Cati's cool stuff, Mami's new full-time job, and Gussy's hunger strike!

While we were in Arkansas, Catalina got to see lots of cool new stuff. She watched for hummingbirds at the feeder right outside Bibi and Grandad's window. She tried to catch butterflies in a net and picked tomatoes and figs with Grandad.











She also blew lots and lots and lots of bubbles on the back patio with Grandad.



On Monday, Gus and I saw a nutritionist. She gave us some really good advice to help him gain weight. He needs to gain four pounds, which doesn't sound like a difficult task until you consider that he has only gained three pounds over the past five months. So, today I began following the nutritionist's advice, some of which are extreme measure that we'll only follow until he reaches his goal...six mini-meals that constitute a total of 1,000 calories per day, no grazing or snacking between meals, adding a tablespoon of heavy whipping cream to every cup of milk he has, adding a tablespoon of real butter to almost everything he eats, Carnation instant breakfast (b/c it packs the same punch as, but is cheaper than, Pediasure), vitamins, no more juice, I could go on and on. It literally feels like meal-planning, cooking meals, and cleaning up after meals makeup my brand-new, not-fun, full-time job.

And, wouldn't you know it, it's like Gus predicted his new, enhanced caloric needs and decided to go on a hunger strike. I mean it. Since yesterday's lunch, he really just doesn't seem to want to eat. I've tried all his favorites: scrambled eggs with cheese, turkey with cheese, just plain cheese, bread, baked sweet potatoes. Nothing works except for fruit. And, there's something about the flick of his wrist when he's throwing it all on the floor that gives me the impression that he's mocking me and my new full-time job.

Ugh. Wish me luck.