Peanuts

Today, I have two types of peanuts to discuss. First, we'll talk about the actual peanut-- the kind that Jackson is allergic to, the kind that we have avidly avoided his entire life.

Unlike most cases, we fortunate enough to discover Jackson's allergies preemptively, before we ever had any adverse reactions. Derek's allergist is also a pediatric allergist and had urged us to bring Jackson in for a visit due to Derek's abundant allergies. It's been about a year since we took him in and discovered he is allergic to eggs, soy, tree nuts, and peanuts (because peanuts aren't really nuts). His allergies to eggs and soy are mild enough that he can handle when they are included in products, just as long as he's not eating just eggs or just soy. The nature of eggs and soy allergies are also that they will cause puffiness, redness, and discomfort, but their most serious effects are nothing like minimal effects of coming in contact with nuts and peanuts. So, of course, we have taken very strongly to keeping them out of his system.

And it was something we had succeeded quite effortlessly. That is, until Jackson picked up a peanut shell off the ground at the Chiefs game that we were at the other day (this was bad news on several different levels)! It took a minute for me to actually realize what had happened and the whole ordeal was probably over within three to five minutes. But being that it was his first contact with the food he was allergic too, it definitely seemed much longer! I was trying to race through the information the nurses had so adamently made me rehearse in the office so I would be prepared. I knew I had his epi-pen, but it didn't seem like he needed it. Of course, I took the shell out of his mouth and then a few seconds later, he threw up. Fortunately, the friends sitting down the row from us have sons with similar allergies and they reassured us that throwing up is what happens when they eat peanuts. Which, of course, was nice to know because I had no idea. Jackson ended up falling asleep at the game and I came home and gave him some Prednisone after we got home to help combat anything left in his system. After talking to the doctor the next day, I did everything right, though I should have had given him Benydryl too.

Ironically, the nurses had hoped that by Jackson's yearly allergy check up that he would have possibly outgrown the egg and the peanut. We are going to get his blood drawn today and something tells me that his peanut allergy is still going to be there. The only scary part, is that peanuts are what he's least allergic too, which makes me shudder at the thought of him actually ingesting a nut. At least, I can know what to expect and how to deal if (when) we have another encounter with peanuts.

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And now for peanut topic number two:

For the past several weeks, I have referred to the little baby inside of me as "peanut" but I clearly need to change the nickname to something that doesn't induce the vomiting reflex in Jackson. I mean, that's not the best way to start the sibling bonding process!

Anyway, I've seen several bloggers do this little survey each week through their pregnancy. I'm am definitely not going to commit to that because that I know I won't keep up, but I am hoping to keep updating periodically throughout the pregnancy.

*How far along?: 15 weeks

*How big is your baby?: approximately the size of an apple: 2 inches & 4 oz.

*Total weight gain?: Nada

*Sex: Too soon to know. Yes we will find out. Most of my friends and family are convinced it's a girl.

*Maternity clothes: A friend gave me tons of super cute clothes last summer, so I have a new (to me) maternity wardrobe.

*Stretch marks: Nada
*Movement: I first felt the baby move at 14 weeks and have felt similar small movements, but nothing quite so big.

*Sleep: It's not the child I'm pregnant with that keeps me up at night. But when I do get the opportunity to sleep through the night, I always have to get up to pee.

*Best moment this week: Feeling the baby move.
*Food cravings: Water actually. I can't get enough. (which is the cause of the above frustration)
*Labor signs: Definitely not
*Belly button in or out: In

*What I miss: Basically just Derek. I haven't really been pregnant long enough to really miss anything

*What I'm looking forward to: finding out if we are having a boy or girl when we go visit Derek in October!