Don't we all deserve a cookie?!

Well, here we go! After months of several friends and family suggesting I start blogging, here I am, despite my initial resistance! I am hoping that this blog can serve as a resource and/or support to other parents and their little ones dealing with food issues, specifically with FPIES (Food Protein Intolerance Enterocolitis Syndrome) as we are here. My main focus, however, will be our adventures in FPIES cooking, as I am constantly in pursuit of a seemingly "normal" diet for my now one year old daughter.

This all started with a cookie. I wanted to find a cookie or biter biscuit that my daughter could actually eat without worry that the ingredients would cause an FPIES reaction, some of which can be very scary. Once I figured out a recipe for that, I thought we could try other things beyond the typical fruit puree-- a birthday cake, frosting, sorbet, maybe pancakes? So in my never-ending exploration of recipes, with the successes and often very gross failures that entails, I feel the need to share these with other parents, or help others come up with something their child can eat that looks and feels at least a little "normal." Everyone deserves a cookie!

My secondary focus involves our location. We don't have access to an allergist, gastroenterologist, or any FPIES specialist for our daughter because we are currently stationed overseas and have limited resources at our hospital. Our pediatrician is very understanding and helpful as much as possible, but our resources are still limited. So we are navigating this somewhat without a compass, and I would like to reach out to other families in similar situations. FPIES alone can be confusing enough with the help of professionals accustomed to working with this diagnosis, to say the least!

So most of these posts will involve cooking/baking information, but we will include all of the other stuff too--- milestones, victories, not-so-victories, and just the typical adventures involved in raising a VERY spirited one year old. I hope our experiences can help the rest of you out there, even if it is only to provide amusement once in awhile! Happy reading!