Our Life Lately

Along with new independence that Carson has gained since turning 2 has also come massive amounts of energy!  I have hardly been able to be online and I feel guilty because the only reason I am on right now is because Carson is being entertained by Thomas the train.  TV time seems to be the only time Mom gets peace and quiet.  I have limited it and I'm pretty strict about how much TV he watches, but I feel bad pushing him off to the electronic babysitter. 



I'm trying to adjust and find our healthy balance.  Mom can't work 24/7 despite what little boys think!  Although I'm feeling pretty good because Carson didn't wake up once last night...not even once.  Now, I went to bed late but even still I was able to get 7 straight hours of sleep which I haven't gotten since Carson was 4 months old.  Not sure if it will happen again anytime soon and I have no expectations.  I'm just grateful for a night to recuperation!

We have really been working on Carson's digestion.  He is still suffering from severe acid reflux and his doctor suggested an X-Ray of his internals to see if there is a kink causing problems.  I really don't want Carson to be exposed to more radiation since tiny bodies are more susceptible to it but I will if we have exhausted all other avenues.  We have been using Colic Calm, which is slightly different than regular gripe water and has claims of "curing" reflux.   I figured we would give it a shot along with a stricter diet.  It has seemed to help a bit so I am happy with that and .  I would like Carson's pain to end and for us all to be able to sleep at night! 

Eating Healthy & Organic on a Budget

 Since Josh and I have been eating healthier we had to change our shopping habits.  At first the thought of spending more money made me nervous but as time went on we realized we actually decreased our spending amount.  Spending less money on processed snacks and eating more simply has made a difference, but I also wanted to share some tips that we have learned from trial and error and some tips we have learned from the web and put into action ourselves.

1. Buy organic chicken whole.  I rarely just buy the breasts anymore.  I buy the whole chicken, which is much, much cheaper.  I usually boil it or slow roast it in the oven then get every piece of meat I can off that little chicken.  Then I use it for meals throughout the week.  It's great for casseroles, soups, stews, salads, quick stir fries, you name it.  The possibilities are endless.  Then I just keep a couple breasts and thighs handy for when raw meat is really necessary.

2.  We rarely buy beef. We have cut down on our beef consumption and it has saved us a boat load of money.  We have steaks once a month.  I also buy the organic ground bison from Costco.  It has three convenient packages of 1lb of meat each.  That lasts us the whole month. Ground Turkey is another great option.

3.  Eat at least 2-3 vegetarian meals a week.  Beans and rice, whole wheat pasta dishes, even stir fries can be done without meat. Beans are a great option because they are cheap, healthy, and filling.  A bean and veggie soup can be very yummy.

3.  I buy fruit that is on sale.  If I can't find quality organic fruit or we are a little tight that week, I buy regular fruit on sale and use the fruit & vegetable wash pictured above.  It gets rid of the majority of pesticides, at least on the outside.  It also helps remove that wax coating on fruits like apples and grapes. 

4.  Don't go down the aisles!  Shop around the outside of the store.  That is where your main necessities are.  We usually buy two snack items. A box of crackers and a bag of as healthy of chips as we can find (usually rice chips), but Josh does love those Tim's Cascade Potato Chips.  We read the ingredients and if we can't pronounce them all, we put it back.  Our usual snacks are hard boiled eggs, dried fruit, fruit, veggies, and hummus and pita bread.  We try to stick to the basics.

5. Don't forget those leftovers!  Leftovers can be great lunches or transformed into something else to make another delicious dinner.

6.  Go local.  We found a farm where we can pick our own fresh produce and it is much cheaper than the grocery store.  It is work to get out there and pick the items, but it's worth it.  If you can't do that, check out a local farmer's market.  They are getting pretty popular and my guess is you should be able to find one close to where you are. Another option is finding a local company or farm who distributes CSA (community supported agriculture) boxes.  Which are boxes of mostly local seasonal produce.  You can plan your meals around what comes in the box.  This is great for those of you who don't have time to frequently shop for fresh produce.

