Too cute to be...

Allergic to the World.

See? Aren't I cute?

And yet, I am indeed allergic to the world.

Oy! We got Derek's allergy test results back and in addition to being very allergic to milk, he is also very allergic to peanuts. Hold tight, it gets worse. He is also mildly allergic to wheat, barley, and eggs. Did you hear me say wheat? Yes, the grain that is in EVERYTHING. Sigh.

I'm a little confused right now as to how to proceed...with life. When I was given the results I was told that if he was already eating things included in the milder list of allergies and wasn't having problems then he can continue to eat them. He has actually been eating wheat in the form of crackers and cheerios for several weeks now and seems fine. I'm clinging to the hope that he can continue to eat wheat products, but hesitate to actually give him many. We have a regular pediatrician appointment in a week or so and I think I will inquire about an allergy referral to see if we can get any more info. My plan for now is to alternate between crying and moping. Okay, not really, but that's kind of what I feel like doing.

And then just when you think things are pretty bad already...you find out that we no longer receive the Big 10 network. Sure, that might sound trivial to some of you, but you have no idea how much we enjoy our Michigan football around these parts.

When it rains, it pours.

Our Allergy Saga

Many of you know that the little guy has had some allergy issues since he was a newborn. It started with bloody poops & eczema and required lots of dietary eliminations on my part so that the offending proteins wouldn't be passed to him through my breastmilk.
We've been waiting until his first birthday to do a "milk challenge" in the doctor's office to see if he had outgrown this problem. That appointment was yesterday and I'm sad to report that things did not go well. Moments after drinking less than half an ounce of milk, Derek broke out in hives all over, became congested, vomited, and was inconsolable for what felt like forever. It took 3 doses of Benadryl to get his reaction under control and we were in the doctor's office for several hours waiting for him to recover. So needless to say, he is very allergic to milk even in small doses. We're waiting on lab results now to find out if there are any other allergies he may have. The results will help us decide how to proceed with weaning him from the breast. If soy is an option then we can start the transition to soy milk, however if he is allergic to soy then I will have to continue nursing him until his diet can supplement the amount of fat and protein he needs (rice milk does not have enough of either).
So that is where we stand now; I would appreciate your prayers as we wait for the results. We're praying that he will have no other allergies at all. We're now the proud owners of an epinephrine injection for emergencies as well as a hefty dose of paranoia on my part that milk is lurking everywhere. Alex is getting a crash course in what is no longer okay to carry around the house (her milk cups, cheese, "go-gurts," etc.)
But lest I be too much of a downer, we know that many families deal with more serious things than food allergies and we are grateful to have such a happy and sweet son. Thanks to all of you for your support and prayers for his upcoming lab results!

How could I not be totally in love with this kid?! Check him out as he struggles to stand up with no help from his sister, then when he sees me he does everything he can to get over to me. I'm his favorite person and I love it! :)

Derek Joshua

Hi Friends,
I know it's been a while since I've posted; we've been on a trip to Michigan enjoying time with family. I'll be playing catch-up over the next week or so to fill you in on all the fun we had.
While we were in Michigan, Derek turned one year old! It's hard to believe that his first year is over. He is such a sweetheart, and so very kissable too :)

He's turning into such a mellow little guy. He loves to play and explore on his own. Here he is just chillin' in the stroller at the pool. Don't let that look fool you-- he can splash with the best of 'em!

Four days before his birthday, Derek finally decided he would eat something other than baby food. We were at my sister's house and I gave him a cracker just to see what he would do. He surprised me by sucking down the whole thing! Before this he wouldn't even tolerate the baby food with soft chunks in it. A week later he is now enjoying Cheerios and baby puffs. There's hope for him yet! He's cute even when he's crying!
Here's the future rock star with a birthday gift (despite what you hear in the background, no siblings were injured in the filming of this clip)

And see how fast he's getting...still on all 4's these days