allergy appointment(s)

So many appointments, here and there.  We try to schedule N's during B's preschool, 

however it doesn't always work out that way...  

Allergy appointments tend to take hours.  I'm not kidding.  

We have learned to pack many books and break out the portable DVD to play while I talk with the doctor.  The kids have done great.  

What have we learned so far?  Well, NO NUTS, none... end of discussion.  

No eggs (whites or yolks), which also means no flu shot... oh wait.  I thought I was being a good mom and I already got him the flu shot.  Oops...I must be *that mom.*  (He did not have a reaction, but next year we need to have him allergy tested for the shot before giving it to him... uh, good to know.)

No *rolling in the hay.*  This is a new one.  Grass.  No mowing the lawn, too!  

What a great excuse he has when he is a teenager!  

I am doing oral introductions with soybean, oats, and barley at home.  We are doing oral introductions of almond and sunflower seed in the doctor's office.  I hope they all go well, so we can have barley soup on cold winter nights and almond butter sandwiches on picnics.  

How do I keep this straight?  I have no idea.  

N - the allergy boy

More allergy testing...  

N had allergy testing yesterday.  It will be good to confirm.  

Dealing with 9+ allergies has been challenging, but N is a trooper!  

Valentine's week

What a week...  to start, we had N's 18-month check-up.  We were looking forward to this because we planned to do allergy testing for the first time since N's peanut reaction.  He is in the 25th percentile for weight and 75th for height and head circumference... long, lean, and smart!   He got his usual immunizations and then on to the long awaited allergy test.  We ended the day at the park.  The weather was beautiful!  

We were hoping his peanut reaction was a fluke, but no such luck.  The morning his pediatrician called back with the results, N had just shoveled in his last big bite of oatmeal.  With the classes of allergies already positive at 18-months they said he has some significant allergies.   So, N is confirmed allergic to peanuts, egg white, oat, cashew, barley, soybean, tomato, cat, and dog.   Bummer!  We went through our cabinets and refrigerator and now we are shopping, cooking, and eating out just a little bit differently.

  

  We enjoyed a few play-dates with our friends this week.  B was able to spend some fun play time with her friend!  The kids played and played... and as you can see, they also played dress-up.  I was able to have some adult conversation with my friend, which was nice for me, too.  

On Thursday we went to a Valentine's Day party with some new friends.  G's husband J works with E at TU.  The kids enjoyed a pizza party and exchanged Valentines.  Can you imagine... exchanging Valentines already?  They loved it.  

We continued the Valentine's theme with our good friends the K family and D family.  Everyone came over for drinks, appetizers, and cupcakes.  The kids all exchanged more Valentines and played.  It was fun for everyone to get together.  A little wild, but so much fun! 

 

B and N made Daddy special Valentine's.  We crafted a paper flower and candy bouquet and both kids painted paper hearts.  B even wrote "Dad" and "Love" on her heart.  We took Dad to lunch and delivered his gifts.  B was pretty proud of her work.    

For a while now, B has been having fun with  her letters and numbers.  She is getting quite good at writing.  I also think she is becoming quite the artist!  She likes to draw pictures of N and herself.  She even wrote me a Valentine's Day note!  

Here are a few pieces she has done... we think it's great, so we're showing it off!