat dry lightly, apply Avene Triexcera Emolsion Cream, then PJs. First thing in the morning the Avene lotion again. Then twice during the day the Aqauphor to the red, itchy places: behind knees, elbows etc. The Avene products are at physician offices only, and comes from Paris! Our girl has good taste!! I wasnt a believer in all this regimen, but after two weeks, we have great skin. We still have red trouble areas:behind knees, elbows etc. But the dry, itchy places on her body are smoothe--- like a baby's butt!! ha!
P90X- whoah! It is THE mega workout!! Be careful, start slow. Post-pregnancy core strength should progress gently....and just to make you feel better- our daughter slept better the first month, she is now 4 months and needs her mommy ( or just my milk ) every three hours many nights!!! Girl--- you and Harper are precious!! Come see us in TN!! God bless! Oh- if you can, check out our miracle NICU babies-- twin brothers who are almost two!! ( uh-huh. there sister is 4 months...i guess it was sleep deprivation!); 5/02/2009 10:14 PM
Lydia said...: My almost 4 year old son has had excema since day 1. Initially we used OTC hydrocortisone cream and Eucerin lotion. We also stuck with a mild baby soap to wash him in and limited his baths. Also keep the bath water tepid, hot water can cause it to flare up worse. Keep her damp after a bath and immediately lotion her down to seal in the moisture. Then apply the hydrocortisone cream to the inflamed spots. Once my son turned 1 our doctor bumped us up to prescription strength fluticosone propionate and then at 2 we were bumped up to an even stronger med (can't remember the name now). We still use the Eucerin twice a day and that really helps to keep the inflamed spots to a minimum. Good luck! I know it's not comfortable for her!; 5/02/2009 10:17 PM
Ellen said...: My husband has the P90x dvds and loves it! I have done some of it several times with him and the dvds change things up so its not just a boring workout which I love! He has several friends that have also done it and seen great results. After seeing all the blog buzz about the 30 day shred I went and bought that dvd... I can commit to 20 minutes a day better than I can the longer workouts with P90x. It is a great workout though!! :); 5/02/2009 10:18 PM
Hayley said...: Hi Kelly! I would suggest using Aveeno Sothing Moisture Cream. My son had a small area on the side of his head and it cleared up after just 2 days of using this product. Good luck...Harper is precious!; 5/02/2009 10:19 PM
Suz said...: Love all the pics of Harper! She is so pretty!

P90x is a serious workout. My husband and I have it. I never make it thru the whole ab portion! It will definitely give you a dream body if you stick with it!; 5/02/2009 10:19 PM
Joanna J. said...: Hi Kelly! After years of dealing with eczema since our daughter was a little baby, we discovered that it is caused by food allergies! In our daughter's case dairy and eggs! Since we cut them out of her diet, she has finally gotten relief (after a million gazillion prescription and over-the-counter lotions/creams). I recommend a thick hypo-allergenic cream (like Cetaphil) to keep the skin hydrated. I hope that sweet Harper is able to find some relief!; 5/02/2009 10:19 PM
Amanda said...: My daughter has eczema. We put Cortizone cream on the affected area. This helps her.; 5/02/2009 10:21 PM
rae said...: Bathing her all over in Selsun Blue only, including washing her hair in it. No baby lotion or baby wash...I know...I love the way all that stuff smells, too, but something in it really aggravates eczema. Harper is too cute!!; 5/02/2009 10:22 PM
JCF said...: Eczema: Both my grandma, my mom, my son, and I all have it--I guess it runs in the family! The main recommendation I have is to be extremely careful with what you put on Harper's skin. Don't use anything with any fragrance whatsoever, and use the most natural ingredients you can get. I wash all of our clothes in 7th Generation Free and Clear detergent (even the 7th Gen. kind with scent causes us problems). Dreft is HORRIBLE for truly sensitive skin. All of those yummy scented baby soaps and lotions? They have to go! Try California Baby products with no scent, and try the everyday lotion for super sensitive skin. Target carries California Baby. It is pricey, but you don't have to use very much or use it very often.

When Harper is eating solid foods eventually, mix a tablespoon of flax oil into her cereal or yogurt, and feed her avocado as well. Those rich fatty acids are great for the skin!

Good luck!; 5/02/2009 10:22 PM
ClintandGina said...: I love her just woke up face ;) My husband got P90X a few months ago and he thinks it is a good program...but the eating plan is fairly strict & workouts are an hour plus, so program takes some dedication. My husband just bought a pull up bar that he can hook to the door and does the workout in our living room. He is starting again on Monday....and I am going to try to do it after baby gets here.; 5/02/2009 10:22 PM
Annie said...: my little guy has it bad too & every day, twice a day i just put a prescription of 2.5% hydrocortisone cream & I am tellin you it cleared up in 2 days! See if your doc feels comfy prescribing it to her...my guy is 6 months & we'e been using it since he was 5 months...his face is totally clear now!; 5/02/2009 10:24 PM
Sarah said...: I love the foot grabbing stage!!!

P90X - I made so much fun of my dh two Thanksgivings ago because he saw the infomercial at my in-law's and wanted to buy it soooo badly. Over the next couple months, we found out we had quite a few friends who had bought it and were using it. So, of course, that was all dh needed to convince me to let "us" get it. Please notice the "us" in quotes...I am not a fan of working out. :)

Josh loved it and I saw results on him early on. Due to some other circumstances, he didn't finish the 90 days. The friends we have who have finished - major results! I lasted, oh, about a week. The problem was that Josh & I were trying to work out together after putting the kiddos to bed. I was EXHAUSTED by that time, so working out at night just didn't work for me. Hopefully I'll find a time that does work and get back into it sometime... Hope that helps y'all out with whether or not to buy it. :); 5/02/2009 10:24 PM
Lesli said...: Hi Kelly, Harper is such a DOLL!!

My daughter also had eczema and the only thing that helped us was a prescription (elidel cream). It only takes a tiny bit and it cleared the eczema right up. We also run a cool mist humidifier in her room daily. I can't tell you how many of those we have been through!
We also had to stop bathing every single day, it dries the skin out and can cause the eczema to flare up. Good news is, my daughter is two now and the eczema is gone. Good luck with everything, it looks like you have gotten some GREAT advice!; 5/02/2009 10:25 PM
Tina said...: I don't have any suggestions for the excema, but for the sleep, have you read "Babywise" or "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child?" I recommend both!
My hubs and I are doing P90X right now! It is intense and very time consuming - I can't always commit 1hour per day to exercise!
Love the pictures of Harper. She is a beauty!; 5/02/2009 10:26 PM
The Rantings of a Drama Queen's Mum said...: Just found your blog. I love it.; 5/02/2009 10:29 PM
Julie Simmons said...: Arbonne Baby Care
These products really helped us. Also the skin conditioning oil.
www.arbonne.com; 5/02/2009 10:29 PM
Brittany said...: One of my girlfriends had horrible eczema when she was younger and the only thing that worked for her was olive oil...

I have horribly dry skin - before I was my face, I massage OO into my face, leave it for a few mintutes, then wash as usual... helps a ton!; 5/02/2009 10:30 PM
Lana said...: Harper is just getting cuter and cuter! She is just adorable!

