Jayden's Birthday

Our handsome little boy is turning 2 in just a few short weeks.  He is a funny little guy and into all the classic 'boy stuff' like cars, trains, planes and trucks.  He likes Daddy's tools and recently drilled his hand, with fortunately minimal bleeding.

If you are inclined to buy this kiddo a gift he would love it.  While we expect he'll have a full college scholarship for baseball (left handed pitcher), college savings money would be excellent.

 He would also like to have trains and train tracks, sets for his train table.  KidKraft and Melissa and Doug have a lot of great train sets and I believe that the tracks are all compatible.

Other books or toys with construction or transportation themes would be well-received.  We are full up on Princesses and the like, it's time for us to get this kid some toys of his own.

Thank you!

Not so Nuts

Jayden has his now annual allergy testing last week.  The first part of the appointment is the skin test and he did very well.  It's a tough appointment since it is a lot of sitting and waiting, being poked and scratched, sitting and waiting, being stuck, sitting and waiting.

For his scratch test he reacted only to the peanut scratch.  Last year he also reacted to a couple of tree nuts, especially to walnuts.   The doctor was pleased and said that following the blood test we could introduce tree nuts into his diet, assuming the blood test was also negative.

He had to get three vials of blood drawn but they used a numbing cream on his arm this time which was fantastic.  He was uncomfortable, but I don't think it hurt at all.  I'd like to get that when I donate blood!  I highly recommend it for small kids.

Last night the results of all the blood tests came back and was negative for all nuts, including peanuts!!!!  We are so thrilled.  Since he still had a skin reaction to peanuts we need to avoid them and re-test again in a year.  But, the blood level was low enough as trigger a negative result which keeps us hopeful that the allergy is on its way out.  

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UPDATE:  I talked with the nurse this morning and he said that we need to keep on avoiding peanuts and make sure to introduce tree nuts that are not cross-contaminated (i.e. buy them wholesale in the shells and prepare at home).    Next year we will have the blood test in advance of the appointment to determine if the blood level is continuing to decline.  If it is then we will do a 'challenge' which would sounds exciting if you didn't have to spend the entire day at the hospital.  The idea is that you eat some peanuts/peanut butter and sit there so they can keep an eye on you.  Then you eat a little more and stay a little longer (hours, actually).  BORING, but necessary.  I don't imagine my boy will be any less antsy next fall! 

Firehouse 5k

I completed (and competed) in my first 5k yesterday.  I was not near the front, but very happy with my finish about halfway through the pack with a 10:15 pace, 31:50 total time.  That was 16th in my age group.  There was a group of women from OA and I ended up running with my bud, Julie, so we had a good time!

Here we are in the home stretch, still smiling as we approach our cheering section.  It was not a very pretty day out on the prairie, and quite windy.  Luckily, Julie and I never run out of things to talk about and the time went by quickly. 

Post-race commemorative photo!

Running and Running and Raising a Little Cash

So, I've been running.  Nothing fancy, I'm not gearing up for a marathon or anything.  I don't have that kind of time to devote to training nor do I have any inclination to run for 3+ hours in a row on any day. ever.  It's just not my thing. 

I have been trying to run about 3 miles a few times a week, plus my soccer game(s).  It's been going well so I signed up for my first 5K which will be this weekend.  It's the Glenview Firehouse 5K which is run in Gallery Park, a place I run at least once a week.  I am excited to do my first race on 'my home field', hopefully it will help with some race day jitters I am bound to have, having not run a race of any kind since junior year of high school track.   It's worth noting that was 20 years ago.

Also, I have signed up for the Hot Chocolate 5K in November which promises a very cute sweatshirt and a cup of hot chocolate at the end, plus it is downtown.  So, if the weather is nice it should be a fun run in the city and good treats at the end.

For the latter I am raising money for Ronald McDonald Charities and if you are reading this you are either a very devoted friend, a blood relative, or a little creepy.  In any case, I am accepting donations of all sizes to meet my modest goal of $250.

Here is the link to my website if you are interested:

https://ramracing.enmotive.com/registrations/fundraising/52d6b9ac-5a64-4244-a485-7079c0a86524

I promise at least one sweaty picture post race!

This is me!

Kindergarten curriculum night at Lyon!