Easter 2010 holiday

So in-between drama, we did have some fun. Here's some proof!

This is the only shot we have of the car in working mode.



TROPICAL FRUIT WORLD
(Northern NSW Coast)





Yum yum! We got to try all these amazing fruits and learn of other ones that we had never heard of before!



Feeding Koi Fish.



Feeding the animals



Train ride on Treasure Island

THE ROCKPOOLS
(Hunter Valley NSW)





The water was absolutely freezing but the kids went for a wade in it. They were in undies or naked, so for their safety I have omitted those pictures.





The most ginormous toadstool I have ever seen. A horse could sit on it.

SOUTHBANK


I LOVE LOVE this picture of Milly Moo



This is our son Gilligan... aka EJ.



J practicing his trumpet blowing.

THE DISH
(Parkes)





GINGER FACTORY
(Sunshine Coast)





RAINBOW BAY
(Gold Coast)




SOMMERSET DAM
(Somewhere in the Hinterland??)

We had a BBQ and bummed the day away! It was so much fun!! We drove through an amazing rain forest to get there and it was such a beautiful drive... apart from the winds, turns and hills. :)

NICK'S WEBBER MASTERPIECE

This is the reason for visiting our friends :). Seriously the best cake I have ever tasted. I feel utterly ill after eating it... but I still go back for more. YUMMM!!!

HUNTER VALLEY ZOO






Milly patting Charlie the Wombat.


Feed the birds, tuppence a bag!



Milly patting the Koala


Mop and her mate


EJ loves animals and he's so gentle and tender - he spent about 15 minutes petting and talking to this lovely gentle grey roo.

COCKINGTON GREEN
(Canberra)









MISC PHOTOS


These two were thick as thieves, and lead each other astray. This boy is the only child Milly will allow in her personal space. :) Very sweet little friends. Bec has already decided to be the feral Mother in Law. :P


Here she is... one of the most dear people in my life and I love and miss her like one thing. Oh and the cute bundle in her arms is J-man. VERY cute little darling boy.


So that's pretty much it in a nutshell. We did so many kiddy activities, and the kids LOVED it. I think they had a wonderful holiday. I think Daz and I need another one to get over this one. :)

Not to worry. :)

How to lose 16 grand, your car and your mind in 3 weeks.

First of all - it's imperative that you start out completely and utterly exhausted. You know. Run a marathon. Stay up until 3am every day for a month, then get up at 6am as usual. Move every single piece of your furniture into a different spot in the house. Work on a 5 million word essay continuously until it's done. Read a pile of text books that brush your ceilings. It is only then that you are in the state of mind to embark on this journey. After all, sleep is for the weak!

When exhaustion is deeply imbeded in your body, it makes the journey all the more exciting. When you are extremely exhausted, then take your planned holiday. Your mind will start to unwind slightly and your body will start to lose the stiffness bought on by stress. A relaxed body is perfect for the whiplash you are going to feel after the whole journey is behind you.

Now, while you start your driving holiday, get a tantilisingly small glimpse of the fun you are about to have, think about how amazing it will be to *sigh* do nothing for the next 4 weeks. Start to feel the tension kinks in your body start to release. Start to get into "holiday mode". Think relatively positive thoughts, because this is the only time this will be allowed.

At about 90% of the journey to your first holiday destination, start to get really excited. You are going to see your best friend really soon. 4 hours left!! Then wait for it. It will come. That noise. Do you hear it?? That terrible deep motor grinding noise? That's it! You are on your way!!!!

Get out of the car and stick your head in the bonnet and pretend to know exactly what you are looking for. Your husband should do the same. Pretending to look for something holds off the inevitable. Peer into the gaps, look at each other and say "It sounds terrible, we better call Roadside assistance."

Roadside assistance will tell you to drive to the local mechanic - which is at the other end of town. Hang your head in embarrassment as the whole entire street filled with shoppers and gasbaggers stop what they are doing and stare at you because the terrible sound from your car has attracted their attention. You can't move too fast, because the car is in awful shape, so that will prolong the humiliation.

Get comfortable in the driveway of the mechanics, and get your kids ready to sit in the sun for the next half a day, because that is where you will be until a tow truck can be organised. Yes. It will need towing, because how would you lose your car if it could be repaired on the spot??

Try and work out how to get your sorry behinds... all five of them to your destination. Bus and then train? Illegally squeezing them in the cab of the tow truck. Uh no. Sit there and stare at each other and pray like mad that something better comes up. Relish the feeling of complete uselessness and the panic you feel when it's out of your control.

Suddenly it's going to look really positive. Things will begin to start looking better, and not as bad as they seem. Grapple at this concept, because it will make the dissapointment later on more crushing. We did this when the tow truck offered to take the car to our destination for repairs. We would be close to the car making it more convenient to pick up when it was repaired. It is going to be ok. Be dillusional. It's ok. Everything will be ok.

Don't worry, someone will show you some compassion and help you get to your destination. For example, in our situation - the mechanic and his wife, had what I call a God sense of compassion - because they lent us their lovely big car to drive the rest of the way to Brisbane, while they towed our car to Brisbane and then tow their car back home again. They also offered to hold our caravan in their yard until the car is repaired to pick up again. What dear people!! A positive moment - embrace and relish in it. Enjoy the warmth that surrounds your heart. Soar on that positive moment. It won't last long. You will crash later on. It's all part of the journey.



Now while your car is being assessed and repaired, try and get a hire vehicle. Now because of the time of year you chose to travel in, nothing will be available except luxury cars that would cost us the same price for a brand new car! Stress over the fact that you are going to be stuck - or battling public transport with 3 kids - and one of those kids is now extremely feral because no therapy has been happening! Embrace the meltdowns, the screaming, the crying, the aggressive behavior. It's all part of the journey.

Now something will come up - another positive - you will manage to organise something. For us, we had at our disposal, my bestie's car, while she and her family went in N's car - which is is his luxury work car. Have an amazing few days looking around at great places all over the general area. Let your mind and body relax again. You need your mind to slow down and the stress start to melt away slowly. You need this false sense of security to make the huge blow at the end more effective.

At this time, your child will get sick and wake up in a pool of vomit. Lovely. He will be off his food for some time, and you will wonder, worry but because they aren't feverish, you just think it's a virus or something and will pass. Then a second child will get sick - except she will projectile vomit all over you, all over your besties carpet and lounge suite. You will hold partly digested watermelon and sausages in your hand as you scream for your husband to come and help you. Your bestie will scream for her husband to come and help. Chaos will reign and you will gag and retch at the stench of this vileness. Now your bestie who is a very good sort will scoop up puking child and take her to the shower while you attempt to clean up the vomit. Child will then be dressed into PJ's and then promptly vomit all over herself again, and will continue to vomit into the night. Assume she has the same stomach bug as son and just get on with life.

Days will pass and the kids are still unwell and irritable and you think that this bug must be particularly nasty - until your husband discovers a worm in the nappy of the youngest. Freak out. It's perfectly normal. Totally freak you. Allow utter and complete humilation run over you. Make a dash to the chemist for some worming stuff. You won't feel better at the reassurance from the chemist and ECN that it's common in kids under the age of 4. Your skin will crawl. Your cheeks will burn. It's going to be hell on earth. But... on the upside, in the morning your kids are going to feel ALOT better and will eat like there is no tomorrow! This will be a small consolation.

Now. The car should be repaired. Go and pick up your car. The mechanic will have drained over $1600 from your account - your holiday spending money. Not to worry. You will bounce back. Keep thinking that way. So the blow at the other end is just as hard.

Go to to a resort of some kind - we went to a lovely apartment on the beach near Noosa and relax in the fact your car is fixed, your kids are well and all is going to be ok. Enjoy the beach, the pool in the back of the apartment and all the wonderful things there are to do. Watch lots of Cosby, because it's funny and because it's cheesy. We all need a little cheese.

