Merry Christmas!

I've taken a long break, but the "spirit" hasn't moved me to any topics of importance lately. Hopefully after the holiday mayhem, I'll be inspired. So, for the time being, Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Update on Motrin's Babywearing Snafu

I forgot to post this when I saw it, but Motrin kindly retracted their babywearing ad and gave a nice apology to all babywearing moms. I'm too lazy to find the link and post it, but the apology was very classy. Thanks, Mortin!

McDonald's+Coffee=Blech

A couple months ago, I decided to try McDonald's new specialty coffees. I took a sip and threw it away. The espresso tasted like it had been making cups of joe all morning. Well, other people have talked about it being good and sales of their coffee are reportedly high, so I figured I just got a bad cup. I bravely decided to try it again this morning. It was just as gross.

Now, I'm hardly a coffee snob. I like just about any cup I get at any cafe. Yeah, I refuse to drink 12 month old coffee in a tin, like Folgers, but really I'm not that picky. Seriously, does my local McDonald's really just screw coffee up that much or do the people who buy it have no taste buds?

It might be at bargain prices, but its not worth $3 for a sip. Watch out Starbucks, here I come.

The Post Partum Period and Placenta Consumption

I think that this past pregnancy has officially pushed me over the edge from oatmeal to granola.

After my first pregnancy, my post partum days were filled with anxiety and the baby blues. Pretty typical of a first time mom. However, around the five month mark, post partum, I found myself undeniably in the throes of post partum depression. During this past pregnancy with my second, I was determined to try some more natural approaches to have a mentally healthy post partum period and to do what I could to minimize my risk of post partum depression (re-occurrence is high).

My research led me to placenta consumption. I'll let you take a sip of water, in case you accidentally gagged. I decided to go for it. I put in my birth plan that I wanted the placenta and that I would not consent to it leaving my eye sight. I got my obstetrician on board (note: if you have a home birth or a birth center birth, you are less likely to have any issues). When I went to the hospital, I told them I was taking it and whatever department "has" to look at it can either hall their butt out of the basement, or I'd sign a release. Fortunately, I had no issues.

The day after I got home, I washed, blotted dry, and cut the placenta into thin strips. I'll be honest it was gross cutting away the remnants of the amniotic sack (or what I assume is the amniotic sac) and the umbilical cord. I then put in the dehydrator and let it go over night. There are other ways to prepare it. For instance, traditional Chinese medicine first has the preparer boil the placenta with a pepper.

At any rate, after it dried, I ground up a few pieces of my placenta "jerky" and put it into gelatin capsules that I got from my local health food store. And I started to take it. I was lazy one day and decided to put a small piece of "jerky" into a fruit smoothie. I won't be doing that again. It doesn't taste very appetizing. However, adding a banana did make the smoothie drinkable.

There are a variety of options for placenta consumption. Mothering has several recipes to cook it (I'll post a link at the bottom). There are services available where people will prepare it for you. Some midwives and doulas will do it. Or you can do it yourself. The most labor intensive part of it is the grinding.

In addition to the placenta therapy, which does help an awful lot, I have also started taking St. John's Wort and if I feel anxious, I take one skull cap supplement. These interventions seem to be helping me make this post partum period a bit easier to handle. I'll be honest that I still have the baby blues, but no where near to the extent I had with my first pregnancy.

If you're interested in hearing more, check out these links:

http://placentabenefits.info/encapsulation.asp

http://www.geocities.com/virtualbirth/placenta.html

http://www.mothering.com/articles/pregnancy_birth/birth_preparation/honoring-the-placenta.html

http://www.mothering.com/articles/pregnancy_birth/birth_preparation/amazing_placenta_side.html

Babywearing makes me look like an official mom

Phew! I'm so glad that Motrin thinks that baby wearing makes me look "official". I guess the question is what makes a mom look "unofficial".

Motrin has a new ad on their website ( http://motrin.com/ ) and if I had rolled my eyes any harder they would have fallen out of my head. In essence, it boils baby wearing down to a passing fad, all about "looks" and fashion. M-kay. Never mind that other cultures have been doing it for thousands of years. And I hate to break it to Motrin, but baby wearing isn't a pain at all. If it is, then its being done wrong.

Motrin, your ad sucks. Surely there was a way to reach out to moms who need pain relief without trivializing a parenting method.

Awesome Allergy Product

Well, now that I ordered mine, I can spread the word. This weekend I decided that part of our Advent celebrations needed to include a chocolate Advent calendar. Evidently its a tall order to find an allergy friendly Advent calendar in the US. If you're in the UK, you have lots of options, here..... not so much.

I posted a thread at www.kidswithfoodallergies.com and someone told me to check out Amanda's Own Advent Calendar. Well, I just ordered it and can't wait to get it in the mail.

If you're seeking a allergy friendly Advent calendar, you should check it out: http://www.amandasown.com/christmas.html

Yay for Amanda's Own!

Yearly Allergy Visit

Oh my! What an allergy visit that was! I asked the allergist to test Caden for mustard, since we suspected he was allergic, after a reaction to Bush's Baked Beans this past summer. It's the only thing he ever has eaten with mustard. Well, that came back positive.... with a host of other new allergies!

His dairy reaction was so big it ran into his egg allergy. I think it was about 3 inches long and an inch wide. The allergist said he couldn't believe how bad it was. He wants to do some blood tests for allergies to check his levels this summer. He tested positive for molds, dust, pets, and pollens on the environmental and seasonal tests. He tested positive for the first time to fish, shellfish and tree nuts, despite having NONE of those things in the last year (fish) or ever (shellfish and tree nuts).

He also tested positive to wheat and corn and beans, but he eats those things safely (well not beans, which he won't eat at all). Fortunately that means we will not have to eliminate those things from his diet. He also finally tested positive to soy on the skin test, despite reacting to it for over a year.

He did however outgrow his tomato allergy! We haven't trialed yet, but we will sometime this week. We offered him ketchup earlier this week, and he had no interest whatsoever. This kid will dip his french fries in apple sauce but not ketchup!

We go back for our six month follow up in May, and we'll likely do the blood work then too. I was really hoping he'd outgrow his egg allergy, but the allergist thinks that one got worse too.

Happy Election Day!

