Aw Nuts!

Mood: Thankful for a beautiful day
Listening to: My kiddos bugging me to go to a park.

It has happened in our house. A big, huge, scary thing that threatens our very way of life. Well, at least our way of eating. Was it a monster growing in the fridge? Or possibly a gas leak? An especially militant vegetarian? It’s, it’s, it’s, a peanut allergy. Duh Duh Dun! (that was supposed to be dramatic music.)

I know, peanut allergies aren’t anything to write movies about, but this really threw me for a loop. I never thought we would have to deal with this problem. My eldest daughter doesn’t have any health problems at all (knock on wood!). My youngest has had a particularly nasty battle with eczema (another allergy related issue) since she was a very wee babe. I don’t know anyone in our immediate family that is allergic to any foods. My brother and mom are allergic to sulfa drugs, but it’s not quite the same thing. We found out when the wee one had a reaction a few months back. To be honest, I had no idea what she ate. We had just come back from the park and the girls were getting ready for dinner. We were eating some yummy cheese and broccoli rice (which both girls have had before) when the little one started getting REALLY cranky. My elder daughter had been eating cashews earlier in the day and had neglected to put away her bowl after she was done. Little one’s eyes puffed up unbelievably and she broke out in hives around her head, neck and chest. Scary to say the least! After a trip to the pediatricians and a blood sample, we have found out that she is allergic to all tree nuts, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Um, Sesame seeds? Yeah, never heard of that one before! So now I have to be a peanut detective, carry around an epipen and all that fun stuff. We have to see an allergist too.

I also heard that eating nuts during pregnancy can cause peanut allergies too. Guess who spent her pregnancy eating almonds after hearing that they were a great protein snack to keep away the munchies? Yep, that’s right folks, huge dose of parental guilt right here on my plate. I’m hoping that she outgrows it.

Becky