My fiance and I bought P90X. It's really, really intense! I don't do well working out at home, so I usually work out at the gym. We bought the pull up bar, but I didn't want to put that up in my house so I was limited. I've heard it works really well though! I just couldn't get into it as much as I can going to the gym! Good luck, though!!!!; 5/02/2009 10:31 PM
Anonymous said...: My son had a little excema also. We used the Cetaphil soap to bathe him in and then rubbed Cetaphil lotion on his body. I found Cetaphil to be less greasy than Aquaphor so I liked it better.

BTW, I have the P90X and it is definitely a good workout... a lot of variety which I like. The only problem I personally have is that it takes between an hour and an hour and a half each day. I have four boys and I teach full-time so I do not currently have that much extra time each day. My neighbor is doing it and is already seeing results. I'm planning to purchase the Shred because it requires less time each day. Let me know what you think about it when you start.; 5/02/2009 10:36 PM
Naturally Caffeinated Family said...: harper is adorable and you look great!!!; 5/02/2009 10:37 PM
Missie said...: First, she is gorgeous and the excema should ease up soon i am sure.
Secondly, all i can say is DON'T DO IT! (the P90X) I scoffed at another couple who said it was just too difficult & hubby & I forged forward and got it anyway..they must be whimps we said at the time...my goodnesss! I do not exaggerate when i say unless you are a trainer or professional athlete it is just TOO CRAZY for the average person to tackle. I actually sat on the couch and watched them rather than kill myself to keep up or even attempt it. It became a joke in our household. Now the PULL UP BAR we use rather frequently, the whole family (7yr old girl LOVES it) but you'd be better off with the Wii Fit. (seriously) It's a family favorite and gotta love when cartoon charachters can kick your butt!
Thats my 2cents. Kisses to ya'll and that precious baby girl.; 5/02/2009 10:37 PM
Kristin said...: My middle daughter also had eczema horribly as a baby. Aquaphor is good and I only used Aveeno products and never put lotions on her other than Aveeno (and even then only if absolutely necessary). These things helped, but I got so desperate that I ordered cream from www.eczemamiracle.com and it actually worked! I was surprised. It was a last ditch effort, but it worked really well. She eventually just grew out of it too. She's almost 6 now and doesn't have any issues. I still only use soap for sensitive skin with no perfumes or anything like that on all my girls.; 5/02/2009 10:41 PM
Stephanie said...: My daughter's face looked just like Harper when she was 5-7 months old. She had the eczema rash, and the thing that helped us was using only baby laundry detergent for her clothes (no perfumes), and using eucerin on her face. By 7 months it was gone. She still has very sensitive, dry skin. Harper is cute anyway! Good Luck!

Stephanie in UT; 5/02/2009 10:47 PM
Megan said...: P90X--the X is for extreme. Bring it!

The first week made me want to die a little bit. The second week I felt amazing and could already notice a difference from the week before. Many times I wussed out before the whole session was over. Tony Horton is kind of a tool, though, and his jokes stop being funny when you watch the DVDs over and over again (I found that turning the TV down low and putting on some music helped with that). I only made it through a month, but my muscles got bigger, I was ridiculously more flexible, and my stamina improved...but I still couldn't do a pull up without help. :P; 5/02/2009 10:49 PM
Caroline said...: Taylynn my daughter had eczema and it was also horrible. The good news it that it is almost gone now, 2 and a half years later. When summer hits it will be ease up a little bit, it did for us, I hope it does for Harper.
Ok I know Harper likes her bath time. Keep doing it, but only use soap every other bath time. Once you get her out barely pat her dry then slab on some good lotion and put her pj's right on. This will help lock in the moisture so she won't itch. We got a prescription, but it cost of 40 dollars for a tiny tube of lotion and I am not really sure it helped. We used aquaphor on her face and Eucerin everywhere else. The Eucerin lotion is not meant for babies so you have to be careful it doesn't get near her eyes.
In most cases it goes away so just hang in there.

Caroline; 5/02/2009 10:53 PM
Heather said...: I would avoid anything with mineral oil, as it just coats the skin but doesn't let it breathe. It might even seem to work, but it doesn't heal. It's just a band aid.

First, get to the root of the problem, which is probably some type of allergy. I imagine she had some antibiotics when she was first born, and good probiotics are must for both of you to help rebuild the good bacteria in her gut.

Don't worry too much about allergies... they are only temporary. God didn't design us to be allergic to his wonderful world, but when things aren't perfect in our systems sometimes allergies are the result. But a perfectly healthy body will not have allergies. So just focus on good overall health, and realize you may have to avoid certain foods for a time, but it's not forever.

Secondly, use essential oils on her skin. I found the Arbonne Baby Care products worked perfectly and without any petroleum products.

A great book to read would be Maker's Diet by Jordan Ruben. Also, Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.; 5/02/2009 10:56 PM
Teri said...: She seems to get cuter every day!

My children have horrible excema- I love coconut oil for it. It really helps a lot and then they smell like the beach; 5/02/2009 10:57 PM
Anonymous said...: My cousin does P90X everyday and loves it. Her and her husband do it and they have lost lots! She says it is worth the money and really does work. I am like you, just not that motivated to stick to a plan! I will work out when I feel like it, which isn't that often. Maybe that's why I don't wear sleeveless shirts!; 5/02/2009 10:58 PM
Anonymous said...: I'm a WiiFit girl....love it and it is a fun workout so keeps you interested. I give my son salmon mixed in his baby food. Dr Sears reccomends it for kids with asthma and ecsema. I buy the packaged wild alaskan salmon and blend a little in with his baby food. It is supposed to lessen the severity of asthma/ecsema in those that have it and help prevent it in those that don't have it already. There are some great articles on it out there. Other than that, my ped says to only bathe babies 3 times a week with baby was. It really dries their skin out. You can give her a bath everyday but only use body wash 3xweek. Just what my ped suggested....you do what works for you and little miss Harper.; 5/02/2009 10:59 PM
3 Zepeda's said...: Hi Kelly! I smiled when I saw P90X - my husband bought it for me (trying to be nice) but it totally killed me. We gave it to my sis in law (who works out all the time) and she really enjoys it - but it's giving her a run for the money!

I love your blog and your beautiful family!; 5/02/2009 10:59 PM
life with the wisners said...: honestly, i didn't read through all of the comments. but what might sound weird -- our pedi suggested we bathe our son in the basic dove soap. the white bar soap. just plain. no smell. when you go to the store, just get a plain 'ol dove soap bar. i know...how boring. but it worked like a charm. and i promise it smells just as clean.

oh, and your blog? it makes me so happy.; 5/02/2009 11:00 PM
The Wells family said...: All three soon to be 4 of my kids had the same thing i am not a big dairy or egg person either but you actually dont realize how much dairy and egg are in everyday things you eat. Also my pedi told me to stay away from cow meat and that helped wonders and for the first few months of breast feeding i dont do soy either. And she is such a cutie!!!!; 5/02/2009 11:04 PM
Cheerful Homemaker said...: Your baby is so adorable! I think she gets cuter every single day.

I love the idea of seeing everyone's homes. I won't be able to participate this week, though, because we're moving into our first house!; 5/02/2009 11:06 PM
Karen said...: Arbonne International's baby care products work very well for both children and adults with very sensitive skin and skin conditions/irritations. The products are formulated without chemical dyes or fragrances, which often further irritate skin, especially skin with eczema. They also have no mineral oil, animal products/by-products, are pH-correct, and pure/botanically-based. If you are interested and don't know an Arbonne consultant, I'll be glad to help you out! Here is a link to the hair and body wash from the line.

