Allergies...really

I have to admit I am not a sympathetic person. I was raised in a house where you just "sucked it up" and moved on. I really didn't buy into the whole allergy thing....well, that is until I had Luca. This child is one big ball of allergies. Around four months Luca got his first rash. Just a little bumpy rash on his stomach. I did what all mom's do....I called the Dr. and She prescribed a steroid cream (the first of so many...we are like a mini Walgreens). Great...problem solved (I wish). Next came the awful cradle cap and the full body rash. What is the answer? An antibiotic to clear up the inflamed skin. Only problem.....two days into the antibiotic Luca's skin started peeling off with his tshirt. I called the Dr. (nurse) immediately. Again another dr. appointment and a prescription of an entire new array of creams. Over and over I mentioned...I think this is more than eczema. Finally....finally Luca woke up with his eyes swollen shut and the dr. on call suggested we see an allergist (90 days past the signs of the first rash).

Taking a 5 month old to the allergist NOT FUN. The torture begins when they wrap your child in a tight swaddle and begin the long process of searching for a "good" vein. Vaccinations have nothing on this torturous process. Over and over I prayed....Please get a vein on the first try...please...please. Jackpot...first try. Thank GOD! Within a week we had the results...Luca is allergic to wheat, soy, egg, all nuts, with a slight allergy to milk. WHAT?!?!?! Are you kidding me? Wait...I am breastfeeding...I can't eat any of this! WHAT?!?!?!?! The allergist provided no additional resources or information, just the diagnosis. Oh yeah, when I asked her what I should eat, she suggested I start eating meat (been a vegetarian for 15 years). Thanks!

Where do you go with a diagnosis like that? We switched to formula (after 4 weeks of eating Rice Krispies I was done). At this point I believed his allergies would go away by a year. Ha ha ha...right! Luca was retested at 12 months....he even gained a dog dander allergy during the 6 month period. Well, why not...add on a few more. Now the struggle begins, what do I feed him? I searched for resources in the library and on the web, but found little assistance. I know he is not the first with this group of allergies....I need to find other allergy suffers. Where are they hidding and what are they eating? Can they please feed my child dinner?

Little by little I acquired helpful recipes and cookbooks....it is alot of information to share so maybe I will just provide an allergy tip/recipe/resource of the day. For those with babies under the age of 1 (with or without food allergies)....Healthy Times babyfood http://www.healthytimes.com/ I can't say enough great things about this company. Their products are wonderful and several of them are allergian free. Luca still eats the Teddy Puffs and Oatmeal (one of the only Oatmeals on the market with no soy filler.....and both available at Whole Foods). Unfortunately the jarred baby food has to be ordered on-line (it is worth the shipping charge---the pumpkin pie is fantastic).

This weekend we just eliminated milk based products (continued eczema and behavioral issues). I guess one thing is for sure...there is never a dull moment with my child.

Who Loves the Doctor?

Maybe it's because I'm not a doctor.  Maybe it's because I don't really like being late for things. Or Maybe it's because I think it's just downright ridiculous.  But I just don't get it.  Why does a 5:20 appointment for a 18-month check-up turn into an exhausting experience in the lobby that ends with a 6:30 chat with the doctor?  I get it...kids are sick, things come up, crazy moms ask way too many questions.  But come on...pick up the phone and call me!  A simple, hey we're running behind schedule, could you come in at 6:30 or could we reschedule your appointment would be great.  Is it too much to ask?  Don't get me wrong, she's a fantastic doctor and she really does spend as much time as needed with us...but I just find it down right rude to have to wait that long in the office.  

That said, I have to say that being in the lobby that long does remind me that I'm not doing such a bad job with this whole mom thing.  Granted, I have my moments (and I'd really like to meet the mom that doesn't), but all in all I think I've got my shit together over here.  

Take for example the mom that just completely ignored her 18 month old while talking on her cell phone for the entire hour I waited.  Meanwhile little Johnny is stealing all of my kid's matchbox cars.  Not that my kid is the best at sharing (who am I kidding, he doesn't share), but at least I get off my rump and tell him instead of talking on the phone.  In her defense I suppose I don't really know enough people that I could talk to that would fill up the entire hour, but still - that's beside the point.  

And then we move to the new mom of the 8 week old boy who immediately announces that children aren't meant to be in carriers, but rather hugged and held all day.  Really?  Cause there are many days I'd kill to have my kid sit happily in a carrier (or anywhere else for that matter) while I read Cosmo or some other trashy magazine.  But it's not enough that the baby can't just sit in her arms.  Of course not.  So out come some special blanket with the annoucement - "It's tummy time!"  You're kidding me.  Seriously, you can't skip that today?  Guess not.  Down goes the blanket and her little Timmy right on the floor.  And then I spend the next 20 minutes attempting to prevent my child from giving her tummy timer loves - which for a normal kid would be cute, however my child treats these hug-like gestures as a full body tackle move.  Alright, it's really a ton easier for you to hold your guy, than for me to control mine.  This is really not the place for tummy time, you freak! 

