My tummy is very happy

We started Colin back on dairy on Sunday, and he is one happy, happy boy. For lunch, he and Veronica requested Mac and Cheese — one of their favorite meals, and one they haven’t had for six weeks. They polished off the entire box. I wish I had thought to grab my camera to record the moment; Colin was very cute.

On Sunday afternoon, Colin, Veronica and I walked to Trader Joe’s to pick up some cheese and bananas. Colin saw the string cheese and danced for joy. I gave him a package, and he walked through the store clutching it to his chest (until he decided it was too heavy and threw it into the basket). 

On Monday, John gave them Goldfish crackers for snack. Colin announced, as he was chowing down, “My tummy is very happy!” 

Clearly, our boy has been missing his dairy products. And we haven’t even gotten to the ice cream (maybe this weekend) or the pizza (on Friday) yet. 

So far, going back on the dairy doesn’t seem to have made a difference. (Going off the dairy didn’t seem to make a huge difference either, after his initial problem cleared up.) We will continue to monitor his digestive health and comfort, but I do have to say that it’s quite liberating not having to watch everything he eats and to come up with creative (and high calorie) meals that don’t involve dairy. 

I have a new appreciation for the pain parents whose children have food allergies must face — not even factoring in the “my child might die if he or she eats the wrong thing” fear that so many people face. 

But for me, I hope, the no dairy chapter may be closed. And now we can go back to focusing on getting Colin to grow. Because that also is something he hasn’t done for the past six weeks. And that’s not good.