Please go and vote today!

Here's to freedom.

I am so losing crunchy points for this

This is long, sordid tale.

Over two years ago we moved into this apartment. It was cleaned thoroughly before we moved in, but when I saw the bathtub, I was appalled. It was disgusting, so I set to work cleaning it with good old elbow grease and bleach cleaner. Well, elbow grease and bleach cleaner did nothing. Over the past two years, I've employed elbow grease with a host of other cleaners, CLR, The Works, Scrubbing Bubbles, Magic Erasers, powdered dish washing detergent, etc. I must have tried everything in the cleaning aisle, including some "crunchy" cleaners like vinegar and baking soda. Nothing worked 100%. Nothing. Until today when I tried a different cleaner. One recommended by a message board buddy.

I wet the tub and sprinkled it on, and I let it sit for about one minute as the directions indicated. I then got out my handy (and much worn) tub scrubber and set to work. I scrubbed. Oh, did I scrub. And through the white cleaner, I could set dirt (or whatever the heck it is) melt away. And now I am hooked. Here and forever, I will sing the praises of Barkeeper's friend to all and sundry who need a good household cleaner. I don't know what is in that stuff, nor do I want to know. I will happily bury my head in the sand, because now, finally, after two years, three months, and some odd days, my bath tub is pristine white. And the angels sang the Alleluia chorus and sun shined beamed upon my countenance for it is good.

Praise Baby

This is new to me. I heard about it a couple months ago and was intrigued by the idea. It is, essentially, Baby Einstein meets Jesus. I don't typically appreciate Christianizing harmless secular entertainment (simply because I don't believe that just because something doesn't mention Jesus, God, angels, etc that it is automatically a bad or evil thing).

Caden was gifted the lullaby CD and DVD a few weeks ago. He isn't interested in the DVD but loves the CD, and frankly, so do I! I love singing along with it (aren't your grateful that you are spared that performance?),and I'm thinking of adding some of the songs to my labor CD. I find it very soothing and relaxing.

I'm going to try to find the other Cd's to buy, since I, I mean Caden, loves this one so much. Its very kid friendly without being annoying. Something I wish I could say about the majority of kid music.

Tales from the apple orchard

We made our annual trek to a local apple orchard today with some of the students. I'm not going to post any of their pictures since I didn't ask permission to such. However, here some pictures of my cutie pie.

And yes, we're some of those terrible parents who make our "bolter" wear a harness. We're so....not....ashamed.

Oh and to the nasty people who sat on the bale of hay and basically shoved me off.... you really stink.

Allergy Friendly Donuts (not wheat free)

Today, I tried my hand at allergy friendly (and comparatively healthy) donuts. I swiped the recipe from http://ecovegan.blogspot.com/2008/03/vegan-whole-wheat-donut-recipe.html

And over all I'm pleased with the results. Its a bit less sweet than I'm used to in a donut, so I think next time I attempt this, I'm going to add some more sugar.

Some variations I made to the recipe: Splenda (yuck) instead of real sugar or sorghum, about a half cup less flour than the recipe called for, and I forgot the salt. I also cooked them a little longer than 10 seconds a side since that didn't seem quite enough.

The cooking process:

Draining and cooling:



The finished product, rolled in cinnamon sugar:

They're not exactly purty, but not bad for my first attempt at donuts, I hope.

These will be perfect for Caden to eat at the apple orchard tomorrow, though I confess that he's getting one as soon as he wakes up from his nap. His first donut ever! I hope he likes it.

Awesome Allergy Product

Well, its semi allergy friendly. Diana's Bananas (full sized or baby) in dark chocolate. Oh, yeah. No dairy, pretty sure its soy free (don't have a box to look at right now). They *do* make peanut coated milk chocolate ones in the same plant, so that is out of the comfort zone for some parents. I am not sure on their manufacturing policies as it relates to making sure that there is no cross contamination issues, so you may want to call if you consider giving the dark chocolate ones to a peanut allergic kiddo.

I ate them like mad when I was nursing Caden. And it's healthy because it dark chocolate (antioxidants) and fruit! So, its not really a treat, but a health food, right?

They're sold only in limited areas. Whole Foods is the only place I've found them locally. Check out the website to see if you can get them near you. www.dianasbananas.com

Just a little FYI on my comment moderation

Someone has posted two anonymous comments that I have not moderated. The reasons for this are two fold.

1) The comment had nothing to do with the post

2) Since you are anonymous, I have no clue who you are.

I don't mind anonymous comments on topic, but I do mind anonymous comments that are not on topic, particularly if those comments indicate that the poster has been reading other aspects of my life on the Internet. While well wishes, thoughts, and criticism are welcome, they are only welcome in the venue in which they are posted.

I have not posted anything on any part of the Internet that I am uncomfortable with anyone knowing, however, its makes me a bit uncomfortable if someone comments on my blog about a post I've made on maybe another person's blog, web page, or message board.

There are other sorts of comments that I will not post, but they do not pertain to this situation at all. As such, there isn't much point in discussing them.

So, with that. I take my leave for the day! Happy Friday!

Living Without

This is a great magazine for those dealing with food allergies, specifically gluten and casein allergies. While Caden isn't allergic to gluten, this is still one of my favorite magazines to pick up from Whole Foods (the only store in my area that carries this magazine). The recipes are healthful and the articles pertinent to those "living without."

By the way, there is a coupon for $1 of any two Enjoy Life candy bars in this month's edition, if you need another selling point.

Never Forget

Today is my generation's "day that will live in infamy". Never forget where you were, what you were doing, what you were feeling. Never forget the people jumping from buildings, the smoke, the fire, those that lost their lives to save others, those that lost their lives just going to work, the children who will never know their fathers, the children who lost a parent. Never Forget.

Peanut Free Boiled Cookies (and dairy free too!)

Boiled cookies are one of my dad's favorite cookies (okay, mine too). I've finally found a way to make them safe for Caden as well.These are easy-peasy cookies, which make them even more of a favorite.