Upgrade your roadside assist at this time - because who knows? You might need it again. This is a very very smart move. If you don't do this step, you may want to add how to be completely and utterly stuffed to the title of this manual.

It's now time to leave the place you are at and head to your next destination. But in a major town, an hour away, your car must cark it. The alternator cord will be severed and you will be stuck on the road... again. With three kids on a major highway this will turn your hair grey and make your heart pound so hard you will think you are having a heart attack. Let the stressful nausea sweep over you as you try and keep 3 pairs of legs dashing towards semi-trailers that are hurling past you. You will call roadside assist again - and then proceed to empty out the car and try to quickly pack stuff for a night stay in a motel. Thankfully you upgraded your roadside assist membership eh??



The car will be towed away, leaving you on the road with two of the kids, booster seats and bags that were packed in a hurry. Your husband will be in the tow truck, getting a lift to a car hire place. Feel your cheeks burn as every single person who drives past stares at you with curiosity. I exaggerate not. Feel mortified until your husband comes to rescue you with a nice, WORKING rental car. Sink gratefully into the seat and let your cheeks cool for a moment.

Stay the night in a motel. Eat at Sizzlers. It's all going to be ok, It's not a related problem - everything is going to be ok. Repeat this mantra. It's. Going. To. Be. OK. Your mind is now starting to go. You start laughing at the fact that your car has been towed away... again. Laugh. It is ridiculous. It's funny. Laugh like a half crazed lunatic.

Now in this booming town, phone coverage is going to be a freakin joke. Laugh and persevere. Spend 3 hours in Hungry Jacks, munching on cold fries and sipping watery cokes while the kids play and play and play and think they are having such a marvelous time! Meanwhile, because the phone coverage is such a joke, you will get a message 2 hours AFTER the call has been made, that you have a new voicemail - from the mechanic saying the car is ready! You have just wasted 2 hours in Hungry Jacks. Freezing your backside off because it's so cold and you are wearing tanks and shorts. Smile at your blue lipped husband. Don't mind the hypothermia. It wears off.

Right. Now feel secure in the fact that the car is fixed. You have been just unlucky. It's all going to be ok.

Go pick up your caravan.
And head to your destination.

All is going to be good for 3 days. You have a wonderful time, hang with lovely friends, enjoy lovely activities, the feral boy is no longer feral but happy to be free and running around, throwing sticks at trees. All is going well.... Relax a heap now. Your car is whole. It's going to be an amazing last week of your holiday.

Then. Head out... to a major highway. Yes. It's good for things to go to pot on a major highway, because it's so safe for kids to run in front of semi-trailers and road trains. You will hear that terrible grinding motor sound again. Your normally patient husband will start to get ticked off. Laugh. Ok.. make that TRY to laugh. Let the tears fill your eyes. Force a smile, attempt to pray and then grind your teeth with frustration and anger as the car crawls off at the next exit and rolls into a park at a suburb in Sydney.

Yes. This does suck.
Yes. You will slap your head, grind your teeth and throw up your hands in the air and shout "WHY??" This is all part of losing your mind. Nothing makes sense anymore. There is no rhyme or reason. It's all out of your control now. You are stuffed. Embrace this feeling.



You will be towed away - again. Your caravan will be towed away to a caravan park so you can stay there while you get your car repaired. But of course it's a friday afternoon, so nothing is going to happen before monday - so sit tight. Get another hire car and wait.

It's the waiting that will drive you nuts. Your mind is going. You will crack stupid jokes in an effort to make your stressed out husband smile. You will snap at the kids. You will want to set fire to your vehicle so it can be considered a write-off and insurance can take care of it. Consider hiring someone from the Mafia to take care of it. Consider leaving it in a dodgy part of Sydney with the keys in the ignition. Consider buying a gorilla mask from Cheap as Chips and going to the mechanics and beat the living gajeebers out of the car until it's no longer recognizable. Forget for a moment you are a Christian and start thinking about doing illegal stuff. Jail couldn't be any worse than this could it? You will think crazy thoughts, do crazy things - and you are now ready to receive the whammy.

Your car. That car. THE car that won't move without costing an arm and a leg, CANNOT be fixed for less than the car is worth. And what can you do about it? NOTHING. You have no money left because you spent every cent you have on repairs. You have nothing. You can't drive home. You can't fly home and leave the caravan behind. You can't move.

Cry. It's ok. Cry lots. Let that hot lump, roughly the size of that ruddy car, in your throat be released and howl like a baby. I didn't do this part, instead I swallowed that lump, and it physically hurt me. I let hot tears slide down, but refused to really let loose, just in case I couldn't stop.

Consider it.
You owe a considerable amount on this car. You can't sell it unless you pay that considerable amount. Our considerable amount is 16 grand. We have to come up with 16 grand to pay for a car THAT DOESN'T WORK!!! Sit stunned for a moment. It's ok. Reality will hit you in a moment like a kick in the teeth, guts and balls all in one. No. It's not pleasant.

That car has to go to the wreckers. But you can't sell it to them until the 16 grand is paid in full. Feel at a loss. Feel completely and utterly overwhelmed. It's ok. This feeling won't go away for some time. Then make the call....

Call your parents. You need their wisdom. You need advice. You need someone who is not in the situation and hasn't lost their minds to advise you.

Your mother will be extremely compassionate AND does not favour rash decisions. So. She will offer to truck your caravan home, paid for on her credit card, and you will repay her as you can. The car will be trucked home by roadside assist. And you will have to put your tail between your legs and head to the local airport and fly home.

You will feel dejected, upset, angry, annoyed, and extremely depressed. Now top this with a fear of heights and flying. Have your 7 year old girl grip your hand as your eyes fill with frightened tears "Don't worry Mummy. I'll look after you. It's ok. I'm here." Soil your pants at every bump, crunch and unfamiliar engine noise. Try to read your magazines and ignore the dark mass below you. Ignore the pilot's helpful information about how many 30 thousand feet you are above the ground. Refrain from tackling the happy attendants who say in an ecstatic tone "Coffee Ma'am?" Try not to focus on the front of the plane that seems to be on a 45 degree angle as it descends. Grip your 7 year old's hand as you can see houses, cars and people. Close your eyes and whisper a prayer as the plane bumps noisily to the ground and the engines fire up. Feel completely and utterly exhausted, dejected and ready to cry.

Your mind is gone. Your car is gone. And 16 grand is flying out the door.

Congratulations. No certificate will be issued. You have lost your mind, your car and 16 grand!! What more do you want????

So what do you think?? Will this be a best seller or what? Perhaps it will pay the 16 grand and we can get a car that works.





Not to fear, my next entry will have photos of the things we actually DID do that were not hanging about waiting for our blasted car to be fixed.

So long, farewell...

... I'm heading off on holiday!
Yes that's right folks, our annual trip to Brisbane - and this time we are passing through the Hunter Valley and Canberra.

Woot!!

If I do get time to blog, I will, otherwise it will be 4 long glorious weeks without me. Don't miss me too much. :)

One sure fire way to look like an idiot.

Step 1: Notice that your son has been complaining of stomach pain for 5 days. Listen to him. Believe him. Then because it's not constant, don't pay that much attention to it.

Step 2: When he comes to greet you from a shopping trip, whimpering about stomach pain, looking pasty, be prepared for the geyser of vomit that will proceed from his mouth and nose.

Step 3: Call Health Direct and talk to them about it - the lovely nurse on the end will direct you to emergency because the vomit from previous step is a lovely shade of yellow. She suspects a blockage or something like that and will tell you that surgery may be necessary. Better to be safe than sorry right?

Step 4: Go to Emergency at the hospital and place whimpering, whingy, writhing boy on a bed and wait, while watching him clutch his stomach.

Step 5: Wait for 3 hours.

Step 6: Notice that after 3 hours, your son isn't complaining about his stomach anymore, in fact notice that he looks incredibly bright.

