It's 3am...

And I just got home. Finals weeks mean many things on campus. For people in my job it means midnight breakfasts, and manning the all night study locations.

A 1-3am shift makes for an awkward time to go back to sleep to wake in a few hours.

While I'm up though I thought I would share a story from last night's midnight breakfast. I was serving french toast sticks to hungry, sleep-deprived students (many of whom had probably FINALLY cracked that book open for the first time this semester) and I realized I was talking to them like I do to Koda. With Koda, I find a mumble, a half-nod, a grunt an unnacceptable way to say yes. Well, many of our 18-21 years olds on campus seem to still be doing this.

Me: French toast sticks *wearing my cheesy grin
Student: mmmmph
Me: Yes? Or No? *in a motherly-clearly ennunciate-tone
Student: Yes
Me: Great!

Replace student with Koda in the above dialogue and that is the average morning in our household.

Peanut-free for me

A few months ago now Tristen had a head to toe reaction while eating eggs. Fortunately, Benedryl stopped the reaction, and off we were to the doctore who actually did not think it was the eggs but a cross contamination reaction to peanuts. We got our allergist referral, and have been avoiding peanuts just in case.

By avoiding, we certainly were not over the top. We still have PB in the house. Travis still ate peanuts. Tristen still ate from the bakery section of the grocery.

Today, Tristen finally had his allergist appointment. They had to end the test early because his reaction was severe. So, Travis came home with perscription for an Epi Pen to find a freaked out momma who threw out/donated every jar of PB, and started reading every label. Our generic cherrios? Definitely made in a facility that has peanuts. Travis's argument is that the cheerios haven't given him a reaction yet and he has had them for nearly a year. My reaction? Do you really want to risk it?

So, my momma bear protective nature is trying to balance letting my child be a child and wanting to bleach every surface he will ever touch. Travis doesn't want our little guy to live in a bubble, I don't want to stab my child in the leg with an Epi Pen.

I remember hearing schools going entirely peanut free and debating with myself if that was overboard. Now, I can't imaging sending my child to school where 90% of kids are eating PB, have PB oil on their hands, place those hands on toys... you get my point.

I'm sure we'll find the balance between bubble and living. It will take time, we did only learn for sure a few hours ago. Yet, I can't help but mourn that Tristen will be the kid at birthday parties that has to ask the host what is in the cake before he can enjoy it too. Seems like such an unfair loss of innocence.

Winter Wonderland

Today we took a short trip over to the campus preschool to use their playground...in a snowstorm. It was fun, cold, and wore the boys out. A perfect morning. Note: the pics are messed up, but if you click on them you can see the full image. Not sure what happened there.