food, Food, FOOD!!

Why does food have to be or talked about everywhere?

Every week at Gymnastics class while stretching they play a game, go around the room and say what they like on their ice cream or in their sandwich or pizza or whatever kind of food. I notice Aubree thinking for a second and then just blurting out a type of food similar to what the others are saying.  And me from the bleachers, I want to yell....She can't have that!  I KNOW food is fun for kids, but it makes me cringe!

We were at a local park playing and I see someone reach in their bag and get out a jar of PEANUTS and start snacking. All I can think is PEANUTS, PEANUTS, PEANUTS!!!!  Before Allergies were in our family I probably would not have given it a second thought. Heck, that could have even been ME eating the peanuts!

Signing Hallie up for Kindergarten reading through the paperwork about lunches, snacks, parties ect. The whole time I am thinking about Aubree and how this will effect her when it is her time for school..... I think everyone should bring their own lunches and  own snacks from home, eat their own food, and NOT share!! LOL....piratical, right?!?

Just a few things I think about regularly!

Education is key

I am proud of my baby girl. Allergies are a part of our daily life. Aubree being the middle of our three kids, allergens are constantly present. If your kids are like mine, they can get of from eating a great meal and ask for a snack! She is always so aware of the foods that she can and can't have. We make a little game of quizzing her with different foods to see if she knows what she can have. We have tried very hard to make her undertand that eating a food she is allergic to is dangerous. I have overheard her cousins trying to give her food that she is allergic to before and she simply says, NO, I'm allergic. It makes my heart swell with pride! For a 3 year old she sure is quite educated on food ;)

Sometimes I think I am more bothered/upset with her feeling different that what she is. This is all that she knows, and she is used to it! Me bringing "her special" cupcakes to a birthday party, wedding or shower is perfectly normal to her. Tagging along a lunchbox everywhere we go is normal!  SHE is a normal little girl that we just have to take extra special care of.

Aubree can have her "special kind" of Christmas cookie and icing too!

Thinking about sending her off to school in a couple years is nothing but terrifying to me! I need to start preparing her (and ME) now!  I have always been with her, watching like a hawk (and sometimes feeling like I have eyes in the back of my head) to keep her safe. How will I possibly be comfortable sending her off to school?!?  Her older sister, Hallie, is in PreK now. Hearing of all the snacks and activites they do with food amazes me. HOW could this possibly workwith Aubree? I have NO idea. We have time, and everything always works out! I am praying now....

We have this book : Food Allergies and Me: A Children's Book  By: Juniper Skinner

 http://www.amazon.com/Food-Allergies-Me-Childrens-Book/dp/1456413287/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1326821599&sr=8-7

We love it! Aubree can really relate to the little boy. I think it is a great teaching tool!

Grocery Shopping

The Grocery store…..way different than before! Now, I need to focus! Making sure to have plenty of Aubree friendly foods! What does that mean? Reading labels. There are so many ways that a single allergen could be listed. Just as an example Aubree is allergic to milk, so if Casein is listed she could not have it.  I wonder if others see me reading labels in the store and think I’m just another Health nut!?! Oh boy, do I wish! Instead I am diligently reading labels to protect my baby!  Luckily, there has been a law passed and the top 10 allergens must have a separate warning that is in bold. That does make things a little easier, but I still need to read.  Things also can change each time, so I have to read each and every time I buy that box of cereal, bag of marshmallows, package of lunchmeat, ect. 

Allergies on the rise companies are scared. They have to save their rear ends, lots and lots of foods have a “may contain traces of…” OR “also processes peanuts, wheat, ect” OR “shared equipment with other allergens”  In that case, I really need to steer clear to be on the safe side. That usually means that I am buying the more expensive brands a lot. And that gets expensive, especially the Gluten free things.   That bag of frozen peas and carrots that I have been buying forever now says: May contain traces of milk, soy and peanuts. So, have they really changed the way they make them? Ugh, so many things to consider! But if I chance it and try it anyway, could that be the time there really were traces in the food. And that is all it takes, a trace!  

Have you ever thought about the fact that the slicer at the deli that just sliced the Turkey Breast (that was perfectly safe) had just sliced cheese?!? I have to think about little things like that, ALL.THE.TIME….it is her life! The added struggle now is that with

I can’t just throw a carton of ice cream in the cart and keep going.  Now I think, My Aubree can’t have ice cream, do I REALLY want to get this? If I do decide to go ahead with the ice cream, (which is rare) I need to get something that she can have when we are eating ice cream.  Philly Swirl brand (purple box) is a peanut/tree nut and Gluten Free plant. They have these little cups of popsicle like stuff that you eat with a wooden spoon. She LOVES them and that works for us!  

There have been many of times I have left the grocery store so discouraged and frustrated, wanting to kick and scream!    Needless to say, I love to go to the store alone! ;)

 Again I say, I am thankful that my baby girl is here on Earth with me and that she is thriving! I am a very lucky Mommy to have her and I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe, ALWAYS!

New special treat I made today: Simple, yet fun! :)

Chocolate covered Marshmallows

Aubree safe Marshmallows (free of milk, soy, wheat, peanuts, eggs, apples &green beans!)

Enjoy Life Brand chocolate chips

Splash of Canola oil

Pour some chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl and little bit of Canola oil, mix. Microwave for  1 min and stir until smooth. Coat the marshmallows in the chocolate. Then put them in the freezer to make the chocolate harden.