Step 7: Try and refrain son from climbing and jumping all over hospital bed.

Step 8: Now is the time to get him examined by a doctor, who will hear son enthuse about Leggo and Buzz Lightyear.

Step 9: Get frustrated on the inside because you just wasted 3 perfectly good hours in the hospital because said Doctor will promptly send you home again because he seems fine.

Step 10: Soak all that idiotic feeling in because it will last a while.

And I'm back in the game!

Welcome back to the world Skipper. Mostly.

Today I took EJ to MOPS (Mother's of Preschoolers) - which is a group designed to give Mum's some love, support and time out. For over 18 months, EJ has refused to go. He hates it there. The kids room is so echoey and loud. He has screamed his lungs out and was terrified of the place for ages, so I just didn't take him. We just didn't go anymore. I missed that adult interaction and chats with other mums, but I did all I could for my boy and didn't want him distressed anytime we drove anywhere near the venue.

Today I convinced him to go. Today he managed to go the whole session without screaming, crying and having a meltdown. He's been home for 3 hours, and there are no signs of ticks, jerks, rants, raves, or a meltdown. :)

Progress. Slowly but surely we are making progress.

Even better news? EJ said on the way out.... "Can we come back again?"


WHOOP!!!

*happy dance*

Deciding to make a difference - however small.

Last week I discovered something horrible.

The real cost of chocolate

So after doing some further research, we have decided as a family that we will no longer be consuming chocolate that is not fair-trade. It makes me sick to think of enjoying something over here in my comfortable little world, where my children run free, are eductated and fed - whilst the little children on the other side of the world are beaten, overworked and malnourished to pick the ingredients for my chocolate. Not acceptable. What if it was my child? What if it was my Mop being beaten to work harder. What if it was my EJ being starved. What if Milly never had the opportunity to go to school, but to be a slave?

Well I will not be supporting that. I will however be supporting the brands that ARE trying their utmost to be ethical. Cadbury are going to be releasing a fair-trade range in a few weeks, which I am most pleased about! Go Cadbury!!!

CADBURY IS GOING FAIR TRADE!!

I'm not on a soap box here... I'm discovering something about myself that I didn't know I had. I am filled with fire and passion for the social injustices that are being ignored by big companies. This is not acceptable to me, nor my family.

I talked to Mop about this - explaining why we won't be doing chocolate easter eggs this year - but instead a toy gift. I explained that bad grown ups are hurting little kids and they can't go to school, and they aren't eating well. The children are sad and so we don't want to enjoy something that made them sad. Mop started to cry, not because she wasn't going to get chocolate - "why are those people so mean to the kids? It's hurting my feelings (which means her heart is hurting - she's still learning to express emotion) - why don't those people have consequences for hurting the children? I don't want chocolate anymore."

So we are going to make a difference! We are 5 people - but 5 people supporting the brands that have decided to be ethical. As time goes on, I don't plan to sit here silently. I want to be a voice for those children. Just have to work out how.

Look Mum, no trainers!!

While we were away, Mop was determined to try learning to ride a bike without her training wheels. Daz took them off, and I walked along side her, with her 2 wheels as she tried to adapt to balancing. I went about 20 meters with her, and then let go. There was no going back!!! She got the hang of it so quickly and was hooning along, so proud of her new skill. We are incredibly proud of her and how quickly she grasped it.

Disaster Weekend

This weekend was the long weekend, so we went camping with friends. It was forecasted to have a few showers - so we thought it would be ok.

First of all we got there.... and the awning ripped in two. The cats had finally prodded it with their claws enough for it to be totally destroyed. So we lost a fair bit of living space. Oh well....

Then we found out that the electricity amp thing-a-me-bob that gives us lights in the caravan was completely fried. So we spent the weekend in the dark, apart from the light from the microwave.

Could anything else go wrong?? No of course not....

Saturday morning it was blowing a gale. VERY strong winds. Then came the rain. It poured, it thundered, lightning flashed. It was a very blowy blustery day. We snuck a trip down to the beach when the wind suddenly stopped blowing. We stood on the beach while the kids tried to fly their kites.... no success because it was so still... then the kids gave up and went swimming instead... in their clothes. LOL. R and I stood together, watching a big black mass move towards us, lightning zig-zagging to the ocean, thunder cracking. It absolutely bucketed down and the wind picked up again, blowing a gale.
Flood warnings were released, and we sat and waiting. It wasn't too bad overnight, but on Sunday we were this [-] close to packing up and going home. Sunday afternoon, after a trip into a nearby town we came back to a campsite that had been swamped in water. We tried our best to clean it up. All of our chairs were drenched... it was soggy everywhere. We never banked on yet another storm ripping through, blowing a gale, rain pelting, hail, thunder, lightning... it was crazy!! I watched with horror as the blocked storm water drains stopped taking the excess water and it started to rise. The road looked like a river, the campsite looked like a lake. Our friends tent was on water! It was dreadful! A mouse tried to escape the water and snuck under the tent - and ended up squashed to death instead of drowned. LOL.

The next day we were very happy to pack up and go home.

We got to experience 1/4 of the annual rainful, in less than 24 hours. Not bad.

Next time we are going to camp in the desert!!

I'm out of time out!

I'm twittering again!!

Just in case you want to read about what I had for lunch. :P

Change again...

... no I'm not changing my blog template again! :P

But since it's pretty much certain (unless God has an evil sense of humor) that we are finished our family, it's time to make some changes. Our home has been set up the way it has been, pretty much, since it was just Daz and I. But we are finding with three kids, this isn't working. Formal spaces are never used, the kids only have room in their bedroom for their toys - which doesn't work when EJ and Milly both want to be with me while they play. EJ has a huge train track, that he can't play with because his bedroom is too small, and the living room is tiny as well - so he can't play with it.

So we are going to do a big change around.

When it's all done, I'll show pictures. But that's what is the plan.

Also, since EJ is getting to be less needy during the day, I have time and energy to start "purging". I've been tossing out stuff left right and center. I haven't been able to do it for a few years now because it was just too hard with a screaming boy and a tired Mama.

I've been having a ball, tossing out old stuff - ready to go to op-shops. My walk in robe has never looked so empty! Since there are no more babies, my home doesn't have to be "baby friendly" and we can now start making it more "family friendly".

At the moment my formal lounge is a dumping ground - anything that is going to the opshop is being dumped in there. We have bags and boxes all over the place! I'm not finished yet - but I reckon the room will be full to the brim of stuff to go.

Anyway... so that's what I am doing.

Say what???

Guess what??

You will never guess... so I'll just tell you shall I?

My Twitter account has been suspended. Yes. My statements of "I'm cleaning out my walk in robe" has offended the Twitter Bugs.... :P

I've fired off an email and I'm waiting to get it back. So if you are following and are wondering what happened... THAT'S what happened.

It's funny isn't it? My Twitter account lasted me less than 12 hours.

CLASSIC!!!

I'm tweeting!

Yes, that's right. I am tweeting. Twittering.

I can't promise that I'll be very exciting. I will just be putting random thoughts in and where I am at right now. If any of my readers twitter, please leave me a link in the comments so I can follow you! I only follow two people so far. :) Always looking for more!

So if you want to follow along - click the button in the side bar that says FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER!! :)

Ummm.....

"Mummy your bottom is shrinking.... it's not as fat now"

~Mop~

Thanks sweetheart.... I think.

I'm set!

"Mummy, when you are old, and you can't walk anymore. I'm going to look after you and cook you tea."

~Mop~

No old peoples home for me! WOOT!

:)

She has a serious case of the clumps!

Half an hour ago, I got a call from Mop's school office....
"Mrs Skipper, Mop has headlice."
I was horrified. I'm pretty vigilant about checking her head every morning while putting her hair up for the day. My skin and scalp began to crawl. Blaaahh.... head lice!

