Upon reflection yesterday....

Kaden is still acting like a terrible two year old (he is almost 18months)! We went on a grocery store tour yesterday and I was on my toes, running after him the entire time. By the end of the trip I was exhausted, annoyed, and ready to put Kaden down for a nap.

I finally got a few minutes to myself and started thinking about his behavior and how it's driving me crazy these days! Then a thought came to me. I'm happy he can run from me. I'm glad he can be mischievous and can find a way into anything. I'm glad he can talk back to express his feelings. With Kaden's disorder, I could be dealing with many more complications. He could be delayed, have vision or heart problems just to name a few. But, I'm blessed to say he body is responding very well to his diet and vitamins. I'm blessed to have a child that is developing normally and amazing his doctor along the way. He may not be "medically" perfectly healthy, but he is perfect in my eyes.

Some moms would do anything to have their child respond to them or their surrounding world. Some moms will never hear I love you, or get a hug from their child, and both my sons are able to. What more can I ask for? So, I decided I need to buck up, stop complaining and try to enjoy this stage since I'm luck enough to experience it with my son.

Bridgett

Just one of those days!

I created this blog as a therapeutic outlet for when I have days like today. I think, if pushed, I could of easily put my kids in daycare today and gone to work! (or out to lunch and shopping) Kaden is only 18 months but is seriously acting like a terrible 2 yr old! He now talks back (says no no to me with a pointed finger) and bites when he is frustrated and can't get his way. He has stopped listening to me all together and lives to the beat of his own drum.

Thanks goodness, I had a play date with good friends to calm down and vent. Nothing better then venting to another mom about your troubles and hearing that they have the same struggles! I love being a stay at home mom but some days I question it. I think stay at home moms should at least get a "Good Job" certificate every once in awhile for some validation.

This afternoon I'm going to create a count down until BOTH the boys are in school!!

Bridgett

What is MET??

I noticed that I use the term "MET value" a lot in my blog but don't really explain what that is. MET is short for methionine, which is an amino acid building block for protein. I know I talk about Kaden not processing protein but its really methionine he can't process. I count Kaden's daily methionine intake since its more accurate then just counting grams of protein. Each gram of protein is roughly 15-20 miligrams of MET and that is how I decide if Kaden can eat something by looking at the protein value on the label. Calculating MET is much more difficult since you can't find amino acid values on most food labels but I do have some resources from our WONDERFUL dietican that gives the MET value for a set portion of food.

This is why I calculate MET over protein....Food labels can trick you sometimes!!
EXAMPLES....

*One yoplait "gogurt" has 2 gms of protein, so that would be 40 MET points based on my guidelines from the dietician but it has over 200MET! K's MET points can't be over 90 each day. This food is definitely not allowed but from looking at the label I would think he could have one every once in a while if he is low on his protein allowance.

*One gerber cereal bar has 1gm of protein so I would calculate 20 points for the bar. But in my resourse book its only 12 points! That give Kaden 8 extra points for the day which is an extra snack. (8 points equal a cup of fruit or 4 wheat thins for example) If I was calculating protein, I wouldn't have "extra" points left over.

Thanks for reading my food science post! Hope your not sleeping by now, but this is my life.

Bridgett

back to counting points, UGH!

We were on vacation last week and I decided to give myself and Kaden a break. I decided not to bring his food journal or calculate MET values. I made a general menu for everyday we would be gone and brought everything needed to prepare the meals I planned. It took may hours of planning, three trips to two stores, but once it was planned and packed, we had a nice relaxing vacation. I planned meals that would allow extra snacks or cheating and keep his daily value around 60 MET since he is allowed up to 90MET. I loved being able to just feed him and not have to weight and count, I premeasured everything for "grab and go" meals. I will admit we didn't stay on the meal plan at every meal, and did allow some minor cheating with french fries but nothing that would make his levels go crazy. We all had a great vacation :)

Now its back to calculations! I found imitation cream cheese yesterday thanks to a friend so I have a new food item to play with for meal ideas. (thanks Leona)
Bridgett

I have amazing Friends!! Thanks...

I'm a member in a local Mom's Club. I signed up thinking I would maybe make some friends and have some activities to go to from time to time and that's about it. Five years later, I can say that this club has given me so much more then I could imagine. I have made AMAZING and SUPPORTIVE friends that are there to help me or my family in a second. I have been able to meet other moms who are dealing with dietary restrictions as well. We sit and talk about the struggles and great food finds we have found and share tips on non traditional cooking. Even the moms who don't have to cook specialty foods give suggestions and find foods for Kaden. I feel so blessed to have friends like this. They have helped me become the super mom I am today!
Thank you Queen Creek Moms Club!!
Bridgett

Inner strength...

I will be the first one to admit I'm a cry baby and not that strong of a person, or so I thought. I was a spoiled child growing up, and now married to the most amazing man that is continuing the spoiling. After I had Mason, I was a mess and struggled with severe post partum depression. So, when I got pregnant with Kaden I was worried it would come back. How would I deal with the sleep less nights and demands of a newborn again?? Would I lie in bed a cry like I did with Mason?? Would my mom and Basil have to do everything for Kaden the first month like they did for Mason?? Thank goodness my "mommy genes" kicked it into high gear with Kaden and things went so smoothly. His delivery was great, he was a great nurser, and a champ sleeper. I was finally feeling like I had a grip on this whole motherhood thing and was feeling like a super mom with two kids. We were all clean, fed and happy, what more can you want.

After Kaden's diagnoses, my world came crashing down. I would look at my perfect baby and cry, there is nothing wrong with him, how could there be?? I would cry everytime I had to pump which was three time a day. Why can't I just nurse him, isn't breastmilk the best thing for a newborn?? What the he** is this medically altered formula I'm giving him and what the he** is it made from?? And of course my head was filled with questions of, why me? Did I do something wrong? Did I not take the right vitamins or eat something I shouldn't have?? I needed an excuse to blame myself.

Then one day, when Kaden was around 1year old, I woke up with amazing inner strength. I knew I could do this and handle this with Basil at my side. I don't want to cry anymore over this (yet I know I will from time to time, I'm a girl). I now have the strength to over come anything that gets in the way of Kaden having a normal life. I now know why Kaden was given to me, to help me find my inner strength and confidence. I'm now one of those crazy obsessive moms that will drive an hour to buy one ingredient and stay up all night cooking things for Kaden. I know I can find a way for him to eat like everyone else and will help him fit in as much as possible. I will because I'm his mom!!!

I truely know what it means to be a mom now. I can't feel sorry for myself or Kaden anymore. We are together for a reason and I'm so glad he is mine. HCU isn't him, just a part of him and I will do what ever I need to do to control it so he can be worry free and live life to the fullest.

Bridgett

Amazing Feb levels...

We got Kaden's blood levels back for the month of February and its 8, which is a normal level!! We have never had numbers this low so I'm ecstatic!!!! This is the first blood draw we have had since taking him off similac, regular baby formula, and I knew it was going to make a big difference. Kaden had great levels his first year until we put him on similac at about 9 months, and from there his numbers went haywire for a few months until we got it under control with cystadane. We'll now we are back and track. I'm smiling so big my face hurts.

Great start to the week!!!
Bridgett