Maggie Rabbit and Allergies

It's been an emotional week, E had her trip to see the allergy specialist, it is never nice going back over her previous allergic reactions and wondering how she will deal with the skin prick test and blood tests. I didn't need to worry about her at all, she was a little star and took it all in her stride, no tears just very interested in what was going on etc, so very happy Mum. Skin prick test showed no change and this time I remembered to take some fruit with me for them to use, as they obviously can't have everything in the clinic. They have confirmed what I already thought that E has been having biphasic reactions, which for me makes her initial allergic reactions even more stressful as I have no idea if she will have another reaction later. We talked through the last one she had after the Easter craft club and they have said, that if she ever gets like that again, even if her wheezing is very mild and I am doing the do I, don't I call an ambulance, not to hesitate, call an ambulance and give her the adrenaline, as next time the antihistamine might not work. When I then sat and thought about this in the car on the way home (never a good idea) we should of called an ambulance 3 times now, this really knocked me and is rather too much of sobering thought for me. I know she is fine and still with us and I normally trust my gut instinct but on all 3 of these occasions I have got to the do I, don't I and clock watching to see if the anti-histamine will work. Hopefully there won't be a next time but who knows and that horrible Mummy guilt think kicked in big time.

On a more positive not, I came across these really cute toy rabbits on Frontier Dreams blog, which I just new E would adore, she just loves rabbits, not sure if our rabbit really appreciates her love and attention though. They reminded me of a toy rabbit I had when I was little called Mrs Rabbit and I just wanted to make her one. Then I discovered that Posie: Rosy Little Things not only make complete sewing kit for Maggie Rabbit but they also do a downloadable PDF. Instead of making the rabbit in felt I decided to make her in linen fabric, which shouldn't irritate E's sensitive skin, just cut out each body piece with an extra 5mm to allow for seam allowance.

She adores her, there was a lovely part halfway through making rabbit, had just sewn on the arms to the body and was putting a little stuffing into the head. E spotted what I was doing and wanted to see, she knew it was a rabbit and took the half made toy and pretended to make her hop around the house leaving a little trail of stuffing behind her. It was one of those lovely cute but funny moments as she was completely unawares of the stuffing falling out behind her.

The rabbit's dress is nearly the last of the material from an old maternity dress I made myself years ago. I have managed to cut it up and make the rabbit ears and dress and a dress for E.

Linking up with Nicole at Frontier Dreams

Chilten Open Air Museum

On Tuesday, we had another lovely day out, we are making the most of the sunny weather, not sure how long it will last but very happy while it does, enjoy it we will. Anyway we had a trip out to Chilten Open Air Museum, which is charming place to go. O decided not to join us but the girls had fun exploring the different buildings from lots of different periods of times right back to a Celtic round house. Here are some of their favourites.

Inside the RAF briefing room, you could try on uniforms and gas masks etc. M half tried on a gas mark, really hated the feel of it and we talked through why you would of had to wear.

We all enjoyed looking round the Amersham prefab, each house had tour guide, who were very informative and interested in what they were talking about, my photos from the inside weren't that good and it was rather busy but if there are some good photos here of the inside. The one thing we came away with from this house, was the suitcases the children had when they evacuated, they were so small, I know I've seen them in various documentaries but it hadn't really sunk in that this is all the children would have had taken with them from their home, to were they were evacuated, very little maybe a change of clothes and night clothes if they were lucky.

This is Leagrave cottages, a barn conversion into 2 small cottages. One side was done out as 18th century and the other side early 20th century

 18th Century bedroom

Early 20th century cottage, bedroom and kitchen area.

Inside the Celtic round house, G feeling the temperature difference inside their "fridge"

G realising just how hard it was to use a quern to make flour

especially when your little sister is trying to help!!

Toll house, photos of inside, we were told that a family of five would of lived in this house, though lovely looking, it is very small, only 3 rooms, front room/office, bedroom and kitchen. I always enjoy looking round houses and always come away from trips here or to Weald and Downland Open air museum, with lots of ideas or things to think about, sometimes crafts to try again, the amazing journey technology, farming, house building etc have been on. The trial and error, scientific process to preserve food etc, never ceases to amaze me. This time I came away with the feeling that, we are incredibly lucky to live now but we seem to over complicate our lives with too much stuff. The fact that I can craft, dress make as a hobby, just for the joy of it, the same for growing vegetables, it isn't a necessity or the hardship that it would of been

G and E also had a lot of fun with the old toys. G got the hang of rolling the hoop

and E didn't want to be left out but needed some help. She was happy for a while with her sister helping but in the end wanted to try and do it all by herself, which didn't work. But she wasn't to be beaten and in the end, after much effort decided to lie the hoop on the flat and the floor and walk around it with the stick with a very pleased smile on her face.