Boiled Cookies
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 tbsp cocoa
1 stick safe margarine or butter (we use Fleishman's Unsalted Sticks)
1/2 cup milk substitute (rice, potato, soy)
1/2 generous cup of sunbutter (made from sunflower seed), maybe more like 1/2 cup plus a tbsp
4 cups oats
1 tsp vanilla

Melt margarine and milk in a large pot on the stove, over low medium heat, add cocoa and sugar and stir to mix. Bring to slow boil and boil for 30 seconds. Turn off heat and add all at once: oats, sunbutter, vanilla. Mix together thoroughly. Spoon mixture onto wax paper and cool. If first couple cookies seem to runny, add a little more oats to pan to help firm them up.

I made these from my mom's recipe which I'll add below. I think they're seriously yummy and a bit healthier than my mom's (sorry, mom).

Original Boiled Cookie Recipe
2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
3 tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups oats
1 tsp vanilla

The directions are the same as the above. For some reason the sunbutter recipe needs more oats to stick together. Enjoy!

Baked Beans Recipe (tomato and mustard free and maybe gluten too)

Sadly, one of Caden's favorite foods, baked beans, has recently been banished from our kitchen due to a reaction. Reaction to what, we aren't 100% sure but suspect mustard. We were happily using Bush's Honey Baked Beans but cannot any longer. By the way, Bush's was amazing at helping us figure out the possible ingredients that could have caused Caden's reaction.

At any rate, I stumbled somehow across a recipe from the following website and tweaked it to meet our needs. We tried it today and liked it well enough, though Caden refused to eat it. I'm going to make a few changes to it next time, mostly I think I need to add more sweetness and more salt. Sugar and salt being SO good for you and all.

To give credit where credit is due, here is the website where I got the original recipe, my changes will be below the link: http://www.celiactravel.com/blog/2006/11/gluten-free-baked-beans-recipe.html

Baked Beans
¾ of a bag of white beans (soaked over night, boiled for one hour in water)
Very generous drizzles of honey
Generous drizzles of molasses
Half a fist of brown sugar
Half a large onion chopped
Garlic salt
Onion powder
Bacon
Vinegar
Pepper

Layer bacon at bottom of pan
Layer drained beans on top (reserve water)
Add honey, molasses, sugar, onion, seasonings, vinegar and stir together.
Cover with reserved water
Cover with remaining bacon
Cover with lid or tin foil bake at 350 for 4ish hours.


Next time I will add some sort of thickener, maybe corn starch. I like my baked beans to have a thick sauce.

My Kid's PBJ Is a Constitutional Right... or Something

This article was posted on my allergy board and really responds to some of the common questions parents have when their child's classroom or school goes peanut free.

http://www.server-jbmultimedia.net/WAFamilyMagazine/sitebase/index.aspx?adgroupid=143007&view=single&pageno=22&webstoryid=15072631

Another Awesome Allergy Product

Okay, so this isn't new, but its really awesome stuff. Vance's Dari Free Eh, sorry for the crappy picture quality. The photo was too big.

Anyway. This is soy, dairy, and rice free. Surprisingly (or not, if you're familiar with food allergies), some people are allergic to all three. Happily this is where Vance's Dari Free comes in (so long as they aren't allergic to potatos too).

We only use Vance's for cooking, and because of the cost, I only use it for cooking certain things. When I was on Caden's dairy free diet, I sorely missed gravies. Maybe the southern blood doesn't run so thin in the third generation, after all. Enter Vance's. While its not the same as cow milk, it has a better taste for gravies than any other "milk" substitute out there. Jason will even eat my hamburger gravy or sausage gravy when I make it with Dari Free.

I haven't been able to find it in any stores in the area, so I order it online when I need it from either Ms. Robbins (the allergy grocer), Vance's website or Amazon (I think I can get it at Amazon).

If you're dairy free and missing your gravies, get thee some Vance's!

Another great allergy product

Okay, this one has been on the market for quite awhile, but it's truly amazing.

Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips

Oh, are these yummy. I enjoyed them thoroughly when I was nursing Caden and on his restricted diet, and now that I'm not on his restricted diet, I still enjoy them. They have to be the best chocolate chips ever created. All the main steam kind you get at the grocery store are filled with all sorts of crap that you can't pronounce. Simplicity seems to be the key with ELF chips. They are my secret ingredient for chocolate chip cookies and taste yummy when melted and strawberries are dipped into them.

Awesome Allergy Product

Since this was reputed to be good on my allergy board (http://www.kidswithfoodalleriges.com/), I decided I had to try it. Well, I finally found it yesterday. It puts every other vegan ice cream to shame (well except the one I make at home, of course). Caden loved it. I liked it. Should I need to go dairy free ever again, I will not miss my ice cream. And if I ever meet who created this for Turtle Mountain, I will probably fall into their arms weeping with gratitude. Hey, I might even mow their lawn for them! It's made entirely from coconut milk. No dairy, no soy. And frankly, any soy ice cream I've ever eaten has tasted like vomit compared to the wonderful taste of Purely Decadent made with coconut milk.

Rumor had it a couple weeks ago, that Turtle Mountain was also releasing a line of coconut milk yogurt. Much to my delight, it is now being advertised on their website. My local Whole Foods dairy manager had better plan on carrying this at the new store, otherwise I'll be harassing him until he orders it for me, err Caden. We've used Ricera in the past, and Caden likes it okay. I, however, cannot stomach it. I'm hoping that this will follow the genius of coconut milk ice cream though and be more palatable. Still I'm not knocking Ricera, its a great product, but if something tastes better... eat it!

Yay for Turtle Mountain!

Back from Vacation!

Finally, I am back! We had a great time in Indianapolis last weekend and spending time at my parent's place for nearly all of last week. Caden had a blast playing with his cousins. I highly recommend Indianapolis for a weekend vacation. We went to Conner Prairie, the Children's Museum, and the zoo.

P.S. Yes I know my son should be wearing a helmet on the power wheels.

Yikes! I guess this is a busy month

We're headed out for a family vacation later this week, and the rest of this week is full of preparations for it and a get together with friends.

So with that, I'm signing off for a couple weeks.

Living Without

Off the dorm life topic. I just discovered Living Without magazine. It focuses primarily on gluten free/dairy free diet, but for the most part, their recipes are very allergen friendly (baring egg). It is so nice to have a quality magazine for those with food allergies.

Plans

Just got back from a conference down in Ohio. Great conference! I have some thoughts to share when I can get the time. Hopefully in the next week or so.