Oh well.. it would be our first case. I knew of an effective remedy - Gail has told me about it. I began to make mental notes... right i need to clean her pillow, change her bedding, clean all the brushes, chuck out all her hair ties she has used, vacuum her mattress, wash her hats.....

I arrived at the school - grabbed Caitlin - and off we went home. I look one look in her hair and....

... LAUGHED.

I must have sprayed her hairspray too close this morning. She had clumps of hair spray in her hair - leaving white flecks in her hair - looking alot like lice eggs. The "eggs" all crumbled as I began to brush her thick hair. I inspected her head anyway just to double check.

She is now standing next to me, reading her school reader, her thick long hair hanging down her back - lice free.

It all begins again....

... Uni that is.

My semester starts today. I got all my course info over the weekend - including details of assignments and what's expected of me.

I just want to say - I LOVE TECHNOLOGY! I got my text books as E-books, so I can read them on my computer. :) Happy days!!! Cheaper and less clutter - win win!!
This subject has a lot of assessment. Something due every 2 weeks, I have a minor paper, major paper, Creative presentation (piece of cake!!) and a research paper to do, not to mention 2 textbooks to read with lectures and tutorials. So my nose will be to the grindstone that's for sure!

Hard work? Yes. Excited? VERY!!!

Happy Birthday Mum!

I would like to introduce to you, THE most amazing woman on the planet.



This is my Mum. This woman has been to hell and back, multiple times - but yet she can still smile, still be positive and refuses to allow her life experiences dictate how she lives her life. This woman has to be the wisest person on the planet and inputs so much into my life. She encourages me, spurs me on, helps me, and most definitely loves me. She is a dear woman and I am such a blessed person to have her blood in my veins and her heart in my hands.

I love you Mum. Happy 50th birthday, old bag. :P

I am thankful.

I'm thankful.

I am thankful for the encouragement and kind words from friends who see my need and actually do something about it, instead of pretending it's not happening. I am not Superskipper. I am not Superwoman. I may be organised and capable, but I do crumble too and struggle. I do not always have it together and I am greatful for the friends in my life who actually recognise that and stand with me to hold me up while I get myself together.



I'm thankful for the friends who speak life and love into me - and are walking beside me through this journey. "You are doing a great job.", "Hang in there.", "I'm praying for you." - I can see who my true friends are - the ones who are now pouring into my life - as I have poured into theirs in the past.

I'm greatful for friends who don't make my life all about them - and try and compete to see who has it worse. I'm greatful for the people in my life who don't add their stories on top of my sharing - in the attitude of "I have it much worse than you." - even though they have no idea. I'm greatful for the friends who understand, who accomodate, who try to walk a mile in my shoes and then instead of just sympathising and saying "there there" - they actually DO something to try and help. Through this journey - it's apparent who really cares about me and who doesn't give a rats.



Today I got a letter in my mailbox. A kind card written by a dear lady and friend who is in our old church. In a nut shell she wrote such life giving words - pure encouragement and cheering us on. Also in her card, she enclosed a gift voucher for a clothing store - JUST FOR ME! On the front it said "Just for once, it's all about you!"

That was love and understanding - wrapped to fit in an envelope, but when it was opened it exploded all over the place, reaching the deepest part of my heart. I am greatful for that lady. I hope I can be as an amazing person as she is one day. I hope I can be an amazing friend - as she is to me.

Today I'm feeling a bit fragile. Hormones and life sometimes don't mix. Tomorrow I'll be better. But today I am going enjoy the love and kindness and just be happy and greatful I have so many incredible people around me who actually care.

... and tomorrow, I'm going shopping! :)

Thank you!

To my Bloggy friends,
Thanks so much for the support, kind words and advice that you offered after my last blog post. I'm happy to say that I am not feeling so overwhelmed now. I am trying to do something with Mop everyday now, whether it be having a quiet chat to her on our own, getting her to feel special and helping me with tasks like cooking dinner etc. We are reading "The Naughtiest Girl in the School" by Enid Blyton - a book I loved as a child - together.
The Social Worker I see from CFP says I need to clone myself - so I can do everything - but since that isn't possible - I just need to do the best I can. And that's what I am going to do.. the very best I can.

So thanks alot for the care. I really do appreciate it.

xx Skipper

If I had a superpower...

I am totally going to love this BLOG THIS challenge!! I have a confession to make... as I am going to sleep each night - I go to a place in my mind call "Skipper's World" - this is where all things are possible. This is a place where my mind slows down and forgets about the day - and the day coming up. I need to force my mind to think on other things, other than what I don't want to forget to do tomorrow, or dwell on stresses and worries.

So.. I go to Skipper's world. I have been stranded on a desert island - and I managed quite well until help came. I have been a billionaire - and changed the world with my wealth. Lots and lots of dreams and scenarios - but my current world is - my superpower. So I've had alot of time to think about this and what I would do with it.


If I has a superpower - it would be the power of invisibility.



How this power works is that I simply will myself to be invisible - and anything I touched and willed it to be invisible, would become so. Understand?
I would touch my husband and children and will them to be invisible with me...



... so we could step on a plane, and fly to Europe. We wouldn't need tickets, passports or visas. We would simply hop on the flight, find a spare seat, and fly to wherever we wanted. We could go and visit such wonderful places, all under the cloak of invisibility. We could visit museums, art galleries, famous landmarks, not so famous landmarks, take in the scenery. We could become visible again when we needed to eat somewhere - but other than that, we could be completely unseen to the rest of the world.



I would like to kiss my husband under the Eifel Tower, walk through the Arc de Triomphe, touch Stonehenge (which I believe is now fenced off due to vandalism), waltz through Buckingham Palace - and see if the Queen ever farts or picks her nose. Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Germany - all such wonderful places - with so many things to see... and I would see them all - and very inexpensively - with the people so dear to me.








Each night I would find a posh hotel to sleep in - with a penthouse suite that was vacant for the night - and sleep in absolute luxury - having a huge bubble bath in a tub the size of a small swimming pool.



If I was invisible, I could visit my best friend Bec any weekend I wanted to. Just hop on a plane, go see her, hang out with her - then go home again.

If I was invisible, I could sneak into the bank, unobserved, and I would get rid of the mortgage debt of all the dear people in my life.



If I was invisible I could go to the movies whenever I pleased, I could go shopping in my PJ's and slippers. I could nip over the road to my neighbours house, while they were at work and watch Foxtel on their TV, using their A/C. I could go into amazing restraunts and nip into the kitchen and watch how chefs create such amazing masterpieces.



I could go to book stores, and drag in a display beanbag from Myers and just read books without even having to buy them. I could go to basketball games with my husband and sit on the very front row.

When my kids are in school - I could go hang out with Daz at work - I am not allowed to be on the premises - but they would never know if I was invisible.

I could sit in on conversations - and no one would know I was there.



I could hear who was bitching about who. I know it's not nice, and totally goes against my beliefs - but if I was into revenge - it would be so cool to go through some people's homes with stink bombs - and let them off, one by one. I could smear invisible pilchards all over the ceiling. Let them live in a stench!! I could slash the tires of the neighbour's car who keeps parking illegally and that almost creates accidents. I could go watch the domestic arguments that keep happening over in the neighbour's house - and make the person who swears slip over on their backsides. (I'm over hearing their fights and arguments.)

I could go and visit the rich and famous - and find out what their lives are really like - what THEY are really like. I want to visit Vince Vaughn first. I love him... so funny! I could visit poor countries, and take the poor children who are in orphanages out - and give them to families who can take care of them and who want them. Bye bye stupid governments and all the beurecratical rubbish.

I could help police with their crime investigations. I could help them solve crimes and put horrible, nasty crims behind bars. I could help in army inteligence. I could help make this world a better place by helping remove the people who make it so terrible.




There are so many things I could do. And having the power of invisibility would be absolutely awesome! Of course I would want to use my superpower for good, not evil. I would be SUPER SKIP! I like it!!

