Liam's first day of Preschool!

Ready to go to school with his lunch box and change of clothes

Today was Liam's first day of preschool! We have waited a long time for this day! Because of Liam's health we were not able to put him in any activities that had lots of kids. From as early as 6 weeks old Liam has caught every cold his sister was exposed to and caught things all on his own with very little exposure to the world. His little immune system as many of you know just could not shake your typical cold/virus. When he was 2 1/2 he got the go ahead to start preschool or be in mommy and me groups. We tried it and he that is when he came down with Ulcerative Colitis. A year later and now we have the go ahead once again. I searched and searched for the right preschool for him. I thought at first a co-op. I had my daughter Savannah at one and loved it, but the political side of a co-op as well as the time, and fundraising just would not work. I called about three preschools with low ratios and they all seemed great until I told them about Liam. I would begin to explain that he has U.C. and as soon as they realized he had dietary restrictions and would have "flares" they said that they may not be the best fit for him. A bit discouraged and sad I decided to call one more place. I was familiar with Innovative Preschool from college. Innovative is a  unique, fully blended inclusive preschool for children with and without special needs. When I called them they said it would be not problem accepting Liam  and they would support his diet restrictions and if he had a "flare" they would allow him to still come to school. He was put at #66 on the waiting list. I was at first a little worried it would be forever before he was able to attend. But I thought "if this is the place for him, it will happen when its meant to." Within 3 weeks I got the phone call that he was accepted. Wahoo! Now time to prepare him. Of course I thought I need to start telling him about preschool to give him time to process it. We took a tour of his room (turtle room) and met his teacher. We played for a good hour and he was all ready to start. Unfortunately for him he had to wait 6 weeks. So for 6 long weeks Liam asked every day "today I go to preschool?" Last week we went shopping for his very first lunch box. Four stores later and he settled on Scooby Doo. Last Thursday Liam came down with his first virus since his tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy. He had a 6 week run with no colds, which was awesome. Around 9:30 pm Liam came down with croup. I am used to croup, but was worried he would not be well enough for his first day of school. Typical Liam before surgery would not have been. I am super excited for him, because his body fought this virus better than it ever has. He still has a little wet cough, but overall is ready to start school. 


Well last night we told him "Liam you get to go to preschool tomorrow." He said "Yay" and then said "You go with me to preschool, come back one minute or I be sad and cry." I said "I will drop you off and will pick you up a little later." He replied with "I do not go to preschool". For the past 6 weeks he has said with enthusiasm "I go to preschool you drop me off and pick me up later". I was a little worried as any mom would be. 


This morning he had a big break down and refused to get dressed. After 20 minutes he snapped out of it and helped pack his lunch. We packed a gluten free peanut butter and jelly sandwich, banana, cherry tomatoes, mandarins and a fruit leather. He was very excited to go, which made me happy. 


When we arrived, Mike was there waiting for us. Liam was super excited to see daddy and show him Sheldon the turtle. We signed him in, showed him his cubby and found his buddy Malia. He gave her a big hug then said goodbye to us.  I started to walk off and he grabbed my dress. I thought to myself okay this is when he is going to cry. But instead I told him I would be back very soon and lets find something for you to do.  I showed him the play dough and he sat down and started playing.

Liam with his friend Malia!

Savannah and I got to go to the park, out for smoothies and to the grocery store. It was fun just spending time with just her. I enjoyed her stories with no interruption from Liam. We both agreed that is was weird not having him around. 


When we picked Liam up he was super excited to see us. He got his shoes on faster than I had ever seen and grabbed my hand to leave.  He told me" I play with play dough then I cry. I draw pictures....I cry...I eat lunch...I cry." I asked you want to go back? He said" NO". I told him he has to go back. He said "Okay". I think overall he had fun and it will be good for him. I am so thrilled I found a place, where he can socialize, learn and grow. It gives me peace of mind knowing he will be accepted and I don't have to worry about what he eats or when he has a flare up. 

