Birthdays and Diabetes

Birthdays and Diabetes.

It can be scary, yes.

But let's also not forget, they need to be fun, too!

I often hear families fret over birthdays, birthday parties, etc. I've been there and done that too. I know how scary it can be, especially when its one your invited to and don't have a handy list of carb information available.

Why am I talking about this today?

Because, Wednesday was Little Man's birthday! Happy Birthday Little Man!

Little Man with his Birthday Cupcake on his 7th birthday.

Yes. That is a Real cupcake. No "reduced sugar". No "Sugar free". Real cupcake... and he loved it! :-)

D-parents, myself included, tend to get stuck in the habit of sticking to the sugar free/reduced sugar stuff all year round. While, I'll never advise not to do that (in fact, most people, diabetic or not, should watch their sugar intake for health reasons!)... I will say this much.... It is OK to allow our little munchkins some sugar sometimes! A piece of candy here and there around Easter time... a piece of real cake (or cupcake, since they are easier to count carbs for as they are already portion properly!) for a birthday a few times a year, etc... that is A-OK, and, if nothing else, kind of important to do as well!

Why is it important? Because, we want our kids to feel just like every other kid, right? That's why we strive to make sure they are not treated differently in school, other places, etc, right? So why not for their special day as well?!

Its pretty rare that I allow a lot of sugar filled stuff. I've always kind of been like that, even before his diagnosis. I've always been a stickler for fresh fruits and veggies as snacks, junk food on occation.

I'll admit, when he was first diagnosed, I was overprotective about this sort of thing. In fact, his first two birthdays with diabetes, we did reduced sugar ice cream, angel food cake type cakes with sugar free cool whip for icing. That sort of thing.

Last year, we decided to bite the bullet, and try out regular cupcakes and ice cream. A fear we had to face, we felt. We knew that, theoretically, as long as we covered the carbs, he should be fine... but, as you all can probably relate... it didn't make it any less scary!

We knew that, at his diagnosis, the dietitian had actually told us "if your going to give him candy/cakes/cookies, etc... its better to give him the real sugar than sugar free stuff, because of the sugar alcohols"... but for a long time, I just couldn't wrap my brain around that! So, we took the leap, and prayed.

This year, I can say, we felt confident giving it to him, because we knew it was OK! Moderation is key, as with anything.

Will I make a regular sheet cake for him? Probably not yet. But, it's not so much because I'm afraid of how it will affect his blood sugar. Its just because, cupcakes are easier to portion control and figure carbs for. I, for one, choose simplicity when it comes to this sort of thing. Diabetes is confusing enough, and there's enough guess-timating involved in it... if there's an easy, no guessing solution I can take... I'll take it!

How do you handle birthdays?

Do you give your d-child regular cupcakes/cakes/ice cream, or do you make something special for them?

Heart

A lot of talk has been going around our household lately. Talk about our upcoming Diabetes Walk. Talk about fundraising efforts.

I wanted to share with you all something he did this weekend.

You see, every weekend, he stays with my inlaws.

He loves going to their house, playing the Wii (and kicking "G" and Pap's tail at Wii Bowling! LOL!), and growing wonderful crops like corn, peppers, tomatoes, peas, beans, squash, etc etc.

He is what has inspired me to start gardening here at home.

Anyway. He came home from G and Pap's house Sunday night while I was napping. When I woke up, my husband informed me that Lenny had something to show me.

Lenny came trotting into the room, carrying this bag, then handed it to me. As soon as I read what it said, my eyes began to fill with tears.

Then, I was told the story behind it. (Prepare yourselves, mama's! I'm sure many of you will find it to be a tear-jerker as I have! LOL!)

My husband filled me in on the story.(Paraphrasing the story as I can't describe it the same way it was told, but you'll get the hint!) He said, Lenny was messing with one of the piggy banks he has at my inlaws house. Then, appearently, he told my inlaws that he wanted to take the money out of the piggy bank, and put that money toward a cure.

My baby boy. He didn't want to spend the money on a toy, or video game. He wanted to give the money he's saved to The Cure.

He wants a cure so badly he can taste it.

He is such a great Diabetes Advocate. Always willing to talk to anyone, even strangers, about his diabetes. I've never heard him talk about it to others in a negative light, but, you can tell he wants people to know about it, know he has it, and know he wants a cure.

You may remember a previous post I made back in February about a talk we had with Lenny about the Tooth Fairy. The one where he asked if he could donate the money that the Tooth Fairy gives him for losing his teeth, to the cure.

Conversations like these happen all over the world. In thousands of families homes. With children as young, and even younger, as well as older.

Children and adults living with this condition pray for a cure every day of their lives.
While, they do learn to cope, manage, and live a happy and healthy life, they still, deep down, wish they never had this disease.

Families like ours do everything they can to help make their child's dreams a reality.

This is what these kids want the most.

A Cure.

Will you help us help these kids?

A Funny Story, and New Announcement!

I just had to share this funny story with you all!

Last night, while my husband and I had dentist appointments, we were sitting in the office room waiting for the doctor to come back in. Lenny somehow starts talking about teeth falling out.

So, we go into the story about the "tooth fairy" with him, and explained to him that she gives him money for every tooth he looses!

Without missing a beat... the first thing out of his mouth was:

"Money that I can donate for a cure??"

This little guy, he never ceases to amaze me!

We told him that if he wants to donate his money to a cure, he can. Or he can use it to buy a toy, or save it, or do whatever he wants with it... its his money!

Earlier in the visit, as he was talking to the nurse and doctor while I was getting some dental work done, out of the blue he told them that he has diabetes. All I could do was smile. I am so proud of him for being willing and brave to tell even perfect strangers that he has diabetes!

Now, for my exciting announcement!

We have a new project launching soon, right here on Sugar Free CandyLand!

We will be interviewing one D-mom, (and dads!!!), as well as adults with Type 1 Diabetes! We will feature one person living with Type 1 every Thursday, so be sure to drop by and check out what other parents and adults with Type 1 have to say!

Would you like to be interviewed, too?

Email us at T1DTeamLenny@gmail.com with the subject title "Interview" to express your interest in sharing your story with us!