Big steps for little feet
It’s been a fairly momentous month in the Allergen Dad household. Things have moved on a lot since I last posted a blog: Dragon is now 9 months old and, judging by her appetite, enjoying the full capability of those ever-so-sharp two bottom teeth that she’s so proud of. Piglet has just turned 6 and…
An allergy by any other name
I’ll let you in on a little secret: I’ve been working on this blog post for quite a while now. I struggle to articulate my thoughts on the subject and feel a sort of guilt that I don’t have clearer views – especially considering how much it underpins this blog. And so, to guide you…
Snakes and Ladders
The world of board games. Piglet has suddenly become interested in board games. In particular he got a double set of Ludo and Snakes and Ladders that seems to be the only thing we wants to start playing. I say “start” because we’ve yet to finish a game of either. He gets bored and attention…
What’s that smell? Episode 9
My little Piglet is growing up. Fast. We noticed the other day that a shelf he could recently only just reach up to is now head height. (Such observations are marked in time by both an affectionate comment between my wife and I but also the ceremonial ‘lifting of the valuables’ – basically finding a…
What’s that smell? Episode 8
<- Episode 7 I dream of a day when I can walk into a restaurant with my son and wife, sit at the table and order anything I damn well want from the menu. My son with his vanilla milkshake, me with my baked Camembert and my wife with a Chicken Chow Mein. Actually, that’s…
What’s that smell? Episode 7
<- Episode 6 Right – quick recap: Piglet appears to be allergic to cow’s milk and soya. I’m allergic to cow’s milk. My wife (Piglet’s mummy) is breastfeeding him and therefore cannot herself consume any of Piglet’s allergens either. This presents a few, shall we say, challenges. We have to create a balanced diet for…
What’s that smell? Episode 6
<-Episode 5 So here we are… into the heart (or should I say guts) of the diagnosis story; discovering that Piglet was having allergic reactions. However, before I dive straight in, you should know that it’s nowhere near as concrete as you might expect. I’ve spent a lot of time discussing this with my wife…
What’s that smell? Episode 5
<- Episode 4 Sweet potato. That was the first thing that Piglet ever ate: a sweet potato wedge. He was cautious at first (as were we, paranoid that he’d choke on it or inhale it or whatever else a nearly six month-old baby can do with a soft piece of food…) but he developed a…
What’s that smell? Episode 4
<- Episode 3 It’s 11pm on a Tuesday evening in April 2016. I’m sat in my car – suddenly overcome by emotion and exhaustion. I’ve just moved it to free up a parking space outside the house for the midwife who is now tending to my wife. My wife who, to varying level of intensity,…
What’s that smell? Episode 3
<- episode 2 Present day: I’m sat in bed in M&S pyjamas; typing on my new Bluetooth keyboard (I thought I’d treat myself on the back of reaching 10 whole blog posts!) having just finished a honey, lemon and ginger tea (the theme of pretentious drinks continues – maybe I should set up poshdrinkwanker.co.uk as…
What’s that smell? Episode 2
<-episode 1 Once upon a time there was a boy called Louis. A cute, blond little boy (yes, I know… the years have not been kind!) who lived in Oxford with his parents and his sister. A slightly solitary but mostly content boy; as long as he wasn’t crying out in pain… I have to start…
What’s that smell? Episode 1
Allergies suck! They do. They’re a pain in the a**e for an adult even when you supposedly have all the cognitive function to be able to plan around them/communicate the reactions/read the allergen menus/take calculated risks etc… but for a 6 month old baby, and the parents that slowly realise they’re poisoning their bundle of…