Dealing with Eczema

Since my daughter was 18 months old she has had eczema on her wrists, and the backs of her legs. She is now nearly four and her arms rarely have a day when they are not red all the way up to her elbows.

She has good days, and she has very itchy days.

We have been to allergy doctors and various dermatologist, made tons of tests, etc.

But it all boils down with living with eczema and learning to deal with it.

The nasty stuff has also decided to plague me, and having always had hands sensitive to too much soap and dish washing I am not also suffering from eczema all over the back of my right hand. The dermatologist also tell me it is an allergy.

What we use:

- Zinc cream. (This is something we can use often and freely, and so we do just that. I put a good coat on her arms every evening when she goes to be along with the other prescription cream she uses- which we use very sparingly).

-Bepanthen. (When we saw the last and best dermatologist she had me mix 3 things together to create a "perfect" cream for my girl. She had us mix this, with zinc cream and the prescription cream). I still mix this with the zinc at times to make it more spreadable.

-Coconut oil. (I use this after her baths to lock in moisture and it soaks in immediately. We also use it at other times, but not as much as the zinc).

- - -

-Avene Cicalfate- is what I use on my hand for my eczema.


What we do :

-Keep nails short.

-Use a special bath oil soap. BABE oil soap.

-Limit sugar, candy, and artificial color intakes (juice, etc).

-Since our girl at one time had a sensitivity to eggs we limit her egg intake.

-Change her bedding often. (She is also allergic to dust mites).

-Let her stay cool. Don't make her wear socks or a sweater if she says she is warm enough. Here in LV kids are kept warm. But being too warm makes irritated skin itch more.
- - - - -
-My eczema is very much triggered by water, washing dishes, working with acidic fruits and veges (lemons, tomatoes, etc. ) Because of this I try to wear gloves while washing dishes, and limit soap usage (even gentle soaps).



Living with eczema is very hard, annoying and tricky. Emotions trigger my daughter to start scratching and raving about itching. It is sometimes hard to tell if she is pretending and using her this or if really is true.

I feel badly for her and hope that as she grows older she will outgrow this. And learn how best to live with it and deal with it.

If you have ever dealt with extreme eczema how did you treat it?

Frozen- My parental review

 
I had not seen the new film Frozen until I talked to my sister. After she told me that she felt that Disney had made this movie more child friendly I wanted to see it to preview it for my kids. Plus it seemed like people have really been excited about this film, so I wanted to see what all the hype was about. 

My favorite thing by far was the music, I also liked the beginning part where the little sister goes and asks the big sister to play. It was just so cute and realistic, down to the cute tone in her voice about having to go play :) There are a lot of cute moments during the film, though some parts are rather scary (for kids).

I was hesitant to show this film to my kids who are 5 and 3 because we are very careful/strict with what we show them, and they have never seen anything with magic- except for Cinderella.

When I did show it to them yesterday I skipped the intense parts- because my kids get scared by things like that.

My favorite things:

 - The songs: Do you wanna to build a snowman is my top favorite song, then Frozen Heart, Reindeers, Fixer Upper,

-The personality of Anna, she is cute, outgoing and honest.

-I also got a kick out of the trading post owner- his voice and gestures and the people in the sauna reminded me of LV- that was just so funny.

I won't be showing my kids the full film until they are older, I am not fond of children being introduced to people with powers. Even the calm parts where she just made snow and ice brought up a lot of questions from the kids, and it is rather hard to explain.

My final thoughts are that it is a good visual lesson on the way fear paralyzes us and freezes our worlds and our hearts. When we let God's love overcome our fears we are free, just like Elsa was finally free when she let go of her fear.

Featured on this blog

Hey buddies,
Over the past couple of years I have been reading this lovely lady's blog. I love that she is open about her faith, and how she shares great fashion tips, and her art!

Over the past couple of months I have had the privilege of writing her and even sharing my silk art with her.

Today she featured me and my silk on her blog. Check it out and sign up for the giveaway!

My Honey- Perfume

Do you have a perfume that is your fragrance? That when people smell it they are reminded of you?

I have always preferred using Bath and Body Work's fragrance mist- it is light and it doesn't make my head hurt. But at the same time I have wanted to find a perfume that would be my special fragrance.
I had thought it was this one:


And since my youth this one has stuck in my mind as the perfume that smelled most like roses of any. As a teenager I always imagined that when I grew up I would smell like roses. So eventually when I was older and had money I got this perfume. I liked it, but it was a bit too powerful for me, and I would spray it on my ankles because if it was too close me face it would overpower me or make my head hurt.

Problem number two is that my husband says it smells like soap. Oops.

For my birthday back in November I was give a gift card for a fragrance shop. I had tried several perfumes, whenever I passed the shop, none were something I liked enough to buy. 

A couple weeks back I passed the store and saw this new perfume advertised. The name drew me in, I just loved that title.  I went in and tried it, delightful!

Plus my husband liked it- which is really most important, right?!

I have never had a fragrance that was "mine." My husband does, and when I smell it I am reminded of him, and I love that.

I tried it again yesterday, gave it a few hours and then when I found the smaller size available I bought it.

The description of the fragrance:

The perfume open ups with lime, honey and fruity notes like that of golden-yellow fruit which lead to a heart of magnolia, lotus, and white jasmine. The feminine heart rests on the base of musk, blond wood, and raspberry. Source
I just love my new perfume and feel so special having my own "real perfume".  Plus it is so delicate that I can spray it on my wrists and still want to use more :) Thanks to my colleagues who gave me the gift card.

Peacock Wedding

It is your special day and you want a regal wedding with peacocks.

I do neckties in your color scheme, skinny or regular width.

And silk scarves- hand painted in the colors you need. These make perfect bridesmaid gifts and a wonderful accent for the wedding.

Faith

Every day we hear of terrible things going on, some of them close at hand, others far off. Every day we are confronted with evil and the fight of a world over what is right and what is wrong.

I admit that I often feel like crawling in a hole and hiding me and my loved ones from this big, scary world.

There have been a lot of days lately where my thoughts and fears of the happenings that are occurring in our world leave me paralyzed in fear and trepidation for the kids I am raising is such an evil world.

It seems that at every corner we are faced with and reminded that this world is crumbling apart.

In this dark days I have a choice to live in fear, or to live in faith.

I don't know what faith means to you. But to me it is something like this. . .

Faith is in One bigger than me, my fears, and everything that is going on.

Faith is knowing that there is One who made this world and that HE has never left and never will abandon his children.

As I sat quaking in my boots this morning I ran to the Psalms and was reminded that God is with those who love him.

I was reminded of the Bible verse we have been learning all week with my kids, "My help comes from the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth" Psalm 121: 2

And as I washed the window and talked to my God about rumors of wars he reminded me of the scripture, "When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come." Matthew 24:6

Yes, things are bad in our world. Yes, things are getting worse. BUT there is also good in the world, and the source of all good is the ONE who made this world.

I was comforted today and held close in the "arms" of God as His word spoke to me. He reminded me that what is happening now He knew long before., and that He will never abandon me or mine.

If I didn't know God now, and have this faith in Him I would be completely lost.

God, may seem far off to you. Or perhaps you don't even believe there is God. But even faith is worth a chance, how can you ever know a person or being or God, unless you give them/Him a fair chance?

Try reading the Bible, and saying: "God, I'd like to meet you. Come and introduce yourself to  me as I read this letter that you have given or supposedly (if you don't believe it) given to men long ago. I want to give you a chance. "