Change in food, other updates

Since January - so for the past three months, V's diet has steadily changed. He still has to have a low carb diet or he won't function but I haven't been giving him his spinach goop. It all started with our being out for ten days and his growing up. He is a lot more aware of and asks for foods he knows he cannot eat. He ate salad and chicken really regularly during the travel. After coming back home, he went on this I don't want the same food and I don't blame him. So I had to figure out how to still get him his daily quota of vitamins and minerals. So I started making different variations of the chicken that he could eat and things are going well so far. The different foods he has now for lunch/dinner are as follows:
- chicken salad: chicken with a mix of lettuce, onions, carrots and cabbage
- spinach, garlic and cheese sausage
- kosher hot dog: one has to really hunt for the right kind of hot dog.
- chicken soup: I make the broth with spinach, daikon, greens as well as some spices, then add chicken to it
- plain chicken cooked in different ways - with gravy, with indian spices, with just onions, garlic.
- cheese

I also learned that lettuce is high in magnesium so it kind of makes up for him not having daikon everyday. In addition, he still has his daily quota of nuts - almonds, cashews and raisins which really helps. He still has his quota of banana (2 a day now), at least 3 glasses of milk with ovaltine and yogurt on a daily basis.

V has come a very long way with his social skills this year. He is able to play with kids, he got invited to a couple of birthday parties and he is able to carry on a sustained conversation with kids, not just adults. He continues to charm the adults which has always been a factor that hides his deficiency with regards to interacting with children.

Number sense continues to allude him. He has learned how to add, subtract, regroup and does so mechanically but he doesn't seem to have that innate number sense. Not sure when and how it will click and I will keep trying just as much as the staff in his school keep trying to work with him on the same.

V read his first big chapter book a couple of months back - Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I was extremely thrilled. If I look at how far he has come along - not knowing his letters at the beginning of kindergarten to reading a Roald Dahl in second grade - in just 2 years. That's clearly a miracle in my opinion. He is on a roll as far as reading and writing goes. He has been enjoying writing stories and I again think that this year has just been really marvellous for him - his teacher is a great match, she is accomodating, yet has him do the tasks, knowing his potential, he has been enjoying school a great deal. Things seem to be finally starting to fall in place.

Full Moon and update on nutrition

It is said that the full moon brings about several urgent care cases - I have no idea whether or not this is true, but the fact is that the full moon adversely affects V. and has been for as long as I can remember when he started with seizures. It is funny but I always know that it is approaching full moon or it is the day, not because I have seen the moon but because I have noticed V's nocturnal movements being different, that too at specific times. The moon shines really bright through our bedroom windows and blinds when it is around full moon. I haven't tried to get a sheet that would try to completely shut out the effect of the moon - maybe I should. However, when the moon does get to the phase when it is shining bright outside our window, V's kicks/jerks start. He has a disturbed sleep pattern for about an hour or two until the moon moves and then he sleeps fine. How is it that I suddenly remembered this? Well, I do think of writing about the changes with the moon, but am never at the computer when I do remember. Tonight is full moon and V's sleep has been disturbed the past two nights - call this insane if you may - I would've never believed any of this - but the pattern is loud and clear. I don't know if it is the particular nature of the moon's light that causes his anxiety or just the moon itself but it does happen.

I wanted to write about V's nutritional update for the past two months. Ever since we came back from our trip in January, he became flaky about eating his spinach goop. He did eat it for about a week but his taste buds have certainly come to life. He asks for different foods, gets a lot more upset if his dad or sister are eating something that he isn't allowed to eat and he is more demanding about his food. There are obviously pros and cons. The good thing is that even without making the goop he is doing just fine. However, he sticks to the same diet. He has breakfast foods for dinner - like sausage - which doesn't matter because it fills his stomach. He likes to eat chicken soup, he still loves salad, and he loves hot dogs. I have searched for the right sausages and hot dogs - 0 carbs and natural. He still eats his daily dose of milk, yogurt, bananas and nuts. I am happy that he eats a variety within limits and is able to hold up fine. Hoping that the same continues. I would like to see him do fine with all foods one day - I am sure the day will come.