She loved them, and so did her brother and sister! J

A few things I took for granted....

The Holidays are full of togetherness, laughter, and FOOD!

 Before we had Aubree, I had never given it a second thought. We always made puppy chow, peanut clusters, peanut butter pie, white chocolate party mix, sugar cookies with icing, chocolate covered pretzels ect........all of that has changed! NO peanuts or peanut butter even allowed in OUR house!  Yes, there is all of that stuff all year long but it is in excess during the holidays! Aubree, being 3, wants what all of the other kids have.  Can you blame her?  I have been determined to find “special” things for Aubree to eat that she will get excited about, that are similar to what everyone else has. We have done a lot of recipe changing, and creating our own. Some have worked out great, and some not so well! We go everywhere with a lunchbox.  Is it always easy? NO.  It does take a lot of extra time and work but MY Aubree Grace is so worth it!  

Just think about all of the times you spur of the moment go out to eat because you don’t feel like cooking!  Allergies changes that all!  Restaurants are not the best place for people with multiple allergies! So I end up still having to make a meal for her and feel bad because I feel like she feels left out, even if she doesn’t give it a second thought.  So, not really the carefree evening  not cooking used to be! Another example: Just this week a family member was going to stop at a local restaurant to get take out for a Christmas gathering. We had not been there with Aubree. Usually I would just make her something but wanted to see if they had anything on the menu she could safely eat.  I looked online for their Allergy info….NONE. Called them, got transferred to THREE different people, and then I was told if I come in and ask for a manager he could print me off something. I went in there and the Manager was very nice, but really was of no help. The info he printed off for me was not intended for customers but to assist them when talking to a customer with allergies.  The print off recommended  that she not eat anything out of the fryer because of cross contamination and also nothing off the grill for the same reason, NICE….that left very little. The manager was excited to hear she was not allergic to corn, they ONLY cook it with butter. Sorry to tell you sir, butter has dairy in it! We opted to make her a meal at home that was the same as what her older sister was getting.

 I did not appreciate how easy and carefree my life was before Allergies entered it. It is a whole new world that I had never even thought about before. It is a world that usually you don’t think about unless you have to! Now, I am thankful that I have a happy, healthy little girl, that I am doing my best to keep safe!  I am thankful for all of the knowledge that I have gained through this journey and hope to share some of the knowledge with others that may need/want it!

Aubree is surprising me every day with her knowledge about her Allergies and how most of the time she is perfectly content eating “her” stuff.  I am proud of her. I know that is all she knows, but she still amazes me!

Aubree's story in a Nutshell

Aubree Grace is my 3 year old spunky, smart, sweet, funny little girl that happens to have food allergies.  

Aubree was breastfed as a baby and we knew something just wasn't right, she seemed unsettled a lot of the time (crying and arching her back A LOT!) and had nasty eczema that would not clear, her face just looked swollen and she would itch all over. It broke my heart to see my baby like that.  Her pediatrician decided to do a RAST test when she was six months old. ( blood test testing for allergies!) A week later is when we found out that she was allergic to milk, soy, wheat, egg white and peanuts. At that point I don't think I really understood how much of a life change this would be! Through introducing new foods we also added sweet potatoes, green beans and apples to her list! WOW, what oh what will my baby actually be able to eat?!? A few allergists later, we finally got her on an Amino Acid based formula that she did great with, called Neocate. This was a lifesaver for Aubree. This change along with many other lotions, creams, ointments, not using soap for baths finally got her skin under control. Yes we still have "allergy eyes" (circles around eyes) from time to time but other than that you could not tell by looking at her that she has allergies!

For a long time Aubree had not ingested any of the foods that she was allergic to, it was only through my breastmilk that she had even been exposed to the foods at all. But when she was about 17 months old she took a sip of another child’s sippy cup that had milk in it. She immediately started with a very dry cough, itching like crazy and her eyes started swelling shut. THAT is when I became a huge believer in Benadryl! I also think that is when it set in just how serious her Allergies can be! 

Just about 2 months ago Aubree was exposed to a little bit of egg white….she was around a newly hatched baby chick. I am assuming that she touched it and finger went to her mouth.  She was laboring to breathe. I immediately gave her Benadryl washed her down and held her to watch her very closely. Luckily we have never had to use our Epi pen. But boy have we been close. Since then we have had an Allergist appointment where we added Molds, dust mites and cats to our list of allergies.

We work very hard to teach Aubree about her food allergies and what foods she is allergic to and that we have to work extra hard to keep her safe. It is important that SHE is aware.  It has not always been easy, especially living in a house with two other kids that have NO food allergies! We have days where we want to cry, we feel sorry for ourselves and we wish things were different. BUT things can ALWAYS be worse. We also have days where my heart is swollen with pride on how aware my little girl is for THREE years old!  We take what we are given and we are going to make the best of it. All of our experiences shape us into the people we are!  I make it my mission to make Aubree feel special and try my best to make her feel included in everything. I have learned so much up to this point and I have so much more to learn. A few short years ago, I had NO clue about Food Allergies and how much was involved in keeping people safe that have them.  I . DO. NOW! J

This is Aubree’s story in a nutshell. There is so much more to it than this but this is a start. I hope that others can learn from my blog. Whether you have food allergies, a child with food allergies, or just becoming aware of allergies, I hope my blog helps in some way.

These are just a few pictures of Aubree before we knew that she had food allergies