I have allergies. So does my other half.
So our boys probably will, too.
No big deal really, it's hayfever _ something about a third of the population suffers from.
I count myself pretty lucky that's about the extent of it.
I could have more serious allergies, like going into anaphylactic shock if I ate _ or came into contact with _ nuts.
I've heard of whole daycare centres banning nuts and nut products for all the children who attend because one child is so sensitive to them someone else's lunch might cause a reaction.
I feel deeply for those families and can only imagine how on-edge they must be any time they eat somewhere other than from their own pantries full of carefully chosen nutless products.
When any of us has a baby ready to start solid foods it's a nervous time, waiting three days between trying each new food in case something doesn't agree.
My babies _ P1 at two years and P2 at nine months _ are so far not allergic to any food or medications, luckily.
But those are only a couple of the handful of allergy worries a parent has for their children.
Bug bites _ bee stings in particular _ are another.
On a recent holiday P2 became a test dummy for his own immune system.
Like most babies, he's a curious little mite.
He likes things that move, insects included.
So when we were swimming in the motel pool and a bee landed in the water close to where he paddled in his inflatable toddler seat, what do you think he did?
Reached out and scooped it up.
What followed was a scream like nothing I'd ever heard come from either of my babies before.
It was chilling and for a moment I didn't know what it indicated, but when I hurriedly grabbed him for inspection I saw the newly-weaponless bee taking its last few breaths on the top of the water.
I quickly searched for its sting, located it in my little man's right thumb, got it out quickly and ran with him in my arms back to the room and my phone to ring Nurse On Call, dripping wet.
Despite the shrieking our nurse would have heard coming down the phone line, she managed to hear what I was saying and help out.
But when she asked me if he was swollen, I couldn't tell because he's so chubby anyway.
When she asked me if he was breathing properly, I couldn't tell because he was so upset, sniffing and sputtering away.
So it's safe to say I was freaking out completely, but trying unsuccessfully to not let on to either of my children.
I'm not allergic to bees, my princes' daddy is not allergic to bees, but my sister has quite a severe reaction.
And I once knew a bloke who had to carry a syringe of adrenaline around with him in case he was stung, because he was so allergic.
So when my then eight-month-old had the striped creature's venom coursing through his little body I think I was quite within my rights to be uneasy about it.
By the end of my phonecall to Nurse On Call P2 had stopped crying, so we were all calming, although she did tell me a severe reaction could happen any time in the first two hours after the sting, so I was still slightly on edge as we faced a nervous 120 minutes.
Although his little arm did puff up a bit and became quite tight around his elbow joint, within half an hour he was eating his tea, cackling away and behaving like he'd never even been upset or in pain.
And that was when I exhaled.
_ Bree Almond
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