Say CHEESE!!!

...and yogurt...and maybe even ICE CREAM because Chase can eat all of the above now!!!

To give a little background information, we went in for his annual allergy check-up at UNC about a month ago and he had his blood drawn to check where we are with the milk allergy. So, to sum it up, here's how the blood level compares to the last 2 that were completed:


In 2009 - 2.75 (at 4 months old when he had a full body reaction to a few tiny spoonfuls of milk-based   formula mixed with rice cereal)
2010 - 0.78 (this was last August)
2011 - 0.35 (and this was a month ago)

We are very excited because normal is below 0.35.  So he is basically right on the line of still having a slight allergy but it's low enough for him to participate in the oral challenge where the doctors give him very controlled amounts of milk in a clinical setting where they can monitor him.  We have him scheduled for this "challenge" in October but I'm going to cancel it because...


 A few weeks ago, I was making an omelet.  When I pulled out the cheese, Chase started asking for some.  I tore off a small amount and gave it to him, watching him closely to see what happened.  He hadn't even finished chewing up that cheese before he was begging for more.  (He is definitely my child because we all know how much I love cheese...  :)  )  He absolutely LOVED it and has continued to eat cheese since then with no reaction.  The next day he saw my yogurt in the fridge beside his coconut milk yogurt and when he asked for yogurt and I tried giving him his, he said, "No.  I want THAT yogurt", pointing to mine.  So, I nervously grabbed a spoon and let him try it...And, there was NO reaction!!


I cannot tell you how exciting this is.  If you don't have a child with a milk allergy you might not understand how limiting this is, but I seriously feel like there are so many more options of foods that Chase can eat now.  Before, when we would go to a restaurant, the choices were always mac and cheese, cheese quesadilla, grilled cheese, or chicken nuggets.  Lucky for Chase, he loves chicken nuggets,  but still.  Like I said, it was very limiting.

Being the food lover that I am, I am so excited about the possibilities of all the things Chase can eat now!  It's a whole new world for us!  :)