Speech free and slight set back

Ella has been dismissed from speech!!!!! Here is her dismissal report: Ella McKinney received speech therapy services in her home since 8-26-09. Ella has met the outcome statement on the IFSP. "Family would like for her to be able to communicate so that she doesn't get frustrated and so that others can understand her." Ella is able to complete the verbal expression items for her age level (27-30) months on the "Rosetti Infant Toddler Language Scale". Ella is stimulable on the sound substitutions meaning that when given visual and oral cues she is able to correctly produce speech sounds. She has increased the number of words and length of utterances that she produces spontaneously (without a cue or prompt). I recommend that she be dismissed from speech and language services. Take that vaccines!!
On another note it seems that Haiden isn't doing as well at school as we had thought. I talked with his teacher on Friday and she is very concerned with Haiden and his energy level. She said that he seems very fatigued and just not as focused. Of course, this came as a surprise to me since he is doing so well at home and seems even more focused. So we decided to see how this week goes and take it from there. I talked to his DAN doctor and she thinks he may be getting sick. At first I thought she was crazy because he didn't have any signs of being sick. But guess who was up coughing and sneezing last night? Yep, Mr. Haiden. Yesterday I started him back on his multivitamin and this morning he drank some freshly squeezed orange juice to get some vitamin C in him. Hopefully this will help. Like I told his teacher, we are all dying for some carbs around here :).

SCD Update

We are now into our fourth week on the SC diet and seeing some positive things in Haiden and Ella. Haiden continues to do well at school and home. He hasn't had any cognition issues and seems much more focused. After school he has been telling me about his day without any prompts and gives more details when I ask questions. Even though he is still obsessed with football and his Wii, he has been playing with other toys more. I've started him back on his calcium supplement and probiotic. Ella has had a very good week and for those of you who know Ella, you know that we haven't had 4 good days in a row since last Spring. We got her test results back for food allergies and everything came back normal. I was surprised since after we started GFCF her speech exploded. I think her yeast issues are causing some malabsorption problems which is why she responded so well to GFCF even though the IG panel came back normal. This week I was able to go to my Mom 2 Mom group and she stayed in the daycare...YEAH! They didn't have to bring her back! We also went to our small group for the first time and she went upstairs with the other kids! Her belly is still slightly bloated but I am trying to limit honey and fruit intake to help keep the yeast down. I think her yeast issues cause fatigue and when she gets fatigued she starts melting down so I'm trying to be more in tuned with her. She is such a smart girl and I need to remember that she is only 2 years old.

Ella enjoying a bowl of "ice cream" which is frozen bananas and coconut oil pureed.

This was Haiden's reaction to the ice cream. He said, "It tastes good but it is too cold." Haiden has always been very sensitive to temperature and doesn't like anything really cold or really hot.

What's in your fridge?

I follow a vegan mom's blog not because I'm vegan but because she is so organized and offers awesome ideas. Recently she had a post about what is in her refrigerator, http://www.greenandcrunchy.org/2009/11/whats-in-your-fridge/. I was so jealous when I saw all the organic and fresh food in her fridge. Well since we have started the SCD, my fridge has never looked more...healthy. So what's in your fridge?

On the top left, pears and green beans. On the top right, pineapple and spinach. In the middle are oranges and zucchini. On the bottom are asparagus and peppers.

On the top are my homemade nut flours and nut butters. Below that are organic eggs, blueberries, and strawberries. In our deli compartment are SCD legal cheeses. On the bottom are grapes and broccoli.

I loved how colorful are counter was looking so I had to take a pic. From left to right is a butternut squash, pineapple, tomatoes, garlic, pears, apples, and bananas.

So I've been kind of obsessed with dehydrating fruits and veggies lately. Here are some dried zucchini chips. This is about 1/4 of the batch because it didn't turn out too well. Next time I'm going to do things a little different.

Here are some nut flour cookies. Let me know if you want the recipe.

Dried strawberries and pears.

More dried strawberries.

Dried apples with cinnamon.

I am slowly getting better with the SCD. I'm learning how to manage my time more wisely in the kitchen and I don't feel like I'm constantly cooking everyday...only a little bit. Haiden continues to do great! Ella continues to boggle our brains everyday. Her little belly isn't so little anymore and has bloated back up to where it was before the diet. She is still very emotional and unpredictable. I took her this week to have blood work done that was ordered back in November. It is to check her vitamin and mineral levels and food sensitivities. I've been putting it off for two reasons, 1) They tried to do the blood work in the doctor's office and couldn't find a vein. It was a traumatic experience for me so I can only imagine what it was like for her and 2) I was hoping the SCD would fix everything and we would know what foods she is sensitive to. So we went to the hospital to have it done and they were able to find a vein and get what they needed. We should find out the results in a few weeks.

