Sugar Bug Beat Down

Well.  It's finally happened.  We've had a good run of 10 years....but the sugar bugs finally got the best of Nicholas.  Sugar bugs are not cool.


What are sugar bugs you ask?  Sugar bugs are those little things that exist in all our mouths that try and eat the enamel on our teeth and form cavities.  Nicholas fought the good fight...but now we have to call in the big guns and get them taken care of.


For most kids - this would mean a routine trip to the dentist.  For a kid on the spectrum - it typically means a trip to the hospital.  Because you know there's just no way an autistic child is going to sit there patiently while they get a needle for freezing and then the subsequent drilling (and tooth extraction).  The experience is hard enough for anyone - but for an autistic child....well...I'm sure it would be an extremely traumatic experience.  


I've been living in fear of this day for years...and tomorrow - we get it on with the sugar bugs.  Damn.


The 'procedure' (what Nicholas is calling it) will take place tomorrow at Sick Kids Hospital in downtown Toronto.  The people at Sick Kids are awesome and they (obviously) are really good with kids.  We had the opportunity to take Nicholas to the hospital a few days ago so that he could get a bit of a run down on what was going to happen - and be introduced to some of the medical equipment that they will be using.  He was really good about the whole thing.  He even got his choice of the flavor of anesthesia he's going to have (watermelon by the way).

Since Nicholas isn't supposed to eat after midnight - we let him chow down on anything and everything he wanted (bought a few Little Caesar's pizzas, Crazy Bread...and Buffalo Wings!).  For the first time ever - he didn't eat all the pizza that he could get his hands on!

So tomorrow we will arrive at Sick Kids for 9:30AM....with a procedure time of 11:30AM.  It's only a day procedure - so he will be home sometime in the afternoon.  He's going to be cranky I'm sure....so there will be lots of new Moshi Monsters for him to help him feel better.  Mommy has stocked up on all kinds on things that will hopefully get him through the 'procedure'....Moshi Mags...and lots of books he has never seen.  So...while it's going to suck - at least there will be things throughout the day that he will enjoy.

If you have a moment - please help my brave little boy get through his arduous day.  Nicholas has email....and I'm sure he would love to get an email from you.  Nicholas can be reached at kenyakid2000@gmail.com.  Please note that the emails Nicholas gets are also forwarded to me (safety issue) so that I will be in the loop....and within about a week or so I will update this blog entry to remove the email address.  I can't promise a response to your email....while he likes getting the occasional email he's not big on responding (hence why he doesn't get all that many).

I really hope tomorrow goes well.  Think good thoughts....send an email if you can...and let's kick the crap outta those sugar bugs!  Game on little man....you're going to be just fine!  And yes - Daddy will be with you in the procedure room while the main event goes down.

Updates to follow....

Finger Lickin' Good!

I may have already mentioned this....and if I'm starting to repeat myself I apologize - but a momentous occasion has taken place.  My son has expanded his food options to include....drum sticks!

No.  Not the ice cream Drumstick thing.  Dairy impacts his mood (trust me on that).

Drumsticks.  As in the legs of formerly upright chickens who now reside in my fridge (they were on sale - so we'll be eating these things for awhile).  And these aren't just any plain ole drumsticks.  These are customized with a special homemade Shake n' Bake knockoff recipe.  I could tell you how I make it...but I'm not going to.  If you want that - you're going to have to ask in the comment section.

Oh - you have no idea how freakin' excited I am about this!  Not the sale part...although that's pretty sweet too - the actual consumption of something new.

Now for the those of who have neural typical children....I'm sure you've had challenges getting your kid(s) to eat different foods.  For those of us who have kids who are on the spectrum - it can be downright impossible.

Nicholas' diet has always been somewhat limited (when he was a baby - he'd eat whatever we shoveled into his face...he didn't care - he ate it all) since he was about the age of 3.  For the most part - I'm pretty sure if we fed him nothing but pizza (Little Caesars being his favorite) or bacon (chicken bacon....we switched over from the 'good' stuff - we don't want an obese kid) he'd be happy as a pig in feces.

