I often scan the shelf/table to see if there are any good old favorites or interesting reads for our little family.
On this particular day it was this book:
Just me and my Dad. by Mercer Mayer
At a glance and quick leaf of the pages it looked liked the perfect purchase- a book centered around bonding time with Dad and a good introduction to camping, seeing as we are making our first family camping adventure with some friends next month.
Yes you read correctly, we are embarking on a tent sleeping, food prep lacking a real kitchen for a whole weekend with 2 food sensitive/allergic toddlers, only 1 of those who will be sleeping in the walls of a port-a-cot!
I'm actually not that scared though....I think?
When I get the food plan sorted I'll start relaxing I guess, as I am still getting used to the new recipes that are coming with the elimination diet.
Back to the book - I've added pic's of some of the pages so you can see the beautiful illustrations too
Well it wasn't long before Declan and I had a read, in the comfort of the lounge all snuggled up ...Mummy started to read.
So on we read both wanting to know what was coming next (Mummy hadn't read it before buying as it was only 50 cents!!!!! BARGIN).
All the usual camping activities unfolded on the pages-
picking the camping site, 'attempting' to pitch the tent, lighting the campfire, riding in a canoe, fishing for dinner, catching the prized fish, wildlife stealing the dinner and scrambled eggs................................EGGS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Declan did a double take at the page, then looked at me with a very puzzled look.
"Mummy, not eggs....they make me sick!!!"
Mummy now realizing that Declan had put 2 and 4 together and got 10...getting very muddled and thinking that Camping means you eat eggs for dinner, obviously not a good reason for him to come camping!!
Mummy soon reassured him that even though in the book they had eggs for dinner, it didn't mean when we went camping we would have eggs. In fact we would be having much more tasty foods :)
Big sighs came from Declan and a resounding "Thanks Mummy!" *cuddles*
Declan still asks for the "camping book" to be read and he enjoys it even more, now understanding that he can eat "safe food" when we go camping.
He also reminds Mummy about his food requirements when we leaf over to the "egg page" :P
It's nice to see him becoming more aware of his allergies, even when someone hasn't pointed it out to him first.
In the last month or so he is also becoming more aware and talking about his besties (best friends) food intolerance's.
Most mornings at breakfast he will loudly proclaim that "Declan and For-Lia (Thalia) eat cows milk"
to which Mummy silently thinks 'Thank goodness for that!!'
Then Declan is quick to add that "Mummy, Austin doesn't have cow's milk he has special milk, cow's milk makes Austin sick!!"
I'm so glad Declan has a special friend that he can relate to on an allergy level, although the boys allergies are different, they have been around each other from birth and each understand that they are both special in their own little way :)
Yay for Declan becoming more aware of situations around food, as well as becoming more aware about "safe food" for friends!!!
Lets not forget a little Yay for second hand books.
Quick tips: (from Robin Stewart's 'Chemical free home' book)
- to disinfect a germy second hand book just pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds with a glass of water
- If books get wet place them in the freezer until the water crystallises and can be easily brushed off pages.
- If books have a musty smell: place bicarb soda in a fine sieve, then dust the bicarb soda lightly between the pages. Leave for a few days, then blow away bicarb soda and the musty smell!!
- If your book has mildew: Sprinkle with cornflour or bicarb soda and leave for a few days. brush clean.
