Sep 28, 2009

It's coming!!

The terrible twos I mean.

Milly - my placid, gentle, obliging little girl had a MASSIVE tanty in the shops today. Mummy won naturally, but my goodness she was stubborn and defiant!!

Sep 27, 2009

School Holidays - day one!

I had forgotten how much I love school holidays. I love the sounds of all three of my kids playing together. I love the sounds of Mop's imaginative games with her Polly Pockets. I love the dull roar of their advancement into the kitchen when it's food time. I love that Mop can do alot of the "mothering" for me and keeps both kids happy and entertained. Considering I have an extra child at home, I have less work!! I've managed to have a shower, clean out Milly's room to make it a bedroom (last lot of baby stuff left the house to the shed today *sob*) and do a big tidy up - without being pestered, disturbed or whinged at!! I love it!!

Today EJ had an appointment with the speech pathologist. She has been in consultation with the Occ Therapist and together they are sorting things out. EJ is still in the process of being asessed with his speech. They say his "content" is good - but his grammar isn't good. He has trouble putting things together correctly and doesn't understand alot of stuff, because he doesn't understand grammar. But they can work on that, so it's not exactly life threatening!! LOL
They are trying to get this assesment out of the way - then refer him on to a community health place that do speech therapy AND Occ therapy at the same place. The OT told the speechie that EJ did what they call "Sensory avoidance" - which means refused to touch or play with things that he didn't like. Interesting. I'll find out more about that on Wednesday when we see the OT.

We are starting to adjust to this change in churches. I know it doesn't seem like a big deal to some, but it is a very big deal to us. We are still somewhat in a daze about it, but moving forward to make the necessary changes.

We are looking forward to this weekend - we are going to have a long weekend in one of our favourite areas on the Yorke Peninsula. I plan to do our Christmas card shoot (one of them) while we are there - if the weather is fine and lighting conditions are good. :) We are going to catch up with some friends for dinner and generally chillaxing with the kids. We are looking forward to some time away.

Mop's report card came on Friday and we are very proud of her acheivements. She has scored very high for all her academic areas - she just needs to work on her social areas. We are working on things as we can. Last term I told her that if she changed a certain behaviour, she could have any toy she liked at the end of term. Her teacher said in the report card that it had - so off we went to Target and she bought a Princess sort of Polly Pocket thing. Her teacher said she is producing high standard work and is a keen contributor to class discussions - in other words opionionated!! LOL. We are very proud of her and we love to see that she is doing so well and is very happy there.

EJ got a little report as well from his kindy. Apparently they have been focusing on coordination and physical activities. That's probably why EJ can suddenly throw and catch a ball!! :) He starts having full days at Kindy as of next term. Will be interesting to see how he goes with that.

Milly Moo got more than just a little sick with her teeth - she got that roseola thing. Poor love. I got her out of the bath and saw this rash which got progressively worse as the days went on. Yesterday it looked awful!! But then magically by 5pm it all had dissapeared and she is back to her happy self. Poor tike. I was horrified at first, thinking it was measles or something - but then I remembered that my other two had it around the 18 month mark as well - and it was pretty mild in the grand scheme of things. Isn't it funny how you automatically assume the worst?? When all goes quiet - I think... HMMM, whose being naughty? When Mop screams after falling off something, I automatically check for broken bones!! When does this paranoia and pessimistic outlook dissapear? I'm optimistic in most other areas. LOL

Well I better shoot off. This house won't tidy itself, and I better make the most of the quiet while Milly sleeps, and E and Mop play quietly at the other end of the house!

Sep 24, 2009

I know I shouldn't laugh....

.... but I can't help it!

Milly is a little drama queen. It's soooooo funny!! If she doesn't get her own way, she has the BEST sad face. She turns on the water works and.... WAAAAAHH!!! That works a treat for her soft ol Mum who starts crying too!!

Today Milly came up to me and kicked me - a stunt I think she learned from her rough tough big brother. I glared at her and told her very sternly that it was very naughty to kick. The expression on her face was CLASSIC!! Her lip dropped, her eyes went down to her feet, she started sniffing theatrically... now wait for it.... wait for it..... she squeezed her eyes shut tight and sniffed more. AND SHE SQUEEZED ONE SOLITARY TEAR from those big baby blues!!!

Keep it up babe, and you will get snapped up by Bold and the Beautiful! You will give Brooke a run for her money with that one tear!

I ignored it (though was killing myself laughing on the inside) and walked away from her. She followed me, sniffing loudly. I grabbed the camera to try and capture it - though she eased up at bit by the time I got it.

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She's a funny little girl.

