Minnesota Fall.

Fall in Minnesota.  Half summer, half winter.  Fall is my favorite season, by far, but it seems like we only get a few weeks of that perfect fall weather each year (if we're lucky).  I better get these photos of our warm weather fall activities before it turns into winter.  Last weekend it was 80 degrees and this weekend we are (were??) expecting snow. 

The Army has been/will be needing Trevor a lot lately, so Myra and I have been busy doing our own thing.

 

Our patriotic little Red Bull

Myra and I met Cory and Ashley at one of our favorite semi-local apple orchards.  Myra helped them pick their apples then we went inside to sample some.  This was a big moment for me because I could actually let Myra try all the different apple varieties!. I even found some apple butter to bring home, a new food item made with things she can actually have!

 

 

After lunch and a nap, we just had to enjoy the beautiful weather a little more.  We packed Rowdy up and headed to our local dog park.  I think Myra has more fun there than Rowdy.  She makes lots of friends, people and dogs alike.  And when we're all done, I get to bring home a tired kid and a tired dog.

 

 



Compare all that sunshine and warmth to today, chilly and windy.  Here is Myra, clearly excited to get to school this morning!

 

 

Happy Fall, everyone!

A True Three Ingredient Chocolate Pudding Recipe.

I'm sure many of you have seen the "two ingredient" cake recipes floating around Pinterest and cyber space.  While it's true there are only two things to mix together, those of us who deal with food allergies know there are way more than two ingredients!  The box of cake mix in my cupboard has 12 ingredients, including two of the top eight allergens.  In the FPIES world, there are often requests for recipes that are truly simple to make and free of the really scary stuff.  I mean, anything can be scary for an FPIES kid, but some things are more commonly safe than others.

I got this recipe from a fellow FPIES mom who adapted it from other recipes found online, so I can't take credit for it and neither can my friend, she said.  Regardless, it's a simple recipe and could definitely be tweaked to suit your needs and taste.

 

Ready for the big reveal?

 

1 avocado (a ripe one, unlike what's seen in my photo)

Cocoa powder (as in pure cocoa, not a chocolate powder with other ingredients)

Pure maple syrup

 

For Myra's, I used 2 teaspoons cocoa powder and 1/2-3/4 teaspoon maple syrup.

 

Mix together and enjoy!  If you have a safe milk, you could add that.  Myra can have coconut, so I could have mixed that in, but she was growing impatient so I just went with it.  Of course, it does taste different than chocolate pudding from a box.  Myra gobbled it up and it's full of healthy fats, fiber, flavonoids, antioxidants, and more.

 

Note: I think it's universally known that chocolate is not safe for dogs.  We learned last year that cocoa is actually worse than chocolate.  So, be sure to keep your furry friends safe while your kid gets messy with the pudding. 

 



Click the FPIES tab at the top of the page to read more about FPIES, our experience, food trials, recipes, etc.

Causes: Pregnancy Loss-Miscarriage.

First, I am writing this on May 2, 2014, so whatever may happen in the future (more babies!), keep the date in mind. 

October is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.

As many of you know, Trevor and I lost twins in June, 2011.  It was really sad and difficult, especially so since he had already left to begin his year long deployment to Kuwait.  So, after our loss, we were not able to try again for about 10 months. 

I wish I could say that was our only experience with pregnancy loss/miscarriage, but I can't.  I had my IUD removed in January 2014 and we planned to wait a little while to actually try for baby number 2.  We both felt more comfortable letting my body sort itself out after the IUD removal first.  Trevor is set to graduate with his undergrad in December 2014 (edit: now spread out to May 2015), so we were comfortable with a due date anytime after his graduation.  Once we were in okay territory for that, it all happened very quickly.  We are both grateful it seems we are quite fertile (getting pregnant on the first try three times in a row now), and glad we have a "bright side" to all of this.  We know many do not have that blessing, and it is very much so a blessing.  However, there is no "normal" or "non-sad" way to lose a pregnancy.