Then we have Captain Comparer.  You know exactly who I'm talking about, there's one in every group of mom's.  She immediately starts in with the questions.  Sure, they also start so innocently - how old is he, is he your first?  All very nice.  But then we move into the bragging and comparing line of questioning.  "Oh, how many words does he have?  Billy had his first word on his first birthday and now I can't even count how many he has." Or my favorite, "How much does he weigh?  Wow, he's a big boy isn't he?  And quite a handful, I see!  Billy is just so well behaved."  Well, that's great - no one cares.  I am not the doctor.  I am not evaluating him.  I don't even really like him.  Sometimes I really wish I had the guts to say this stuff, but lucky for them...nice Kelly usually prevails.

It's just amazing to me that there are so many different types of mom's out there and that generally all these kids turn out just fine.  Makes me thing I'm making this harder that it needs to be.  

But after over and hour of chasing, and squirming, and singing - the moment of glory had arrived and I heard those long awaited words, "Jack, the doctor will see you now!"  Well how nice of her!  And despite all the waiting room chaos turns out I've got a perfectly healthy kid to be thankful for...and I really can't ask for anything more than that.  Cocktails all around tonight!

  

Holy Cow - Am I killing my kid?

So as if we don't all have enough to worry about, now I've got to worry about the containers the food comes in.  I have to admit that I vaguely remembering hearing some people talk about this awhile back but I dismissed it as crazy "green" moms.  Well, I guess they weren't so crazy after all.  

There's been a lot of talk about BPA in the news lately, and I'm lucky enough to have Gina (my greenest of friends) who does all the research for me.  She's dragged me on the bandwagon, and I've surprised myself by being willing to go with her.  This stuff is very scary and everyone should take a closer look at it.  

Now I'm in a state of panic.  After having used bottles with Jack, endless types of sippy cups, canned fruit and I don't even want to think about all the soup and ravioli I've given him - I can't help but wonder if I've damaged him.  How did it affect him?  Will I ever know?  This is scary stuff. 

Lions, and Tigers and Bisphenol A....Oh My!

I am alittle late on the bandwagon....the anti-bisphenol A bandwagon. I saw the news story on the Today show and thought I should probably throw out my Nalgenes...but that is just the tip of the iceberg. Cans, baby bottles, water bottles, fruit cups, my house is full of this harmful substance. I was about to throw out my entire kitchen, but I decided to read alittle further into this topic.

I would go into detail about the ins and outs of keeping our families safe....but a wonderful fellow blogger (and mom) did alot of the research for us (her site is fantastic). http://amomsblog.wordpress.com/2007/11/06/harmful-plastics-polycarbonate-with-bisphenol-a/

Other great resources:http://www.sixwise.com/pdf/ChildrensToysBI.pdf
http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/114/bpa
http://zrecs.blogspot.com/2008/02/z-report-on-bpa-in-infant-care-products.html

She goes over safe sippy cups, bottles, cans, etc. I feel alittle overwhelmed by it all....but I am taking away a simple message...avoid numbers 3, 6 and 7 and canned foods. We can use plastic number 1, 2, 4, and 5 for food (although no reheating in these containers). Essentially avoid hard clear plastic (just because it is not labeled doesn't mean it is safe). We will only buy canned foods from Eden Foods or those in tin containers. Definitely avoid canned foods with a plastic lining (soup and ravioli are two of the worst). Instead we will be buying products like applesauce from companies like Motts, Whole Foods or Earth's Best (or buying it in glass containers). Good thing summer is around the corner so we can eat fresh whenever possible.

I know this is just the tip of the iceberg. In the future, information on this topic will be plentiful.

For myself I switched over to the SIGG water bottle. Honestly I like it better...water stays colder longer.

Off to Target...now shopping will take even longer!

The Weekend........It is over!

Why is the weekend so exhausting? Could it be the raucous game of cards on Friday night? Probably not. Kelly and I will prevail next weekend. I do think I consumed one too many gin and tonics but everyone needs to let loose every now and then. My exhaustion comes from my son's inability to sleep past 5:40 am. I have read every book (Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child is my favorite) and even organized sleep seminars.....I tried all the voodoo magic but still my son loves to get up before dawn.

I think I finally figured out why (only took 18 months to figure out....I am quick). Luca is the worst teether on the planet. I remember his first set of teeth, I didn't even know they arrived. We showed up for our 6 month appointment and there they were....two little pearly slivers pointing through the bottom gums. I actually thought...this teething thing is going to be a piece of cake. Boy was I WRONG. For some reason the pain of teething manifests itself into a 5 am wake up call. He doesn't feel the teeth at 9pm, midnight or 3....just at 5. Let me tell you...I also feel the pain at 5 am (until about noon when he is napping). Today he would just throw himself on the ground sobbing. He didn't know what to do.....and I was pretty clueless myself. We tried everything....finally he just fell asleep at 10:45 am. Peace and quiet. Thankfully the afternoon was signficantly better.