Exploring

Today we went exploring to new and distant lands, we past an Indian camp (the sand pit)

 rowed across vast rivers

to deserted sandy lands

 

we came across a cave of friendly bears, the little bears were sleeping, shh,

 

through the icy water falls, (clothes line covered in fabric) it took us a very long time making our way through the water falls as I think they were having to much fun in their,

 climbed through moss covered caverns (climbing fame /slide covered in fabric), it was an intersting place to explore,

and finally we came to the snowy region (shaving foam).

My children love going on adventures and explorations and I have been asked to create another one with a map and the cookie caves. Children get out so much out of these adventures, it is a fun way to develop their imagination, language and understanding of the world we live in.

New Tents

I loved being able to build a camp when I was little and have always actively encouraged my own children as well as my minded children to do the same. I have a selection of blankets and duvet covers that they can use but I also have fun creating magical spaces for them. Last year I made G a lovely tent that she can use on the patio, it has seen many a picnic lunch.

It forms lovely tent shape and is easily put up, as I attached a loop to the top of the tent that can easily be looped over a branch etc.

I made this one out of large duvet, a hula hoop and some apron tape, so the hoop gives it it's lovley round shape but it is easy to untie, either to put away or wash.

So this year I was given some white sheets, so after some thought, I decided that I would use some fabric scraps and applique some squares and circles to the sheet to brighten it up. I then attached two ties to either end, so it could be hooked over our fence posts and then it can be weighted down with a couple of wood blocks I have. I did think about putting in some loops so it could be fixed with tent pegs but then decided a) my garden is rather solid and not the easiest to get tent pegs fully into and b) if the tent pegs weren't in fully then they could cause some injuries.

Now tents to me have always meant fun, somewhere for children to have adventure, to pretend they are of on holiday or wherever else their imagination takes them, as I have seen tents become a dragons cave and the children have gone to rescue a princess trapped their, or a quiet place to sit when the sun is too hot and of course a great place to have a picnic. Since reading a couple of articles by  Elizabeth Jarman about creating communication friendly spaces, I have thought about how I could implement some of these ideas and this was the inspiration for the above tent. Somewhere shady and quiet that the children, if they want to can sit or lie down, talk and relax, or they could watch everyone else play and feel part of everything going on but not having to physically join in. In other words a safe relaxing space for who ever wants to use and of course if they so decide a place to camp etc. So camp building is not only a great way for children's imaginative play to develop and therefore also help develop their social, emotional, communication and language skills, it can also be used to create a safe place for them to relax in if they need to. A child who is happy and relaxed is in a lot better position to learn and achieve their full potential.

April

April should have seen a post about St George and English traditions etc but the children had other ideas! Den building was their plan for the week, so the below picture, shows their starting point, which was quickly built into a camp and the boxes were turned into cars, other than asking me to cut out a stirring wheel, providing pegs and felt pens, they were very busy and happy without too much adult intervention wanted or needed.

With the warmer weather and few sunny days my thoughts turned to decluttering and cleaning, I got as far as sorting out my craft basket and wonder if I could legitimately say I've spent the day decluttering and tidying? As I had sorted out my craft basket and finishing of various projects, including 2 outfits for E, as well as doing some crafts with G.

E showing of one of her 2 new dresses.

We also had some time sorting out the garden, G had chosen some plants for the tub on our front doorstep and they are finally out in full colour.

We had also taken a trip to the garden centre and G and I chose a few plants to do some pots for the patio, they look lovely and a week on the rabbit has yet to try and eat these.

I love the colour of these wall flowers, they make a change from the normal colours.

G has discovered the relaxing art of decopatch

Allergies

Baby E seems to be taking after her brother in more than one way! She has developed several food allergies.

I was, after some discussion, (I won't go fully into the debate I had with the doctor, who felt she should only see a dietician because she would be lacking in calcium, I'm still breastfeeding!!) I was able to persuade my doctor to refer us to Southampton Hospital to see an allergy specialist. This was after she had had an allergic reaction to milk, this caused her to go very red not only in the face but it spread down her body, her eyes became very puffy and her lips a little and she also suffered with very itchy hives and her brother and sister have both had or still have food allergies. Luckily for us this time piriton worked, she had also had a couple of mild reactions and the only thing different that she had eaten was peas. Anyway the hospital and staff were lovely, we got to see the specialist paediatrician, dietician, allergy nurse and dermatologist. Unfortunately the results of the testing proved my suspicions right and along with the milk allergy, she is also allergic to nuts, eggs, peas, lentils and soya, so all of the legume family except beans, luckily she is fine with green beans etc. 