I hope you find the solution soon, but she is still just precious!!!

Karen
kgregorysc@gmail.com; 5/02/2009 11:11 PM
Karen said...: Oopsies, forgot the link! Here is the Arbonne baby care wash:
https://www.arbonne.com/products/baby/wash.asp; 5/02/2009 11:12 PM
Allison said...: I am so sorry that Harper is going through a growth spurt. If your mommy milk wasn't sooo good then she would sleep:) When I was nursing and we had growth spurts it always made me feel better when we took her for checkups and I was the one that had made her chubby. Thats a mommy for you! My baby girl had excema also and we loved Aveeno and Cetaphil.; 5/02/2009 11:13 PM
Elaine Johnson said...: I just love her little tongue right there between her lips. It is showing in just about every pic. She is the cutest thing. :); 5/02/2009 11:13 PM
Linda said...: Hi Kelly,

My son had a milk allergy when he was a baby and we had a prescription for elidel (sp?) cream from our pediatrician. It worked like a miracle!

Linda; 5/02/2009 11:15 PM
KIMBERLY said...: HEY KELLY- IS SHE STILL HAVING REFLUX, TOO? THE NEONATOLOGIST AT OUR HOSPITAL TOLD US ABOUT WOODWARDS GRIPEWATER AND IT HAS WORKED WONDERS! WE HAVE EVEN WEANED OFF OF ZANTAC AND PREVACID AND HE SLEEPS THROUGH THE NIGHT! YOU CAN ALSO ADD A TSP OF CEREAL FOR EVERY 2 OZ OF BREASTMILK IN HER EVENING BOTTLE (IF SHE'LL TAKE A BOTTLE) AND IT HELPS WITH THE REFLUX AND THE SLEEPLESSNESS! YOU CAN GET WOODWARDS AT SOME HEALTHFOOD SHOPS BUT I ORDERED MINE ONLINE AT http://www.theindianfoodstore.com/. HOPE THIS HELPS! SHE IS BEAUTIFUL BY THE WAY!; 5/02/2009 11:16 PM
Maryellen said...: I'm scared of p90x but my husband did it. He had to modify it...a lot. Tony Horton is a little crazy.; 5/02/2009 11:17 PM
BrendaS said...: I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share our eczema story...although you have had many other good comments and lots of other stories! I didn't think I had any food allergies either, but since I was strictly nursing, and my daughter (and son before that, but his didn't develop as much) had eczema I figured it might be coming through me. When she was on some solid foods we all went off of corn, as my sister had a corn intolerance. My daughter had developed some hives by then (which caused us to want to investigate the situation more urgently) and as soon as we went off of the corn the hives cleared up, along with the eczema.

Unfortunately I found out when I was off of corn for a while it gave me great 'pain' (as in stomach cramps and diahhrea) to go back onto it! So...apparently I did have some food intolerances I had passed along to her and didn't even know I had them. She also got very bad diaper rashes, which continued even when she was out of diapers, whenever she ate something with a corn derivative in it!

I found that pregnancy is such a dramatic change to the body that sometimes food allergies/intolerances develop during pregnancy. I also developed a lactose intolerance after my second pregnancy, whereas I found chocolate ice cream to be a GREAT way to soothe my morning sickness with that pregnancy. Afterwards...I was intolerant to dairy! Go figure.

Anyway...hope you find a good solution that works for you!; 5/02/2009 11:18 PM
Jenny said...: She is so adorable! I also use Aquaphor on my daughter's eczema.

I really enjoyed the kitchen tours and can't wait to add my living room next week. Thanks for the heads up!; 5/02/2009 11:18 PM
Jenny said...: I forgot to say that I saw a Walgreen version of Aquaphor and it's cheaper! WooHoo!; 5/02/2009 11:19 PM
Sarah said...: My son will be 3 in June and has had excema since birth. We did just have him tested for allergies last week and no food allergies showed up - contrary to popular excema belief. Just tree pollens and ragweed type things. We think his is simply sensitive skin.

Here are things that have worked for us:
1) Fewer baths with cooler water
2) Aquafor and CeraVe cremes
3) Unscented everything -- lotion, soap, shampoo, laundry detergent -- forget the "baby fresh" smell, it made him break out.
4) Tagless clothes (or remove the tags)
5) The doc prescribed a steroid creme for when the breakouts are terrible.
6) Careful temperature regulation -- too hot or too cold both make it flare up for him.
7) Natural/soft fabrics. Obviously he's not wearing lace, as girls may do -- but anything that's particularly binding or itchy makes him rashy.
8) Corn starch in his diaper or just on his arms/legs instead of baby powder -- we only do this when it's bad, but it does seem to sooth the irritation.; 5/02/2009 11:21 PM
Beth said...: I saw the P90X on TV and I googled it and from what I read you need to be in good condition to start. You can see that from the their ads...no one is NOT in shape already. Hubby and I are considering the program AFTER we get in better condition.

My grand-daughter has eczema too...glad to hear all the great tips on keeping it at bay.; 5/02/2009 11:28 PM
Lauren said...: Bring on the overload, girl, LOVED the pictures of sweet Harper and love you my friend!!!! :O); 5/02/2009 11:32 PM
Jessica said...: Harbor has eczema also and we use 1% cortosoid cream and eucerin lotion. It is pricey, but so awesome!!! No more red patches on the cheeks anymore! : ); 5/02/2009 11:33 PM
momof4 said...: My son and daughter both had eczema has babies and my daughter still has it. I use vasalline on it at bed time and right after bath. My son has indoor and outdoor alergies (cat, dog, trees and dust) my daughter has a posiable alergy to peanut butter. Oh yea and they were both breast feed.; 5/02/2009 11:36 PM
Bekah said...: All 3 of mine have sensitive skin and deal with excema. One of mine had really bad patches on his cheeks too. (We prefer the B&W baby pictures for him since you can't see the sad red splotches.)

What works for us is the following (based on recommendations from our pediatrician):
*Baths only every other day at most.
*No soap during baths (unless really needed), and shampoo at end of bath.
*Cetaphil cream (not lotion) right after bath.
*Sensitive skin laundry detergent (like All Free or whatever) and no fabric softener or dryer sheets.
*Over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream on excema patches (we call them ticklies) until gone. Dr said we can really slather it on. They do have Rx cream if the OTC doesn't work.

We've found that if we really follow this religiously, they do better. Especially with the cream and hydrocortisone. The no soap and scent-free fabric stuff makes me sad because I can't add to their sweet baby smells. But it's obviously worth it. :)

Hope you find something that works soon. The patches on the cheeks are so sad, aren't they. :(; 5/02/2009 11:36 PM
Kendra said...: Vaseline saved the day for our son. I did not want to put steroids on his skin all the time, nor dope him up with Zyrtec and Benadryl. I actually use an herbal remedy for his allergies and it works 10 times better, and God made all the ingredients!

It is allergy related, but when my kiddo has an outbreak, Vaseline gets him smooth and red bump free in a day. Just slather it all over, cover her skin with long sleeves and pants (PJ's work best), and she'll be smooth in no time.

