He's Allergic to the Cat

I sat on the floor last night counting hives on my child's body-1, 2, 3, 4, 5 on her back and 2 on her belly, a handful scattered around her neck. I felt physically sick until I saw the angry, red bumps start to fade and grow smaller as her allergy medicine kicked in and she vomited up the small bite she had taken. A sandpaper rash of hives would still be there this morning when I dressed her for the day. Rice milk mozzarella cheese-that unfortunately was not clearly labeled as containing milk proteins. Always, always I read the ingredients on every package...apparently though not always, always...because I missed this one. Mom guilt-have you had your serving today?

I worried when I couldn't get pregnant, then I worried all through my pregnancy about staying pregnant (made it 8 months) and whether or not my husband would be traveling for work or home when she was born (he was traveling). Then I worried about how my son and bumping him from baby to middle child (he's fine) and then about my oldest picking a college too far away (she did, and then she moved back home the next semester). These days my worries alternate between their allergies (environmental and food, almonds to mold and most everything in between) and getting ready to put our home on the market and my mom's health.

I seriously need a hobby.