What every food allergic kid needs

We got Caden one of these in December. I cannot tell you the peace of mind it give me. One of my biggest fears was that we would get in a car accident, and Jason and I would be incapacitated, unable to tell anyone of Caden's food allergies or medical concerns. Medic Alert is the only company I will trust. They print the most pertinent information on the bracelet with and id code. A medical professional can call Medic Alert 24 hours a day any day of the year and receive all pertinent information about Caden, including blood type, allergies, and medical conditions. If you have a child (or adult) with extensive medical conditions, they can even keep a copy of his medical records on file.

I also appreciate that they do not print Caden's name or other identifying information on it. Should he become seperated from us at a mall or airport, a security guard or police officer could call the 800 number and Medic Alert will notify me, or if they are unable to contact me, the remaining people on our contact list.

It's been recommended to me by EMTs to always get the bracelet. That is the first place medical professionals will check. We have the petite emblem on Caden, and it is not too large for a toddler. Large enough to print the pertinent information, small enough to not get in the way. Caden doesn't even notice his anymore.

This has given me such a peace of mind. I don't begrudge the yearly fee (about $30) or the cost of the bracelet ($10), even though we're going to have to replace the bracelet yearly until Caden's growth slows down. If your food allergic child doesn't have one, it's a must buy. And your child doesn't have to have a medical condition to have one. As I said, its a safety precaution even in the event of being separated.

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary

How does your garden grow?


Quite nicely, thanks, but my name isn't Mary.


My broccoli isn't coming along as quickly as I had hoped. I thought it would be done by the first of June, but I think its going to be another month until harvest. I've harvested spinach twice so far, and tonight we had some lovely spinach and rice with our steak kabobs. I received some advice to plant my spinach around the broccoli which I think is a fabo idea. I'm going to do that this week, I hope. So here are some nifty pictures of my garden.

The whole shebang:



A itty bitty broccoli head in the middle there.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy mother's day to all the moms out there. Throw your feet up, relax, and enjoy a day dedicated to you!

Dorm Allergies

Since I started this blog, I've gotten a couple hits from people searching for advice on "dorm allergies". I am assuming that these are people who are dealing with environmental allergies. I'm not sure how other dorms are, but I think that the dorms we have on campus are pretty environmental allergy friendly. Why?

Radiator heat. Forced air tends to cause a problem with dust allergies since it causes the dust to blow around.

Most of the floors have classroom tile, which is also very good for dust allergies. Many students bring carpets from home but neglect to vacuum regularly, which is obviously NOT good for environmental allergies.

The air in the hall tends to be dry which can help with mold and mildew allergies, BUT most college students don't clean their shower regularly, which is NOT good for mold and mildew allergies.

Our mattresses are vinyl covered, rather than the old fashioned cloth mattresses that adorned our dorm (ewwwww).

So, what's a person with environmental allergies to do if they live in a dorm? If you have a cloth mattress, put a vinyl mattress protector on it to protect you from dust mites (you should do the same with your pillow). Bring thin bedding that you can easily wash on hot water and dry on hottest heat, the two combined will help kill dust mites. Don't bring a rug (wear slippers or socks instead). If you're hall has forced air heat or air conditioning, see if you can put a good filter on the register in your room. Dust your room weekly. If you live in a suite style dorm, clean your bathroom thoroughly, preferably with something that can kill mildew and mud. If you're sensitive to chemicals, check 7th Generation or other natural companies that make cleaning products.

Many suite bathrooms do not have exhaust fans. Invest in a cheap clip on fan and run it after you shower. If you can leave the door to your bathroom open to help it air out, that will help with the mold and mildew. I would also suggest in investing in a small air cleaner. Lastly, dust regularly.

And as always, take your allergy medication if recommended by a doctor. Before you move in, you can request to be shown an open room to give you an idea of what you'll be encountering by way of potential allergen hot spots.

With some forethought and good cleaning skills, living in a dorm can be a positive experience even for those who have environmental allergies.

Silk (finally) recalls it's soy milk

From an official release from White Wave

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Marguerite Copel(214) 721-1273Allergy Alert on Undeclared Dairy in 11-Ounce Single Serve Silk Soymilk Chocolate Flavor in Plastic BottlesMount Crawford, Virginia (April 23, 2008) - WhiteWave Foods Company is voluntarily recalling 11-ounce plastic single serve bottles of Silk Soymilk Chocolate Flavor because it may contain undeclared milk protein. The individual bottles are printed with both a “use by” date of May 7, 2008 (printed as 05 07 08) and a Universal Product Code (UPC) of 2529360028. Consumers can find this information on the back of the individual bottle.People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk protein run the risk of a health problem or illness if they consume this product. Some reactions have been reported. This affected product was distributed nationwide and reached consumers through retail and foodservice outlets. WhiteWave’s sales team is working with distributors to actively recover any affected product remaining on store shelves.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE RECALLED PRODUCT This recall includes only 11-ounce single serve plastic bottles of Silk Soymilk Chocolate Flavor with both a “use by” date of May 7, 2008 (printed as 05 07 08) and a UPC code of 2529360028. Consumers should look for this information on the back of the bottle. The Company apologizes for any inconvenience to its customers. Consumers who purchased the product may return it to the place of purchase for a full refund or exchange. Consumers with questions can contact the Company at 1-800-587-2259.The Food and Drug Administration has been notified of this recall.


**************************************

For the record, I am p-i-s-s-e-d off about this. Silk was notified weeks ago, were given the official documentation that dairy was indeed present in this from an independent lab and just before the FDA pulls the plug on it, the do a "voluntary" recall. Three children that I know of were hospitalized for anaphylaxis related to this, and Silk just gets around this.

Caden isn't able to eat soy products right now, but since Silk (owned by White Wave) dragged their feet every step of the way, they will no longer be getting our business now or in the future. It's a pity too because I really like Horizon products. Not big sacrifice though when it comes to something like this. Land o' Lakes is also owned by White Wave. We're boycotting the company for now, unless some serious, voluntary amends are made to the families who suffered sickness due to White Waves negligence.

If I was vegan, I'd be mighty pissed too.