Oh, and second on the unscented. But you can use Aveno bath wash and lotion with no problem, but just a little. Avoid Johnson and Johnson baby lotion and wash. Too harsh and drying, too many smell good perfumes. Your baby won't smell pretty, but she'll feel better!; 5/02/2009 11:42 PM
Mobachs said...: my daughter has ezchema and we found that Vasoline Creamy was the best ( we are canadian but i assume that they sell that in the states!) also when my mother in law went to Israel last year she brought us back this dead sea lotion/soap stuff. It works wonders on the ezchema cause its all natural with no chemicals or anything. Its called AHAVA Duramud. I have seen it online but again the Canadian thing makes for horrible shipping but maybe you'd have better luck. I found that the less soap you used during the baths the better... drys them out..
Good luck..if you come up with any other great ideas.. please post them.. i am always look for other ideas!; 5/02/2009 11:46 PM
Jenn Slayton said...: My daughter and I have eczema. We both use two different lotions. One is cetaphil lotion, you can find it at Wal-Mart. The other is Renew by Melaleuca. That is certainly the best!!! But I don't have a membership anymore. If you are interested you can check out melaleuca.com. I love this lotion and ordered quite a bit before my time was up and still have a large bottle left!!! The company is eco-friendly and doesn't use harmful ingredients. Just a thought! It truly has been the best lotion I have used on our eczema!; 5/02/2009 11:46 PM
jenn said...: I have suffered from eczema my whole life, and now my 16 month old son has eczema too. For him we use only the Aveeno Baby Sensitive products, limit baths (not too hot & 3 minute MAX!), don't rub the skin when you dry with a towel, just pat dry, apply lotion (OTC Hydrocortizone cream) to infected areas and put pj's on directly afterwards. We have also had trouble with our son waking up and staying up all night because of the itching, when that happens we usually try the Aveeno Oatmeal bath - again, no longer than 3 minutes with warm but not hot water. It seems to do the trick.
It also helps if we apply a small ice pack to the area when it is incredibly itchy and irritating, because the ice numbs it. The ice instantly helps, while the lotion is kicking in. You would think it would be a little discomforting, but our son LOVES it when he is extremely itchy, it's instant relief!
When she is older, you will probably want to talk to your doctor about oral antihistamines, if the eczema gets worse.; 5/02/2009 11:54 PM
Anonymous said...: I love when babies eat their feet!! For her eczema, aquaphor is great! Also, if you have a lotion/cream that is a pump it has to much liquid/alcohol in it, you want something in a tub (thicker).
Michelle; 5/02/2009 11:55 PM
Aubs said...: My two boys have both suffered with horrible excema so i feel your pain! I have tried EVERY thing out there prescription or not and the one thing i have found that works wonders is Mary Kay extra emollient night cream. I know it sounds crazy but that stuff has been our miracle cream! I'll be praying that you find something that works for little Harper!; 5/02/2009 11:58 PM
Jennifer said...: Trumpette socks are my very favorite! We have the little tennis shoe ones and Brody wears them almost everyday. They stay on so well and are so much easy than real shoes! Does Harper have the Mary Janes? Those are adorable! She is growing so fast!!

One of my student's dads did P90X last year and I could really tell a difference. He lost a good amount of weight and was able to start running and biking once the 90 days were up! He would always tell me Josh and I could borrow the dvds but I told him that was ok! I would pass on the torture!Ha!; 5/02/2009 11:58 PM
Jennifer said...: Kelly:

My daughter has a little problem with eczema too. I use CeraVe (12.29) at Target, by the pharmacy. That's what my dermalogist recomennded and bath only once a week. It's hard when it's so much fun and no soap with scent. I know that's the best part right? The spray tan will work wonders and make you feel GOOD:)

Keep up the great mommying your doing!; 5/02/2009 11:58 PM
Gabby said...: Hi just wanted to say that I have had excema all my life and the ONLY thing that has helped is olive oil. Its very gentle and doesn't sting like the other lotions but worked wondes for me! Have a nice day tomorrow. Gabby*; 5/03/2009 12:01 AM
Mommy to those Special Ks said...: OK so I'm not going to read all these comments! LOL But I see the top two said Aquaphor and I'd have to agree! It works GREAT for Kennedy. We've also used Carmex lotion and that works great as well. ALSO you can try Aveeno baby cream for eczema. We got good results with that too. Aquaphor is our favorite though! I usually put it on at bedtime because it makes her face look a little greasy... and well, who wants to go out with a greasy face?! :); 5/03/2009 12:05 AM
Lexie Loo, Lily, Liam & Dylan Too said...: My 2 year old girl has always had horrible eczema. We have to wash every item that touches her (including sheets, towels, washcloths, bibs) in free & clear detergent. She can't use body wash, shampoo, or lotion that has fragrance in it. The best lotion I've found is Eucerin. We have to keep a humidifier in her room. She has a prescription hydrocortizone cream for daily use, and Elidel for the really bad patches. Her pediatrician doesn't want us to use the Elidel more than once a week, though. When Harper is old enough for sunscreen, go for the Aveeno baby one. Everything else is too irritating. Good luck. You will find a routine that works!; 5/03/2009 12:07 AM
The B's said...: My husband has done P90X. The key is to have the TIME. It is strenuous and a bit difficult at times. It definitely works you!

What is Shred? I've heard others talk about it and have wondered. I need to bet my 2 1/2 year baby weight off. Ughh!; 5/03/2009 12:16 AM
Rhi said...: There is a Jergen's (I THINK, and I could go look in my bathroom at the label, but I am far too lazy.) lotion that is firming and also a tanning lotion. I'm a big fan of the lotion.

Also, love the Shred very much - for such a short workout, it really kicks your rear. Also - Jillian has a show that is On Demand on my cable (Comcast) called No More Trouble Zones that I LOVE.; 5/03/2009 12:33 AM
dogmom said...: My son is almost 11 yrs. old and he still gets eczema on occasion. He does use a prescription cream called, Elidel, which works wonders. He also uses a cream called, Vanicream, which you should be able to get at your pharmacy; sometimes the pharmacy may have to special order it, but it is an OTC and not a prescription cream. I hope this helps. My son started to get it as an infant and it always flares up when his asthma or allergies are bad. At one point, the eczema was so bad he had to take an oral steroid to clear it up and I would have to make sure he was lathered with the creams so the skin wouldn't start cracking. His never got that bad, but if the skin starts to crack you have to be careful b/c it can get infected. Good luck and I hope you find something that works for her! She's such a sweetie!
God Bless!
If you have any ?'s my e-mail address is dogmom.ms@gmail.com.; 5/03/2009 12:44 AM
April Wood said...: I have been reading your blog for a while now, but this is my first post. 1st of all, Harper is adorable!!! I also live in Northwest Arkansas, and from your blog I went and bought the 30 day shred. I can honestly say this is the first workout I have ever stayed committed to! I think because it's only 20 minutes, I can fit that into my busy schedule and it's a pretty fun workout (as far as workouts go) My husband also does P90X. I think he's only been doing it for about 40-50 days, but looks amazing already. He has lost so much weight and I can tell he is stronger. It looks too hard and time consuming for me, but if Scott is a committed kind of guy, I think it's wonderful!; 5/03/2009 1:04 AM
Anonymous said...: Always here praying!
Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Prayer Bears My email address; 5/03/2009 1:04 AM
Kellie said...: My duaghter had horriable exzema and still does. We used several things. The dr prescribed a steroid cream that works wonders when she is in a major flair up and it works within a couple hours but other than that we use lubiderm and it worked pretty well. We keep free from any scented soaps or oils as well as lotions. GOOD LUCK; 5/03/2009 1:31 AM
Jennifer said...: My third child (7 mos) has excema the worst of all my kids. There's not much you can do before they're 6 mos old. We've switched to white, unscented soap (look at dove or aveno) since even the yellow johnson&johnson is too much for our excema'd babies. Then I did the aveno baby CREAM with oatmeal for excema 4-5x a day (at target it's in the baby section with the baby soaps/lotions/creams). My baby's head was the worst and then he'd scratch it so he'd always have little cuts...very sad. What finally worked was very consistent shea butter (New Season's) and I kept him in a hat. It took at least a month for us, just to warn you. After 6 mos, we could use a little cortizone cream which is working fabulous...BUT, you cannot use it on the face/head. Be careful which lotions/creams you use. Some really sting so pay attention if she's more fussy when you're putting on one lotion over another (Lubriderm and cetaphil lotions sting really bad for us). Good luck!