7.  Frozen veggies are another good option.  They pack just as many nutrients and you can get more bang for your buck.

8.  Last, but not least...buy your pantry items in bulk.  If you can't afford a Costco membership check out the Cash & Carry stores or URM.

Feeding My Family

With my new commitment to healthy eating, I have made family meals my mission.  At first it started out as a chore that I had to do and now I'm overflowing with a desire to fill our bodies with nourishing food.   Through this process, I have found the joy of cooking.  The actual joy, not the cookbook.  I've been experimenting with flavors, baking my own bread, and loading our plates with veggies.  This joy comes in part from the creation of new and interesting dishes, but mostly because I am feeding love to my family.  It feels good to take care of them.  To care for the health of their body and mind.  Hopefully this is just the first step to a long-term love relationship with cooking.

I have also relaxed a bit as to what we eat at each meal.  As long as the majority of each meal is healthy, I am satisfied.  I am satisfied because I have realized through this process that it is also important to feed the soul.  Maybe it's the Italian in me?  Whatever it is, it's important to enjoy the food we eat and be able to sit around the dinner table together saying "mmm, this is good."  I've been loving that too. 

Josh and I also made a new rule of eating out on Sundays only and that doesn't mean every Sunday.  Even just once a week is more than what was the norm back in the day.  We also found a little treasure called Strawberry Hills Farm at Greenbluff where we can get organic, fresh produce that we pick ourselves.  That alone has encouraged us to eat better.  When you're out in the garden picking those fresh vegetables, it just makes you feel healthier.  It's like you're soaking up the nutrients through osmosis.

I have also become a little more relaxed about our diet because I found something interesting the other day.  As I was filing some paperwork that had piled up on our desk, I found the ER report from my hospital visit with our third baby.  They did some detailed blood work as well as a detailed urine analysis.   By the time the miscarriage happened, I had been slacking a little in regards to what I ate. When I started doing research on balancing my hormones naturally and ran across how pH can effect hormone levels, I felt maybe I was too acidic and that was causing my lack of progesterone.   Well, while looking at my ER report, I saw my pH levels listed.  Wow, why didn't I see this before?   Guess, what!?  I couldn't have had a better pH balance.  I was perfectly alkaline and that was after eating some chocolate the night before.   So this quest for a more alkaline pH level was pretty much unnecessary because I already was.  That doesn't mean it can't become unbalanced though.  However, I am thankful for the path I took because it really has renewed my commitment to healthy eating and has stirred a passion in me to not only cook but also to create delicious meals.  

Toddler Snacks

Carson has gotten to the age where snacks are crucial.  Not just to fill the tummy, but also for a time to just collect himself.  I find that when he is out of control, it's usually when he's hungry.  I've had to adjust his snacking to more age appropriate foods so I thought I'd share.

YoKids Organic Yogurt Squeezers  (I freeze them and cut them in half so he only has a half at a time)
Hard Boiled Eggs
Pretzels with a side of cream cheese for dipping
Fruit by itself or with some plain yogurt for dipping
Rice Chips & Salsa
Rice Cakes, sometimes with Peanut Butter on it
1/2 Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich
Small bits of organic walnuts (I break them up and give only a little at a time to prevent any potential for choking)

All these snacks are easy.  I try to give him a more protein based snack in the afternoons after he has run around and worn himself out all day long.  It tends to keep his mood stable and gets him through the rest of the day.  These snacks are also low in sugar and prevent any sort of sugar rush.  Carson is also really into dipping things right now so I also try to provide fun snacks in which he can do so.

Carson's snacks have become more of a priority and I have seen a definite change in his behavior since changing the amount and type of snacks he receives.  Plus they are good snacks for me to join in on as well! 

Carrie, Haven't you learned?