Allergy Stories in the News

http://www.wxyz.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=6961f0f9-adb0-4391-a880-a89fa3d95036

http://www.wxyz.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=6961f0f9-adb0-4391-a880-a89fa3d95036

Sorry for the messy links. I'm not quite sure how to post them without the full address.

At any rate here are two stories in the news.

The first is about an eighth grade student who apparently intentionally planted a peanut butter cookie in his peanut allergic classmate's lunch pail. Said student is now being charged with a felony. Now, I think what he did was atrocious, particularly since it seems that he knew the FA (food allergy or food allergic) student was indeed allergic. However, my question is if he really understood the ramifications of his actions. So many adults don't really get food allergies. Many equate them with the severity of seasonal or environmental allergies, which, while pesky, are not typically life threatening. I'm interested in how this case plays out, what the student who was charged intentions were, and if he really understood what would happen.

Often times, those with food allergies are in some ways dependent on those around them (in part) for their safety. There are good reasons why schools go peanut (or other allergen) free, why doctor's offices have signs, etc. It's truly scary knowing that something as innocent as a cookie could kill you. Teaching children without food allergies the dangers of certain foods to certain people and instilling empathy in them (not pity), is key and is greatly appreciated by families who deal with FA.

The second story is about an inmate who died after eating a peanut butter sandwich. I'm interested in the findings of the investigation and whether it was a suicide, accidental, or "forced". If it was accidental, its a sad reminder that food allergies can develop at any time, even with foods that one has eaten for years without a problem. Sometimes it can be sudden (anaphylaxis after having no symptoms). Others, it can develop over time. Pay attention to your body. If you feel "funny" or your mouth is itchy after eating something, stop and get tested. Just because a reaction is minor this time, doesn't mean it will continue to be minor. Even those with minor food allergies should strictly avoid their allergens and carry epi pens and benadryl with them at all times.

Please pray for Tricia

They have lungs for her. Please pray that when they get into surgery that the lungs will still be okay for her and that surgery will be successful.

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.

Ode to Lemon Curd

Oh sweet, gooey deliciousness
How wonderful you are
Please be mine, you're truly divine
You're even good out of the jar.

What hole have I lived in that I have missed out on lemon curd my whole life? I know its essentially the same thing as the inner portion of a lemon meringue pie, but as mom always used pudding for that, I have missed out on real lemon curd. I love this stuff and I hate lemon meringue pie. Its creamy and gooey and lemony and sweet.

If you've been in a hole too, run (don't walk) to the closest gourmet market, Cost Plus, anywhere that might have it. Get your shortbread ready (or scones) and sail in. Be prepared to die a little bit, because it is so good.

Suicide Prevention

I'm reminded by an unfortunately close to home incident of the importance of suicide prevention.

Suicide is the leading cause of death for 25-34 year old and the second leading cause of death for 15-24 year olds. Males are more likely to commit suicide and account for the majority of suicide related deaths, however women attempt suicide more often. Approximately 89 suicides occur in the US each day. Facts compiled from: http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/suicide/SuicideDataSheet.pdf

Parents, you know your child better than any resident director, better than any resident advisor. If your child is exhibiting behaviors that are not normal for them, please address it with them. Please do not put your head in the sand. Similarily, if they have attempted suicide or if they have a mental illness or suffered a lose, those are things that would help the resident director and advisors to know. You can tell those things to them confidentially, but please do not keep that information hidden.

If you are considering suicide, please get help. No matter how unloved you feel, no matter how hopeless it seems, no matter what, your death will impact people in the way you could never imagine. Someone will blame themselves, someone will question whether they could have done something, people will be sad and will miss you terribly. No matter how bad it is, please don't be a statistic. Please don't break the hearts of those that love you. Please get help. If you feel that you cannot talk about this to anyone in person, please call: 1-800-SUICIDE.

Suicide does happen on college campuses. It happens on small and large campuses. At Christian and state schools. In the residence halls, at homes, at apartments. It does not discriminate. It could be your brother or sister, your room mate, the guy down the hall, your best bud. Please, if you suspect something odd or wrong, tell someone.

If someone close to you committed suicide, you have my utmost sympathy. You cannot control a person's choices. You cannot blame yourself. Please use your story to help others.

Peace.

Oh, Spring, Where Art Thou?

So sick of winter. I'm absolutely desperate for at least 50 degree weather, dry ground, and sunshine. Oh what bliss would be mine, if we could just play outside. I'm anxious for the first robin and to see the first crocus push through the ground. I'm anxious to plant my spring veggies and smell the scents of spring.

These last few weeks are always the hardest.

I spent an evening last week, bored out of my mind, until I decided to google obscure cities in Nunavut, Canada. It was very interesting. As much as I bemoan the length of winter here in the midwest, I can't imagine the length of winter in the far north. I think it would be fascinating to visit there when its their spring. That will probably be an unfulfilled wish, but it would be an interesting experience.

Lame, Martha, Lame.

I posted last week on Martha Stewart running a voting contest for a magazine publication. One of those options was a publication on food allergies. The allergy community voted en masse and gave the allergy publication 54% (57%?), more than any other votes for any of the other options. The pet publication came in second. Guess which one Martha is doing? Hint: it won't benefit me any.

So Martha, I call it Lame, with a capital L. Why do the contest? Why get up the hopes of the allergy community? There are already many pet publications out there. There are no mainstream allergy publications in the US at all.

Very disappointing.

Happy Birthday, Little Man!

Caden's birthday was yesterday. We had his party on Saturday. He really seemed to enjoy playing with his cousins and Grandpa (and even has a lovely rug burn on his forehead as a result). The family all seemed to enjoy it as well. Besides some finger foods, I made a wacky cake (incidentally, Caden is reacting to butter flavored crisco) and dairy free ice cream. Everyone raved about the ice cream. It was simply Rich's Whipped Topping, Coconut milk, and chocolate pudding. I think it was Caden's first time having ice cream (he has had sorbet before).

He got a whole mess of presents that we don't have much room to accomodate. I should probably weed through his toys again and donate the neglected ones.

I'll attach some pictures at the bottom.