She is also allergic to dust mites and they feel this is a major irritant to eczema, help!!! I'm not the tidiest person in the world and there is always piles of books and baskets of crafts etc. and I now need to try and reduce this! The next time we go she will probably have more test done but bless her, there was only so much room on her back for the tests to be done. I was also very pleased with the dietician, she was lovely and we got on very well and she was very pleased with E's diet, very balanced and no she won't be lacking in calcium at the moment as she is still being breastfed. We are to go back in July and then again in October. My oldest has to go back to see his allergy specialist in July as well, these days he is only allergic to nuts and melon but we have been warned that could develop more allergies to fruit, when he was little he was also allergic to strawberries and eggs but he had grown out of these by the time he was 4. For the egg we had to spend the day in hospital and go through a food challenge, he is also allergic to dust mites and all pollen. He does suffer with asthma, mild eczema and hay fever. G had a milk allergy as a baby ( she didn't react anywhere near as violently  as E did) but had grown out of this by the time she was 3, has the odd patch of eczema and suffers with hay fever.

We are also to try and introduce wheat into her diet again, we have done this twice before and both times her eczema has flared up within 24 hours. The pediatrician has suggested we give wheat to her every day for 2 weeks and then take it out of her diet again for 2 weeks, so we can really see how it affects her eczema, as eczema goes in cycles but I will wait until her skin settles down first, as she has had a bad flare up, this was caused by washing powder, it hadn't been used on her clothes but in other loads of washing but the residue has caused her problems, her skin is that sensitive and then we will try her on wheat.

One of the major problems I have is there are lots of people in my house who all like to be helpful, which is great but it does put E at risk, as they all like to wipe her face or clean her highchair. Having stopped hubby a couple of times using the dishcloth that he had just mopped up milk with, I know he had rinsed it out but she is very sensitive, then going to wipe her highchair, that she eats of! I decided that she should have her very obviously different face clothes. I had some thin terry nappies that were to thin to be used as nappies but I had kept them just in case! So one nappy can be cut into 9 face clothes and then I edged them in a floral bias binding, so they stand and are not like any other face clothes we have. They also have the added bonus, that because they are smaller than the average flannel, they don't take up so much room on the clothes line!!

I thought they turned out very well.

My main worry at the moment is E is very much the child who will put everything in her mouth and I mean everything! There is the very protective part of me that wants to wrap her up in cotton wool and not mix with anyone, just in case, I know not practical but... I worry that we go to a group and she starts to chew a toy, what if another child has just handled that toy and they have trace of dairy on their hands? The other problem I have is her skin reacts very badly to even a trace of dairy, if I've had a drink with milk in it and then kiss her, her eczema comes up and that patch is very itchy. So it is hard if we go to a group were food is about and other children are eating and wondering around because there are always those toddlers that like to pat a babies face, while there hand is covered in food and some parents just don't seem to understand what the problem is. The problem is my poor baby is made itchy and uncomfortable, which is not fair on her and that is just going on her having a minor reaction, no one really knows how she might react to some of the allergens.

The other worry, is I know there is good chance she will grow out of some of her allergies but others she probably won't and having a teenager with food allergies, I know how hard it is for him some times. When he is invited out for a meal for a friend's birthday and the restaurant and everything on the menu has a nut warning. Does he go and just sit there with a coke while everyone else eats or does he say he can't make it. So far he has decided not to go, if he can't eat, which is very hard on him and he is missing out on some of the fun times with his friends. It's also that thought that as he gets older and starts dating, a kiss could kill him! Most the time we are fine with the allergies and just work around them but there are times when my chidlren miss out things because of them :-)

Intro

Hi, my name is Helen, I'm mum to 3 children, J who is 14 and was home educated until he decided to try school at 12 and has been happy there ever since. G is 9 and is home educated and new baby E who is now 6 months old. We share our lives with 5 chickens, 1 rabbit and a pet rat!  According to my husband I am unorganised and live in chaos, I feel we live in organised chaos! As well as home educating I work part time as a registered childminder, I love lots of crafts and always have various projects on the go, I also enjoy cooking and gardening.