Here's an overview of what he will eat - for those that are interested:

• Pizza.  Pizza.  And more pizza.  Like I said Little Caesars is his favorite...but he'll eat other pizza as well (even the ones we make him).  The last blood test revealed that his red blood cells had been fully replaced by little pepperonis.  Nicholas is fine with this.

• Crazy Bread.

• Waffles.  With peanut butter.

• Bacon.  The chicken kind seems to go over well....but he would prefer the pork variety (who wouldn't?)

• Lasagna.  Home made too.

• Chicken fingers.  We make those too.

• Pasta.  Just about any kind of pasta.  Has to have a mixture of tomato sauce and cheese (some soy based cheese mind you.  Dairy is problematic).

• Zookies.  Those are some type of animal cracker thing.  They go down well with Nutella to dip them in.  This has become a favorite of mine as well.

• Chips.  Any kind - but preferable Sour Cream n' Onion.  These are typically purchased for me....but then he finds them and eats them.

• Popcorn

• Pears (sliced into quarters please and thank you).

• Strawberries (if Mommy hasn't eaten them all)

• The occasional blueberry.  

• Ketchup (or catsup for those who like to call it something other than what it should actually be called).  It can either be on food....or just on a plate.  He doesn't care.  Ketchup is a food group unto itself.

Notice a pattern here?  With the exception of a few fruits - its mostly carbs and some protein.  Any green stuff we are able to get in him has been hidden in pizza sauce.  It's amazing what you can do with a high end blender and food processor.

So last night - drumsticks were made.  They were cooking in the oven (350 for about an hour or so)....and the kitchen was smelling really good - then its gets interesting.

"Hey!  What's that smell?"

"Drumsticks man."

"Hmmmm....smells pretty good.  I want one!"

"And the magic word is what exactly?"

"Now!"

"Try again."

"Please?"

"Much better.   Now try it again with the magic word in a sentence."

"Ahem.  I would like a drumstick please!"

"Awesome!  So would I.  And as luck would have it - they're done."

"Good!"

Parental eyeballs rolling....

So I take them out of the oven, and check to ensure that they are done.  These are drumsticks....not actual chicken.  Sounds strange doesn't it?  We don't really tell him that something came from an animal....he's an animal lover.....and that just might cause problems.  We keep things vague to ensure some sanity is maintained in the house.

"Here little man.  Here's one.  Be careful - it's really hot.:

"Okay.  I will.".  And he grabs his plate and heads off to his computer.  Some kids watch tv while eating.  Ours watches YouTube (which in part explains why 65 gig a month is still not enough bandwidth.).

I grab a few drumsticks as well (yes.  It was lazy chef night...I didn't make anything else - just drumsticks) and head off to my computer to watch Mad Men.

A few minutes later I heard some foraging sounds up in the kitchen.  I don't bother to investigate.  The elusive and wily child is on the prowl....and he's hunting drumsticks.

Upon investigation - I discover that he scored himself 3 more.  This is great news!  Another food item has been added to his repertoire!  And it was homemade stuff too!

Take that Colonial Sanders!  My stuff is finger lickin' good too!

GQ Man 2.0

Something is going on.  Things are changing.  And I think I know why.


As you may or may not know, Nicholas doesn't have a lot of variety in his diet.  Pizza, fries, bacon, chips, pretzels, macaroni and the occasional piece of fruit are all he's been interested in the past 5 years or so (we do hide veggies in his pizza and his macaroni though).  Chicken nuggets are a recent addition to his food repertoire....quite the breakthrough indeed!


Over the past few weeks - he's decided that he needs to eat 'heath food'.  That's his phrase - not mine.


All of a sudden he's actually asking for blueberries and yogurt, and things like that.  This morning he wanted raspberries on his cereal (not that he ate more than two bites....but hey!  It's a step in the right direction).


So I asked him, "what's with the sudden interest in health food dude?"


"I need to be healthy so I grow big and strong like you!"


"Hmmmm.....really now?  You sure you don't have a girlfriend or something?"


"Well of course I have a girlfriend.  Her name is Jayden.  And even though she goes to a new school - I still love her.  One day - I'm going to go to her new school so that we can play like we used to".  