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. This will be my first year celebrating Lent. I intend to read Lent based devotionals and forego sweets. I wish I had someone to take me to an Ash Wednesday service. I'm hesitent to go on my own, but I'm increasingly feeling the draw to a liturgical church. I know worship isn't about me, but I don't find much joy or comfort in our church services. When I contemplate the beauty and mystery of Liturgy, it feels much more holy to me. I think that sometimes, in my American common sense, I've tried to "nail down" God to fit that. When I read the Old Testament, I don't see how that is quite possible. God is a mystery and never fully reveals himself to us. He's the burning bush, the cloud, the voice, the dove, the wind. He is the ultimate mystery, and though He reveals snapshots of Himself to us, I don't think that mystery is solved until we see him without our physical limitations. He who knows us when we are a seed in our mother's womb, knows everyday of our life before we live even one, is veiled from us. Yes, we can approach him directly as a Father (praise God), but his essence is inexplicable. I say that all to say, that the matter of fact way that my Protestant, worship seems to overly simplfy God. There is no mystery there. There is no symbolism. And I wonder if that is really what worship was meant to be.

And on a much, much lighter note, here's my special guy.

What A Mighty God We Serve

In doing my multi-daily check ins on Nate blog, I discovered some wonderful news. Gwenyth began kangaroo care last night with Nate! There are some absolutely precious pictures that you must see. And, Tricia will likely be placed on the transplant list as early as Monday. God is so awesome. Please give thanks to God on their behalf today and ask His continued blessings and guidance for them.

Nate's blog: http://cfhusband.blogspot.com/

For some reason the Doxology is on my heart, so, even though most people probably know it by heart, here it is for a reminder:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise him all creatures here below. Praise him above, ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Go, Martha!

Okay. So Martha Stewart has a contest of sorts going on right now. She is currently taking votes at her blog for a special publication. She has a whole list to choose from but the most important one (in my not so humble opinion) is one on food allergies! How exciting would that be!!!! In fact I'd probably be line on the day its released in the stores to buy my very own copy. So in essence, I'm requesting that you vote for the food allergy publication if you have the time and inclination. It would really benefit millions of families who have to deal with this issue day in and out. I would be so excited to try new recipes.

Scroll down a bit to vote. Thanks

http://blogs1.marthastewart.com/martha/?rsc=todaysidea_Homepage_Homepage

Cough, cough, groan, groan

I started coming down with "it" today. Yeruck.

Took Caden to the doctor this morning as he was retracting. Last time that happened it was a 3 day hospital stay and a pneumonia diagnosis. Not today though. Just...croup. Again. I ended up running back up to the doctor to get another long acting steroid pill as Caden refused to take the first one in applesauce. In fact, if I'm lucky, he may be got half of the second one. He's out and out refused to take medications today. Hold him down did work. Squirting with a syringe didn't work. The spoon didn't work. I'm hoping he got a couple swallows of the three attempts to give him motrin for bed time. I'm not holding my breath though. At least he doesn't seem to have a fever and is sleeping comfortably.

I think I may call the allergist to discuss this with him. I'm concerned his tendency towards croup is turning to asthma rather than just reactive air way. I'm mentioning it to his pediatrician come time for his 2 year appointment too.

We're hanging on for the time being. And crossing our fingers and toes that we are all better by tomorrow morning. So I'll say cheers using my Nyquil in toast!

The Contagion Descendeth

Both Jason and Caden are down with a nasty virus. I've avoided it thus far and hope I don't succumb. And I hope my guys get over it quickly. And knock on wood, that Caden won't get croup this time. He gets croup every.single.time. he gets a cold. And if he doesn't that either means 1) The daily singulair is helping that and his allergies 2) He does have reflux and the Zantac is helping or 3) He's outgrowing the tendency. Which is it? The world may never know.

Other than that, things are coasting along smoothly. I'm getting ready to purchase some seeds for my garden. I'm going to build at least one more box and possibly two. I can't believe how much my Square Foot Garden (SFG) produced last year, and I'm excited to expand this year. I'm also going to do more container herbs and am considering growing some strawberries. I'm also going to do an official experiment with some, err, organic fertilizer and marigolds. More on that later.

And because I haven't yet, I'm going to post a picture of the very handsome Caden. Oh! If you haven't checked in at Nathan's blog lately, please do! They've received some very great news. http://cfhusband.blogspot.com/ And yes this picture is from this past fall. After his second birthday, I'll post some more.

Cookies, and granola, and bread, oh my!

Today was a cooking day and it went well. I still need to make supper (chicken piccata over noodles with fresh cooked spinach, garlic and olive oil), but I spent the majority of the day cooking, but I have granola bars and cookies for Caden to have snacks for the month (in addition to fruit and other such things). The cookies, while they have sugar of course, really aren't that bad health wise. Oats, whole wheat flour, and molasses are some of the bigger ingredients. Well, eggs too, but since Caden is allergic to eggs, we use an egg replacer.

Jason is at the grocery getting the noodles right now. When he gets back I'm going to start supper. But for now, I rest. Ah! Sweet relief.

Yeah, so homemade margarine=not so good

Blech. I don't know what I did wrong. Its grainy. And not buttery tasting. Yuck. It might work okay in baked goods, but it most definitely isn't a enjoy on a piece of bread sort of thing. Seriously vomit. I'm communicating with the person who gave me the recipe so hopefully I'll learn something to improve it. In the meantime, I'm hoping it'll go well in the cookie tomorrow.

I need to find a Jewish grocery in the area and see if they carry Mother's or Nucoa. I haven't had luck finding either in the area yet, but of course, its not too close to Passover (not sure Nucoa is for Passover but its supposedly safe for our food allergies).

Its gotten suddenly much colder, but its almost the end of January. So that means spring will be here soon. Right? Right?

On the dorm mom note. A grandma called the main office in charge of student affairs asking about an afghan her grandson left behind when he checked out after the fall semester. Bless her heart, I understand her handiwork went into this afghan, but ultimately it is her grandson's responsibility to keep track of his belongings and move them out. She was trying to get his old room mates number so he could look for it *sigh*. Not happening. Its probably okay FERPA wise, as it's directory information, but not something I was okay with happening. So the student worker did her best to help her.

