Spring, Spring, Spring!

Yes, its official (well, not by the calendar), its SPRING! It'll be in the 40's all week, and its going to even rain. Robins are a common sight now, the geese have returned, and the snow is almost gone. We've been making sure to get out and run around now that the weather is decent.

I have also been tagging along with my coworker who learned about tapping maple trees for sap and is using her knowledge to tap the trees on campus. It's really neat, and while work intensive, not a complicated process at all. I think we're going to go in halves for supplies for next year, and I"ll be joining her. It's lovely being out in the woods again. We were out for an hour and a half collecting sap last night, and Caden loved it. I can't wait to see the pictures D took.

I'm gearing up for Easter and Caden's Easter basket. I made mock peanut butter eggs today. I think they'll taste similar enough, not that Caden knows the difference. I'm also expecting my order from Whey Out Chocolate this week. They make milkless milk chocolate using Dari Free (one of the best products ever created for those with dairy allergies). Caden will be getting a chocolate bunny and chocolate eggs. I am so thankful for www.kidswithfoodallergies.com for all the support and suggestions I get.

Today is Palm Sunday. I have tried throughout Lent to do daily devotionals, and I have failed miserably. My goal for this week is to do Holy Week devotionals every day, no excuses. This week is the most significant on the Christian calendar, and I hope to spend it with reflection and prayer. Blessings!

Tales from Cleveland

We traveled with my parents down to Cleveland last weekend. Good times, let me tell you. Road construction on the road that took us every where we needed to go, a blizzard, and did I mention road construction? All in all, it was a nice change of scenery. Cleveland looks like a blast, and we may be going back again in May. We didn't get to do much of anything, since the city experienced a blizzard, which made it necessary for us to get out of Dodge a day earlier than expected.


The highlight of our trip was supper at Tommy's in Coventry. Not only did they have yummy food. They had vegan food that was safe for Caden. Not only did they have vegan food that was safe for Caden, they also had rice milk. Not only did they have vegan food and rice milk for Caden, they also had rice cream (rice milk ice cream). Score one for the food allergy team! They also had good cleaning practices to reduce the risk of cross contamination. They cleaned off the beaters really good for us, and they have a separate beater for the soy/rice milk shakes from the dairy milk shakes. If Caden was anaphylactic or even severely allergic to soy, I probably wouldn't have chanced it. He did great though and loved it. He kept smacking his lips and saying "Mine, mine, yummmmm." Needless to say, we'll be making a visit to Tommy's when we travel to Cleveland again.

What I hate most about food allergies

Food allergies are a pain in the butt. They just are. It's hard keeping a toddler safe, finding a variety of nutritious foods, traveling with allergies, finding safe substitutes for holiday candy, being on an elimination diet, dealing with stupid people (or evil people who think their peanut loving selves should take precedence over someone's safety and well being). Yes, I hate those inconveniences. They make my life more difficult, but it's all worth in the safety of my son.

What I hate MOST about food allergies is the constantly changing goal posts. If Caden's allergies stayed the same, if he developed no new ones, I could handle it. It's being thrown a new one every couple months, that pushes me off keel. We added sesame and chickpea to our lengthy list now. The chickpea isn't a surprise; the sesame is. It does explain a couple of random reactions that we weren't sure what caused. Eating out, if he's able, is going to be even more difficult. I shudder to think what traveling is going to be like this summer.

God, if there was just a cure. Please, God, just a cure!

I'm about ready to lose it. Its not that we had a diet of chickpeas or sesame. Its the new rules. The new danger lurking at every salad bar. In every chef's kitchen. That is what makes living with food allergies so difficult.

Holy tshirt, Batman!

I peered out of my window yesterday to behold.... the first robins of spring. For all that we are still going to get some nasty weather this week, they were certainly a welcome sight.

Today, for all the rain and grayness, is a lovely day. I have the windows open to get some fresh air. Fifty degrees sure is warm when compared to twenty degrees!

There is nary a sound in the hall right now. I'm thankful for the reprieve. The students are gone on spring break and will be back later this weekend.

The family is headed to Cleveland for a short vacation with my parents. It'll be nice to get a change of scenery.

On an allergy note, we've been in a rut as far as what to serve Caden for lunches. I tried sunbutter some months ago, and that afternoon, Caden spit up. Thinking it could be a sign of allergy (or just aggravating to suspected reflux), I didn't give it to him again. Well, we tried it for lunch today, and it was a hit! My little carb-aholic licked it off the bread. This will be awesome for when we need to travel or are going to eat at an unsafe restaurant.

Getting undeneath the behavior

I shouldn't need reminded, but I often do, that behavior isn't usually very cut and dry. Behavior is motivated by our thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, experiences. It's true for adults, and it's true for toddlers. I've been increasingly frustrated with Caden these past few weeks and months. I was not parenting him effectively due to neglecting to get underneath his behavior (and frankly for being in a winter slump). I have felt increasingly detached from Caden, and if I'm feeling those things, perhaps he is too. Snap! That might explains the "twoness" of his behavior.

At the encouragement of some very, very wise counsel, I have gotten off my hiney thus far today and gotten beneath the behavior, and so far, it's been a great day! We've watched tv less, played more. We've had less tantrums, more connections.

So I wonder, how much of this frustration the past few weeks has been my own causing? I think the majority. I've been battling the devils of my own upbringing (read: punitive parenting) and been more and more frustrated with Caden's behavior. While, his behavior wasn't up to par, the issue wasn't with a "bad" kid or the "terrible twos" it was, in my case, failing to understand the root of the behavior, a need for stimulation and connection.

I hope this practical lesson will settle deep enough in my head to pop up as a reminder when I face similar days to the days I have experienced recently. I don't think that this will lead to sunny skies and perfect parenting from here on out (I wish!), but I think this lesson is an important one in the journey of mommyhood.