That pic of Harper in the white onesie might be my favorite one yet!; 5/03/2009 2:21 AM
Jen said...: That little girl is so-o-o-o photogenic. Of course, she has to be with a mom like you! ;); 5/03/2009 4:33 AM
Me said...: We've dealt with alot of exzema here (myself included), and it's tough to soothe. My 4 year old is battling some horrible patches on her arm right now and aquaphor has really helped. It needs to keep moist. My doctor told me also to limit her baths/showers. Babies and kids don't need to be bathed every day, or even every other day. It dries out their skin even further. They suggest only once or twice a week, but I jsut can't do it. I can only bring myself to let them go 2 days with no bath. MAX. Right after a bath, slather her with lotion, and put aquaphor on the eczema, and keep putting it on throughout the day.

I would also suggest you start keeping a food diary of what you're eating. That might help narrow some things down that may be irritating her. I would especially be aware of the top 8 allergens....dairy, soy, eggs, wheat, peanuts, nuts, shellfish, and sulfites. We deal with allergies here as well....soooo not fun!; 5/03/2009 6:00 AM
Unknown said...: Hey! My daughter has it bad too. I'm sure someone already wrote this (I haven't read through all the comments) but Eucerin works wonders. We also have prescription hydrocortizone for the really bad spots. Good Luck!; 5/03/2009 6:03 AM
Rach@In His Hands said...: SOOO precious! The photo of her after her nap is that sweet! What a smile!; 5/03/2009 6:17 AM
Jason, Betsy, Jackson said...: We use only Aveeno products - worked like a charm! Harper is precious!; 5/03/2009 6:38 AM
Michelle said...: Harper is too cute! Our son has excema, but we manage to keep it at bay by keeping him moisturized. After his bath we slather (and I mean slather) him with Aquaphor and then cover it all up with his pj's. During the day we keep him moisturized with Baby Aveeno. Our doctor told us in order to lock in the moisture you have three minutes from when they get out of the bath to get Aquaphor/Aveeno on them. We had a really strong prescription at first because his excema had become infected, but once we got a hold of it and kept him moisturized, it has never come back. Good luck! :); 5/03/2009 6:50 AM
Traci said...: I can't help with the excema much BUT I can help with tan arms...

Go get a mystic spray tan- I get the light/medium. It's a booth, not a human, so it's not so embarassing. Just be sure to use barrier cream on your feet and hands- and I wash my hands and feet right after as well.

My husband does P90x- he loves it and it's never boring. It's way too much for me so I'm doing the Shred and Slim in 6. The Slim in 6 dvd's I've had a for a while, and seriously- after 10 days I saw ab muscles and was already getting toned up. I just started the Shred after a long illness- it's only been a few days, but it's really hard!; 5/03/2009 6:56 AM
Mary said...: Bless your heart. I remember the zombie days well. I know you don't have time to read right now but a few things that helped me get my son to sleep a little more: In the evening, feed her constantly, like if she eats every 3-4 hours offer her ahem...food...more often than that and see if she'll take it. And as crazy as it sounds, try to put her to bed earlier than normal and see if that makes a difference. I know it sounds crazy but somebody told me to try and it and it really helped at least one of the sleep stretches. It doesn't make sense with us (adults,) but the book the gal was getting info from said the earlier the baby goes to sleep the longer they'll sleep. IT WORKED FOR ME! There is nothing more precious than little Miss Harper but if you could get a little more sleep just think of how great life will be! The book is called Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child. Again, I know you don't have time to read :):); 5/03/2009 7:01 AM
Unknown said...: Hi Kelly!

Don't fret over the eczema. My ten mon th old son has it and it's very treatable. We went to a dermatologist, for as much as we love our baby doctor, we wnated someone who specialized in skin to lead us down the right path.

She recommended Cera-Ve body creme-not lotion-for the wee one's face and body and Cera-Ve body wash for bath times. This was her suggestion as it's the most skin-sensitive lotion out there and though Aquaphor is generally recommended for babies with eczema as well, some have a lanolin sensitivity.

A few things you should know: this is not s big deal. As our doctor said it, by the time your baby is about a year old, you won't be able to tell he has it.

And it's true. You can't tell. He has little pink spots near his mouth, but thats because of the drooling from teething and where his pacifier rests. This will pass.

I promise, it seems scary and disappointing at first, but it is completely controlable, and quickly will become just a part of your normal routine.

If you have any questions, thoughts, concerns, you can email at any time.

And if you need further reassurance, check out my blog. You'll see the wee baby boy in question-and he's happy as a little lamb.

And so are we, praise God. Take care and no worries. Harper is going to be just fine. She's beautiful all the way around.; 5/03/2009 7:15 AM
Gina said...: My daughter had severe eczema as an infant that she completely grew out off by the time she was 3. Prescription Elidel cream worked very well for her. And Eucerin cream (in the tub, Wal-Mart brand worked just as well) was a great OTC alternative. I would put the Elidel on and then put the Eucerin on top of it because it did a good job of "sealing" it in.; 5/03/2009 7:21 AM
quadmama said...: Hydrolatum- is a wonderful lotion a friend told me about this winter and it is fantastic- it was developed at Boston's Childrens Hospital and it is "hypoallergenic, alcohol free, fragrance free, gluten free, steroid free and peanut free"
so IF there are any allergies this is a good choice
My pharmacy was able to order a 16 oz jar for us for under $10
Good Luck; 5/03/2009 7:22 AM
Courtney said...: Love all the new Harper pics. I love that now she is starting to smile and you can see that personality coming through!; 5/03/2009 7:25 AM
Michelle said...: Aveeno Intense relief hand cream worked wonders for us. Her skin is smooth again. None of the other tricks or old wives tales really helped.; 5/03/2009 7:27 AM
Michelle said...: She is adorable! So sorry about the excema. I can imagine that is very tough to deal with. Can't wait to see what you and Harper will be wearing next Sunday!; 5/03/2009 7:29 AM
Sonya said...: I love all the pictures. Thanks for sharing. My sister in law just got a spray tan and she looked fantastic. That would definitely get you tan in a week.