So what does this mean? By the time someone is old enough to go to college, they are old enough to be responsible for their belongings. Mom, dad, grandma, other family members should not take it upon themselves to look for their college student's belongings. By the time they come to college they are legally adults. Capable of voting, smoking, watching bad movies, going to war, get married, etc. Protecting them from the natural consequences of their behavior is NOT going to be helpful to them in the long run. Increasingly, I'm seeing a lack of personal responsibility in post millennial students, which is puzzling. I don't get the mentality that we need to save our children from the consequences of their actions. And its one that I hope I not do to my son and any future children.

I hope that doesn't come across as condescending, because I most certainly don't intend it to be that way. It's just that if you are sending your child to college soon, please realize that even though they will always be your baby, they will be viewed by the college they attend, their employers and themselves as adults and, really, they deserve to be treated that way.

We're going (partly) organic

I've long held the belief that Caden's food allergies are- in part- due to GMO's. While I don't think anything has been proven, the correlation (which of course doesn't equal causation as my old stats prof would tell us) is too great to ignore. Interestingly, I would bet some money, if I were a bettin' sort of gal, that bribery (excuse me, the pc term is lobbying) is stopping any formal studies from being done or released. But I like conspiracy theories. At any rate, I've decided that we are going to start the process of going organic. I intend to buy all the fruits and veggies that are in the Dirty Dozen organic, as well as eggs and dairy products. Eventually, I hope to make the jump over to organic meats. Financially, I'm just not ready to commit to that yet. It would be great if we had room for a large freezer, then I could buy my beef and pork by the animal (1/2 or 1/4 probably). Of course, if my homesteading dream ever comes true, I'll be able to raise the animals how I want, which will, of course be organic.

I've decided to start doing some baking on Saturdays or Sundays twice a month. I hope that it will make my life a little easier and reduce the risk of running out of stuff (like bread). This Saturday, I'll be making some healthy oatmeal raisin cookies (oats, molasses, and whole wheat flour) for snacks for Caden (okay and me too!), whole wheat bread, granola bars, and margarine. A wonderful poster at Kids with Food Allergies shared her recipe with me. The margarine will be so nice, until I can see if any of the local groceries will sell Mother's Margarine around Passover. I can't wait to make garlic break from scratch again. Okay, well except the french loaf. I haven't tried to make that from scratch yet.

I'm really striving to make the change from convenience foods to home made foods. I'm sure I won't succeed totally. We'll probably always buy things like cereal, chips, and crackers (I'm horrible at making crackers). Not to mention lunch meat.

And Caden's decided not to take a nap today, which means that I need to end this now.

If you could take a minute to pray today

Please take a moment to pray for the health and recovery for Tricia, Nathan, and their wee baby, Gwyneth. Tricia has Cystic Fibrosis and gave birth to her precious baby preterm. I've been following her husband's daily updates, since learning about her from her sister on breastfeeding.com. Their story has touched my heart in a such a deep way. I find myself thinking of them several times a day and saying a little prayer for their wellbeing.

So please, take a short moment to join other believers as we surround Tricia, Nathan, and Gwyneth in prayer.

If you're interested in hearing more, here is Nathan's blog:

http://cfhusband.blogspot.com/

Gentle Parenting

As a Christian, I feel it is time to criticize some of my own. I'm increasingly disgusted with the lack of scrutiny Christians give to parenting books. If a person claims to be Christian, throws in a couple Bible verses for good measure, then the philosophy they tout is embraced wholeheartedly by Christians. What happened to careful reflection? Examining the context of the verses used to support their beliefs? Studying commentary or, preferably, the original Greek or Hebrew? Why do we use the Old Testament to support the premise that spanking our children is necessary, while ignoring other laws?

Jesus died for our sins and defeated death to give us grace. He died to wash away our sins. He welcomed little children into his arms and in parable told his followers that what we do for the least important, we do for Him. So on the first point, Jesus welcomes the little children and blessed them. Throughout the New Testament, Jesus calls His followers His children. We are Jesus' children. Throughout the New Testament, is there any indication that Jesus beat his disciples? No there is none. Did he rebuke them? Yes most definitely. When the disciples were out of line, He did. Just as He allows us to be rebuked when we do wrong. Yet through it all, He shows us mercy and grace. He rebukes us in love.

So, we must ask ourselves, what example did Jesus give us based on his interaction with children? He blessed them. Should we not do the same? Should we not show the same mercy and grace to our children that Jesus shows to us? Yes, we should. We role model God's love to our children. We are the vessels through which His love is poured through. We bless our children through our love. Since we are this earthly example of Fatherly love, how do we express that to our children? Through spanking? Through slapping? Does that REALLY show them God's love, mercy and forgiveness? Through letting a wee bairn cry their little heart out in a dark room alone? Letting them cry because its not time for them to eat? Denying them mercy and comfort? What god are we trying to show our children?

On anther note, children do not do anything that is developmentally abnormal when they cry, or tantrum, or hit, or bit. Babies will cry. They will need to eat sooner than 2 hours. Their little tummies will hurt. They will feel lonely in the middle of the night and need a snuggle. Meeting our child's needs is how we express the Father's love. We are not buying into sin when we do these things. God gave us tiny souls and bodies to nurture for his kingdom. Are we doing that when we follow the Pearl's and switch a five month old? Are we doing that when we force our toddler on blanket time? Are we doing that when we spank a child until they act sweet? No, we are, in fact, going contrary to Jesus' example and contrary to the Bible when it tells us not to exasperate our children.

Now, I'm sure many followers of Pearls and Ezzo believe that if they don't spank, they will be permissive with their children. Parenting is not so black and white as that. There is a large continuum on which we can fall. The Pearls and Ezzo fall at the authoritarian end. Permissive is at the other end. Democratic parenting fall right in the middle. If one were to study child development, many things that the Pearls and Ezzo are developmentally normal. Spanking isn't the only answer, particularly when study after study and expert after expert (which neither the Pearls nor Ezzos are, look up their qualifications, they have none) says it is harmful.

So, please, if you are considering any of the books by Pearl or Ezzo, do your research first. God gave us a brain to use, so use yours. Think about long term consequences to the parenting philosophies you adopt. Pray to God to help you show grace to your children. Treat their gentle hearts kindly and love them.

I give up.

I'm having a half sandwich for supper. This diet sucks. I have been so freaking hungry all day.

