He sleeps.

I have had a few people ask me lately, with trepidation in their voices, "How is Julian sleeping?"  Well, here's the answer:

Ever since getting a handle on Julian's FPIES diagnosis, we have had a sleeper!  And we have for all summer.  At first I didn't say anything because, well, I've thought we had turned a corner in other parenting situations only to feel hit twice as hard when it turned out just to be a freakishly good week.  But now, with the constant buzzing in my sleep-deprived head GONE, I feel it is safe to say that we truly have closed that hard chapter.

Julian's maturity has to have played a role as well, but eliminating the sources of pain was the missing piece.  With no belly aches and sufficient sleep, Julian has absolutely flourished - and we have delighted in getting to know him in his happy, fun-making personality.

A friend who knew the meanings of "Julian Isaac" said that he would be a youthful goofball.  During the nights of crying and days of throwing up, that name felt too hard to be true, but now he certainly is our youthful goofball.  Our list of Julian stories grows exponentially - he is a keen observer of life, he can mimic so many sounds, and his facial expressions designed for amusement do just the trick.  He makes all of us laugh every single day.

We love our youthful goofball!

*Thanks to Kiley for capturing our big J's personality!