Aww, nuts.

So we have that kid.  You know, the kid we (Eric) said we'd (he'd) never have.  Momma's boy...check.  Kid with the peanut allergy...check.  Yup, we might as well enroll Brady in the peanut-free school now.  He'll be shunned by the "normal" kids, eating their PB & J while Brady hangs out in the corner with his inhaler and EpiPen. 

It started today.  Since Brady is approaching his one year birthday, I thought I'd share part of my peanut butter sandwich with him at lunch.  He seemed to enjoy it.  The rash that broke out on his chin and face indicated otherwise.  His reaction was mild - no wheezing, trouble breathing, etc - but he definltely had a reaction, and a call to the doctor scared me enough to bring Brady in to be checked.  Note to self: for the next child, introduce him/her to peanut butter a few hours before scheduled doctor visit and save the $35 co-pay.

Well that $35 told me what I already guessed....it appears Brady has a peanut allergy, and has become the kid Eric (ok and me too, one or two times, but only in my head) makes fun of.  When I was working at the Rams Club, a donor called and asked if we could create a peanut-free zone at the football stadium. I laughed (again, inside), but it was sad to me that her son couldn't even go to the football games because if he even sat next to someone eating peanuts, he'd get sick.  I don't think Brady's at that level, but I guess it's something we'll need to think about.  My doctor today said, "I guess no Chik-fil-A for him!" and I nodded my head like I knew what he was talking about.  It took me a while to figure out he was talking about the peanut oil that Chick-fil-A is apparently cooked in.

I won't mention the fact that we have few, if any, allergies on my side of the family.  And that this is clearly a Hoots trait.  Because at a time like this, it's not productive to place blame.  I knew when I married in to the Hoots family, there were some nuts.   Just didn't know my son would be allergic to them!