Happy Birthday Mommy!

I love you so much sweetie! Britton and I are excited that today is the day we celebrate you (at least purposefully). Thank you for your love, your sweetness, your nuturing, your spell-checking, your cooking...but most of all we both are blessed because God has chosen you to be my wife and to be Britton's mom. Everything else pales in comparison to the gift that you are to us!

She Walks In Beauty
by Lord Byron

She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

Happy Bedtime Boy

Bedtime continues to be a happy occasion in our house (though bath time is another story). We are so grateful that he loves to sleep as much as we do! Lately he's been logging a good 13 hours at night. Lovin' it! Here are a few pictures taken post-bath, pre-bed.






We are loving these sweet days with our 18-month-old!

My First Attempt ...

The new header is my first attempt at creating a header in Photoshop Elements using downloaded digital scrapbook files and fonts. I had no idea what I was doing, but it was fun learning. I have been using www.scrapblog.com to create my headers, but the fonts, etc. are limited, so we'll see what comes of my newfound Photoshop knowledge. Danny gave me Elements for Christmas so that I could edit photos, and I have not spent any time learning how to use it. There is so much you can do with it! I did not realize it was a design program. Duh. I have a lot to learn.

A Lollipop ...

... heals all wounds.

Allergies.

Sippy cup? Check.
Snack trap? Check.
Diapers/Wipes? Check.
Epi pin? What?!?

We took Britton to an allergist yesterday after he's had four reactions lately to things he's eaten. He's reacted after eating hummus twice, then once to an apple, and another time to apple & cinnamon oatmeal. After talking it all out with her, we decided to skin test him to see if he was allergic to sesame and peas (both in hummus), apples, soy (potentially in hummus and the oatmeal), peanuts (b/c there is cross-reactivity between them and sesame) and melons (b/c Danny is allergic). He tested positive for all but melons!! We were in shock because Britton never had any kind of allergies up until he was 17-months-old. Allergies are not totally unexpected, though, as Danny has food allergies and asthma, and I had a serious milk intolerance as a baby.

Before the test was even finished (it takes 15 minutes+ to read it), a nurse was coming in to train us on how to use an epi pin. It was all a bit overwhelming. The peanut and sesame allergy have the potential to be very severe and life-threatening, thus the need for an epi pin. I hope we never have to use it, but glad we know this now and know what to look for. Britton has never been exposed to peanuts so we don't know the severity of the allergy yet, but we have seen him react to sesame and he broke out in a rash around his mouth and in hives on his body. There is always the potential for reactions to get worse with each exposure. Unfortunately, there is only a 20% chance that he will outgrow the peanut and sesame allergies and only possible, I believe, with strict exclusion from his diet. I think there is a good chance that he will outgrow the other food allergies.

The pea and soy allergies, I believe, will be the most limiting. Peas are in the legume family (as are peanuts) and it also includes beans. Ironic considering the post below! Britton loves kidney beans, black beans, lima beans, black eyed peas, and field peas. And they are great sources of protein, so I am really bummed that we are supposed to start excluding them. Soy is found in a lot of processed food, which Britton doesn't eat a lot of, but I will have to start reading labels and being more careful.

For now, we are keeping a food log and will go back to the doctor in a month. Danny moped around yesterday evening lamenting that Britton won't be able to eat peanuts at a ball game or enjoy a peanut butter sandwich. We will have to find some kind of substitute. I think the doctor mentioned sunflower butter, but it doesn't sound as appealing. In the grand scheme of things, this is just a bump in the road. Things could be a lot worse. We are grateful for his health thus far, and are so glad to know all this so we can keep our boy safe.

He's a Black Bean-Eating Fiend.

Big George

While Danny was out of the country, we had many sweet friends call to check on us and invite us over to play or for dinner.

One of those nights, we went over to our friends, George and Ruth's house. George made a fabulous salad nicoise for us all, and then he got down on the floor, broke out the Legos and had a grand old time with Britton.








I'm not sure who had more fun. Thanks for playing with our boy, Big George!

Where My Husband Has Been

Danny returned home last night after 10 long days away. Where was he, you wonder?

In Brasov, Romania


You know, "Probably" the best city in the world. ;o)

These Days, He Likes To...

... Climb on top of the coffee table!


... Get comfy in the refrigerator! If the fridge door opens, Britton makes a beeline to it ... to have a seat, naturally.


... Rock in his rocking chair, which was mine when I was his age. Awww.


... Try to escape out of the back door! This kiddo loves being outside. Good thing he hasn't figured out the locks ... yet.

How Our Disney Trip Ended

And, this is why we won't be taking any long car trips in the near future! ;o)