Gluten Free and Dairy Free Pizza

My parents are in town visiting and my dad had a craving for some greasy pizza from a local pizza joint called Woodstock's. Liam is used to eating gluten free pizza without the cheese. As a family we have made the switch to gluten free crust along with everything gluten free, but Mike, Savannah and I had been eating some dairy. After meeting with his GI specialist two weeks ago we are all now dairy free.  Tonight was the first night Savannah and I tried our first dairy free pizza. I have to admit both she and I were not super excited about it. We both love our pizza and especially the cheese. I told her that we could do this together and for her to pick her favorite toppings. She wanted canadian bacon, sausage and pineapple and I wanted pepperoni, red onion, bell pepper and uncooked tomato.  I thought the more toppings on this pizza the better. Just in case it wasn't good she and I split a salad with balsamic dressing. When our gluten and dairy free pizza arrived at the table my family looked at me with positive expressions trying to show support. Liam immediately asked for his slice and Savannah and I looked at each other and tried our slices.To be honest it was pretty good. My mom, sister and dads pizzas came out with original crusts and oozing cheese. At first I was a little jealous, but then realized I was making a life change for my kiddos. My mom of course offered a slice of her pesto primavera pizza and for a split second I wanted to say yes. Instead of taking her up on her offer I joked and said "thanks mom for your support". The kids and I finished every piece and felt satisfied. The best part of eating the pizza was neither of us felt sick to our stomachs or over stuffed. We felt really good and satisfied. Savannah said "the pizza was yummy" when we were leaving, while Liam in the car said " Mama I love that pizza". So all in all I consider tonight to be a successful one!

Liam Doctor Update

Hi everyone, hope you had a great Fourth of July. We had a great time down in Folsom with Mikes family. July 3rd we went to a festival in El Dorado Hills listening to music, eating yummy food and watching a wonderful firework show. The kids enjoyed decorating their bikes on the 4th and riding behind a local fire truck around my sister in laws neighborhood. It was 106 that day so the kids spent most of the day playing on the slip and slide or squirting each other with water guns. We BBQ that night and lit sparklers once it got dark. All in all it was a fabulous weekend.

The next day we had a follow up with Liam's GI Doctor. She was very happy with Liam's progress so far. She said on paper he looks really good. We were suppose to take him to clinic and have tests ran, but due to him just having surgery for his adenoids, tonsils and terbinates she felt we could wait. She was very impressed with the diet changes and wished more parents would do the same for their children. She believes preventative care is the best. Her hope for Liam is to one day live a normal life where prebiotics and probiotics as well as healthy eating is what ultimately keeps him flare free. He is still on what we call a roller coaster, but hopefully his surgery will allow him to get healthy and not be on as many antibiotics, thus allowing good flora to build up in his gut.

She stressed to us that we need to be really strict on sugar intake. We allowed him to have a snow cone July 3rd and it gave him a horrible headache, tummy ache and diarrhea. I knew better than to give it to him, but wanted him to have fun with his sister and cousins. Lesson learned and we will have to be more careful. The next step is that we have a follow up appointment in November unless Liam has a flare up. At that appointment we will schedule another scope and blood work. I am not looking forward to prepping him for that scope, but we will cross that bridge when we get there.

On a side note something that Mike and I had never thought about was Savannah. We were talking with Dr. Davies about the diet change and I brought up how Savannah has given the coconut milk a really good try. I expressed to her that I wanted to switch her to raw milk. We made the switch to raw cheese and was thinking of putting her on raw milk too. She strongly suggested against the raw milk. She had just treated a child who got very very ill from raw milk. She advised us to take Savannah off all milk products like Liam. Dr. Davies is a huge believer that Cows milk is for "baby cows" only. She strongly believes the milk made here in the US has lead to the increase in allergies and that it leads to so many health issues and cancer.  I agree with her on many levels, thus why I was looking into raw milk. Her concern is that since Savannah has tested positive for a slight milk allergy, then we should not mess with it. She essentially said that Savannah has the same genetic makeup as Liam and although she is not showing signs of UC, and may never, why take the chance? UC is usually diagnosed at the ages of 15-35 and they still don't have concrete evidence as to why and how people get it. Many researchers and doctors think its genetic as well as environmental and the food we eat. Liam is a rare case being diagnosed at 2, but why would we take the chance when it comes to our daughter? Mike and I had never thought about Savannah possibly coming down with this. What if I did allow her to eat certain stuff that we know causes Liam to have a flare up and she showed signs of UC at 15 years old. I do not think I could forgive myself. Preventive medicine I think is so important. Through all of my continued research why would I allow my daughter to drink milk that has been highly processed. I was giving her organic milk, but it is still highly processed. So now all of us will be dairy free. We need to lead by example and so no more cheating for Mike and I. I sure am going to miss gelato and pizza! If anyone has any good pizza recipes that is gluten and dairy free please let me know. I will be experimenting very quickly in my kitchen to come up with a yummy recipe. I will share if I succeed!