This is what I was saying to myself after drinking a latte with regular milk this morning as I sauntered off to the bathroom...again.  How did I never notice this before?  I thought only Carson was lactose intolerant and through his diet, I learned I'm the one that started it.   I used to think I had something serious like IBS or Celiacs Disease.   Yet the entire time it was one simple culprit, dairy.  I've been taking thyroid medication and found out that apparently soy can interact with it's effects.  So I can no longer drink soy lattes and there is only one coffee shop that has rice milk and you have to go in to get it.  That's not easy to do when you're running late.  Josh and I were heading to our last day of class this morning, I was exhausted as usual, so I said what the heck milk once in awhile is fine, right?  I just got what I used to get, a 12oz vanilla latte.  Never again.  I think I finally got the message today.  It's not worth the pain.  I made up my mind during the process that if I want to continue to enjoy lattes, I will need to invest in an espresso machine and make them at home.  Which would save us financially and me physically. 

Meal Planning

Ah...it feels so good to have food in the house!  Went grocery shopping today and filled the fridge.  It was a little stressful because of the insane wind going on today.  My mother-in-law came with and she bought Carson an adorable lady bug balloon which I thought I had properly secured in the car but shortly after I "secured" it in the car, it got attacked by the wind and flew off so fast there was no hope of catching it.  I actually watched it go over buildings and it had a small weight attached to it.  I'm really hoping it didn't hit anything or head to the freeway and obstruct traffic.

In the last couple weeks I have changed my routine quite a bit.  I now sit down every Sunday and create a menu plan for the week and write up a grocery list of everything we need including snacks.  It takes about an hour to plan it out.  Then Monday morning I head to the grocery store for all my supplies.  It has almost completely cut fast-food out of our lives.  I also started cooking more crock-pot meals.  This week will actually consist of all crock-pot meals. 

One of my wonderful sisters inspired me to start doing this.  I went and picked up a slow-cooker recipe book and immediately fell in love with over half the recipes!  It contains 400.  I used to only have a few crock-pot meals in my repertoire so now variety won't be an issue at all.  We'll still get to eat tasty, diverse foods.   It solves the dilemma of running out of energy close to dinner time.  I've already had a long day by then and what's nice is that dinner will already be done and waiting for me.  Sweetness!  Plus the recipes make so much food that we can eat the leftovers all weekend or freeze the extras. 

It will also be nice for when we are officially moved into the Adult Family Home because then I can just get most of the cooking out of the way first thing in the morning.  Pretty soon I will no longer be cooking dinner for just my little family, I have to add four more people into the mix.  Which I'm looking forward to!  I love cooking for others.  Not sure if our elderly residents will enjoy my cooking but hey, we'll give it a shot.  There is no way I want to cook two separate dinners.  That job is already exhausting as it is.   I'm pretty sure most of my meals are denture friendly as well.   I've learned that dentures are something you take into consideration when making dinner for the elderly.  I was heating up tomato soup for their dinner once and I thought plain tomato soup is so boring so I'll spice it up a bit and saute some mushrooms and onions and garlic and add it to the soup.  They scarfed the soup, but as I was picking up the plates I noticed that all the mushrooms had been meticulously spit out on their plates into neat little piles.  Yummy!  I now put more thought into what they can and can't eat. 

Tonight we are having Tangy Chicken and New Potatoes with homemade bread.  Can't wait!!!!  T-minus 59 mins...

Caffeine Withdrawal

I just finished snuggling my baby boy to sleep and laid him down in our bed.  It felt good cuddling him.  No matter how long it takes me to get him to go to sleep I love the peace that comes when I watch him sleeping in my arms.  It always amazes me how fast the frustrations from the day fades away.

Tonight, however, I was able to get him down for sleep by 8pm, which is technically his bed time, but it doesn't always work out like we plan.  Since I am soooo exhausted today, it was a blessing.

