My Girls Recently

These are some things I heard Camille say recently,
"Dad!  Levi's not getting me toilet paper!"  (He had asked her to get some for him to blow his nose, and she thought she'd ask the favor in reverse, though Levi was already asleep, and Camille didn't like him ignoring her).
"I take a bath.  Actually, a shower."
And I'm thinking, did she just say 'actually'?  
Not bad for 22 months old.

She learned to climb out of her crib a month ago.  Bummer.  It's been a rough month in the sleep department (not that it was ever great), but she's done much better the last few nights, knock on wood.

We went off our diet after 1 year (in June) to pursue another healing venue (I'm shooting for the same purpose, but decided on different means).  Camille immediately took a turn for the worse.  She got a chronic diaper rash that she still has.  She has a rash on her cheeks this winter that she didn't last.  She had an immediate change in behavior - anxiety (though not as severe as Dana), and irritability. Night waking galore. She also got really constipated, something which is finally clearing up.  Jason had questioned our diet all along, but as soon as he saw Camille's changes, he said, "What happened to her!  We need to go back on the diet!"  But we couldn't.  I was doing horrible on it (besides the dark under-eye circles, which are still gone).  Camille was doing the best, and everyone well, but me, horrible. (I still nurse, so can't do her on and me off). I've been hitting this other protocol pretty hard, and am finally *I hope* seeing positive improvements in Camille.

And Dana.  Oh, my sweet little Dana.  I am so worried about her.  She has major emotional problems.  People ask me why I go through the efforts I do with food.  They must not understand what it is like to have a child with anxiety.  But most likely they must not believe anxiety has anything to do with digestion.  Who could let their child live like this?  Daily panic attacks over nothing. I keep imagining her as a 14 year old running off with a 35 year old creep, because she's so insecure about herself.  So, yes, I would do anything.  I thoroughly believe her problem lies in her digestive system.  She has chronic diarrhea, and when I can get her stools solid (by use of bentonite clay), she is calm and happy. A very obvious correlation to me.   It just takes a long time to heal a gut.  I wish it could go faster.

Gosh, this health stuff is really annoying.  I am determined to finish up a job I started, but I am so sick of it all.  The good news is this other protocol is not a diet.  We have even been out to eat a handful of times, which has been fun (though I often bring our own salad dressing, ha ha), and am choosy about what we get off the menu.  We eat all whole foods at home, still honey and fruit as our only sweeteners, still lots of butter :) But it's not so strict. (But still very strict compared to most people's standards).  I felt absolutely paranoid of everything on the other protocol.  Now I am more relaxed.  But I'm also still trying to simplify my time in the kitchen, because I actually do not have a love of cooking, by any means (I basically hate it).  I simply have an intense desire for my family to be happy and healthy.

Does trying to eat healthy make you sick?

That's what someone asked me the other day - she said it seems the people who care most about food have the most problems.  When I was pregnant with Levi, I was working in the public schools, and I ate school lunch every day.  I "cared" about nutrition enough that I bought whole wheat bread vs. white, and I tried to have a dark leafy green salad with dinner.  That was about it.  And yet Levi still came out with colic and reflux.  My  girls I ate different things, and still the same scenario.

I think having health problems leads people on a quest to find a solution.  It is no fun having a baby that cries all the time.  It is no fun not feeling good.  Actually, I was so miserable during Levi's pregnancy.   I realized if that was what chronic health problems were like I would do whatever I could to prevent them.  However, I didn't really change anything in our diets too much until he was about 8 months old. Restrictive diets can be damaging to some, and not others.  But I think all in all, if your body is healthy - if you have good bacteria, it doesn't matter what you eat.  You can eat junk, you can eat vegan, you can eat paleo, you can eat whole foods, whatever, and your body can handle it.

Just thought I'd say that in case anyone has wondered.