Dear Max,

I think this picture says it all…CARS..you love cars and the movie CARS. WE watch it daily and you have all of the cars and the huge truck MACK that carries Lighting McQueen. There have been nights where Mack goes to sleep in your bed and there are many days where I have to wash your CAR MOVIE pajamas almost daily because that is the only pajama you want to wear. But it is awesome and you can play for hours with your cars and they are so important. I think your favorites are Mader the tow truck, Mack, Lightning Mcqueen of course, Doc, the Sheriff and well there are so many to even list but you love them..you are such a boy.

Your speech is expanding every month and now it is not uncommon for you to say multiple sentences together. You still work with a speech therapist named Miss Belkin at school two times a week on articulation but I think in the end it was also just your time to talk. I dont doubt that all our hard work (and you did not say a word in March-not even ma ma or dad da) did not pay off and clearing the strep from your gut and changing your diet according to your allergies but I also feel that it was just your time. I think school has been huge for you and your love your school and I do too…montessori learning has been awesome.

You have had a good month in general. You have watched the snow fall so much this past month and went sledding a few times at Nan and Pops house and went down the hill all by yourself. It was amazing to watch you be fearless and we were so proud of you…a little worried when you almost crashed into a tree but then daddy re-made the path and it worked-no more near crashes. We also went sledding at one of your school friends house and you had a blast.

You  have been amazing with your sister. You guys play and share and there are few times when you want to be alone except bath. You are very clear that you like to take a bath alone. I think the earlier days when your sister splashed you over and over has created this alone bath situation but so be it..because it is your time and I am happy that you are saying what you want and need.

You are still a great eater. You now love zucchini too. I swear you would be a vegetarian if beans worked well with your tummy but you do love your grass fed bison burger that you eat for lunch daily with rotating cultured veggies every other day.

This month we have had a few power struggles about saying the word sorry..which has always been hard for you but the other day you said it right away..I will also say that prior to this experience the other day we had three fights..one an hour long, then one 40 mins and then one 30 mins but then you said it with ease and I was so proud of you.

You are saying the funniest things these days and I can see already that you know how to use your words with saying things like..I don’t have the words to say it and I am tired and my body hurts..these words all the things you said to me during our SAY SORRY FIGHT but I held strong..which is so hard. I am sure one day you will know how hard it is to set boundaries with your kids because you just want them to be happy and feel no pain but I also know that giving your happiness and safety in your life is setting those boundaries.

You are now asking WHY to everything and I am trying my best to give you very complete answers. I know you are like me and you just want to understand the WHYS of the world.

You are an amazing little man and I love you dearly. You are the light of my life and I am so happy that I am your mom. Keep exploring and never stop asking WHY.

Love,

Mommy

Saturday was cold. Saturday was one of those days when you know your child it tired but YOU, being the mommy, wants to get out of the house. I thought it would be fun to go to the Whole Foods that just opened down the street and get some pear sorbet and then go and get Max’s shoe size checked at the kids shoe store in the same shopping center. So it all started out to be ok. We were laughing and singing and having fun. We were walking down the aisles and I was thinking to myself how lucky I am to have such amazing kids. It was one of those la la moments that we tend to have…you know the ones that allow us to survive when it all goes bad. We picked up some bananas and a few other things for home and then we got pear sorbet and I got a kombucha tea and we sat and watched the pastry chefs making some yummy desserts we cannot eat and it was great.

We left Whole Foods and went next door to the kids shoe place so Max could get his shoe size checked and without any crying he got onto to that little scale looking type thing and it scanned his foot and we found out he did not need new shoes but that did not make Max happy. Sam at this time was crawling all over..walking and pulling shoes down and just playing and looking out the big glass window. Well Sam pooped and so I scooped them up and left the store because I thought-why bring the baby diaper bag-she won’t poop. MISTAKE! Make started to cry but we got to the truck and changed Sam’s diaper. Max was crying saying NEW SHOES! NEW Shoes! And so being the sweet mom that I am, we went back and asked for his size…THEY DID NOT HAVE THEM IN HIS SIZE! OH BOY! He started screaming and throwing himself on the floor. Sam watched with amazement and I think she was even shocked at what she was seeing..and I was mortified. At this point, the store was packed and I could see those looks..like why can;t she handle her kid and omg-her kid is freaking out…which is not very common for my little guy. I tried to pick up both kids and could not at first and Max would not walk. Finally I scooped them both up and headed for the car so angry. I put Max in the car and then yelled and then got home and yelled some more..then cried and then Max and I talked about what happened and saying sorry-which he refused to do and finally after and hour he said he was sorry to me. Saying sorry is something Max hates and we have decided that he should be able to do this now and are forcing him. It was horrible. He cried in his room..I came in every 5 mins to ask if he was ready and he said things like
I dont know how to
I dont have the words
I am tired
You hurt me
I had to enforce the boundaries and it was horrible but he said he was sorry and the day finally went on..I guess this whole talking thing is actually making things quite interesting..I am sure he will love that I have documented these kind of interactions between us. LOL

I learned a huge mommy lesson: If your kid looks exhausted, don’t leave the house!!