Lemon Bars - GF, DF and Refined SF

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For the crust:
1  cup  sorghum flour
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon palm sugar, in a pinch you can use brown sugar, but then that makes them have some refined sugar in them


For the lemon filling
4 organic eggs
1/2 cup plus 1/4 teaspoon agave
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
Zest of whole lemon
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice I like to put some of the pulp in it too
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut finely shredded


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with think layer of coconut oil.
Put the sorghum flour, sunflower seeds, and xanthan gum a food processor and process until the sunflower seeds are finely chopped.  Add the coconut oil and palm sugar and pulse until the mixture is a crumbly meal.  Press the mixture into the prepared baking pan.  Bake for 8 – 10 minutes, until the crust is lightly golden brown.
While the crust is baking, prepare the filling.  Put the eggs in a blender and pulse several times until the yolks are broken.  Add the agave, vanilla,  arrowroot, lemon zest, lemon juice, and coconut milk .  Pulse several times until thoroughly combined.   Pour the lemon mixture over the hot crust then sprinkle the shredded coconut evenly over the top.
Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until the center of the lemon bars are set.  Let cool and put in refrigerator. When ready to serve cut up into squares and sprinkle more shredded coconut on top to make pretty. Enjoy!


This recipe is from Amy Green at simply and sugar and gluten free

10 foods to avoid with UC, Crohns, IBS

Below is information I found searching the web today. A lot of the stuff I do for Liam is in this article. I have added the link for the article at the bottom of the page if you want to read the whole thing. I just copied the main points. Check it out!

Ten foods to avoid if you have ulcerative colitis:

Caffeine

Caffeine not only draws water out of our system, contributing to dehydration, but it also triggers bowel movements.  If you have ulcerative colitis or any other type of IBD, then caffeinated teas, coffee, and chocolate could wreak havoc on your digestive system, in addition to robbing your body of much-needed fluids.  Try some healthful alternatives, such as comforting herbal tea and carob chip cookies

Bubbly Beverages

Carbonated drinks are refreshing, but they are full of tiny air bubbles.  Swallowing excess amounts of air causes flatulence and irritates the stomach linings of chronic colitis patients.  If you cannot resist the lure of an icy cola on a hot day, then sip slowly.  Nix the straw, as it will only make you swallow even more air.

Alcohol

Alcoholic beverages act as stimulants, and may aggravate the intestines.  However, not all alcoholic drinks are cut from the same cloth, so to speak.  White wines go down easier than red wines.  Avoid beer and mixed drinks that often cause diarrhea. 

Milk Products

Contrary to popular belief, there is no direct correlation between lactose intolerance and IBD, though individuals with irritable bowels might have a slight sensitivity to milk sugar.  If you have colitis, then your best option is to cut back on dairy whenever possible.  A pat of butter on some low-fiber toast or a bit of milk in your coffee is okay, but don’t get into the habit of drinking large amounts of cow’s milk. Try Coconut Milk for an alternative or Rice milk. 

Beans

Unless your body is accustomed to digesting beans and legumes, then you should proceed with caution.  For many of us, beans such as garbanzos and pintos are difficult to digest and cause uncomfortable bloating and gas.  That doesn’t mean you should cross three-bean salad or minestrone off your list, though.  Beans are rich in protein and vitamin B12.  Some methods of cooking beans produce less gas, and chewing thoroughly helps to aid digestion.  If you buy canned beans, rinse well to remove sugars, and experiment with pureed bean recipes, such as hummus or low-fat bean dip.

Stringy Veggies

Some vegetables are hard for IBD patients to absorb, and fibrous veggies such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, onions, and celery are high on that list.  Focus on the have’s instead of the have-not’s.  You can have delicious, vegetarian side dishes without the accompanying tummy aches.  Some yummy green-light veggies include roasted cauliflower, carrot pennies, and baked potatoes.

Seeds, Skins, and Pellets

Certain foods irritate the lining of the intestines as they shove their way through our digestive system.  These include:

• Fruit seeds, such as those found in strawberries, figs, and melon
• Sunflower or pumpkin seeds
• Dried fruits
• Fruit skins, such as cranberries, blueberries and persimmon
• Spongy pithy foods, such as mushrooms, citrus rinds, and orange marmalade
• Fruity pellets, such as corn and pomegranate

Fatty Foods

Oil is not absorbed well in colitis patients, so avoid high-fat meals and condiments.  These include:

• Rich sauces, such as Alfredo sauce and other cheesy toppings
• French fries, and other fried foods
• Fatty meats, such as steaks, ribs and hot dogs
• Condiments such as mayonnaise, melted butter, and rich salad dressings

Nuts

Small nut pieces are hard for the body to digest completely, and may irritate the stomach.  Colitis patients should avoid treats containing roasted peanuts, cashews, or raw almonds.  Ground nuts and seeds are fine, though.  Small amounts of creamy peanut butter, all-natural almond butter, or tahini are great sources of healthy fats.

