This.  This is by far the most difficult thing we've done with Cuyler.We've made dietary changes with him before.  Going gluten and dairy free was tough. But he ate the foods that we were able to switch over to.With grain free - those fallback foods are off limits. I never before felt like I was depriving him.  I do now.I thought prepping him last week, talking about it and writing different things on the calendar would help.But it has not.Most of my time spent with him this week has been him screaming at me for the foods that he can't... More »

and dive right in.That's what we're doing starting today. I've written before about Cuyler being gluten free and casein/dairy free. I wrote last week about feeling overwhelmed with the next step.Well the next step begins today.  We begin GRAIN free. Our naturopath wants him to only eat meat, fruit and veggies. Ha!Cuyler does not eat meat. Or fruits. Or veggies.Essentially any of the carb foods he eats (and some he loves) are no longer part of his diet. These include gfcf pasta, bread, waffles, pizza, tostitos. Also included in our off-limits are potatoes.  Potato chips. French fries. This one is... More »

I did not want to put more holes in the wall (the former owners left dozens), but 3 hooks from the dollar store solved my hallway dilemma.... More »

Cuyler has a horrible habit of questioning everybody about everything. For instance he'll ask them what their mom/dad/husband/wife/brother/sister/dog's name is.Then he'll ask how old they are. What year they were born in.  In the car his pattern is asking who sings the song playing on the radio. How old they are. If they are married. EVERY SINGLE SONG.It is not cute nor is it funny. It is rather annoying.It is not one of the characteristics that make him charming. And he IS charming!Our school is very small - just over 200 kids total. I am grateful that all of the kids are... More »

Saturday evening Eva decided that Sunday morning would be the perfect time for the family to take a hike. She talked about it all night. Talked about our hike. And going on our hike and what we would do on our hike and where we would go for our hike.Suffice to say she was psyched about the hike.The whole family had to go together so we waited until Sean had picked Cam up from his sleepover the night before. We bundled up and headed out on foot to the little gem hiding behind our street. We let the little one... More »

This was flitting around my kitchen last night"Guess what I am Mommy?"Well duh!  Isn't it obvious?!?  The tutu? the umbrella? the toque? the foam sword?ya...I have no clue, either...... More »

I attend a support group meeting once a month for parents of children on the autism spectrum. We are a varied group with sons and daughters.  Younger children and adult children. There are single parents, married parents, grandparents. Such a varied group, yet we are all bound together by autism.  We all just...know.  When someone says "I get it" - they totally do.The last meeting I attended, a mother who was new to the group asked towards the end "How do I get his hair cut?  Or brush his teeth? Or clip his nails?  It's a nightmare."I got it.  Totally.  Completely.... More »

Ok moms, dads, foodies out there.We've hit the middle mark of the school year and I'm stuck in a lunch rut. I feel like I'm putting the same things in my kids lunches everyday. Time to add a little punch to their lunch.  Something different.Cuyler is kind of a given with his extremely self limited eating habits.  His lunch stays as is. He's got one rule:  NO MEALS.  Meaning snacks only. So he gets apple slices, gluten free pretzels, PC Organics Crunchy Corn cereal (think Corn Pops) or Chex cereal, gluten free lemon wafers and jelly/fruit snacks.  He gets gluten... More »

A picture of my kids playing on an iPod / iPad / iPod - taken on an iPhoneI'm not sure if is this is cute or disturbing. Maybe both? What are your rules/limits for screen time?... More »

There are very few things that bother me about winter.Running out of windshield washer fluid is annoying (and can be dangerous).Frozen van doors.Not having enough time to dry my hair in the morning.All the winter gear that my kids require.Especially when every day after school my front hallway looks like this:Here's a breakdown of what it is:Every day I give them shit a reminder to hang their jackets up, line their boots up by the front door and take their backpacks into the kitchen.And everyday the hallway looks like this.Last night I told them that if the hallway looks like this... More »