1st Christmas

This will be our 1st Christmas after Nelson`s diagnose; Is going to be filled with lots of mixed feelings and lots of wishes for the New Year to come. Personally I have only one wish to ask to God: Please give us the strength and the guidance we need, to go where is needed to help Nelson. If I have an idea of where I am going I could accomplish so much more!

I want to wish a Merry Christmas to all the families that are just like us, and tell them that where there is a will there is way.

Love Angela.

The Holiday Season

Nelson craves structure in his life, and everything he does pretty much needs to be structured. His days at school are just like that, and when he comes home he gets a chunk of structure too. Evidently the holiday season present itself as the complete opposite, a moments for the kids to be kids and to be completely spontaneous about what we do every day and why not a way to escape all the rigidity of our lives filled with responsibilities and work that needs to be done to keep him where he needs to be.
Even though I love structure (and those who know me well know is true), sometimes is overwhelming. I guess we all parents of a child with special needs and mainstream ones go through that at least once every now and then. The good news about it is that everything you do for your child will come back to you in the form of reward, such as the happy feelings when you see him/her eating the right foods, or when he uses more words to communicate, or even when he comes home from school and gives you a kiss. I guess all those little things are not taken for granted any more.
So for this holiday season I guess the structure will have to prevail, and even more cooking will have to be done. This weekend I cooked a lot, and I felt like I was all day at the kitchen, yet it was nice to see how the kids ate their meals (after some faces of disgust hehehehe) and they end up the day with a smile.
Ohhh I got the new probiotic 2 days ago, is definitely more drinkable and they have been drinking it for 2 days now. I have to be there and ask them 100 times to drink, yet they drink so that is good. I am now using a new technique with Nelson so he drinks the liquid with his probiotic: I take I piece of my delicious homemade cake, or cookie, and I place it on his hand, and then I say please drink, he will say to me 1st drink then cookie/cake, and I will say yes, he will drink a few sips, and then he will have some cake/cookie, I do this 4 to 6 times and his drink is gone, if he does not want to drink, I take the cake/cookie from his hand and I say: bye bye cake/cookie, and immediately I say that he looks at me and says: I want a drink! 

Yes! I know is a lot of work, but it needs to be done and it will work I know, something tells me that it will. We have the Christmas tree up and the Nativity set right beside the tree, it looks so nice and warm… I guess this Christmas is going to be a melancholic one, yet full with great cooks and the smell of home bake goods all day long!

Going Out while doing the diet

For the past 3 weeks I was not only cooking but also thinking about the possible scenarios that we might encounter in the future that where going to lead us to a food request coming from the children. Nelson knows very well all the places we used to go to have lunch or dinner, so he could actually point at the restaurant or café even before we get out of the car. Having said that, it became apparent that we were going to have to tackle many requests for Pizza, and cookies, and ice cream, and cake, and candy and many other things, and not only from Nelson but also from his sister who can perfectly tell us what she wants. I decided to cook in advanced some of the food and have it frozen, so I won’t be at the kitchen literally every hour of the day, and while out in the park or just being with the kids doing any activity, I am taking with me my own bag of goodies so I am ready for all those demands with my own arsenal of cookies, cake, raisins, apples, oranges, etc. The first week was kind of a disaster, a try an error, in how much food do I need it with me and how I was handling the situation. The second one was much better, and now I know how much I need to take to be on the safe side. I am surprise to notice how the 2 of them don’t even ask me any more to get them anything that is not cooked by me. We could be in front of the most delicious cake and they do not even care, and when we see apples they both say at the same time in stereo surround: Apple Please!!!  it is an amazing feeling and is SO incredible!
We have now broke the vicious cycle or eating in front of the TV as well. UFFF! That one was so much needed. I guess I must admit I did not fancy that it just kind of happened. I grew up having no access to TV during any of our meals, and we only had one TV so pretty much the dining room was so far from it that we really never care for it during meals. Not even after them, we usually ate and then we went out to play for 10 or 15 min. Ok times have change and things are different know, yet I always kind of secretly wanted to have all members of the family on the table at the same time. It did happen till Nelson was about a year old, and then I lower my guard and TV got on the way… Ok! Now is gone! Is SO amazing how many things can be accomplish just by sitting at the table together as a family. Evidently I have discovered nothing, yet it feels like a discovery of my own.
Ok, so the next level was going to a party, A B-DAY party equals: Pizza, Cake, Cookies, Ice Cream!!!! OHHHHHH HELP!!!! How to do it and not be totally miserable about us ruining the party by Nelson having a super meltdown for the food that he can have no more?

