Going Gluten Free Update

It's been just over three months now since we went gluten free. We have had slip ups and made exceptions (poutine and chicken gravy being some now and then) but we've been pretty good.

We have found some amazing recipes and quick store-bought frozen products to get us over humps.


First, I was missing bagels. I found frozen ones!

Then I missed ravioli and I found that, too!

I'm just so happy there seem to be so many companies jumping on board with GF and making my life easier.

So, how do we feel?

Well, now we all notice very quickly when we've eaten too much gluten (or any gluten, for that matter).

I'll get headaches, intestinal cramps and feel foggy-brained.
The Little Man gets "stoned-like" - quiet and stops talking. All he does is stare into space.
The Hubby gets migraines. His last major migraine was on New Year's Eve and that's while we were travelling. We think he just ate something he wasn't supposed to at AppleBee's.

All in all, if we all stay away from gluten, we all feel better, so we're sticking to it! 

I Don't Ask for Much From My Baby

We met the other speech therapist today. To sum up, in her educated opinion, our child is immature, spoiled and a late talker. She put it more diplomatically than that, but that's the gist of it. Because his play behaviour is so behind (she put him at behaving like a 15-18 month old - which I agree) she believes there is "something else" but not ASD, luckily.
Also, because of his persistence in walking with his arms up, hands often clenched, and general clumsiness, we're looking at mild Cerebral Palsy.

And just to be clear, because I think people probably bring too many of their own personal issues into these things when they read my reports/updates/speculations:

**I don't love my son any less. I don't think of him any differently. He does not become a disease, disability or label suddenly. I don't care what he has or doesn't have, nor do I care how it was caused (since I can't change or fix that now), I only really want to know so we can provide him with the best care and opportunities possible.**

Well-meaning people have already said too many stupid things to me - it's not about me worrying or wanting him to become a genius with three Ph.D.'s and find a cure for cancer. I'm not thinking that far. I want him to be as happy and healthy as possible now, so he can reach *his* full potential, whatever that is.

You have to remember, he is my fourth "baby." I gave up all that shit about expectations a long time ago. When he was born, I cried because I was so happy he was ALIVE. And that's still how I see my life with him.

He's alive.

I don't ask for very much from my baby.

20 Month Update

He's 20 months now and I forgot to plug in my camera, so I have no recent pics :(

His appetite has picked up a bit since the iron supplement (anemia can cause a lack of appetite, so that could explain a lot!).

He's still not really talking, but I think he tries sometimes. He says "gar" for "car" sometimes, but mostly "vroom, vroom." But he understand complex commands ("go to the kitchen and bring me the fish toy") and things like that, so I have no complaints. Otherwise, he says "dada," "mama," "ja" (yes), "na" (no) - and he shakes his head now, so that's good. I've taught him more signs because he just picks those up in a day no problem and it's easier.

I have to teach him to climb up and down stairs because he's really behind now.

He is amazingly gregarious and friendly. He runs up to other kids, smiles and waves, but they're always more shy. Our neighbour's sister sometimes visits with her 22 month old and they are equally friendly and get along really well. Together, they yell and bang on stuff and they get a big kick out of that.
I am impressed with how independent and self-assured he can be (not always!). When he is off in the park on an adventure, he has no fear to run off and explore. When *I* chose to leave him though, that's another story.

He loves wearing hats and my headbands.

His favourite toy seems to be a red MegaBlok car my friend bought him for his birthday last year. She also got him a blue one and a yellow dump truck and he likes those a lot, too, but he takes the red one to bed with him sometimes and holds it when we nurse. He spins the wheels until he falls asleep.

I bought new nursing bras this weekend because I hadn't since just after I gave birth. I hadn't anticipated nursing this long, but that was before I really understood the benefits and just how easy it *can* be. It's not always - especially now because to a lot of ignorant people, it's "weird" and I'm constantly being undermined by doctors who don't know *anything* about breastfeeding at all.

But back to him! He's super affectionate and luckily I taught him to give closed mouth kisses - no more of those goobery, messy kisses. I also taught him to blow kisses, so that's nice.

He dances A LOT, usually to African drum rhythms and piano music (he loves the CTV News weather music!) so I want to take him to the tam-tams when the weather is nicer.

He likes drawing, but he keeps eating crayons, so I have to watch him really closely (he's fast!). He has an Etch-a-Sketch and three Magna Doodles (and he can't eat those) so he uses those a lot. If only I could get him to eat *food* as much as crayons...maybe I need to make crayon-shaped food....