Testing Testing... 1. 2. 3

Yesterday at E's psych appointment, I was put in a nice room - with soft comfy lounges - with some magazines and was told to put my feet up. E needed to be away from me for his testing. Apparently something about the results not being as accurate when I'm in the room. They needed me to be close, since he had only met the psychologist once before - and he was still sizing her up as he entered the room where he usually has his speech sessions. His speechie was on hand - as someone familiar to him - and he started the first of his assessments. This one was an intellectual assesment.

So I kicked off my shoes, grabbed an 8 year old trashy mag... yes... 8 years old.... back when Brad and Jen were still together! I curled up on the couch and flicked through - regretting not bringing my glasses so I could actually read it! When I was done with the mags, I looked at the clock. He'd been in there 1 hour and 10 minutes. I could hear him talking to the psych - and playing different things. So I pulled out my PDA and started reading Pride and Prejudice that I had on file. The speechie came in and was marvelling at EJ's attention span. She said usually most kids cope for about 10 minutes then need a break - he had been going the entire time! EJ finished the test from start to end - instead of over 2-3 weeks. :) Nice job son!

Speechie and Psych came in afterwards to chat about how he went. They seemed very positive about it all.

EJ must have had a marvelous time with the Psych, because that night he was still raving about his time with her and what he did. He told Daddy all about it. Then this morning he asked if we were going to go back and play with them again today.

Too cute!

How to balance it all?

This afternoon Mop's teacher had a chat to me - regarding Mop's easy tears. It's been happening over the last month or so - she just cries really easily. If she feels any hint of a negative emotion, she cries. It's like she can't recognise emotion or doesn't know how to deal with it and so she just cries.
Her teacher has said that if this doesn't improve by end of the term, she is going to put Mop back in year 1 because she doesn't feel she is emotionally ready for year 1.

I felt terrible.

Poor kid.

I explained what is going on at home and the massive upheaval we have had recently. I explained that I spend so much time on EJ - trying to help him, trying to make his life better... and in the meantime I screw up and Mop ends up a blubbering mess. I'm struggling to balance everything. The teacher was very understanding, and I guess it's up for review a bit later in the term.

I'm feeling another wave of pressure. I feel like I'm drowning again. I am trying so hard and now I feel like I'm failing. I keep getting told what a good mother I am - by EJ's professionals. "You are such a good Mum - you are trying so hard to help him..." yeah... and in the meantime my other child is suffering emotionally. She never complains. She never demands. She gets dissapointed, because when EJ has a bad day, we have to cancel whatever plans we have made. Mop sacrifices a lot for her brother. She hardly ever cries, complains and states that it's not fair. Poor kid.... I've neglected her terribly.



I asked her today about why she cries all the time, she said "I'm just upset and sad" - I asked her why, and she shrugged. I asked her "Do you get upset because EJ gets so much of our time?". Her lip wobbled, tears threatened to spill... again... "I get very sad."

I need to get this right. I have one shot at parenting and doing it well. I need to do something to balance our lives more. I need to do something....

I'll figure it out. I just hope my kids come out of this, relatively unscathed. Thankfully I see the parenting social worker on Thursday. She'll help me.

2nd Tooth - GONE

 

Need I say more?

She looks so grown up with missing teeth and new teeth growing in it's place.

I'm trying to not pee all over the floor...laughing that is!

Milly Moo.... dear heart. I need to explain something to you. It's a very serious topic and I would like you to listen very very carefully. When God created you in my tummy - He in his infinate wisdom, created you to be a little girl. The doctors double checked this when you were born - yep. Definately a girl.

So this means...you are not a boy. You are a little girl. I know that is seems rather captain obvious... but I think you may be getting a little confused. Girls are very different to boys. Females do not stand up to urinate. Little girls do not shove their hips fowards, and try and aim their urine stream into the potty. Yes, I know EJ does it. EJ is a boy. EJ has erm... the equipment to help him aim for the toilet .....not that it does him much good... he may as well have a sprinkler system, and he would get about as much in the toilet as he does now.... anyway.. I digress.

Darling. Please... sit down, do your wees sitting down. I was getting confused, I couldn't explain why for the past few days, there has been more wee on the floor than in your potty. I was baffled... were you trying to get there on time, and were too late? But NOW I understand why there is wee all over the floor... and all down your legs... No wonder you were smelling a bit... unusual.

You are like Mummy, like Mop... we all sit down to wee. Don't follow your big brother in THAT department. I know you idolise him and think that he can do no wrong.... but you need to sit down on the potty while you wee.

Ok are we clear?
Do you have any questions?
Good.

Can I laugh now???

How does your dear son grow?

How does EJ grow? FAST.

Today was his first day back at kindy for 2010. He got dressed into his "uniform" (which is just a t-shirt with the kindy logo) - and the t-shirt was sitting on the top of his hips! He's shot up so fast and is so tall, that the tee that fit him 2 months ago is now being put away for Milly's use later on.

He's like a weed.... he's gonna be a BIG BOY! :) Good... I'll take him shopping with me and he can reach all the stuff on the top shelves. He's gonna be overtaking his 5ft 1" Mama soon enough.

On a side note, he had a lovely morning at kindy. He seperated well - he didn't cry and ask me to stay with him. I kissed him goodbye and then left, he waved cheerfully and was very settled. When I picked him up the kindy teacher remarked that he had really settled down - during quieter times - like story time - he was quiet, calm and still. This is very good progress.

I love EJ's OT.

It's official. I heart E's OT.

Today as soon as we arrived at the OT's - she set EJ up with lots of fun things to play with, then sat me down, with Centerlink forms - and said "Right... let's get you some financial help for EJ."
So she sat down and filled out the forms - writing lots of notes, naming lots of things like "Speech disorders", "Sensory disorders." and made note that he is seeing the psychologist and is on the way to being tested for Aspergers and Autism. So fingers crossed we don't get knocked back again. She said it would be helpful then to use the money for other programs and activities that help SPD kids.

Also she is going to be in contact with a colleague who specialises in SPD, and she is going to ask him to work with her in treating Elijah - so hopefully that will hold off him needing private OT's for a while. She is also going to look into programs and places for EJ to continue swimming and take classes, with people who specialise in special needs kids. All these wonderful programs and places that are available - that I just don't know about - she is hunting them down and making them available to EJ to help him as much as she can.

I find that because these therapists are seeing I am very pro-active and I follow all their advice, that they do everything in their power to make things happen for EJ. They keep saying to me what a good job I'm doing - and that really helps - because sometimes I wonder if I am doing enough for him. Know what I mean?

The OT said that the therapy he is receiving at home is making a very big difference - and commented on how happy and relaxed he was. EJ was having a cute moment and blowing bubbles all over, trying to make "tiny baby bubbles".

AND I took him to Bunnings afterwards to buy some glue. Lately if we go to the shops - and buy ONE item -he copes really well and there are no side effects. WOOOOHOOOOOO!!!! Progress!!!!!! Small baby steps.

We are getting there.

I never thought I'd have to say it #1

"Milly, darling, please don't eat your knickers."

Getting to the nitty gritty stuff.

Today we had EJ's first appointment with the psychologist. Today she just let the Speechie do her work and let EJ get used to her presence. He eyed her up and down a few times, and in the last 2 minutes just stared at her - taking her in, sizing her up.

The psych pretty much asked me what I wanted from her and was trying to work out where EJ was at. I pretty much asked for equipping him with coping skills and I wanted an actual DEFENITE diagnosis of SPD - because I am sick of the Occ Therapist calling it "Sensory difficulties" and her reluctance to commit to anything. If I have a name - I can then go to EJ's primary school and start putting some plans into place. How can the teacher's know what to do if there is no definate name for EJ's quirks and needs? At least with SPD, they will know it's a sensory issue, they can reasearch if they feel the need to, and we can put some plans into place to help EJ transition into school and then feel safe and happy there.