We had our 1st try today, a kind of test drive. We decided to be more than fashionably late; we arrived when food was long gone, and must of the people for that matter. Result: GREAT one!. The kids played and they had lots of fun, and actually when my daughter got hungry, she came to me and asked me for something to eat. Oh you might think that was logical with all the food gone. No! She actually passes by some leftover cake and she did not care, she asked me for the food and I gave her a piece of our cake. Then Nelson came running from outside and said to me: I want cake, I want a drink! I was static, and so happy! So it worked well.
Next level will be to attend a party from the beginning and see what happens. I suppose I do not want people to get offended when I pull out our food out from a container instead of having theirs, yet I have a feeling they will understand somehow that is not being rude, is just the way things are now for us as a family.

Tantrums

Tantrums
I guess we all fear as parents the terrible two`s. The tantrum era, the days fill with that notion on your head that your kid has transform into someone else, that the sweet boy/girl is no more and now is just a little person that you canot recognize. Well, I thought I was immune to the tantrums after my daughter, yet, I was wrong. Nelson did not really tantrum much at 2, I was so happy and so proud “Hey everyone my son is two and he does not tantrum at all”. By the time he was 2 we did not know about his condition so I was just thankful that he was not in the terrible two`s zone.
Tantrums are a big part of living with a child with the Disorder. They cannot communicate verbally (in Nelson`s case) so they need to use any other means necessary to ventilate all they have in their minds and hearts. The understanding of the world is also different than the one from a mainstream child, so in sum, tantrums present themselves as a way to communicate and more importantly a way to get what he wants.
Some tantrums are short and kind of funny (and by funny I mean inexplicably we just want to laugh), some others are long and very soul breaking for both parts us, and him. I suppose they are not so different from the ones we had with our 1st Daughter, yet, is not about the tantrum itself is about how to get to him while he is on it. Here we cannot apply the long explanations about why he cannot do what he wants to do, or that he needs to be careful with himself, or that he is not suppose to hit mami or papa, in this case we need to be simple and to the point, and even thought it looks and sounds easier that the long explanations to reason with the child while in a tantrum, is not so simple.
The privacy of the house allows us to have a non pressure environment where we can take time to apply all the methods that we have been learning for this past year, yet when we are out in the public eye the pressure rise up and we sometimes feel that we are being observed by the entire world around us.
Is that good or bad? I do not know, is just the way it is, and I suppose we will become experts about it. For now sometimes we just have to look at his eyes and concentrate in what is worth doing and be MEGA consistent with what we do, to make sure we help him on his journey.
At home we use a round little red carpet as time out zone, and sometimes I just take it with me where ever I go so I can use it. It does work and it definitely makes people curious about what I am doing, hehehehe I should not be so conspicuous.
Anyhow, no matter the size of the tantrum or the location that is taking place, consistency on how to handle it is the key. At least for us so far!

School

Nelson is doing well at school. I keep a very detail record of all the new things that he is learning. I am so happy to know that apparently 2 boys from his class have found in Nelson a good friend. For Nelson there is no such a thing just yet, a mainstream boy of his age will have a best friend (at least one), and for me to know that Nelson is starting to play somehow like having a “best friend” is awesome.

I love the notes that the teacher send me every day, I asked questions to her using a notebook, so every morning I sat in the computer and I write my questions and I print them out and then a affix them to the notebook. I use the computer because I do not want to make any spelling mistakes (hehehehehehe). After try and error, I discover the best way to formulate my questions was to be specific and then have the answer being yes or no. So for example I will ask something like this: Does Nelson likes to ride the tricycle on the playground? Yes or No. So the teacher only needs to circle one or the other, and that way there is time for her to answer the questions of the other mothers (I was asking a 100 questions and she was getting a little frustrated). So in that way I get to know a lot about my son when he is away from home. It is hard sometimes that I do not get to be with him all day, yet I know school will be definitive in his journey to overcome his condition.

He comes home so Happy from school I like that! The other thing I love is to open his lunch box and see that all is gone. That is like super mega special, yesterday he ate a small size carrot (raw) and the teacher wrote that he loved it! YEAHHHH!!!

He is letting me give him his cod liver oil and his coconut milk kefir without fussing, so it has been two days and I am praying that he starts liking it so I can increase the dose from 2 table spoons to 4 oz in the morning and 4 oz in the afternoon. Yeah I know is a lot to ask, yet I am confident he will surprise me like he always does and he will like it more and more each day!