I just started Shred two days ago. So far so great. My husband who is really into fitness did the workout with me last night. :) He was amazed at how good a workout it is.; 5/03/2009 7:44 AM
Trish said...: My 1st had excema pretty bad & after buying several tubes of Aquaphor I discovered Clear Balmex. Works just as well and is half the price (or more). I knew a bargain girl like you would appreciate the tip!
Also, hydrocortizone .5% cream only on the "patches" or "spots" (not smeared all over her) will help also. But only use it for a couple of days at a time - it can be harsh & thin their skin.; 5/03/2009 7:53 AM
Chris & Whitney said...: My 9 month old, Blakely, also has eczema. We tried everything! And finally settled on Aquaphor wash and Gentle Naturals (has Pooh on it) Eczema lotion. I still wash her dark, headfull of hair with Johnson's, b/c Aquaphor and the others made it very greasy (just a tip! Harper will have lots of hair soon, too!) These products kept her eczema from getting worse, but it wasn't getting better, so the pediatrician prescribed a steroid cream. I might use a pea size drop of it once or twice a week, and it helps a ton!

Eczema is on the same DNA as allergies and asthma. So if you or Scott have ever had those or eczema, then that's where Harper gets it...or it could just be a fluke. Pediatrician did ask me if our baby's flares up after eating certain foods, so you may want to pay attention to that for food allergies.

Sorry for the book, but I know how hard it can be to watch your baby CLAW at her eczema, so I wanted to tell you all I knew! Hope you find what works for Harper soon! And I am praying for restful sleep for you (even if it's not plentiful yet!!)

Whitney White (a fellow OBUer!!); 5/03/2009 7:56 AM
Unknown said...: I'm not sure you'll even read this far down in your comments but I thought I'd share my eczema treatment anyway. I hope you do read it because this stuff is the ONLY thing I have ever found to work.

My baby had terrible ezcema at about 4 months. She was itchy and miserable. It was all over her body, even her face. We tried EVERYTHING. All the creams and diets and nothing worked until my doctor suggested a homeopathic remedy called Graphites. You'd have to get it at a health food store or Whole Foods. I know this sounds off-the-wall but honestly it works and it was recommended by my doctor. They are tablets and you just give them one tablet before bed. Our daughter's ezcema is usually gone the next morning. Occasionally we need a second treatment but not very often. I hope this works for her. I have found that none of the creams did anything to really soothe from the inside. Blessings to you and your sweet girl!; 5/03/2009 8:00 AM
Jessie Weaver said...: My dad did the original Power 90 and lost TONS of weight. I did the videos with him some and they were fun and not horrible.; 5/03/2009 8:12 AM
liz said...: There is a new study out that says you should put bleach in their bath water. Ask your doctor. You can read about it on WebMD. My son had eczema too as a baby but it went away.; 5/03/2009 8:14 AM
Journey to Mia Lynn: said...: Hi Kelly. I am a BeachBody Coach & would love to visit with Scott about P90X or any of the other products. AMAZING! Check them out here, http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/jenpearse
& there are some great programs for you too! Tony Horton has one called "The 10 minute trainer". You should check it out. Plus, there is a new protein shake called "Shakeology". http://www.milliondollarbody.com/shakeology/ Go here & listen & read especially about "The Science" of the product. If you sign up to be a "coach" you can get some great discounts on products verses just purchasing them online. Even if Scott isn't interested in going that route, I would love to have him order under me. Anyway, been following your blog for a while & thought that I would let you know that the products are GREAT! I have sent to your personal email my good friend's transformation story & most importantly her before & after pics...she has had FOUR kiddos! WOW, huh?!?!?!? Got to get ready for church. Have a great Sunday!

Best of luck!; 5/03/2009 8:15 AM
Hilary said...: Eczema runs in our family, especially in 2 of my sister's girls. She started using Eucerin on them when they were babies, after their bath. She used the pump kind, but also the thick cream that comes in a plastic tub. She also got a cream from the doctor that helps, too.

And as far as your miracle cure for mother's day? I just did the Mystic Tan for my wedding and LOVED it. It looks it's best after about 48 hours, but it only takes about 10 minutes & you're ready to go. You should check it out! (They usually offer discounts for first timers, too!); 5/03/2009 8:17 AM
Jill said...: Hi Kelly!
My son had bad excema during the winter months and it's just returning! My pediatrician told us to use Eucerin lotion and it works wonders! It feels like glue because it's so thick, but it really moisturizes! We also use the Aveeno calming bath soap!
I love reading your blog and keeping up with Harper's life! I hope you have a happy first mothers day next week!! :)
Jill; 5/03/2009 8:28 AM
michelle said...: I know you are getting lots of advice...here a couple ideas that worked for me and a friend of mine...first off-I don't think I would use aquafor, it is so thick and I would think clog pores also the petroleum can affect hormones. A friend of mine has used Reliv..it is a whole food powder that you mix w/ a little water and feed it to baby. When they are older you mix it up as a drink, they also have it for adults. (the kids is sooo yummy!!) Her son had TERRIBLE skin and it is clearing right up-so much so that the peditrician asked for 2 cans of Reliv when he saw her little guy's results. My husband and I try to use as many all natural products as we can...so when my little guy had cradle cap so bad we used neutrogena's bar soap (not all natural but at least unscented) and followed w/ burt's bees baby lotion- and it helped!! (honestly I was a little surprised) But we had tried soo much and nothing helped, I was thrilled that this did!!! I sure hope you have good results...it is hard to see your little peanut having "issues." But she is still ADOREABLE!!!; 5/03/2009 8:29 AM
Rachel said...: I am doing the shred and I have a separate blog devoted to it. There is no better motivation to stick with a workout routine than to post before pictures on the internet. Ouch.

My husband is doing the p90x and has been for about a month and I can already see a difference. If your husband does it, he doesn't need to convert the garage, he can just buy the "iron gym" and put it over a door frame. My husband works out right in the living room or spare bedroom.

Good Luck to y'all.; 5/03/2009 8:40 AM
Amy said...: Kelly, SLM (Shannon) had GREAT suggestions. I, myself, was in the allergy lab at 6 weeks old because of excema and allergies. Unfortunately, and this is NOT THE NORM: I still have it. Just don't bathe her every day, try to keep her sweet skin moisturized, and use some sort of (prescription) hydrocortisone OINTMENT (not the cream, and of course, use the weakest strength) when it gets really inflamed. And try to keep her from scratching! It totally breaks my heart when I hear of ANYONE suffering from this, let alone a little baby. I will be praying for Miss Harper (like I'm not already!!) and that it will all go away very, VERY soon!