On April 21, 2014, the day after Easter.  I got a very faint positive pregnancy test.  My period was due the next day and I did not plan on testing until after that day because I was worried about a chemical pregnancy (finding out you're pregnant then your "period" just comes anyway, so a very early miscarriage).  Testing or not wouldn't change anything, I just would rather not know I was pregnant if that were going to happen.  I had the tiniest bit of spotting, which I know can be quite common, so I wasn't jumping up and down yet, still nervous my period just might come, but hey-I was pregnant!

On April 22, I started bleeding a little more, but still very light and not what I would consider a period.  I'm not a big "pee-on-a-stick" person usually, but I was just so antsy to figure out if I was pregnant and going to stay pregnant, or if my "period" would still come.  Long story short (very long, lots of peeing and trips to the Dollar Store--very accurate tests for $1, seriously), I went through 13 pregnancy tests in less than a week.  They were very faint at first, then negative, then very faint again, then started getting darker.  This whole time I was still spotting and trying to remind myself that is very common.  I started having symptoms (queasy/uneasy feeling and very tired) which I took to be a good sign.  Over the weekend (April 26/27) the symptoms continued and the lines on my pregnancy tests got notably darker (a sign the hormone detected by the tests was increasing).  My bleeding hadn't picked up at all and even had moments where it seemed to be stopping, so on Monday, April 28 I decided I should call and schedule my prenatal appointments.  While on the phone with them, I mentioned the bleeding in the event they wanted me to come in sooner.  I ended up speaking with a doctor and she ordered blood work to check my beta HCG and progesterone levels.  I am familiar enough with those things that I knew what to expect at this stage.  We have an online patient portal, so I actually saw my results before the doctor called me.  It didn't look good.  My HCG was 38.1 and my progesterone was almost 0, which is what you would expect during your period, definitely not during a pregnancy.  The biggest indicator, however, is whether or not HCG is doubling, so I'd need to go back in two days for follow up blood work.  It was possible this was very late implantation and that would explain the low numbers, but it didn't look good.  I was so torn--I didn't want to be naïve and get my hopes up when I knew the reality of my lab results.  However, if this baby did pull through and everything went fine (even if I needed progesterone supplements or something), I didn't want to look back and remember giving up or writing it off.

So we waited...more.  The whole week prior was so wishy washy with the spotting and confusing tests, not knowing if this baby would stick or not.  Plus I was having symptoms and living as if I were pregnant (I was...still kind of am I guess?)-no drinking, taking all my vitamins, exhausted and sleeping when I could, strong sense of smell... It was all happening.

On Wednesday, April 30, I went in for my follow up blood work.  Ideally, my HCG would have doubled (so 80+ would have been a good sign) and I'd have more progesterone.  However, when I saw the results, it had gone down to 37 (from 38.1 two days ago).  I knew what this meant.  There is no coming back from dropping HCG levels.  To be honest, if it was going to drop, I wish it would drop faster.  I'm still tired (although that is quickly getting better) and would like to just get it over with.  Hopefully the drop picks up soon and there is no major drama since it was so early on.  If things had gone the other way, I would be 5 weeks pregnant, so this is a very early miscarriage.  From what I've gathered, it will be like a heavy period, maybe some cramping that is slightly worse than usual (I don't really get any usually, so we'll see).  Not a fan of the waiting.  My periods are totally predictable so I don't love this unknown.

Final edit on October 1, 2014: I'm 21 weeks pregnant with a baby that appears perfectly healthy (yay!).  On May 6, 2014 my HCH was down to 1.1 (checked again to help rule out ectopic) and I never really bled much.  I had the few days of spotting I already mentioned, then another couple days of spotting and that was it.  I'm guessing it worked out that way because it happened so early.  Full disclosure: I was advised to wait a couple months to try again, but honestly I might not have even known I was pregnant had I not tested when I did.  So, we decided not to worry about it.  After all this, I was going to wait to test, but on June 2 I had diarrhea (never ever happens to me) and on June 3 I just had to know...positive!

Hugs and comfort to those of you who have experienced pregnancy and/or infant loss in any way.  It is a sad thing, hard on entire families, that doesn't get much attention.

Some wonderful organizations supporting those who have endured losses:
The Jameson House
IRIS
Faith's Lodge
Molly Bears
Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep
Silent Grief

Click here to read about this series and see the other posts.
Click here to read about our first experience with pregnancy loss.