On another note, Mason continues to be a healthy, thriving baby. My children definitely have a genetic predisposition to ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders) and I believe that environmental toxins (vaccines being one of them) trigger the ASD. My kidos are proof of this. Haiden had 21 vaccines in 15 months, was sick all the time, didn't hit milestones, allergies, severe bowel problems, PDD-NOS diagnoses at the age of 2. Ella had 4 vaccines in 9 months, was sick all the time, stopped breathing on two occasions, wasn't meeting milestones, difficulty eating, now has dark circles under her eyes, bloated belly, very emotional. Mason, no vaccines, no illnesses, hitting every milestone...oh and gives us high 5's! I just encourage everyone to investigate before they vaccinate!

Here are some pics of our healthy little boy

HOMEMADE PART 2

I've decided to make my own cashew flour, cashew butter, walnut flour, and walnut butter. We took a trip to Georgetown market to buy organic raw cashews and almonds. (The jar in the background is full of baked pecans. I mixed them with honey, cinnamon, and ghee then baked at 350 for about 15 minutes. Such a delicious snack.) On a side note, I couldn't have done all of this with out the help of my husband. Thank you babe!We bought 3.5. lbs of cashews and 2.5 lbs of walnuts. They were around $4.19 per pound.

The final product. For the cashew and walnut flour I just but the nuts in a food processor until they are finely grounded. For the cashew butter I boiled the nuts until they floated, roasted them in the oven for about 2 hours, put in the food processor, added coconut oil and sea salt. For the walnut butter, I roasted them in the oven for about an hour, put in the food processor, added olive oil, and kosher salt. All of these have to be refrigerated and can last up to 6 months.

My flours!

In a previous post I mentioned that I wanted to have a chemical free house so today I made my own cleaning products. Here is the link that had all of the formulas, http://www.eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm.
Here are my three little angels in their NON flame resistant p.j's!

HOMEMADE

We are now through Week 2 of the SCD and it continues to be a learning experience. Haiden is doing AWESOME on the diet. He seems more focused and has been wanting to be more involved in things around the house. Ella, on the other hand, continues to be a puzzle I try to put together everyday. Last week I thought I had finally found her sensitivity but now I'm not so sure. I thought maybe she was sensitive to phenols. Some people can't process phenols correctly and can have bloated bellies, dark circles under the eyes, and behavior problems. High phenol foods are bananas, apples, and red grapes...some of Ella's favorite foods. I've removed these from her diet and thought it made a difference for a few days but it hasn't been consistent. Her belly has gone down but it is still slightly bloated. She has also been battling diarrhea for the past 3 days. We may have introduced nuts too soon and that could be causing her some problems. Like I said, I rack my brain everyday trying to figure out her unexplained meltdowns, dark circles under her eyes, and bloated belly. Any thoughts or ideas from autism mommies would be greatly appreciated!

With the SCD, I spend a lot of time in the kitchen and wanted to share a few recipes.

Some homemade organic almond flour chicken nuggets, homemade ketchup, and green beans

Organic chicken with sauteed spinach, fresh garlic, fresh lemon juice, sauteed tomatoes, basil, and oregano

Organic dried apples! Cut and squeeze with fresh lemons, sprinkle with cinnamon. Cook in the oven on 170 degrees for 8 hours. I'm going to try strawberries this week!

Organic pork loin with roasted tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, and fresh garlic plus sauteed asparagus!Fruit leather aka fruit roll up. I put strawberries, blueberries, spinach, and honey in the food processor. Then I pour it onto parchment paper that is on a cookie sheet. I cook it in the oven at 170 degrees for 4-5 hours! The kids love it!

Homemade fruit roll up!

Must Read

I have joined a few Facebook groups recently that focus on vaccine injury and recovery. A lady by the name of Melissa Saunders posted this poem and it truly touched my heart. I am so glad we aren't going though this anymore but I remember the helpless, hopeless, lost feelings Haiden, Brian, and I went through. I am still very angry that he received 21 vaccines by 15 months old but I am taking that anger to try and educate other moms. I wouldn't want anyone to have to go through what Haiden has gone through. It isn't fair!
This Journey…
I read the books, I went to classes
I ate good food, and drank 8 glasses.
I took it easy, as my belly grew
I did it all…All for You!
I felt you move, I felt you kick
I forgave you when you made me sick :)
I loved you more with each passing day
I couldn't wait ‘til you were here to stay.
Well that day came, and I’ll never forget
As that’s the day my world was lit.
Your eyes so bright, your hair so fine
Couldn’t be more proud to call you Mine!
As the weeks flew by, so did the months…And before I knew it, you had turned ONE!
Up ‘til then, you progressed so well
But that all changed, and you went down hill.
My beautiful boy, as smart as can be
Regressed into Autism after your vaccines
I never questioned, I had no clue
What this needle could actually do.
Now you struggle, with everyday tasks
The simple things, you cannot ask.
It’s taken your words, the one’s you once had
And turned them to screaming, driving you mad!
At times I just lay here, and can’t help but cry
I question God, wondering why?
But the answer’s clear, so plain to see
The people I trusted, had deceived me.
They all should hang their heads in shame
Admit the truth and take the blame.
They know the danger, but turn away
And continue to injure our kids each day.
But I’ve chosen to put, my anger aside
Along with my hopes and dreams that’s died.
And focus on making more parents aware
Share our story, cuz the proof’s right there!
Although I hate to see you like this
You have fulfilled my life with eternal bliss
We’ll always take, this journey together
And I promise to love you, forever and ever!
XOXO Mom

