It has been thirteen harrowing days since we embarked on our Paleo diet, and I think I owe an update.
Since November 30, We the Parents have not had any sugar, grain, or dairy.  Well, almost.  Our ancient ancestors had some Mexican hunter and gatherer friends- who had hunted and gathered their way north.  They weren’t actually Mexicans, of course, since Mexico hadn’t been invented yet.  But they had already mastered cheese dip, and so my ancestors made a weekly trip (some would call it a pilgrimage) to get some pre-Mexican cheese dip.  We, of course, have to keep up that tradition. It’s in our DNA.
Anyway, the past thirteen days have been great.  It has gone very well.  For the adults, we feel better.  I’ve lost 10 pounds.  I can think clearly.  I can look at a plate of cookies and just walk on by.  Remember, freedom isn’t the ability to do whatever we feel like doing.  Many an alcoholic, and sugar-holic (and, yes, Dew-aholic…there’s no freedom there for me yet) have fallen into that trap.  Freedom is the ability to not do things that cause us harm.  So I am FREE when I am not compulsively required (by the constraints of my sugar-intoxicated brain) to do certain things.  Like eat a plate of Christmas cookies just because they exist.
I have had a wonderful 13 days.  I hope to continue this.
Now for the children. After the initial anger and not getting Our Daily Ration of two bowls of Lucky Charms, the kids are fine.  Seriously, they’ll eat whatever we put in front of them. (Except one).  So their transition wasn’t too bad.  They aren’t really on the same diet as us (except one), so they get grains and a little (make that a LITTLE) sugar.  They also get lots of stuff like fruit and fresh vegetables. They are doing just fine.
Now, for the other one. How is he doing?  Well, we (the parents) have  a way of not actually trying one thing at a time.  We usually go and try 2 or 3 or 11 changes all at once, so when something helps we aren’t quite sure what was behind it.  We took him to the chiropractor, and we did the diet, and we changed medicine around.  And we have, for the first time since that day back in September 2010… a pretty normal child.  A child who plays with siblings.  A child who cries when sad.  A child who does not threaten to kill us and take out all our blood.  Everyday.
We have tried Many Things (Occupational Therapy, Medicine, Eating Special Cheese, Trying to Go to Special Preschool, Going to See the Psychiatrist, Behavior Therapy, Music Therapy…I’m sure there’s more I have forgotten). And everything has helped…um, not much. There have been certain things that have been more helpful than others, but it has been a difficult 2 years. But. For the last week, he has woken up with an alarm clock, stopped spitting at random (well, less so), responds to threat appropriately, garnered calls from school about how good things are. Really, we finally have four children, rather than 3 children and that little boy living with us. Life is different.
It isn’t perfect. Its not like the planets haven’t aligned…more… they have sort of organized themselves. But we like this a lot. We just can’t help thinking, is this real? Did I just scold Sam and Nate for roaming the room while Ben sat in his chair the entire meal? Did I just ask him to put his coat away with a response of “Yes Sir” rather than being screamed at? (Note-that’s still an exception, but up until now that-no hyperbole here- never happened.) Yeah. I like this.

That being said, I’m looking forward to the Christmas season. I get sugar at (and only AT) Christmas parties. Its the allowance I’ve given myself (apart from dew and homemade cappuccino). I’ll update again soon.