I also snapped this picture yesterday during naptime. She has been unwell with her eye-teeth coming through. Poor mite. But she loves this bunny, and is usually sleeping on top of her. Though today, Bunny's ear made the perfect eye mask.

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Sep 22, 2009

Because a change...

... is as good as a holiday!!

What do you think of the new layout??

In honour of embracing change!

*Snort*

Sometimes EJ's speech problems can create little smirks and sniggers from yours truly.

Yesterday I was sewing a dolls quilt up. I had a doll laying next the sewing machine. E came over:
"What are you doing Mummy?"
"I'm making a doll blanket for this baby."
"Oh.... Mummy is making babies."

*Snort*

Tonight I wanted to finish before helping him do his buttons up. He protested loudly "But it will be October!!" Hmm... not that slow. LOL.

What a funny little dude he is.

Sep 20, 2009

Trying to grasp this week....

This last week has left us reeling. Decisions had to be made, adjustments had to be made - and it's a bit hard to get a handle on it all.

Last week I saw a few members of E's "team" who are helping him with his anxiety/sensory disorder. They have communicated to me that this will be a long term condition and that it's not going to go away or be treated in the next few months. He will get better, but slowly. It was also explained to me that his SPE is like the "world is screaming at him.". Poor kid.

This means that Daz and I have had to step back and look at our life and where we can make it easier for E and for ourselves. We've managed to avoid the shopping centres and other places with "drone". If we need to go somewhere like that together - then he stays with my Mum if she can have him, to save him from freaking out. My SIL has been picking my daughter up from school, because EVERY time we go there, it's such a trauma and he freaks out and then when it's time to leave, he's screaming and crying and carrying on.
Then there is church. We go every week - we are very involved there and we are often there from 9am - noon. And E can only stand it for so much, he can only stand listening to his Ipod and having his industrial earmuffs on for so long. Then usually about 2 hours in he starts whinging, crying, screaming, freaking out, hyperventilating. Then I would have to take him out, and sit with him trying to calm him down. The quieter place would eventually have it's desired effect, but that meant I was missing out on the teaching part of the service.

Now the quiet room I used for calming him down is being used for Sunday School - which is so good!! We definately need a place for the kids to go and learn in their own style, hang out with each other etc. Unfortuntaly E does not like the Sunday School teacher. He expressed this last week with a definate "I don't want to play with HER." - he has never expressed dislike of anyone before, and we don't take this lightly. He wouldn't even sit with ME in the sunday school room - he just wanted to leave. So we ended up sitting in the only place available... outside the toilets on a cold floor. The room was echoey, adding to E's distress and it was not a fun morning.

Usually by the end of the morning I am so irritated and tired and sick of trying to calm him down. My own irritation then contributes to his anxiety even more and we end up going home - him screaming and melting down.

This happens every week, without fail.

So this week we had to really evaluate this scenario and made the difficult choice of leaving our current church, and go to a place that had the facilities to cope with EJ. We resigned officially on Saturday night which was so hard. But first and foremost, we are parents, and what is best for our child is not going to a place that will cause anxiety. I have to protect him as best as I can until he is equipped to deal with this better.

Our new church, we have been going to every Sunday evening. They have a great Sunday school program, that EJ LOVES and speaks about all the time. They have a jumping castle, cars, DVD's, crafts, playground etc. They give the kids dinner and they are such great carers. E isn't exposed to adult "drone" - loud music and the lights going on and off. He is kept calm in a safe environment that he loves and we get to participate fully in the service.

Last night I had a chat to the co-ordinator of the junior Sunday School and asked about Sunday morning classes - it's very similar to the evening except they have lessons. Very suitable for EJ.

Even if Sunday School wasn't running, I have many quiet places I can take E to calm him down and make him feel safe and relaxed. And I don't miss out because they have TV links to the service, which means I can see what's going on and hear what's going on too!

Not only is this decision good for EJ, but Mop is going to have a ball too! She loves going to Sunday School there, and is very excited about going morning AND night! :) I am sure there are many positives about this move, but I have been going to my current church for almost 13 years running. All of my adult life. All of my married life. I feel like I am desserting my family. It feels horrid. But as I said, I am a parent first and foremost. I can't help it that he has a neurological disorder. I can only help him deal with it and make his world as pleasant as possible until he his ready and equipped to do it himself.

We will see the month out of our responsibilities - we will leave EJ at home where possible and then at the end of October we will officially leave, and start in our new church.

So that's what's happening. We are still in shock almost and feel like our world is reeling. But we will catch our footing and keep moving on - it will just take some time.

Sep 8, 2009

Another week and what have I got to show for it??

Well I'll tell you....