Umm I am waiting for the probiotic (the new) to come, we will see if it works.

Coconut Milk Kefir

Donna Gates will be so happy to know how many coconuts i crack every week to make my coconut milk kefir. Today Nelson took 2 full table spoons of it and then he took the cod liver oil (vitamin A) that is so important for him. I was so happy, I did not have to restrain him or anything, he willingly took it... Ok he spit a little but he took it and I jumped up and down crazy as a mad mother and full of happiness, hehehehe when it was time for Marie to have the same, she took it without a question and she looked at me just waiting for me and papi to celebrate. We did big time. Sometimes i feel like my house is Barney`s show or the Mickey mouse playhouse, we are constantly praising and using this singing voice of happiness that cartoons have, hehehehehe. It is all good and we do feel proud.

The flip of the coin is when i need to get strong and angry, and use all means necessary to get this little ones to take there probiotics (super important to rebuild Nelson`s gut lining). They do not fancy it! I need to find a different brand that it does not taste yucky L

Maybe I should try the one that Jenny McCarty used: ThreeLac.

Facts!

I need to keep close track of all the BM that Nelson has.

 Yeap! I know it sounds Coo Coo yet it is very important. His BM will let me know how is he tolerating the food and if should stop certain

 food and introduce it later or if I am on the right track. His gut needs to be cure before he can tolerate all kinds of food, and he needs to

 detoxify in order to get better and to clear the toxicity that is clouding his brain!

There is beautiful song that he likes a lot from the movie Cars, is called behind the clouds!, 

(click here: http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/7051109/a/Cars.htm  and then click on the track number 4) that song really gets to me because as an analogy of what I believe is happening: the song is talking about the clouds and how behind them the sun is shining. I know that when Nelson gets to be detoxify he will see the light of the sun as I see it, and then we will talk about it and have some drinks looking at the sunset. J

Cooking equipment!

Umm, I have done my Christmas shopping for myself and the family already: I got me new cooking equipment! J

Very exiting yet kind of intimidating considering that I have never use so many pieces of equipment for any single meal. My favorite ones are my new pots and pans: I just love them, I hope I do not brake my arm trying to lift one of these things, hehehehehe.

The breakfast, lunch and dinner challenge.

Umm is 5:30am and I need to wake up and start cooking for the kids, and my husband and evidently for myself. Let’s see what I need to do: I need to make breakfast for Marie, one for nelson Anthony to go (he has his at school), both of their lunch bags, breakfast for me and for my husband… uff am I missing something?, yeap! The snacks for the children…

Ok, so what is a good breakfast according to Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride? Eggs, very important, they must be organic and cook in a fat that is raw, such as duck, lamb, pork, fat or raw cultured butter. So I have that and protein: sausage!! So good. I have to say I am so blessed I have found a way to get natural beef, pork and chicken. 

 

I went to the Green Wise Market at legacy place and I talked with the butcher, I explain what I needed and I asked him if it was possible to do it for me: he said yes! I was so happy that tears came to my eyes, they have been so nice to me, every time I go I feel like I am in a little town where you get to know everyone and everyone knows you.

Pancakes are good too, made out of eggs and almond butter, I have a trick to make them even more delicious, I put some Vanilla extract (organic and without alcohol) and some stevia that is the equivalent of sugar from now on, and Voila! The pancakes turned out to be very good.

Muffins and bread are good too, I bake my own now, and I have been using this brand called Namaste foods,

they have the basic powder that I can use to make muffins, cookies, cakes, pancakes, spice cake, brownies, etc. Is very good…

Umm I need to get ready to make dinner; I know I know is only 5:30am in the morning and I am thinking already about dinner! Yes! It does take time to make some things so I need to start early, 1^st I need to bake some muffins, and then I need to make some Milk Kefir. I did not know what this was till I tasted it one week ago, and I was so please to discover that Kefir is a drink I used to drink when I was little and I used to love it! Now I know how to make it and if I let it ferment for a longer time I can also make cheese, is a very mild and white cheese, umm so delicious! I hope I can get Nelson to like too.

Uff, lunch time, just my husband Nannette and Me… salad and some of the Cultured veggies, they are very good and they taste really a lot: I mean is like an explosion of flavor, and so super strong flavor. Yet I like them, (maybe because I know I need them hehehehe). I need to find a way to have Nelson and Marie try these vegetables, but I supposed one step at a time. Now Marie and Nelson are eating carrots and Beet and some lettuce, so that is super good, and they are beginning to like olive oil that is essential on the diet. I guess I will try to introduce them next week.

