Cheese! and Peas

When Isaac was 8 weeks old he developed a really scary all-over body rash that the doctors could not diagnose. After blood work and cancer scares we finally realized it was an allergic reaction to the cow's milk based formula he was drinking. I would post a picture of the rash, but it still scares me to look at it. And it's ugly.

Anyway, since that age he has not been allowed to eat dairy at all. No milk, no cheese, no butter. Have you ever noticed what toddlers eat? I'll tell you: string cheese, yogurt, and milk. Oh, and Macaroni and Cheese. Maybe the occasional grilled cheese sandwich. Or how 'bout a chicken nugget (the breading contains milk)? But not Isaac. Oh no. He's been eating tofu, and garden burgers, and soy milk for the last year. Actually it hasn't been all that bad, since he's not a picky eater. But eating at restaurants has been challenging, and I always have to make a separate meal for him, since almost nothing I cook is dairy-free. Kind of a pain in the ass. And also, I keep thinking--will this kid never be able to enjoy cheese? His whole life??

At our 2 year well check this week (which was traumatic for so many reasons I can't begin to blog about it) the doctor suggested we go ahead and give dairy a try. Slowly, she said. See if he can tolerate some yogurt, or a piece of cheese. About 4 or 5 weeks ago, I had given him a sour cream and onion potato chip (by accident, of course!) and he immediately developed a rash. So I'm thinking, no way is this going to work.

Still, I gave him a small bite of Havarti cheese yesterday, just for kicks, and guess what? NO RASH! Last night, we went out to eat at a Mexican place, ordered some taquitos for him, which came with guacamole and chedder cheese on top, and again--NO RASH.

This is very exciting news indeed.

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I think I have mentioned before that I hate peas. I will never purchase them, frozen or fresh. When Isaac was eating baby-food, I refused to buy the mashed peas. And until last week, I had refused to buy them for Vivian as well.

Vivian refuses to eat green beans. She actually refuses to eat anything that has a hint of green in it. Everything she eats (squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, pasta and vegetables, peaches, pears) is yellow or orange. My sister told me that, as babies, her kids' skin turned orange because they ate too many carrots. I don't want a pigment-challenged 9 month old, for Pete's sake.

So I bought a jar of babyfood peas. Yuk. The smell when I took off the top last night was enough to make me gag. However, since the health of my daughter was at stake, I continued. I fully expected her to refuse the peas, at which point I would move on to spinach, and never have to purchase the horrid things again.

Vivan, do you know what happened when I put the spoonful of nasty mushed peas in your mouth?

You smiled! Then you laughed! Then you opened your mouth, begging for more!

How are you my daughter? Is it not enough that you look absolutely nothing like me, that you have the same dimple under your right eye as your father, that you are almost an exact replica of him, just smaller? Must you also reject my very characteristics, the things which make me who I am?

My god, you are not even 9 months old and already you are kicking Mommy to the curb.

Peas, indeed.