So we changed Max’s diet to no wheat, gluten, dairy, corn, sugar, soy or yeast and he started saying some words. He says dada, ball, yes, lease for please, and blue. He also is making tons of  animal sounds. Amazing. Max has always been on a limited diet but he was eating sugar lately and the occasional bagel at the market, something at a play date and stuff on vacation but we really cut it all out and he started sating those words. His doctor felt that his brain would not be able to work if he was having allergies to these foods. People always ask what he eats and luckily Max loves rice cakes and dried fruit snacks. I guess he also sees me eat that stuff and so maybe it is easier since he has my exact food allergies but he is able to eat oats and I cannot. I also bake little muffins for him that he snacks on but all in all-we are good and friends have been great on play dates. I offer to bring the snacks-ones that Max can eat.

THE BIG BUT is that I don’t think that is all of it. My hubby and I both has learning stuff and we found our way in the world but it was hard at times so we thought it is best to keep going with the early intervention. So a teacher will come to the house weekly starting March 31st and a speech pathologist as well starting in April. I am excited to be taught how to better teach Max. He is such a happy kid and I think talking will make meal time easier for him. 

But since we took binky away during the day and  the TV is on less, he is loving his books. It is so cool to watch him grow. There is still a part of me that feels those 6 months when his ears were really bad before tubes just put him far behind but you never know and it really is not important. We just need to advocate for Max and we are.

So after speaking with the doctor regarding Max’s speech delay, we have decided to all go on a candida cleanse and pretty much give up most yummy foods. We will be wheat, gluten, yeast, dairy, corn and sugar free expect for limited maple syrup and honey. There has been a lot of research about delays in learning, autism, ADHD and ADD all being related to diet. Since I started all of us on THREELAC, a supplement to  kill of candida, and changed our diet, the kids have been pooping non-stop which is great since Sam was only pooping once a day, The rashes on Sam’s face are already getting better and Max has not pulled on his ears after eating. 

I thought Max would have a tough time without his cookies but he was fine. So now he snacks on potato chips, french fries, rice cakes, fruit and these oat bars that I buy from Odwalla. But I was crying my eyes out when were at the dcotors office-and thank goodness Max was not there to watch this. It was just the last straw and I lost it. Between the lice, the speech evaluation and the food-well I let go and boy the tears ran down my face. Not sure why but it just made me feel helpless. 

Of course there has been no word or letter attached to Max but hey he is our kid and I have my learning stuff and so does Scott but we found out way. I guess that it what I realized through all of this. We are no academics and we will never be but we have both made business choices that have been good for us. I was great selling real estate and going with my gut and scott is amazing at what he does. We found our way and so will Max but for now, we are going to support him to learn how to talk. A teacher will come once a week and then a speech pathologist will come every other week.

We had a speech evaluation for Max last week and let me just say it was stressful. The women who came over were amazing but it was still hard. They asked so many questions about Max and us and well, and I was reminded of my own struggles with audio perception and just how my brain learns. I always had a tough time in school because I did not learn like most kids. But once I fell in love with real estate, well it all clicked for me. I was great at math for the first time on my life and I felt smart for the first time in my life. I am hoping if we let our gut heal for the next 6 months free of all of this stuff then we will all feel better and it will allow Max’s brain to be wide open for learning.

So anyway, that is the news over here! What a week already.

Max is one of those spirited kids. He does not like to be tied down to anything. He wants to do things when He wants to do them and this means eating too. Max goes through food phases. He used to eat nitrate free lunch meat -like turkey and chicken and then one day he stopped. Then it was nitrate free hot dogs-chicken, turkey and beef and then he stopped. Then it was eggs and then he stopped. Then it was burgers and then he stopped. Then it was brown rice and then he stopped. Well that may not be true-he eats eggs, burgers and brown rice when he feels like it.

Daphne Goldberg , his pediatrician, said that babies will go to the foods that their body needs and so I guess Max stops when he does not need it anymore. It is interesting that he never craves yogurt or most milk products. Max eats very healthy for a little guy but he is so selective.

However, if it is on the run-well he will eat. He will eat in the stroller, car seat and on the run (yes walking and eating). I have never forced him to sit and eat snacks but always eat his meals. He used to be fine eating meals in his chair at the table but lately, he does not even want to do that. Tonight I actually put his high chair in front of Sesame Street on the TV and let him eat. I told him we were having special TV dinner since daddy was not home but after I did it, I regretted my Mommy Parenting Decision. I know just once will take a week to turn around but I want him to eat. I know if he is hungry then he will eat but still-I think he will go to bed hungry and wake up. UGH-what to do? 

Am I being a bad MOM? Will my kid ever learn to sit and eat? Is this just a phase? Help! Any suggestions?

Oh boy..chocolate and chocolate and cookies and cake. These are just a few things that I am eating since it is my birthday and anniversary week. I LOVE sugar and for this week-I am enjoying myself. I have already gained about two pounds and I am not happy about that one but man, is it good to live in gluttony.I am the first one to always preach about health since both my son and I have food intolerance/allergies but this week-well screw it. I have wanted to go back to eating no sugar and get healthy again but I cannot find the will power. If anybody is interested in doing a buddy system health food change-then I would love that-but of course after March 28th. Last night the hubby and I went out for dinner and both of us got sick when we got home. I puked so hard and so much in the toilet. It was like a fountain. The hubby did not puke but he felt ill. See I tried to eat healthy salmon and my body rejected it. LOLAnyway, I felt like crap today. I tossed and turned all night and the little guy got up at 12 am and he had a rough night until 3 am. OH BOY!! I am running on no sleep. Well I am really hoping that one day I catch up on my sleep again but until then..well this sleep deprived momma will just have to do her best. 

Today we went to see a homeopath in Narberth PA named Todd Hoover MD. It was nice to have a doctor who was also trained in homeopathy. Anyway, he asked a lot of questions about his personality, ear infection, history in general and then he observed him. He said the following: 1. That Max is a strong willed kid- YEAH I KNOW JUST LIKE HIS MOM2. He also said that Max is cautious as well as fearless-YEAH JUST LIKE HIS MOM3. He gets frustrated easily-YEAH JUST LIKE HIS MOM4. He is physically very strong-YEAH JUST LIKE HIS MOM.Anyway, the list goes on but he did say that he feels that Max does not have food allergies but that his head produces a lot of mucous and that the mucous gets trapped and then turns to wax etc. He made some suggestions for supplements and I was impressed and it takes a lot to impress me since I read so many damn health books. So after talking he suggested a homeopathic remedy-one that will address his ears, teething and sleeping issues. I am hoping that it works so we do not have to keep trying. BUT I am still taking his to his Ear, Nose and Throat apt to hear about TUBES because this kid just cannot get past the ear infections and his MOMMA is getting pretty tired too. On another note, I am trying yogurt again because he loved it so much. I am going to see if he has any allergies-such as a rash or something like that and if not-well then he will eat some dairy. As for wheat, I am introducing it slowly. As long as he is getting calcium and drinking his Neocate, a substitute for dairy, which has all of the same building blocks as milk, then I don’t care BUT I have to admit that it is hard having his ears hurt and hard watching him in pain and hard knowing that no matter what I do that I cannot entirely fix it. I guess this is the biggest lesson that I have learned being a momma to Max. I can only do my best and be there for him. UGH