1. Milly is now in a Big Girl Princess bed... and she is not interested whatsoever in getting back into the cot. We've set it up in her room and we are gradually changing that room from the nursery into her own little space.

2. I've been working on a few creative projects, and have finally finished a project that has been a dream/idea for a few years. I put the words to "I love a sunburnt country" onto some of our photos we have taken of various places in Australia. I'm just about to send them off to get printed. I'm really happy with how they look. I want to hang them around our meals area as a conversational piece... not that we are lacking in conversation!!!

3. EJ has seen a speech pathologist AND the Occupational therapist and he coped really well there. They both had student helpers from various uni's and they played with him and made his experience fun and exciting for him. At least getting into the room isn't going to be so terrifying for him anymore. Especially if he knows that playdoh and sand tables are in the rooms!!

4. I've been spring cleaning. It's always a good feeling to get rid of the winter grime and throw open doors and windows and embrace the spring.

5. I got 96% on my test!! I have another one on Friday - I better knuckle down and study!! :)

6. Father's day was lovely. We did most of our celebrations the day before because Sunday is insane for us. We hung out with my family for a lunch and just relaxed. Daz got spoiled rotten with lots of gifts from the kids and I. He's now the yummy smelling man wearng Joop. :) Mmmmmmm!!!

That's it!! Not bad eh??

Sep 1, 2009

It's all happening!!

Hi peoples!!

A few days ago I got a call from a Speech therapist, booking Elijah in to see them. I am very happy about that!! So next week he sees the speechie AND the occupational therapist. I just hope this is the beginning of the end.

So what's been happening in this household?

Hmmm not much.

Milly is talking more and more. She says things relatively clearly, and soooo cutely! She can string 2 or 3 words together and is really quite a clever little cookie. She is growing up so fast!! It's almost time for her to start transitioning into a big girl bed. I've been collecting cute sheet sets and a quilt cover in preparation for the big moment.

EJ is EJ - he's happy enough roaming about the backyard, collecting caterpillars and picking sour sobs. He's getting better in a few areas - for example he can get dressed in the morning without chucking a huge fit. He knows he can do it and he gets on with it. It certainly makes it easier in the mornings. He also has stopped carrying on at dinner time. He sits, he eats and doesn't chuck a fit.
Last week, his school was featured on the news. The preschool kids were ushered onto the oval to go see the helicopter land and see the news people. EJ saw it coming as he was walking over and stopped dead in his tracks. Fear paralysing him because he thought he would have to get on the thing!! His teacher saw him starting to crack up, so she grabbed him and was able to comfort him, hold his ears so it didn't hurt them (he has very sensetive ears) and when he was calm enough, he was allowed to touch the helicopter. :) Nice work teacher!!
When he came out of school that day he came running out of his class. "I saw a helicopter!! But I cried." LOL What a cute!!
Yesterday I experienced something for the first time. EJ was on my lap watching the emoticons on my MSN window. Then he turned around and said "I love you Mummy." Awwwww..... SOOOOO lovely!!! He doesn't DO love much. He will cuddle and kiss, but he doesn't say "I love you." - and that's cool. I don't want to pressure him into it. Usually I cuddle him and say "Do you love Mummy?" and he says yes... or no.. depends what kind of mood he is in. But this time he did it, on his own - spontaneously. :)

Mop is flying through the school year at a crazy pace. She is totally acing her lessons. She is flying through spelling, reading, maths and whatever else it is she is doing. She is getting 100% for all her tests. I'm so proud of her. And she TOTALLY loves school. Next week she has some music evening at the school that she will be going to. I can't go, because E would not cope with the crowd. So I'll get Daz to video it for me. :)
She is growing up to be such a sweet dear hearted girl. She has started getting very cuddly too lately. She isn't much of one to give out hugs and kisses outside of bedtime or needing comfort. I'm getting LOADS lately.
What's in this family's water??

Daz is working hard at work and at home on all sorts of stuff. Being on the church board keeps him busy, as well as designing a home finance program to handle home budgets. Father's Day is coming up and I'm looking forward to a little spoil.. ok a big one. It's going to be a crazy weekend, so it will be interesting to see how it pans out.

Me... not much really worth talking about.
I have started spring cleaning. Getting everything very clean, rearranging where I can, redecorating where I can. I enjoy this time, it's like my motivation has woken up from hybernation and I feel like I can tackle any project that I come up with!!
Uni stuff is still keeping me very busy. I have a few results back from the assesments, overall I am pleased with it. I'm keeping my head above the 70% mark which is good. I am not over enthused about the topics at the moment. But that's cool. It will be all over soon. :) I can't wait to get into the real good psychological stuff... but must walk before I can run. :)

And on that note, must run off now.