My son loves everyone it would seem...but Jayden is a really nice girl - and has always treated my son the way she treats everyone.  Nicely and with a very highly developed sense of respect - and she only in grade 2.  I was kind of sad when I learned she had to move to a new school.  She's an awesome kid!


"Well....that's just great Nicholas!  I'm really happy for you!"


At this point - I'm breaking out the cereal that he selected (Corn Flakes), and washing the berries....while he's doing stretches.


"What's with the stretching Nickels?"


"Well you know dad.....not only do I need to eat healthy...but I need to exercise as well.  I can't be all out of shape and nasty looking you know.  That just won't do!"


I'm thinking to myself that I am in for a world of hurt at some point.  He already likes to grab a shirt and tie from my closest and strut around like he's the cat's meow.  He obviously pays more attention to what I say and do than I ever thought possible.  I need to be careful.  I appear to be a role model now.  Which is cool with me...as long as he stays away from my beloved concert tshirts (I bought him a Rush one....he only wore it a few times before he outgrew it).  


"Well....ok Nickels.  I'm down with that.  Just make sure you don't over do it".


"Yeah yeah Dad.  Thanks for the cereal!  Can I watch tv now?"


"Sure - go ahead".  Now I know he didn't get that one from me.... I don't really like tv all that much - and if I had my way - we wouldn't have one".


So - I know what's going on.  My son is trying to impress a girl.  I guess that's fine and all...what male hasn't done that?  Now I just need to make sure that he understands that he needs to impress himself first....and that if a girl likes it - cool....but not to live his life thinking that he needs to seek female approval all the time.  There's way more to life than that.


I wonder what he's gonna want for lunch?

The Pizza Critic

For those of you who have been reading my blog - you'll likely be aware of the fact that my son doesn't eat a wide variety of foods.  If it's not bacon, pizza or pasta - odds are he won't touch it....and will likely go on a hunger strike until the offending morsel of food is removed from his plate.


Last night I happened to be at a friend's place for dinner.  The friend is Enrico...and he's Italian - and man...can he ever through down a mean homemade za!


I won't bore you with the details about my visit to Enrico's place....not that it was boring, just not relevant to where this blog posting is going.  


As I was preparing to leave (many hours later)...Enrico offered me the leftover food.  I was stuffed as it was...but I thought that my son might enjoy it as a change from the usual pizza we make him at home.


So...this morning as we're getting him ready for school - and after Nicholas invited me to his Christmas Concert this evening (apparently he's singing John Lennon's Imagine)...I told him that I had a surprise for him.


"Oh boy!  What is it?"


"Food."


"Food isn't a surprise - you give me that everyday!"


"But this is different food.  It's homemade pizza imported from Mississauga!"


"Really? Let me see!"


So I grab the pizza from the fridge and start to unwrap the foil.


"Ohhhhhhh Daddy!  That looks tasty....where'd you get it?"


"I told you - it's imported from Mississauga.  Remember I went out last night for dinner?  Well - I brought you something"


"Can I try it?"


"Ummm...yeah....that's the whole idea.  Take a bite - and if you like it, you can take it to school for lunch"


"Are you kidding me?"  My son seems to think that I can never be serious...not sure how that happened, but I don't question these things.


"No.  I'm not kidding.  Here...give 'er a whirl."


A little hand grabs a slice....and he starts to examine it.


"Hey....it's not cut in the correct slices.  Are you sure this is pizza?"


"Yeah man - I'm pretty sure....look...there's cheese, and salami....and sauce and crust.  Yeah - that would be pizza.  I ate some last night....just because it wasn't round doesn't mean it isn't pizza."


"Hmmmm....well.....ok."


A bite is taken....


"Well little man?  What's the verdict?  Is it good stuff or what?"


"It's awesome daddy!  Can I take it all to school?"


"You sure can little dude."


"Thanks Daddy....and thank Enrico for me too!  And why don't you make pizza like this?  You really should you know!"


Sigh...thanks Enrico - you screwed me again Pennypacker!  :)  Now I likely can't go to your place without the expectation that I'll be coming back with pizza in hand....good thing you've got that cool stove with the two ovens.