Whole Herbs and Spices

If you suffer from Inflammatory Bowel Disorder, that doesn’t mean that you have to suffer from a diet of bland, tasteless foods as well.  Take advantage of the many pungent, sweet, and tangy herbs and spices that are available, but remember to grind them well.  If you buy dried seasonings, make sure that seedy spices such as cumin, pepper, and nutmeg have been ground to a fine meal.  Chop up fresh herbs, such as dill, basil, and rosemary, into small pieces before adding them to casseroles, roasts, or sauces.

This information was found at this link: http://www.b12patch.com/blog/crohns-disease/ten-foods-to-avoid-if-you-have-inflammatory-bowel-disorder/

Fun Kid Lunch!

So today I asked the kids what they wanted for lunch. Both could not give me an answer, so I said" how about hot dogs?" Both were not thrilled but said "okay". I had not been to the store in a week so pickings were slim. I tried to come up with something fun. I found some sticks and made hot dogs on a stick. Who would have thought they would be such a hit! They devoured them as if they had never had them before. I think this will be a new favorite in our household.

I took 4 nitrate free beef hot dogs from Trader Joe's and boiled them on the stove. Then I heated up the George Foreman Grill up while breaking kabob sticks. Then I stuck the sticks in the hot dogs and grilled them for 2-3 minutes. Put whatever condiment they like on the plate with some fresh fruit and you have an easy fun lunch!

Food Liam Eats Part 1

Fruits and Vegetables:

Organic is a biggie in my household. I use to stick to the dirty dozen foods when I had to be on a budget. These foods should only be bought organic. These can be found here: http://www.walletpop.com/2011/02/24/the-dirty-dozen-produce-exposed-to-the-most-pesticides/. The clean 15 have the least amount of pesticides if you want to save money and can be found here: http://www.walletpop.com/2011/02/25/the-clean-15-foods-you-dont-need-to-buy-organic/. Now I just buy everything organic to play it safe. I just want Liam to have the least amount of chemicals in his little body. Places I tend to shop are, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods or our local farmers market. I have researched it and now know which places have the cheapest organic fruits and vegetables. 

Fruits are easy for Liam to digest. He can eat just about everything. I limit his apple intake and always take the skin off. Grapes and watermelon are two other fruits I give sparingly. I try to give him mostly fresh fruit. However I do buy frozen fruit for smoothies. Liam usually has a smoothie everyday either with breakfast or as a snack. I also buy canned fruits for days that we are traveling. I do not do it often because you can't buy organic canned fruit. I also only buy them when they are packed in juice. They can be hard to find sometimes. Most canned fruits are packed in syrup. Below is a list of fruits that we eat in our house are:

• Bananas
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Raspberries
• Avocado
• Oranges
• Kiwis
• Mango
• Pineapple
• Mandarin's
• Peaches (skin off)
• Nectarines
• Watermelon (sparingly)
  
• Grapes (sparingly)
  
• Apples (skin off and one a day)

Vegetables are a little tougher for Liam to eat, especially raw ones. I try to not give him much raw vegetables, due to it being "roughage". Roughage can be hard on his gut to digest and so if he does eat veggies most are cooked. Lettuce is one vegetable I do not give Liam at all. I will give him cooked spinach, but raw leafy lettuce is not very good cooked, so I just avoid giving it to him. As you read you may also be surprised that I don't have potatoes or corn on the list. Potatoes and corn are high in fiber, which I try to keep Liam away from. They are high in carbohydrates which  breaks down into sugar. Sugar is hard on a gut, especially a UC gut. As you learn more of how I feed him you will find that I don't feed him a lot of carbohydrates or sugar. But I will go into more detail in the sugar post.  Because, we are talking about fruits and vegetables I will only explain that fruits and vegetables are actually simple carbohydrates -still composed of basic sugars, although they are drastically different from other foods in the category, like cookies and cakes. The fiber in fruits and vegetables changes the way that the body processes their sugars and slows down their digestion, making them a bit more like complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are considered the "good" carbs. Below is a list of the raw vegetables that he can eat are:

• Tomatoes ( he loves cherry the best)
• Cucumbers (skin off)

When I give Liam cooked vegetables I usually steam, stir fry, roast or BBQ them. I will post some yummy recipes in a couple of days. Check out my list below.

• Asparagus
• Green Beans
• Carrots
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Cauliflower
• Broccoli (small amounts)
• Sweet Potatoes
• Red Bell Pepper
• Green Bell Pepper 
• Orange Bell Pepper
• Yellow Bell Pepper
• Zucchini
• Yellow squash
• Collard Greens
• Spinach
• Cabbage 
• Bok Choy 

I hope this helps some of you. If you have any questions or ideas please feel free to comment. I would love to chat about this.