Chemical Free

I have been wanting to go chemical free in our house for while now. Our kids soap and toothpaste already are and our multipurpose cleaner and washing detergent is chemical free as well but as I was thinking about all the other products I use on a weekly basis, it was pretty scary. The thing that freaked me out the most was my kids pajamas. Almost all of their pj's are flame resistant which means they have been soaked in a very toxic chemical. So this week they have been sleeping in their sweats and t-shirts until I can buy them new pj's. Other things around the house are the plug-in air fresheners, dishwasher detergent, dish soap, hand soap, lip balm, face wash, body wash, floor cleaner, soft scrub, toilet bowl cleaner, and oven cleaner. When you think of it, this house is full of toxins. Now there are some things I can't change like our carpet and dry wall. (Yes, those are full of toxic chemicals that off gas throughout your house.) So I have been researching ways to make my own green, clean, chemical free cleaning products. I have found some really good resources and look forward to having a less toxic house. If you have any advice or suggestions, I would love to hear from you!

SCD Food

We have almost made it through Week 1 on SCD and only 51 more weeks to go...Holy Moly! It has been a very interesting and enlightening week for our entire family. I'm starting to see some positive things in both Haiden and Ella. Haiden wanted to play doctor with me today and he did an awesome job pretending. Yesterday he wanted to help me make nut butter brownies. Also the eczema on his head is almost gone! Ella is wearing "panties" and going on the big girl potty! I am amazed because just last week she didn't have any interest at all. Ella still has a runny nose and started coughing today. I'm not for sure if these are still die off symptoms or she is starting to get a cold. We have been eating a ton of fruit, veggies, and meats! I've posted some pictures of our delicious dinner we had tonight and other treats the kids are enjoying.

Organic fillet mignon with sauteed onions, green, yellow, orange,and red peppers!

The kids had organic fillet mignon with green beans, carrots, and broccoli. After they cleaned their plates, the kids enjoyed their new favorite dessert...almond nut butter brownies.

These are so easy to make! It consist of almond nut butter, honey, baking soda, and gelatin as an egg replacer.
Ella enjoying her nut butter brownies! Can't you hear her? She is saying "Cheessseee!"

A delicious new favorite snack...carrot chips! Slice the carrots and cook in canola oil, crunchy with a salty sweet taste...yummy! Butternut squash chips, another new favorite snack. Just peel and thinly slice the neck of a butternut squash, toss in canola oil, lightly salt with kosher salt, bake until crispy!

Haiden and Ella enjoying their butternut squash chips aka "french fry chips"

Haiden watching football and eating "french fry chips".

Oh What A Week

So we have almost made it through the week on the SCD! It has been a tough week but well worth it. Haiden is doing much better and hasn't had any die off symptoms since Thursday. He was pretty sick the first few days but is starting to feel better. Ella is still having die off symptoms but they aren't as severe as they were in the beginning of the week. We are doing Epsom salt baths every other day to help with the detox.
I've been spending the majority of my time in the kitchen since I make everything from scratch. It is time consuming but I also enjoy knowing that my kids are eating so healthy and healing their guts! They are trying new foods too. I've been making butternut squash chips and almond butter brownies. Today I made almond butter caramel and fruit leather. I've been using unflavored gelatin as an egg replacer and it works great! I wish I would of taken pictures to post but I'll have to do that with the next batch. Here is the link to some yummy new SCD recipes that are allowed in the beginning of the diet,http://www.pecanbread.com/new/recipes.html.
I haven't noticed any major behavior changes in the kids yet. Ella's belly is about a third of the size it was. I weighed her yesterday and she still weighs 30lbs so her belly has just been bloated for so long...poor baby girl. Before the diet I could put Ella in a 2T shirt in the morning and by evening her belly was hanging out. She has been wearing 2T shirts the past 3 days and her belly isn't hanging out anymore!
As for me, I am feeling so much better! I'm back to my pre Ella weight and Brian has lost weight too, woo hoo! The diet isn't meant for weight loss but it has done wonders for us :).
Our little Mason man has been hitting some new milestones. He is babbling like crazy, trying to get up on all 4 legs, and sitting up by himself for short periods of time!
As we start 2010 I look back at how blessed I have been. Even though there have been bumps in the road I consider my life to be PERFECT! I am blessed with the most amazing husband and three wonderful children. My friends and family are amazing and even though I miss not getting to see everyone everyday they are always in my heart. I love my life and hope 2010 is as amazing as 2009! God Bless and Happy New Year!