Ok so it was so long that Max was not talking that when he says things, it still amazes me that he is talking. In March 2009  he was saying no words and now, well he is talking and talking in multiple word sentences. The other day he said to me..as I was standing in the bathroom blow drying my hair.

“Mommy, you are so pretty!” I felt soooooooo good.

Then I dropped my keys and a part of the key broke off and I was so upset and he looked at me and said..” Mommy don’t worry, it is ok?

Aw, my heart warmed because he was so right. Sometimes I my three year old makes the most sense.

Thank you my little guy!!

So Max is starting to go on the potty and we have a cool little chart on the fridge. Some days he has interest and then other days he has non. I am not pushing. It will happen.

Sam is walking! OMG-where did the baby go?

This was taken last week and by this week-well she is full on walking. It is amazing how much a baby changes in a day!

My dearest boy,

I am a few days late. I am so sorry for this. I did this to your sister too this month. I have been very busy with life with you guys-the new year, the new moon, nutrition school, raising you and your sister, and having the family on the yasko protocol-well your momma does not know where the days go. BUT LETS TALK ABOUT YOU!!

You are such a sweet boy. The other day we had a play date and I had to break up 5 fights and then the kid chocked you..yes we will never have them over again but it was also good to see that when you need to-you know how to defend yourself.

School is going great for you..montessori teaching has been a gift in our life and we are so lucky that a school is 5 mins down the road and we love it. You attend school now 5 am’s a week for 2 hours and then I pick you up and we have the rest of your day. Your teachers adore you and you have a bunch of kids in your class that you enjoy playing with. I pack a home made muffin every day for your lunch or a banana and I think you love that you have something different than the other kids. Your teachers say that your speech is getting better with every day and that is partly why you go 5 am’s a week-to just help with the social aspects of speech. You said a 12 word sentence the other day. I was in shock.

It has been a rough month with the yasko protocol. I know it is doing amazing stuff for your gut and rebuilding your cells but it has also been hard on your body. I know it has been the right thing for you because your speech is doing better and better as we kill those bugs in your gut but it is hard to watch you tired on some days and just feeling blah. Trust me, because I have been detoxing too and it is no fun. I am so proud of you because your B12 shot every 3 days has become less of a fight but I am sure it hurts and you are doing amazing.

You LOVE Bob the Builder, board games, trains, Dinosaurs, baking cakes/muffins/ and anything that has to do with cars or trains. You are enjoying having play dates, except for the one the other day but you are really playing and using your words.

You are a great eater. I am so lucky. You love broccoli, asparagus, carrots, bison grass fed burgers, lamb burgers, home made muffins, celery and rice. Even though you have allergies, you eat so well and I am so lucky.

Basically, you are an amazing kid and watching you navigate your way through the world is amazing. When you turned 3, your Dad and I definitely saw your testing your limits and I am sure this year will be full of that but we are consistent and loving to you. You still refuse to say you are sorry-it is the one thing you will not do and the one thing we will need to work on because it is important.

I am so blessed. The moments that I live in the moment and see how lucky I am to have such an amazing first child and such an amazing boy-are the moments that all I see is bliss and love. I see rainbows when I think of you. You are a spirited special little guy and thank you, I need to always say thank you for allowing me to be your mom.

Love,

Mommy

Just when I was asking myself daily..is this the right thing for my family-which is what I ask myself moment to moment..Max spoke in a 8 word sentence. 8 Words!! OMG! He said, ” I drink water to cool me belly off!” I was amazed. Tears almost fell from my eyes as I watched this little boy who spoke NO words in March, now speaking and communicating in an 8 word sentence. Lately, with the constant search to help my family with allergies, psoriasis, speech delays and GI trouble and my own fatigue issues since having the kids..it can be a lot. I don’t often talk about this stuff on this blog because I use this blog as more of a documentary to show the kids how hard we worked to raise them and how amazing they are day to day.

We found Amy Yasko because after diet changes and speech delays and allergies that could not be explained I knew it was more of an auto immune issue-which is basically what psoriasis (my hubby) and so we landed here-doing the Yasko protocol, which means that I am giving B12 shots every 3 days to myself, the hubby and Max..compounding a variety of supplements, dosing us with RNA’s (which are basically formulas which bypass our genetic mutations) and watching daily for detox..of and I forgot to mention doing a major gut protocol-killing the yeast and bacteria in our gut!

We just sent in urine and stool samples to re-test and see how we are doing with the supplements. I am hoping that the yeast and bacteria have lessened but those damn bugs are hard to get rid of. I guess it has just been a lot of stress on me. I have to realize that in the end we will all be fine but I also know that we will be fine because I am doing what I need to do for us to be healthy. I need to look at this as a journey and not an overnight quick magic bullet.

So it has been amazing to know that I am saving our family and learning so much about genetics. Who would have known that I would be able to speak to doctors about genetics, let alone nutrigenomics (using supplements to bypass genetic mutations).