Thanks for all the sweet pics! I think I can make it through to Monday now. :); 5/03/2009 8:49 AM
The Allens said...: Oh gosh! P90X WORKS, but you have to be in pretty good shape when you start it. It is beyond intense. There is actually a fitness test to do to see if you can handle it. My husband does it. We ordered it the day before we found out I was pregnant, so he was able to do it, but my doctor strictly forbid it for me - even in the early days.
As far as Eczema, I have a friend whose son had HORRIBLE eczema as a baby. She washed EVERYTHING in Dreft, so that if he was laying up against her clothes or on her bed he wasn't touching anything that has been washed in a harsher detergent. It helped a lot.
I use Neutragena Spray Tan and it works really well and is really easy to use. I have my husband do the backs of my legs, though.
I just got the okay to start working out and I am definitely easing in. I have thought about the Shred, though. I need to know someone who did it before I buy it...
Every two hours at night? Wow. Your blessed to be a SAHM now. Could you imagine having to get in the shower after the 5am feeding and get ready to head to an office?
My son still hasn't found his feet and I keep trying to show them to him! I think your pictures of Harper and her feet are ADORABLE.; 5/03/2009 8:50 AM
luci said...: Aveeno Baby Lotion has worked for my friends' babies and my grandkids when nothing else would. Good luck!; 5/03/2009 8:55 AM
Andrew's Mom said...: OH MY! I can't get over how ridiculously cute the smiling picture of Harper after her nap is! My little on use to put his feet in his mouth constantly and at 6 he could probably still do it if I let him ;)

I know a little about P90X and as a Personal Trainer I will tell you that anything that requires mostly your own body weight will be the most beneficial for you. I will also {and don't hate me for this} tell you that you can workout your face off but in the end weightless is generally 75-80% diet...; 5/03/2009 9:01 AM
The Petro Family said...: Hey Kelly,

Our son is almost two and has battled eczema since he was born along with terrible cradle cap. For the cradle cap, we mixed Atopiclaire with Aquaphor and greased his head up each night. Worked wonders. Next we only use Cetaphil at bath time, for hair and body. We went to a specialist and he said, so Aveno, no lotions, just Cetaphil or Aquaphor. But the BEST was this compound he told us about called Delbase. WORKED WONDERS! He told us to put it on at night before bed, but my mother in law started using it each diaper change on any eczema spot and within just two days, it was all gone! So we now use it after each bath on his flare ups to keep them under control. It's just a water based compound, so it's not a steroid. Hope this helps!; 5/03/2009 9:04 AM
Rachel said...: Hey Kelly,
My youngest son had excema when he was an infant and occasionally will get a flair up every know and then. Aquaphor helped and at it's worst we used a steroid cream. Our ped. told us to stay away from any lotions and shampoos with fragrances...which I hated cause I loved the lavendar scented. Anyway.

The P90X Commercials crack me up..My husband is a firefighter and they started having workout sessions at the station, one guy takes it very seriously. It does work, but it's tough stuff.; 5/03/2009 9:29 AM
Jane said...: Both of my girls have it too!! YUCK!! I don't want to repeat what everyone else has said because it is all good advice. Less baths, lots of lotion, I also use free and clear detergent (no more dreft). Also ask your pedi but mostly until she is 6 months there are not many things you can put on her. Good Luck. Love your blog.; 5/03/2009 9:29 AM
Amanda said...: Girl, waking up every 2 hours is rough. Wow. Is she sleeping in your room or in her crib? When Jackson was a baby, any time we traveled and slept in the same room, he did that. I hope she starts sleeping better for you soon!; 5/03/2009 9:39 AM
Shal said...: We had to use a prescription steroid cream to knock out the worst of it.. we lived in Colorado (dry) and now Australia (dry as dry can get) and that tends to be what aggravates it.. if you can use a humidifier that will help.

Also once we used a spot of the steroid cream and it got most of it, then to keep her skin clear and healthy looking... we used this organic almond oil. Here in Australia the brand is called GAIA and it's the BEST. Don't use Johnson and Johnson as they use a mineral oil. I think GNC or maybe an organic grocery store should carry an organic oil. But before you rub all over, just try it on a very small patch.

Cleared her up QUICK, and it's just wonderful.

One other tip for baby/toddler skin issues.. they say not to rub away the water after a bath, they told me just to wrap her in a towel and get the towel to absorb as much water as it could, and then to put the oil on so the oil could keep in as much moisture as possible.. it's really soothing to the skin, rather than rubbing the towel up and down their body which I guess irritates it...

Sorry for the long comment! But been there.. email me if you need more tips on Eczema...

Great pics of Harper! What a miracle cutie!; 5/03/2009 9:45 AM
Taylor said...: Love the new pictures of Miss Thang!!

My husband and I have p90x and I've not actually started it yet but I have watched one of the dvd's and it's very intense. One of the girls I work with has been doing it fairly faithfully (at least 3 times a week) and you can tell a big difference in her!! Wish him luck for me!

You make such a beautiful mother and that little girl is so lucky to have such loving parents!; 5/03/2009 9:50 AM
Leigh Ann said...: She is PRECIOUS! Girl, I hurt my knee doing that Shred video! Now that I am working with a trainer, he got on to me for starting with that. Be careful if you try it! Oh, and to only weigh a little less than pre-pregnancy...I'm INCREDIBLY jealous!!!; 5/03/2009 9:53 AM
Holly said...: This may interest you. I need to lose weight and I can eat a bowl of oatmeal but 30 minutes later I am hungry again. My postal clerk turned me onto this program and I think it is so neat and practical. http://www.hungry-girl.com.

One more thing, be careful with Aquaphor it stains clothing.; 5/03/2009 9:57 AM
the webster's said...: my son has very bad excema I found a bath wash and lotion that works great it is in the baby isle at the store and it is by gentle naturals it has a picture of pooh and piglet on it. Works great for us hopefully it will work good for you to.; 5/03/2009 10:17 AM
Susie said...: My oldest had excema also. Here are a few things we tried...(1)baths only every other day because it just dries him out and makes it worse (2) Eucerin lotion (3) and Aquaphor I used on my youngest when his face kept getting chapped! HOpe it helps!; 5/03/2009 10:21 AM
Susie said...: Oh and I almost forgot we used Avenno baby wash!; 5/03/2009 10:22 AM
Jennie Peakin said...: My son had bad excema and still has a few spots. The miracle cure for me after trying what seemed like EVERYTHING was Clarins Skin Beauty Repair and then Aquaphilic on top of that. Clears it right up! The Skin Beauty Repair is all natural and completely safe for a little one. It's kind of an oily texture. You can get it a large department stores (ie. Macys, Sacs, Nordstroms). It's pricey, but worth the money because it works!; 5/03/2009 10:29 AM
Polly said...: Kelly, my kids have excema on their face and my daughter has it on the back of her knees. Poor baby. The dermatologist gave us a mild steroid to use 2-3 days per week. He insisted that we don't use it more that that. Even if they're in a full blown breakout. He told us to us Cetaphyl cream in addition to the steroid. BTW, WM has a generic tub for about 1/3 less than the name brand.
So, we lube them up every night with the cream and when their skin gets even a little crusty, I use the prescription. We have tried everything...less bathing, homeopathic stuff, Aveeno, etc. But nothing works like Cetaphyl for everyday and the steroid when things get bad.
Hope she gets some relief. Believe it or not, it seems to be easier when they get it young than when they get it older. My friends' kids have had their first breakouts when they are 4,5,& 6 and have just been miserable. My kids don't know anything different. They know to ask for cream when they're feeling scale-y.
Polly
marypauline at stankus dot com; 5/03/2009 10:39 AM
Suze said...: I read an article the other day that said they were having very good results with getting rid of excema by soaking in a tub of water with 1/2 cup of bleach added for 5 minutes - I dont recall the frequency though...you might ask your doctor if he has heard of the study...or do a google search for that article..
Wee Miss Harper is very cute...; 5/03/2009 10:40 AM
Erica said...: For excema we found that "Baby Excema Creme" that they sell in Wal-Mart in the baby section works the best. It has Winnie the Pooh on the front- it's Disney brand or something. It keeps low-grade flare-ups at bay really well. When it gets bad, though, we use prescription hydrocortisone creme to clear it up fast.; 5/03/2009 10:43 AM
Crafty Sisters said...: Usually the eczema is food related. It's amazing how many dairy and egg products are hidden in our foods we eat. A little 1%hydrocortizone cream (ointment) once a day on the bad spots helps, aquaphor is great stuff too. I'm dealing with the same stuff with my two month old. I'm having to eliminate things from my diet, not fun. Good luck!; 5/03/2009 10:44 AM
Karen said...: My son who is only 18 months, had big red patches of excema on his cheeks his first 6 or 7 months of life. Admittedly, it looked gross everytime it would flare up. We used hydrocortisone, suggested by our pediatrician and it always worked best. Every time we changed his diapers, we loaded him up with more hydrocortisone. Also, used Dove soap only when taking baths.; 5/03/2009 10:45 AM
Andi said...: Hi Kelly! I just wanted to introduce myself. I am Andi and I LOVE your blog! That baby girl is a doll! I have to giggle everytime I see her with a big bow. I have nothing but boys around me, so I love to see her cute outfits. I just joined the blogworld this morning. You will have to come visit me when you get a chance. I am trying to make blog friends. :o)
Anywho...Thanks for the inspiration. But i have to tell ya- ROLL TIDE, BABY!; 5/03/2009 10:48 AM
erika said...: Some people may have already suggested these things (and for some reason I don't have time to read all 197 comments....hmmm....) but thought I would make some suggestions anyway....