So - the really cool way that these things work is to get a definate diagnosis, we have to work out what he DOESN'T have. *Rolls eyes* Apparently the Aspergers and Autism testing we have done isn't satisfactory and the psych wants it to go before a panel and the testing needs to be very indepth. So they are working out a way to get EJ tested as quicky as possible. This apparently will open doors to funding for his other therapies. I can't really elaborate on that, because I am not really sure what they are talking about. But I am sure I'll find out as time goes on.

As of next week the psych will be doing more and more testing on EJ, working out where he is at developmentally (more very indepth testing) and will work with the speechie. I guess SPD is such a broad term - they will be delving deep to find out more of the nitty gritty stuff now and how to best help him.

Again another positive session.

Honesty is the best policy.

I get spam. I hate spam. I hate having to think about male genitalia, cheap drugs from Canada and get rich fast schemes. So I use my filters. Everyday I quickly scan my spam box to see if something slipped in that shouldn't have. Today there was 1 lonely message.

From some pharmecy - and their subject line?? SPAM.

Thankyou for being honest. FINALLY someone who is spamming my account is actually being honest about it.

:)

I thought it rather funny.

A small boast

... OK A HUGE ONE!!

I just got my grades for my last subject! :)

I thought I got a credit, just roughly adding up my scores. Turns out I snuck in with a distinction!



I'm just a little bit proud of myself!

It's nearly that time again!

BACK TO SCHOOL!



Today I pulled out all that Mop will need for grade 2 - inspecting everything, and working out how I will label it all. Mop came in and sat down, gently fingering the books, exclaiming over new scissors and erasers.
Tears came to her eyes, "Mummy, I don't have any textas to color in with! I used them all up last year." Her voice wavered. This child cries at the drop of a hat I tell you!
I rumaged around and pulled out a brand spanking new box of textas, along with the coloring pencils and a sharpener! Her face looked relieved! She sighed again as her fingers lightly ran over her roll of plastic sleeves.
"I just LOVE getting new things for school! I love new books, new pencils, new erasers and everything."

She's just like her Mum! I love stationary too! The most exciting thing about me going to uni was I could buy stationary! :) Though I have been dissapointed. So far this year I have bought a pack of notpads. Big Whoop! If I could, I would buy a notebook or post-it notes every week - I couldn't use them all, but I sure love them! I love the smell of new paper. I love the smell of brand new pencils and erasers. I love the smell of the glue stick - lightly perfumed with I don't know what.. but it smells good!! Don't worry, it's not aquadere or anything potent like that.

I love back to school times! Just because I get to handle and enjoy brand new stationary. At Mop's school, the stationary pack gets delivered by courier in the last week of December. As convenient as it is to have all the correct B pencils and good quality coloring in gear, I still miss going out and choosing it all myself.

You know that line in the movie: "You've Got Mail" -
"I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."

Now that's my kind of man!! Though make mine gel pens. :P

What's Milly up to?

Milly-ish
"I'm Mimished" - (I'm finished)
"Good morning!" - (I don't want to go to sleep/I'm awake now.)
"DUCK!" - (anything with feathers)
"Asper" - (Jasper the cat)
"Choc-o-let" (Chocolate)
"Lunch." (bread)
"No pick up." (I don't want to tidy up my toys)


Milly has picked up language well and is talking in very well formed sentences. She still tends to speak in third person. Milly wants, apple for Milly etc. It's rather cute!

Her toilet training is coming along well. She is communicating when she needs to go and goes. Still having a couple of accidents in the day - and still in nappies during naptime and bedtime, much to her indignation.

Milly is very clever, and has ways of getting what she wants. If EJ is pushing her around or not giving her something she wants, she has learned that if she screams at him at the top of her lungs, it startles him, upsets him, he drops the item in dispute and runs to me crying. She calmly picks up the item and toddles off to play. I know it's horrible for EJ, but I still think it's rather funny!

Milly says her ABC's all the way through. She loves it. She loves letters, numbers and books - just like her siblings. She loves In the night Garden. She loves Bunny. She loves going out - she doesn't like being housebound. The other day she grabbed my car keys and said "Common Mum. Go out!" So I took her out to do the grocery shopping. :)

Milly is quite shy around groups of people she doesn't know, but very extroverted with the people she DOES know. When we went to my nephews birthday party, she was stuck to my side with superglue until she saw my Mum. She refuses to speak to people she doesn't know, but is very affectionate and friendly to the people she does know well.

She's a sweetie. Such a joy to our family. Stubborn like her father - my kind of stubborness is more vocal - but she just quietly digs her heels in and does what she wants anyway. Reminds me of my bestie, Bec. Just digs her heels in and sweetly smiles and goes ahead and does whatever. Milly is hard to discipline because she takes it so personally. If you growl at her, she sulks, cries and wants the other parent who hasn't offended her greatly. My heart breaks everytime I scold her and she bursts into tears.

Anyway - that's Milly at 2 years and 1 month.

A few changes...

.. Yes yes I know!! Another template. I got annoyed with the last one. The comments and the date and everything else down the bottom of the post kept overlapping and it was annoying me. So I got a new template. What made me change quick smart was the fact that Blogger has finally made it easier to keep the widgets!! WOOOHOOO! Three cheers for Blogger!!

While I was doing a bit of a look around I found a security setting to stop annonymous and spam comments. :) So you now need to be a member of have OpenID.

Ok that's all...
Back to fiddling.

Ohher... they are coming in thick and fast!!

I have no idea what this one is for, what it means - and neither Allie-Cat who gave it to me! :)

Perhaps it means I am kind to animals?
Perhaps is means I am good to people?
Perhaps it means I want to make a difference in the world?

Whatever it means, I got it! :)

A Blog Award.

Awww shucks!

Tinks from Along for the Ride has given me an award! WOOT!! I'm so proud!!

So.... I better show it off eh??



I'm so proud!

When one accepts an award it's polite to give a speech. But with this blog award, speeches are not expected - it's expected I name five things I love and nominate five blogs to receive the award. Sharing the love...

Ok so here goes:

1. I love my family.
I know it sounds like DUH Captain Obvious!!! But I do. I have such a beautiful life with such precious people. I have a husband who treats me so well, who never yells at me and treats me with such care and respect. I don't know many people who are as lucky to have someone who loves, honors, respects, cherishes and supports them. I have 3 wonderful children who fulfill me every single day - and even though I am exhausted most of the time, it's a good reason to be exhausted.

2. I love being creative.
This is the best gift God has given me, the ability to create. I love to quilt, sew, design, digi scrap, photography and most of all dream of all the things I want to do. I love to make others happy with this gift by giving them gifts I have created. I love to make something that no one else would have. Being creative makes me a very happy woman, and using this gift makes me even happier!

3. I love entertaining
I love having people in my home so I can serve them and bless them. I enjoy spending time with friends over a good meal and a bottle of wine. I love how wonderful each friend is and how much fun I have with them. I love trying new dishes out on friends, and amazing them with flavours and very naughty desserts.

4. I love my friends
I have such good friends in my life - ones that aren't there to suck me dry. The ones that give as much as they get. The ones that don't use and abuse me - and really love me for who I am not what they can get. I love the people that they are and how I can be totally relaxed and myself with them. I'm glad that they love me - even though I am a bit quirky and sometimes an opinionated git.

5. I love Christmas
What is it you call me Donna? The Christmas hornbag? I love Christmas. I love the decorations. I love the gift giving and making. I love creating amazing things for people. I love packaging up my best friend her parcel. I love wrapping up the boxes. I love the Christmas carols on Accuradio. I love thinking about Pops alot and knowing that he loved Christmas time, and he must be smiling down on us. I love the baking, the eating (not the waistline afterwards!) I love preparing a menu and making the meal special when I am hosting. But my most favourite part of Christmas - is my Mother in Laws Baking plate she gives us every single year. Talk about HEAVEN! Yum yum YUM!