I pray everynight that the four eye teeth just pop through (we've been cutting them for about 3 months). Oragel and Motrin have nothing on the pain of these pointy monsters (anyone have other suggestions?). We need a teething break. Luca needs to sleep past 6. And Kelly......you are right....don't tell me when Jack wakes up with all four eye teeth (I know he will). Jack does win the title of "easiest teether on the planet."

This post is completely different than I planned...I thought I was going to discuss great allergian free foods. I guess that is the topic for tomorrow. I am becoming a master shopper/cooker for kids with nut, egg, wheat, and soy allergies. I may have the layout of Whole Foods memorized.

Off to bed...to prepare for the 5:40 date with Luca.

Just Pure Chaos

When Gina and I decided to start this blog, we insisted on meeting over a few good cocktails to iron out the plans.  Of course, that plan somehow turned into me chasing my 18 month old all over the playground trying to ensure he didn't kill himself and Gina developing swinging elbow (a serious condition that is the toddler parents version of tennis elbow, that develops when your child only likes to swing while at the playground) after pushing Luca in the swing countless times.  And as chaos ensued, and dreams of cocktails faded, the Chaos to Cocktails blog was born.

I suppose introductions are in order.  I'm a 28 year old web and graphic designer turned stay at home mom to my adorable (if I do say so myself) 18 month old son, Jack.  I absolutely LOVE being a Mom, today that is.  Believe me, there are days that it's not so fun, but God I love that kid.  He's an absolute joy to be around.  I was trying to think of a good way to describe Jack...aside from calling him a little shit that is.  He's a kid that just can't get enough out of each day.  I spend every waking moment running after my fearless leader, and counting down the minutes until my (most of the time) wonderful husband walks in the door.  All kidding aside, Jack is one of the best things that's ever happened to me and there are many moments that I can't believe how blessed I am to have such a wonderful family.

I'm sure it won't take you long to figure out that Jack and Luca are pure opposites.   But despite their differences, Gina and I are pretty much forcing the kids to learn to like one another.  We just recently wrapped up our winter open gym tour (mind you, that "winter" this year went well into April, which is just complete bull shit - but I digress), and are now moving onto the summer playground tour.  We'd both do just about anything to make our kids happy, which generally translates to doing anything to tire them out so we can get the maximum value out of that ever so precious nap time.  

Gina and I hit it off right away at a mom's group when the kids were just a couple of months old.  I think we both tried not to frighten each other with the desire to talk to each other non-stop, but that notion quickly faded and we began a fantastic friendship, that's centered around are somewhat obsessive need to IM each other constantly.  I really don't know where I'd be without Gina these days.  She's been a real life saver for me.  As someone who once entertained the notion of listing my husband with no reserve on ebay and my kid on craigslist, I was lucky enough to have Gina to talk some sense into me and remind me that everyone with a little kid is miserable.  

So there it is...my first post.  It's one hour 'til bedtime and dinner duty calls.  Good news is, only sixty more minutes 'til the chaos subsides and the cocktails begin.  

 

The stats and dilemma of the day

My first post....the pressure of it all. I guess it is best to start with the background.....I am a thirty-three year old woman who is trying to balance the demands of motherhood, marriage, graduate school, and part time employment. It is the typical story and if you are reading this, you are probably living it right now. Somedays I find complete humor in it all, other days I barely survive. All in all this definitely is not how I imagined my life at 33 (not bad, just different).

I knew it would be hard that is why I kept putting off the idea of having a child. All this self doubt crept in....can I handle it, how will this fit with my life plan (ha ha ha), and am I capable of being a good mom? I based my previous life on reading and assessing research...surely the journey of childhood is well researched and documented. I will read my way into enlightenment. I am still reading, reading, researching, and reading.....I am guessing the enlightenment feeling may never come.

Eventually I knew we had to go for it and after a year the stars aligned and Luca was finally conceived. We were bringing another life into the world. Woohoo! I was excited and completely terrified at the same time (remember that feeling?). Since that day the same question runs through my head....am I ready for this? I asked myself that very question this week when our 18 month old decided 4:45 a.m. was the best time to start our day.

I was ready for the sleepless nights (you get used to it after awhile), diapers, late night feedings, milestones, first laughs, and endless amounts of playtime. I wasn't ready for the overwhelming feeling of love I have for this tiny being. He can make me melt in about two seconds. I constantly strive everyday to make life better for him.

The biggest surpises are the quirks of our child. I wasn't ready for the long list of food allergies. I wasn't ready for the delays in speech and development. I wasn't ready for the large amount of guilt I continue to feel each day because of these quirks. I just finished meeting with the case worker who manages Luca's development and speech therapies (therapy starts next week). I can't help but wonder....what should I have done differently? I know this is best for Luca but the feelings of guilt, anxiety, sadness just creep in. Details on this all for another blog....Luca is up and ready to rock.

I feel like this is a public therapy session.....letting out the thoughts and feelings that often just swirl through my head. Wouldn't it be great if motherhood just came with free therapy sessions?