Drinks, what should or can drink now: Cranberry juice and please diluted because is so super strong! Hehehe it took me a week to get used to the flavor but know I guess I like it. I put some on Nelson`s water with stevia (our new sugar) and he seems to like it, so that is good. I am also doing lemonade and pinaple juice, they evidently do not drink a 4 oz glass yet they drink about 3 table spoons and that is so good for me, I know eventually they will start liking the flavor and they will drink more.

WOW it has been 3 weeks since Nelson and Marie (and all of us) ate our last Pizza, and since we started the diet he has only asked for it twice (one today hehehe). I am proud of my children they are doing so good, Nelson took his carrot today and ate it with so much pleasure… that was such a wonderful moment for me J.

Umm Dinner time…. Ok I need to make, chicken nuggets, sausages, pork and lamb, and a salad, and cut some apples and oranges, and I have the cake for dessert. Both lamb and pork will go to the oven and I will make the chicken on the skillet. I also need carrots (raw) and steamed red skin potatoes so I can mix them with some oil and salt, simple but delicious.

KABOOM, the kitchen looks like I have cooked for 40 people, hehehehehehe but I did it!

Looks good and everyone is eating, even Nannette looks interested on the food and the beautiful colors on the table. Lesson number one: do not worry about the kitchen, you can clean later, enjoy dinner as a family and then later do the dishes.

Umm a though lesson yet o good one, I have been doing just that for the last 3 weeks (almost) and even thought is hard to let go I can say know it does not bother me if the kitchen is KABOOM for a few hours. When all the kids are sleeping and all is quite, I go down to the kitchen make myself a cup of tea and then I put my green gloves on and clean all over again…

WOW, all quiet know, and time to clean.

Nelson is doing so much progress he used his first 5 word sentence on Sunday and I almost faint! He is playing more and more with other kids is a very subtle change but I can see it, and other too as well. He is so into computers just like papi, he plays with me a very interesting game on the web, and he is good at it, I like to see him doing it because then I know how much he understands, he may not talk to much but he understands a lot!

Sniff… Umm I should probably go to sleep now, yet I need to finish some work.

Cooking lessons anyone?

Ummm, so many new delicious recipes and so many new discoveries about what food can do for you.

First things first I need to clean up my kitchen and get the new food in and the other food out! I guess I should say goodbye to lots of things I really like..

The Journey has Began

The Journey has Began

Today is another busy day here at my house… another day of lots of cooking and learning

 experiences. All this work has a name really: Nelson`s Health.

Since our beloved son Nelson Anthony was diagnosed with Autism, we

 have been researching a lot about all there is to know about the syndrome. Evidently there are a gazillion of information alone that you

 can find just by Google the word: Autism.

Nevertheless I guess there are ways to find the information that has some credibility and

 some eco in you. I am neither a doctor nor an expert on the syndrome, the only thing I am is another of a child I adore and I

 see more in him than just his condition.

After endless nights of searching for that piece of information that we needed 

it so badly, I

 came across with Body Ecology: The Natural Autism Solution by Donna Gates. This is a collection of 12 CD`s that present dietary secrets to help prevent and overcome Autism, ADHD, Aspbergers and other epidemic childhood disorders.

Funny enough someone I know used to work for Donna Gates, I even photograph his son and his rock band a few years ago, yet I never really enquire about what type of nutritional consultant she was. And now years later I find myself looking at her information and discovering the infinite possibilities of her teachings and insight about how to get better health for our children, and in particular for my son.

These CD`s also have the insight on other 2 leading health nutrition experts, Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride MD, and Leonard Smith, MD, both very reputable on their respective fields.

I must say that Natasha`s part of the CD`s really stroke me like a lightning bolt from the sky!, I know it might sound ridiculous but Yes! It did, all she had to say resonate with me immediately, I actually praised God for giving me such a great Biology teacher during my high school days and University days, because all that she was telling (on the CD`s) I was able to understand and process in my head. (after 3 children there is not much brain left)

Anyhow, I devoted myself a week to entirely understand the whole concept behind her diet and the benefits of it… I was blow away by the amount of the information but at the same time eager to know more about the GAPS diet: Gut and Psychology Syndrome.

Long story short, we as a family embarked on the journey for a new way of 

living, which will lead us to help Nelson overcome his condition. I honestly believe we are walking the right path, and I pray to God every night to inspire us to walk the path with lots of courage and strength.