I boycotted coffee this morning.  It was a spontaneous decision and my day went rather well despite the fact that I am fully addicted to caffeine.  I drank some green tea this morning to help combat the withdrawal headache and it did dull it some, but not completely.  It felt good to take this step because I have been wanting to for a long time now.  During Carson's pregnancy I stopped caffeine cold turkey and didn't pick it up again until he was about 6 months old and quickly became addicted to the effects like I had never had a break from it at all.

Well, this morning I realized that yesterday I had used my last packet of Starbucks Via and I just didn't feel like brewing a cup. Then I decided that by golly, I'm just going to be done with coffee all together.  I like the way I feel in the morning after a cup of joe, I'm ready to attack my day.  The downside is that I hate needing it to get started and then I especially hate the crash a few hours later.  I also hate to be addicted to something.

I know this is going to be healthier for me and any future pregnancy but I'm already dreading another morning without it.  Thankfully this should only last for a few days and hopefully I'll remember exactly how I feel now if I ever want to start drinking coffee again.

Trusting your instincts as a mother (example involving circumcision)

Recently Josh and I were discussing a parenting issue that many have to face with their baby boys and that’s circumcision. This has been on my heart a lot lately because if I were to get pregnant again, I would love another little boy, yet the thought of dealing with the circumcision issue was stressing me out.   For many reasons, I regret choosing circumcision for Carson.  This is my mental process on the issue:  God says he formed us in the womb (Psalm 139:13: “For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb).  If this is true, then why did He form little boys with foreskins?  This one really gnaws at me.  Secondly, I had found out that the foreskin is rich in nerve endings and an extremely sensitive part of the penis.  Then why are we cutting it off?  Is it because the Old Testament says so?  Circumcision was a physical covenant between Abraham and his decedents.  During that time, if you wanted to be a follower of God, it was something you had to do, but once Christ came and became the ultimate sacrifice and died for our sins, we were no longer bound by the law in order to receive Salvation. So therefore it is my belief that it is not required of us as Christians.  Is it done for medical reasons and hygiene?  My husband’s grandpa had a circumcision at 80 years of age.  We took this into consideration.  Although, women suffer from infections all the time and yet we don’t cut off any of our baby girl’s parts to prevent them.   Most infections boil down to lifestyle and how that person cares for themselves.  How much sugar do they eat?  Studies have also shown in the last few years that after the first year of life, circumcision only prevents about 1% of infections of which most can be treated with antibiotics unless recurrent and severe. It may have other health benefits, but are they enough to warrant a routine surgery? Is it to be like Daddy?  I think that plays a big role in the decision.  When Josh and I were discussing the issue, he admitted a concern of his was one of his sons being different from him and now his older brother, Carson.  It also brought up the issue of will he be teased for being different?  Still, are those big enough reasons to warrant an unnecessary procedure, especially since circumcision numbers are going down so drastically?  Also, why would I choose a natural birth free of interventions and then have an unnecessary intervention done for my baby boy just a short time later? It just doesn’t make sense to me.  As I was talking this out with Josh, we decided it is done because of cultural influence.  It is a medical fad probably very similar to routine tonsillectomy.  (Although this has to do with a much more intimate part.)  Regardless of all these facts, Josh and I both know the biggest reason that has shaped my opinion is that Carson had complications from his circumcision.  Thankfully it seems like everything is okay, but only time will tell if there are any long-term effects.

I’ve done a lot of mental head slaps since Carson’s surgery because (and I’m getting to my point finally)   I had this nagging feeling deep in my gut that circumcision wasn’t the right decision for him.  That it was a bad idea.  At the time, I had no facts to back up my intuition and was responded to with statistics on how safe it was.  Yet I kept feeling uneasy about it.  After his circumcision, I knew why.  Hence the mental head slap.  While I was holding my inconsolable screaming two-week old, I silently kept thinking, why didn’t I listen to that feeling?  I cried buckets of tears as I helped hold him down while the doctor tried to fix the issue which then had to be fixed again days later causing even more pain physically and emotionally.  Mostly, my tears came from the fact that even though others assured me that this was the best decision, I, as his mother, knew better for him.

