S-wheat!

Okay, so that title was corny, even for me, but I could not be more excited about composing this post.

Drumroll please...

Jack Everett has officially outgrown two of his most severe allergies - milk and wheat!

PRAISE THE LORD! We are slowly reintroducing soy and peanuts as well. So far, so so so good.

Jack's first bread ever! A hotdog bun! He doesn't know how to eat the bun and the hotdog together. Opposite from most children, Jack eats the entire bun first.

His first sandwich - and with cheese! I cried when he took his first bite. I am so happy for him. One step closer to getting to eat what the other kiddos are eating. He also got to eat "real spaghetti" as he calls it.

First piece of pizza... too hard to chew. First cheeseburger... took two bites of meat, but he ate all the bread.

First quesadilla... fun to make, not so great to eat. He had about two bites.

Jack's mealtime has become so exciting for him. Introducing Goldfish, Pringles, and pudding have been the highlights... oh, and butter. Last night, he even had his first chicken nuggets. Love at first bite.

It's interesting to us what he likes and doesn't like. Surprisingly, he will not eat cheese by itself, yogurt of any flavor, strawberries, macaroni and cheese, waffles, flavored potato chips, or sherbet. We assumed he would love these things, but he just doesn't have a taste for them, and has an aversion to different textures. What is awesome is that he will try ANYTHING.

We are being intentional about NOT introducing too much junk food to him all at once. We also intend to continue packing his meals as a cost and calorie savings when we can. The blessing of food allergies is how healthy (healthily?) it forces you to feed a child. He is accustomed to grilled meat, plain whole vegetables at every meal, plain cereal, and has never really had chocolate. He has only had French Fries two or three times in his lifetime and we plan to continue the healthy eating even though the junk is now "allowed." I often wonder if we will feed Davis this way if he does not have food allergies. I hope so.

So, to all the Mother Warriors who have allergic kiddos at home (especially Cassie, Jennifer, Cara, and now Emily) who have cried with me, problem-solved with me, shared horror stories... to all of you who are still having to label your kids with "Don't feed me" stickers and medical bracelets... Hang in there! Every time you check that label, grill the waiter, reprimand the babysitter or console a disappointed snacker... know you are fighting the good fight. Every time you show a daycare worker how to use an EpiPen, pack a lunch on blue ice, try an awful recipe, catch vomit in your bare hands, drop a wad of cash on Rice Milk, or drag a crying toddler away from a birthday party serving "Dora" cupcakes, know you are choosing what's best for your child's future... not what's easiest or what feels good in the moment. Press on.

Let Jack's story encourage you and remind you that there is a light at the end of this dark, scary, exhausting, laundry-filled tunnel.

I know I could go on and on about food allergies. I am probably over the top celebrating... taking pictures. I have always remembered that, as hard as it has been at times, we have it so so easy. While millions of parents are struggling with far worse, I think it is still okay to be excited about our reality. I am proud of Jack and I am proud of us. We did it. He did it.