So... passing on the love to blogs I think are very special.

1 Meaningless Meandering from a Madmother.
A blog of randomness - it can be clever and witty one minute and dark and deep the next. I'm glad I found this blog. It's great!

2. Sunnyside Fun.
- I've known Renata since I was 8 years old, and I just love reading about her home on a property, her home schooling her adorable kids, and her life in general. She also takes lovely photos of life around her.

3. Explore
I love the photography and the creative writing that is on this blog. Very raw and captures beautiful moments in her family life.

4. The Daily Grind
- I've taken a liking to this blog because someone else is on the same journey as I am. It's nice to be able to relate to someone who has a child with sensory difficulties.

5. In a Beautiful Pea Green Boat
This one is another one where random topics are talked about - and at least once in each entry I laugh. I like Alliecat's wit and style.


Congrats ladies!!

Good news and not so good news...

Good news! EJ had an appointment with his speechy - and she told me she rang centerlink AND had been in contact with EJ's Occ Therapist - looks like the GP did some stuff wrong on the forms so I need to reapply - I SHOULD be elligable for a carers allowance for EJ.

Good news! EJ starts his sessions with the Psychologist next week!

Good news! EJ can tell the difference between male and female! :)

Not so good news: this morning I washed Milly's hands and face and she screamed and screamed, "Ouchie Hands! Ouchie hands!" - I looked at her puffy, red, angry hands and saw splits and weeping all over them. :( Poor little tike. Looks like it isn't the water.

I took her to the doctors today - and he has perscribed some stronger medicated creams for her excema and dermatisis.

Not so good news: The doctor also wanted her to have a blood test. So off we go to the nurses station. And it was the most harrowing experience I have had since EJ was pinned to the bed while they stitched him up. I had to hold her legs and her arm while the other two nurses held the other arm and tried to find veins.

Not so good news: Milly has veins like her grandmother and mother. Impossible to find and impossible to get blood from. This is why I refuse blood tests while pregnant - it's just too traumatic for me while they try and find a vein and then try and get blood from said vein. They recommended we take her to INVS, but I am going to sit on it for a while. I know it will help in finding what she is allergic to, but if we can just stay on top of the condition, maybe we can do the blood test later when she understands more. We'll see. I just can't do that to her again. I was on the brink of bursting into tears myself while I sang to her and tried to console her.
I think I might try and do more documentation and try and see if I can work out the allergy myself. I would rather take the time to do it that way instead of trying to get blood from a stone... because that's what it's like!!!!

Good news! I survived today. Milly survived today. I have three beautiful children and a wonderful husband. These things are nothing compared to the suffering that other people have to endure. I am incredibly blessed and so lucky to have such a wonderful family.

xxx Skipper

A jolt back to reality

EJ has been so good lately. He's been calm. He's not melting down. He's not screaming, crying, ranting, or whatnot very much at all anymore. His therapy seems to be working - if the environment is right.

Today my nephew had his 3rd birthday party. Balloons everywhere. Streamers everywhere. A great spread of food - because my SIL is amazing at catering - and the most coolest Wiggles cake I have ever seen. It was the Big Red Car (toot toot chugga chugga big red car - you can thank me later for putting that in your head!) - but missing a wheel because my niece helped herself to one of them. *giggle* Anyway... there was lots of kids everywhere - and adults. I watched EJ closely, watching for physical signs that he wasn't coping. He seemed to do really well. He handled the singing, he handled the games - then towards the end, he sat down and started to scream at me over the smallest thing. It was time to go.

I grabbed EJ, who started to fight with me - not as much as usual, but still trying to get me to let go of him. Whining. Whinging. Starting to rant. It's a prelude to a meltdown. I had to get him out of there before he really let loose! Deb (SIL)saw what was happening and scooped up Milly and took her out to the car while I hauled EJ to the car. I buckled him up - took a deep breath and left the party. Before I even got into second gear, he let loose! He cried. He screamed. He couldn't be reasoned with or consoled. He whinged. he whined. He argued. He ranted. He raved. The vein in his neck was bulging. When we got home I had to put him to bed. I laid him down, and his body ticked and twitched uncontrollably.

I massaged him in his dark bedroom, trying to soothe him, trying to keep my voice quiet and gentle. His big eyes watched me, taking in my words. His eyes always get me when he's like this. They look scared, they seem to scream "What is happening to me?" They are always so huge and bright.

This is reality. This is how he is in life. He may be ok at home where it's safe, but he isn't ready for people.

I got a call from his Occ Therapist yesterday - turns out she isn't going to be able to help him. She can only help him keep calm - but not actually help him calm himself. I have to get a private OT who specialises in SPD. Since we were rejected for help from Centerlink (though the speechie thinks it's a mistake and wants to try again, with the help from the psychologist) paying for private therapy is going to be very hard. The OT is going to apply for some funding for me, and that will help with costs. I'm not pinning my hopes on it though. But I'm glad that his speechie and OT are proactive as well in helping me in every way possible!

So that's how it is, this 16th January 2010. We have come so far - yet have so far to go. Let's keep going my son, let's do this journey together. I want you to be well and happy, and I will do everything in my power to make it so.

Ladies and Gentleman, may I have your attention please...

.... please give a round of applause for....




... who just did her first poo in the potty.

You should of seen her face when Daz, Mop and myself stood around the potty and her and gave her a huge cheer and a big clap. She looked so happy and so proud of herself. She's growing up so fast, and I must admit, changing poopy bums is not something I am going to miss. :)

Daaaaaaadddd....

... Mummy boofed your car!!!!

(EJ to Daddy after I accidently reversed into DH's car that was parked behind me.)

Daddy: *chuckles* Yeah she boofed it didn't she? *grins at me*


Note to self: If one wants to boof a car and not have husband find out about it, don't boof cars in the presence of one's son.

Another note to self: Check the rearvision mirror a little more closely and look for a small white car - it may be significantly smaller than your 4WD, but still look for it, otherwise it will make it's presence known.

Another note to self: Do not drive when the caffine hasn't kicked in. Seriously. Too much blood in the caffine system can dull your brain.

One more note to self: Thank God that you have a husband who is so sweet and good natured and didn't tell you off for STUPIDLY reversing into his car. Thank God again for the fact that he is still chuckling about it and cuddling his duffer of a wife instead of being cranky.



I'm still feeling rather sheepish about this... LOL

Relief.

Yesterday we went to see the speechie, to look at where EJ is and start some more concentrate and specific therapy to help his speech delays. The decision was made to start focusing on his inability to tell the difference between boys and girls and use the correct grammar: ie - He, she, hers, his etc. It's starting to effect his social world, because most kids are very indignant about being called a he when she is not a he at all!!

My relief came when she said to me that I am doing all the right things. I've been teaching him the right way - he just didn't get it, or was so uptight, wound up and over-stimulated with his senses - that part of him shut down and was unteachable. Mother's guilt is the most vicious part of parenting I think. Deep down I have been thinking: "You spend too much time on the computer. You didn't read to him as much as you did with Mop. You didn't do this... you didn't do that... it's your fault he has speech delays." To be told that I'm doing it right and have done it right (especially as Milly's speech is coming along so well) definately equips me with a rather large weapon to attack Mother's Guilt.

Another thing she said: "E is coming along in leaps and bounds. His speech is getting alot better!"

YAY for us!!!
YAY for him!!
YAY all around!!!

Breakthrough in the grooming department.

EJ has always had problems with getting hair cuts. He has freaked out, ever since I can remember. Screams. Cries. Shakes. Melts down like a professional.

Since the beginning of December I have been saying "EJ you need a haircut. It's so long and messy!"
"I don't want to. I don't want a hair cut." was his response.