How to Write the Best Maid of Honor Speech Ever.

Do it just like this:


It all started at the age of 2..we lived right across the street, I look back after all these years and realize how lucky we are we got the chance to meet.

From flushing towels down toilets to cutting each others hair, we did what we wanted and just didn’t care!

You were my partner in crime and I was the instigator I think, like the time we decided to poop in the sink :)

We fought each other rolling down a hill laughing at the end, we got into our fights but always remained friends.

Then the day came when I had to move away, no doubt we both didn’t want our friendship to end that way.

We lived 3 hours away which to us seemed like forever, but that didn’t stop us from getting together.

We’d write and talk on the phone but it’s our visits that were the best, we’d constantly beg our parents to get us together and wouldn’t give it a rest.

We’d always find entertainment in some sort of way, and usually get in trouble for it at the end of the day :)

Like the time on the white board writing profanity all over it, leaving it for my dad to find-WOW did he throw a fit!! (haha)

We definitely always liked a good party, even if it was in my parents basement drinking their Bacardi!!

We’ve had so many great memories and so much fun, I look forward to all the new memories to come.

When it comes to being a friend Ali you have been nothing but the best, but I would never expect anything less!

You have been there for me every step of the way, and here I am with you on your special day.

I am so happy for the 2 of you-your love is so rare, you compliment each other so well and really make the perfect pair.

Trevor I am really glad you came into Ali’s life, you are going to make her the happiest wife.

Thank you for making her so happy and bringing out the best in her, I know you two will enjoy spending the rest of your lives together.

There’s one last thing I’d like to say before I’m all out of rhymes, then we can all grab a drink have a good time.

Here’s a toast for today, tomorrow always and forever-GIVE IT UP FOR ALI AND TREVOR!!!!! Woooooooo!!


I was definitely speechless.  Well done, Angie, you rock! 

5 years.

Five years ago, I knew a lot of things.  I knew I was about to make a big, life changing decision.  I knew we made the right decision to wait and make sure Michelle could be there.  I knew Trevor would deploy in 12-18 months.  Despite being pretty darn cool, calm, and collected overall, I knew I should have gotten decaf.  I knew I was about to marry the right person and I knew all the great things we had planned for our life together.  As much as I thought I knew it all, there were a few things I didn't know.  (Besides the fact that we figured the five year mark would be a good time to go on a repeat honeymoon to Jamaica...ha!)

I didn't know that five years from that day I would be sitting on my couch alone watching Scandal and writing a blog post and not even able to have a beer or glass of wine.  Just hold your horses, this isn't a whiny depressing post, hang in there.  Despite how crummy that might sound, today was a great five year anniversary.

Trevor left for drill yesterday and will be gone until Sunday.  I actually haven't even talked to him today (standard for drill weekends) other than a quick text this morning.  I woke up to the sound of Myra rolling around in her crib and saying "hi!" to her baby and stuffed bunny.  We got ready and went to Toddler & Me class like we do every Friday morning.  The weather was perfect and we spent the last 15 minutes of class playing outside.

I didn't take photos of the other kids, but there were about 8 of them.  I don't know that they signed up for toddler class to be put on some mom's blog.

 



After class, I stopped by Starbucks for a Pumpkin Spice Latte.  Make that a Venti!

 

 

As soon as we got home, it was right back outside to climb, swing, kick (the ball, of course), and play with the leaves!

 

 

Play time was followed by lunch time then nap time.  After nap, we ran a couple errands, came home and read some books.  We ate supper and Myra was rubbing her eyes so she even went to bed 20 minutes early.

 

So, here I sit in the only home we've ever known as a married couple...married to the best man ever who is spending the weekend with his Company...a sweet little girl asleep in her crib...baby number two nudging and poking in my belly...sans beer and wine...and a tired out fur child snoring on his rug.  Since Trevor and I will be celebrating (just us!) on Monday with a Red Lobster dinner courtesy of some gift cards we've been hoarding, I can honestly say this is a fabulous anniversary!

 

However, I think we will need to really focus our efforts on Jamaica for our 10 year anniversary...