While Josh and I were discussing what our decision would be if we were to have another boy, he mentioned that my mothering instincts are abnormally strong and through our laughter he explained that’s a good thing.  He values my opinion more highly because he knows my opinion is coming from the desire to do the best thing for our child and future children.  Therefore, he left the decision up to me and will support whichever way I choose.  I really appreciated that.  Why hadn’t I sat Josh down and had this conversation BEFORE Carson was circumcised?  Why did I keep quiet about my true gut instinct on the issue?  Josh would have listened, I am blessed with a wonderful husband who respects me.  The answer is because I was not yet secure in my place as a mother.  I trusted other opinions over my very own.  Becoming secure in my instincts as a mother has been a building process.  My heart has been a construction site and the pieces have slowly come together.  I now consider myself a mama bear and Carson’s circumcision experience laid the cornerstone of my confidence.  

I’m sure others reading this have had similar experiences in which you didn’t trust your gut and regretted it.  Where does that “feeling” come from?  I had a conversation with my Dad recently and he shared with me that a woman’s intuition is God given and something to be honored, respected, and trusted.  I’m thankful he shared this with me because it furthered my confidence in following my own intuition.   We are empowered as caregivers.  How could we properly care for our family without this necessary tool?  What would life be like if women were emotionless robots?  It wouldn’t be a pretty picture.  So follow your instincts!  If you have a strong feeling about something, it is definitely for a reason, even if that reason is never known and above all, pray about it!

Elimination Diet Part 2

We are on to the no wheat part of our elimination diet.   Cutting out dairy was a piece of cake compared to this!  We have only been doing this since last Thursday and we have already had to resort to eating wheat a couple of times.

We ate at Subway trying to be healthy and when the Subway employee asked me what kind of bread I wanted, I froze.  Crap, I didn't think this one through.  I stood there processing options in my brain.  Could I say no bread?  No, that would be weird, what would they put all the toppings on.  Maybe there is a bread that would have less wheat, no, not really.  Okay, I'll just chose whatever and then toss the bread aside after we get ready to eat our sandwiches.  "Okay, I want honey oat."  You could tell the employee was a little peeved.

There are so many wheat alternatives like oat flour, barley flour, rice flour, and much much more.  It all requires to be made at home though.  So we've done fine in our own kitchen, it's just tough when we go out.  It has forced us to eat in more often however and that's a good thing.

We also went to dinner at a buffet with friends the other night and for some reason it was dairy and wheat night.  Almost every entree they had to choose from either had diary or wheat.  I was feeding Carson chicken and green beans but finally did give him some bites of other stuff because how bland is that!  Well, we paid for it.  Carson immediately had diarrhea and it continued through part of the next day.  I can't believe how sensitive he is.  Not just to diary and wheat, but to processed foods in general.

I am using this amazing cookbook called The Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook by Cybele Pascal.  I love it!  It's great to use even if you don't have allergies.  Most of the recipes are wholesome, healthy, and easy plus she has a section of more gourmet recipes as well.  All of her pastries and deserts are made without sugar and she uses healthier substitutes like honey.   This is going to be a cookbook that I use a lot.

With all these changes, it is still hard to tell whether it is helping Carson's nighttime sleep.  For the last three weeks he has had a stuffy nose which gets worse at night and makes it hard to breathe, which of course wakes him up.  Plus he's cutting about 5 molars right now and has for the last several weeks.  (He is such a slow teether!)  With all of that going on it's sort of clouding the results of the diet change.  I'm hoping for some positive results soon.

