I've been thinking lately...I need a team.

I don't seem to have much time to do much these days except for keeping up with the housework and the boys. For those of you who think I must be lazy...I challenge you to come keep up with our Alex. He's like a little tazmanian devil on speed. I can never let my guard down. I walk out of a room and he instantly gets into something that he shouldn't. So...I don't get to sit down and read while he quietly plays at my feet. I can't make bread while he sits at the table and colors. You see Alex rarely sits. Even when he's watching tv he's in constant motion. I do all of my tasks with one eye and one ear on what Alex is doing. If I go to the bathroom he climbs on the kitchen counter to get into the cabinets. If I talk on the phone and forget to watch him I may find a toilet full of rolls of toilet paper. I had been putting him in his room when I needed a few minutes of privacy, but last week he got mad and threw a boot through his window. That was expensive. So...I spend most of my time chasing Alex.
At school Alex has a team. There are several teachers and aides that work with him. He is showing great progress and I was very encouraged after parent teacher conferences. But he is still very busy and has to be monitored at all times or he gets into things he shouldn't. I was feeling a bit low when I thought about it because he is doing better at school then at home. But then I realized that they get to take turns herding Alex. No one person has to watch him all the time. They can turn their backs without worry. They can take a break. That's when it hit me...
I NEED A TEAM!!

Funny Things Kids Say

Preston as he gets in the van after school: "Mom today we had gluten free apples."
Me: "Honey, I think all apples are gluten-free."
Preston: "No Mom, it means we didn't have to pay anything for them."

(smile)

Food Dyes and Additives

About 15 years ago I noticed that often if we went out to eat that I would react badly that night. For instance, if we went out to supper many times by midnight my hands would be swollen and tight, I would be extremely thirsty and sometimes my heart would even pound all night. ( a particular time where I unknowingly ate something cooked in whiskey comes to mind) So I have been aware of how food additives can affect us for quite some time. I try to avoid processed foods. Last Friday night we went to a company party with my husbands coworkers. By 10 o'clock I knew I was in trouble. My hands were swollen, I was incredibly thirsty. Even though I drank plenty of water hoping to flush it out I woke up Saturday with one of those headaches where you feel like your head is about to explode. I suspect it was nitrates or salts in the meats or potatoes that were served.
In the last couple of years we have learned that Alex is allergic to food dyes. Once we learned this and have been careful about what he eats his behavior has improved immensely. We have been able to take him off his ADHD meds and he does just great...unless someone feeds him things with food dyes. And there is the rub...it happens quite a bit. Last month he had red m&m's in sunday school. We spent the afternoon stopping him from hitting his head on the wall, throwing toys, kicking anyone who got close to him. Yesterday he had those little goldfish crackers in sunday school and we had a similar day. A friend gave him Altoids that are made with red dye #40 and he acted like he'd had speed. Food dyes are everywhere and in foods that don't even need added color. You have to read every label...I mean every label. The other day I picked up something that was white and it had dye in it. What??? Gum is another thing we have to be careful with.

I have found some vitamins that are colored with carrot and beet juice. And I recently discovered one kind of fruit roll ups that don't have food coloring. I'm glad to see some manufacturers are  trying dye free items. I hope they sell well so more are produced. Until then I'm going to have to continue to read labels.

Here are a few links about this increasing problem:
http://www.cspinet.org/new/200806022.html

http://chefwendellfowler.blogspot.com/2009/08/food-coloring-aggressive-bully-behavior.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/adhd/AN01721

http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2010/09/got-petroleum.html

Winter Blues

I have always struggled with the winter blues...some people call it seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. January and February are usually the hardest months for me because they're cold, windy and dreary. We usually have lots of days of sunshine but when the storm clouds roll in it can get dark and depressing. It took me quite a few years to figure this out. When we bought a house with huge windows on the south and I could get more sunshine I knew for sure that this was an issue with me. I felt so much better in that house. When we sold our house and were house shopping in town the need for good southern exposure was as important as any other requirement. I spend most of my time in my home, it needs to feed my body and spirit.
My sewing room on the other hand is in the basement in a room with no windows. I tend to feel claustrophobic in there and get depressed if I spend too much time down there. Someday we plan on moving the boys to the bedrooms downstairs. When we do I am planning on moving my sewing room upstairs where I can work in the sunshine.
Meanwhile we've had a few dark and dreary days. Some extra stressors have come up and I'm fighting the darkness that wants to grab hold of me. I'm tired, teary and angry all at once. And I'm not proud of myself at all. I just want to crawl into bed and stay there until spring.
So I'm taking my vitamins, drinking a bit of orange sunshine, turning on peppy music and I may even force myself to get over to the rec center and walk off some of the blues. What I really need is a fun night out chatting with friends, but that is hard to do around here because people don't seem to have time for friends. I'm determined not to give in...what do you do to fight the blues?

Preston is 7

Age 2

Age 6

Age 7

Keeping it Real

I would love to sit down and write a nice post about Preston's birthday and post some pictures but it's going to have to wait.  My to do list is growing exponentially and my bathroom is in serious need of cleaning.
So I will be back, hopefully sooner than later, and hopefully with a sense that my chores are done and I can write a bit without feeling as I'm neglecting my job.
Happy Tuesday!
Kris

Book Recommendation

My librarian suggested that I read James Patterson's book, Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas. What a good read. It was incredibly sad, and yet sweet.

I suggested to the librarian that she read Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah. She was having a hard time getting into it when I talked to her. I'm anxious to see if she's finished it yet.