1. Bathe every other or every 3rd (4th even) day. Babies don't need to be bathes that often unless yours is out digging in the dirt :)

2. Use scent free-dye free everything. Nothing smelly AT ALL. If it smells, don't use it. This includes laundry detergents, fabric softeners etc.

3. Aquaphor and Cetaphil are great products. Aveeno is great too.

4. Use hydrocortisone cream sparingly and be careful not to use it on her face for too long or too often. It can actually cause the skin to lighten in patches if overused.

5. At this point, it shouldn't be anything in your breastmilk causing her eczema. I wouldn't worry about that

6. Dress her in cotton lightweight clothes and don't let her get too hot. Sweating makes eczema much much worse!

Good luck and hopefully things will come around! :)
Erika; 5/03/2009 11:10 AM
Lyn Kearns said...: My husband and I both LOVE P90X. He even cancelled his gym membership because he gets such a good workout at home now, and he is quite the fitness geek so it's great. As for excema, my baby girl had a few flare-ups as an infant and we used the Baby Arbonne set and it would tame it well. Love the socks!; 5/03/2009 11:12 AM
Jamie said...: Such great pictures of Harper!!!! She just gets sweeter and sweeter! It is so fun to see their little personalities develop. Crosby smiled at us yesterday, and it was so fun!

Both R & A had (have) excema. Although it doesn't smell baby and sweet, Eucerin lotion seems to help if I'm faithful to put it on a few times a day. There's one version that's less greasy than the other. And Aveeno bath products were recommended to us by our ped. and so we use that mostly. Rhett outgrew the excema for the most part--except on his arms--so I'm hoping Alexee will, too. You can probably see hers in pictures--it looks painful and I feel sorry for her because she says, "stings!" "stings".; 5/03/2009 11:24 AM
Jamie said...: P.S. I laughed about her sleeping through the night by the time she goes to college! I'm hoping it won't take quite that long!; 5/03/2009 11:25 AM
Chad said...: She is so precious! My little girl has excema. I know it might sound crazy, but the combination that worked for us was first, using hydrocortizone cream (prescribed by her pediatrician) to help the trouble spots not be so inflamed. Second, we started using soap free cleanser. Third, we lotion her up twice a day with Aveno baby sensitive skin lotion. And lastly, we try not to bathe her every day unless she was really active, out in the sun, etc.(recommended by the pediatrician) to help her skin stay moisturized. Also, I found that anything with a scent (like Johnson and Johnson lavendar baby soap or lotion) really irritated her skin. So keep things fragrance free! Hope this helps!
Amy; 5/03/2009 11:48 AM
Cortney said...: Hi Kelly! Two of my three boys have suffered with eczema. My eight-month old had it pretty bad through the winter. First of all, my doctor suggested water baths only, no shampoo OR baby lotion. We used Eucerin, but his was so severe that we bumped it up to a prescription for a mild cream. THEN it got so out of hand that we got a prescription for something a little stronger which completely zapped it all within 48 hours. Now I am just managing it with the milder cream where he needs it and Eucerin where he isn't dry. I have found that is all about managing it. Neither my husband nor I have allergies, so this is all new to us. My three year old grew out of the eczema but still suffers with seasonal allergies, and we hope the same happens for our baby. Sorry this ended up being so long. I know how it is for your baby to be all red, scaly, and itchy! I hope Harper gets better soon!; 5/03/2009 11:49 AM
Liz said...: My daughter has a mild form of eczema, so I thought I would pass on what I have found helpful. We use Charlie's Soap for washing all of our clothes (www.charliessoap.com). It is free of all the nasty fragrances and chemicals. Also, I don't bathe her every day as this exacerbates the symptoms. When she does have a bath, I use California Baby super sensitive skin body wash. This is also free of all those nasty scents and chemicals and has worked great for her. Also, I have been thinking about what she eats and drinks and how that affects her from the inside out. Making sure she is hydrated is key, but I'm sure your little one is fine since she's probably nursing and/or getting formula. I hope this helps.; 5/03/2009 11:52 AM
vera said...: Oh my goodness, she's SO cute! We used cortisone to clear it up when it was really bad, and then CeraVe lotion to keep it away - if I put the Cera-Ve on after each bath (and it's nice and lotiony, not greasy like Aquaphor) it didn't come back.

Here's a link: http://www.drugstore.com/qxp162034_333181_sespider/cerave/moisturizing_cream.htm

She's SO cute!!! Oh, wait did I say that already? Well, I'll say it again: SHE'S SO CUTE!!; 5/03/2009 11:58 AM
Alphabet Soup Momma said...: Eggs and dairy make me gag too! I have been doing weight watchers and I have been "trying" to eat yogurt and I just CANNOT do it! I take one bite and I have to throw the rest away - it is TERRIBLE!

Oh and thanks to Boo Mama's inspiration The Shred came in the mail yesterday and today will be day 1. I am really scared.; 5/03/2009 12:48 PM
Sweet Tea said...: LOVE. YOUR. BLOG!!
I gave you a "Shout Out" on my blog so you may want to come by and check it out.

You've got one beautiful baby, Girl. I just love that you're loving and enjoying her so much. That's exactly how it should be. I wish every baby was greeted and loved in such a way.; 5/03/2009 12:50 PM
Stephanie said...: Both my son and daughter have had excema. We weren't having much success with anything suggest by my friends who had children with excema. Arbonne, aquaphor, cortisone...none of it worked even though they seemed to work great for others. Our allergist (Dr. Brown at the Allergy Clinic of Tulsa) recommended Vanicream (I get it OTC at Walgreens). Combined with infrequent bathing and fragrance-free soaps and detergents, the excema is finally gone. Vanicream also makes a sunscreen that is excellent for baby skin. Good luck...it might be a little tricky finding the exact combination that will work for Harper.; 5/03/2009 12:57 PM

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