Going Dairy Free

Carson and I met with the Naturopath yesterday. It was really great having the expertise of a doctor with a balanced opinion. He really felt like a lot of our answers lies in a food sensitivity and sleep deprivation. My blood pressure was 90/50! Which explains a lot. We did blood work just in case, but we both felt that once we're all getting the rest we need and taking care of our diet concerns, our bodies should finally be able to heal. So today, Carson and I are starting an elimination diet. The first thing to eliminate is dairy and after three weeks if we are not 100% improved, we then cut out wheat and corn, and it continues on with all the allergenic foods until we find relief. Cutting out dairy seemed overwhelming. Especially if it was the culprit. How am I going to live without cheese or gasp, ice cream?

I did some research and wow are there a lot of healthy alternatives. It might actually be easy going dairy free in this modern culture. There is coconut milk ice cream...yum. Rice cheese, veggie cheese, and of course soy cheese. Plus there is a plethora of milk alternatives. Our nearby Yokes has hemp milk, almond milk, rice milk, coconut milk, and of course the ever popular soy. I can't consume soy products but with so many other options, it really isn't an issue.

With all these alternatives, I should be able to cook relatively the same meals as usual. We will be trying to make things with less dairy ingredients, but a burrito or hamburger is just not the same without cheese and it's nice to know I won't have to really sacrifice that.

The good news is we should be able to tell a difference in Carson within just a few days! Once he has digestion relief, we'll start to work on his nighttime sleep. I'm hoping that with fewer stomach aches at night, he'll also want to nurse less and I can then encourage him to night wean.

Also, lately I've been adding more beans to my diet and I had to report the outcome. I've discovered that beans really aren't the magical fruit (in the tooting sense). This hasn't been an issue. The wonderful thing is that my skin cleared up! I normally struggle with acne and I've had big time healing. I've taken fiber supplements before, but my body is reacting differently by getting it from the actual food. I bought a small crockpot just for cooking beans in. I cook small batches at a time and just snack on them or make a quick burrito for lunch. It's also a great food for Carson because he can easily pick them up with his little fingers and along with peas, he has a super nutritious snack. I used to also give him slices of cheese, so I'll be thinking up other little snacks that are quick and easy. I might post a list soon for others to get ideas from.

Digestion?

Josh and I were kept awake pretty much all night long because of Carson's tossing and turning, gas, and random screaming in his sleep. Finally by 6am, after a dose of gripe water, he had explosive diarrhea that required a shower. The smell alone made me want to run from our house screaming. So we decided enough is enough and it's time to take action. I'm also having health issues, so maybe we are just passing something back and forth? We have an appointment with a naturopath tomorrow to get us both checked out. Carson has had diarrhea since he was born and up until starting solids it was completely mucousy. The doctor has blown us off because he's growing fine and he doesn't seem to exhibit any issues. Really, no issues, like screaming in his sleep, continuing severe acid reflux (which he was supposed to have grown out of by 12 months), and almost constant rancid diarrhea and sulfurous burn your nose gas. Nope, he's great. I'm going on 16+ months of no sleep and it's getting to me. Considering the fact that Josh and I got into an angry yet comical pillow fight this morning after a miscommunication. I thought Josh threw a pillow at Carson out of frustration. The pillow hit him pretty hard so I grabbed a pillow myself, jumped out of bed and hit Josh back with it (don't mess with mama bear), turns out he was trying to aim for the headboard and he felt bad..oops. Next time Josh just needs to go in the next room and punch the pillow, not throw it, and then we'll take turns. Some days, like today, are worse than others, but I have a feeling there's something in Carson's body that's causing this issue and we need to figure it out. I'm following my God-given mothering instincts here. (That's a topic in and of itself and I will hopefully be posting about that soon.)

So in the meantime, we are going to be eating extremely healthy. I'm going to do research on elimination diets and start that for both Carson and I in case it's a food allergy. I did this with dairy for a couple months after Carson was born and there was no change in his stools, but just in case I'll still include it in the elimination process. I'm also going to change prayer tactics. For a long time now I've been praying that God would heal Carson and help him to sleep better because of it but now I will be praying that God reveals to us or to the doctor what is causing Carson's health issue, especially since maybe it's starting with me.