So here is what I have learned.
1) Fruits and veggies are healthy
2) I need protein
3) I can survive eating fruits and veggies only, because my stomach will eat itself. I'm sure that is why I haven't wasted away.

I could have probably done this if I had eaten fruits and veggies both days and had some legumes or at least one serving of lean meat and some whole grains.

I'm hungry.

I've eaten a piece of ww toast with smart balance light; carrots; a salad with garlic flavored red wine vinegar; and drank two cups of V8. I need some protein. I did okay on this yesterday with the fruit, don't veggies have more fiber? What's going to happen on Friday when all I can eat is bananas and 3 glasses of milk? I think I'll have some squash for supper and snack on a green pepper if needed.

Starting Day 2

I weighed myself this morning to see if it was true that you could loose 2-3 lbs in the first day. It's true. I lost 3 lbs. Granted its all water weight, but so far the "promise" is true.

So to recap what I ate yesterday: a half cup black coffee, 10 cups water, watermelon, 2 apples, cantaloupe, blueberries, 1 animal cracker. I think that was it.

Day 2 of the diet says to start the day with a baked potato with a pat of butter. I used all our potatoes up Monday to make a Shepard's pie so I started the day with a slice of whole wheat bread and a pat of smart balance light. For the rest of today, I have veggies to eat. I may run out and see if I can get a bag of salad and some apple cider vinegar for dressing. I also need to get more fruit for tomorrow. I'm debating if I should get the stuff for day 4 while I'm out. Maybe I will. I need to get skim milk and bananas. I'm finicky on my bananas though so it'll have to depend on how "green" Kroger bananas are today. Interestingly, the diet doesn't specify what kind of milk to drink on day 4, but skim makes the most sense.

Did I mention today is going to be harder than yesterday? I expect to be hungrier today as I don't like veggies much. OOH! I'm going to get some green peppers. I wonder if I can saute them with cooking spray, rather than extra virgin olive oil?

Day 1 on the GM Diet

I have eaten some watermelon, cantaloupe, 2 apples, and a serving of chicken broth. I have drank, so far, 8 cups of water. I'll add another two tonight. I'll probably also eat some blueberries. I did eat one animal cracker. I expect tomorrow to be pretty hard. I'm not much of a veggie gal, but I have some cabbage and carrots and celery and broccoli and squash. I'll have to see if I can have V8. If I can have V8, I'll probably be okay. At any rate, a week isn't forever and this will be a good start to a diet that works. I just feel like I need to get rid of my taste for bad sugars.

GM Diet

So, I need to do something drastic. I gained 3 pounds in a week. Eating ice cream everyday during training evidently wasn't a good idea to my waist line (but it was so good). So I'm going to try the GM diet for a week, maybe two weeks with some modifications. After I'm done with the diet, I intend to eat more fruits and veggies, less fats and meats. I'm even considering going vegan, though I'm not sure how I would do doing that. I don't do well with eating little bits of bad stuff so I guess I'll try a eat nothing bad diet for a while and see if that works. I'm hoping it does; I need to do something. Once my broken toe heals, I'll start exercising. I'm considering starting to run this spring. I HATE running, but maybe I can learn to like it.

So today, on day 1, I've eaten some watermelon. I have some apples, blueberries and cantaloupe for the rest of today. Tomorrow will be a veggie day and maybe some soup. I intend to allow one or two cups of chicken broth if I want it. I may make the cabbage soup tomorrow or the following day. I highly doubt I will eat the amount of beef they suggest. I'll probably head to Kroger tomorrow or the following day to see what sort of lean beef I can get. So there we are. Here's to skinny jeans!

Has it been that long?

I guess December was a whirl wind. I can't believe it was before Thanksgiving since I last blogged.

Thanksgiving and Christmas went off without a hitch. Caden was spoiled as no toddler has been spoiled before by Christmas gifts. We don't even have room in his room, if we decide to move his crib in there anytime soon. And his birthday is coming up in less than a month!

I've taken up sewing and crocheting. I made Caden a scarf for my first crochet project. Not the best handiwork ever, but not to shabby for a first try. I'm also in the process of making some curtains for his room to help keep out the light, should we decide to move him into his own room in the next decade. That project isn't going as well as I had hoped. Its harder than I though to sew a double panel together. Fortunately, the fabric was uber cheap, so if I need to make new ones in a year or two, we aren't out too much money.

I weaned Caden in the middle of December. THAT was hard for me emotionally. He seemed to handle it fairly okay. I think we only had one or two bouts of whining. He did ask every morning for a couple weeks. It is so good to be able to eat what I want now. Of course, now I need to get serious about weight loss.

The weather has taken a turn for the better (temporarily, anyway). Its in the 50's today and tomorrow. While gloomy, its nice to have the windows wide open to get some fresh air. Caden had fun getting muddy this morning.

On the allergy note. Caden went to the doctor in December to be tested for his food allergies. We refused to test for dairy since we know he is still allergic. It was a puzzling test. The doctor didn't test for egg for some reason, which would be nice to have in Caden's diet. Caden did out grow strawberry, but the doctor cautioned us against introducing it. I may intro it in the summer when strawberries are in season. I don't understand why something should be kept out of his diet if it isn't a high risk allergen. We, unfortunately, added peanut, melon, and pea as definite allergies. All of which we were avoiding at any rate. The doctor also encouraged us to avoid fish. We didn't eat it a lot so it wasn't a huge loss, but its always sad to lose a food. Caden is also now allergic to cat, dog, and dust.

An interesting study was released in the New England Journal of medicine last week. It has found some hopeful treatment for anaphylaxis. Apparently those who experience anaphylactic reactions have a lower level of a certain factor in their blood. I think it was called Platelet Activating Factor and they hydro something or other was found to be lower in those who experience anaphylaxis. Perhaps, if they can figure a way to use this in an injection, it will do away with epinephrine, which while life saving, means that those who have it administered must be observed in the ER for a couple hours following.

We also bit the bullet and ordered Caden a medic alert bracelet. We hope its never necessary, but its there if needed. And its also a good way for him to be identified if he is ever lost.

So that in a not so small nut shell has been life the last month and a half. The students came back yesterday enforce. And while I enjoyed the quiet, I do enjoy having the noise. I think I missed everyone more than I though.