Today I looked at his thick, untidy hair and made a snap decision: the time had come, that boy was getting a hair cut. I told E to go get undressed and get into the bath (my hair salon)...
He protested... then stripped off.
"You will be nice and cool, son, when your hair is shorter."
"You will look so handsome!"
I kept reassuring him as I got the stuff out and he climbed into the bath. I have him the hose - since I knew that his issues with the cut is his absolute abhorence of the cut hair on his skin. He calmly stood in the bath, rinsing his body of the hair while I clippered his hair. As I ran it close to his left ear, he started to protest. "No more!!"
Then out came the scissors as I styled it and made him into the dude he loves to be. He stood quietly and let me do it.

This is the first time he has not screamed blue murder during a hair cut. This is the first time he has not trembled violently while I attempted to cut his hair. This is the first time he hadn't fought me and refused to let me cut it.

This is seriously a miracle. I gave the boy a hair cut and he is happily sitting on the couch with an amazing hair cut and a smile on his face. I have my full hearing - because of lack of screaming and all is happy in the Skipper household!

This is going to sound odd but....

... I think my baby girl might be allergic to our water.

For some time I've been on the rampage, trying to work out what on earth triggers Milly's excema so badly. Was it tomatoes? Well it made it bad then, but not then.. so no. Was it peanuts? No the girl eats peanut butter on a good day and nothing happens.

Her feet are so bad sometimes she can't wear shoes. At the moment I don't put anything on her feet - they are just so red raw and angry looking. Her hands are dreadful - so inflamed and sore that some of her fingernails are inflamed. She loses sleep because she wakes up scratching herself red raw and whimpering. Even when she's half asleep crying, I've come in, armed with a cream, and she holds her hands out to me - half asleep. I've spent a small fortune on lotions, potions and whatnot. Some cortisone and hemp cream from the body shop seems to work best for her. I prefer natural based creams than chemist types. I use plant based shampoos and conditioner, I use hyperallergenic body washes, and Earth/Purity to wash the clothes etc in.

Anyway.... my discovery. While we were away in the riverland over Christmas, I noticed that Milly's skin cleared up completely. I was surprised since we were swimming in a chlorinated pool 3 times a day. I racked my brains... what was different about there than home? Same food. Same body wash. Same shampoo..... but not the same water!! The water we used to bathe the kids came straight from the river - no chemicals. No treatment plants. Nothing. Just plain ol Murray water.

So I set about experimenting at home. I've been bathing her in the kitchen sink with pura-tap water. Using a flannel soaked in puratap water only. Her skin is clearing up. For the last two nights, her sleep has been continuous and unbroken.

This is excellent news! So we will be investing in a filter for the kids bathroom and hoping that will help us control Milly's excema.

Right.... now to figure out what causes EJ's excema... since his has flared up over the last 6 months. I wonder if its the same thing?

Say it where???

Mop received a joke book and a knock knock book for Christmas. For the last 6 months we have been enduring made up jokes - which were just not funny. She didn't understand what makes a joke funny - how to be clever with words. So we decided to educate her in the ways of jokes.

Big mistake.

Our whole entire holiday she wanted to read out jokes.

"Knock Knock Mummy."
"Knock Knock Mummy."
"Knock Knock Mummy."
"Knock Knock Mummy."
"Knock Knock Mummy."
"Knock Knock Mummy."
"Knock Knock Mummy."

Ok so it's good that she finally got the concept... but seriously.... I was over jokes by the 50th one.

"No more jokes today now Mop! Enough!"
Mop stared at me, surprised that I didn't enjoy them as much as she did.

EJ pipes up "You say them in your hair, Mop!"

Now THAT'S funny!!!

"I think you meant 'say them in your head sweet boy.'"

Dear Anonymous

Dear Anonymous,
You freak me out.
I don't like having Anonymous people commenting on my blog. It unsettles me. I personally think it's weird that someone would feel the need to hide. This is a blog that is not filled with questionable content - it's the story of my life and my family - that I share with my friends - and sometimes their friends. There is nothing you can say that warrants hiding behind "Anonymous". I'm hardly controversial!

Anonymous comments are like anonymous notes. Stinks of cowardice - it's underhanded and sneaky. I don't like them.

No name - your comments will not be published, let alone read. So if you want to be heard - you better have an identity.

Skipper

I'm cross!

MEMO TO CHILDREN:

Dear Children.

1. Obedience is not optional in this household. What I says, goes. When I speak, it's not to exercise my jaw. When I direct you, I expect you to do EXACTLY what I say. When I say "Eat your apple at the table" - that cannot be interpreted as: "Eat your apple on the lounge in front of the TV."
When I say goodnight to you, tuck you into bed and say "Go to sleep." - that does not mean get up and go play in your brother's bedroom. Or play with your toys. It means exactly what I say - GO TO SLEEP!!

2. Do not lie to me. Refer to point number 1. This is not an option. DO. NOT. LIE. TO. ME. This infuriates me. This will make something that may have not received consequences, very dire indeed. When you chop your hair off, and you have a very ridiculous looking short bit in the middle of your forehead - and I see the long locks on the floor, DO. NOT. LIE. I know it's not your brothers. He has a massive issue with haircuts - he wouldn't even think of cutting his own. Besides, he has short hair. VERY short hair.
I know the body language of liars. Don't even think about trying to pull wool over my eyes. I am THE MUM. I know all. I see all. I am like Santa Clause - I know if you have been naughty or nice. So speak the truth and your life will be worth living. If unsure, refer to point #1

3. Stop being feral. For goodness sake, what is wrong with you all? Do not follow me around whinging. Do not follow me around bleating. Do not follow me around FULL STOP! You have toys! Lots of them! You have brand new toys from Christmas. PLAY. WITH. THEM. You have dress ups, Leggo, train sets, coloring, craft, play doh, water play, outdoor equipment, bikes, tramps, dolls, etc.... PLAY WITH THEM. Why do you feel the need to play with my pegs? Or better still, give the dog my peg basket to munch on for afternoon tea! Do not empty the box of tissues "Just in case" you need them. If in doubt, refer to point #1.

4. Since when has the rule of keeping bedroom toys in the bedroom suddenly become obsolete?? It still stands. So pick them up. Put them in your room. Do not bring them out where I can stand on it, break it - I am not expecting Polly Pocket to be outside my bedroom floor. And while we are at it, WHY are your thongs in MY bathroom????? HUH???? Do not build cubby houses in the lounge and leave it there for me to clean up.

5. And I am going to say this anyway but just in case you are actually listening to me this time:
"Shut the door, the flies are getting in!"
"Play with outside toys, OUTSIDE."
"No you can't have anything to eat."
"Stop dobbing, unless he's killing you, I'm not interested."
"SHUT THAT BLASTED DOOR!"
"Stop making the dog bark."
"WHY IS THAT DOOR OPEN????? Now I know you weren't born in a tent!!"
"STOP throwing things at the wall!"
"Stop jumping on the beds, you have a perfectly good tramp outside."
"I am on the toilet, LEAVE ME ALONE!!!"
"Do you have a death wish? SHUT THE DOOR! There are more flies inside than out!!"

And if in doubt, please refer to point number one.

Signed: your ever loving Mother.

PS. If you throw that ball around the house one more time my foot will be so far up your backside, you will have to move my toes aside to brush your teeth!!!!!




*** please understand that this is a vent. I do not intend to kick their oracle so hard that my foot comes out there mouth. I just feel better thinking it.. and writing it!***

New Blog Layout

I've been wanting to do this for a while - but haven't found the perfect blog template that is really ME. The pink one was very hard to read, and one of my dear readers messaged me this morning that she really struggles to see the words. So I thought I would change it.

Beware, it could change again at a moments notice. I'm not exactly thrilled with this one... and will change it as soon as something "SKIPPER" comes along or jumps out at me.


But for now... it will do.

A Blog Award...

Shelli over at: It'll Only Take a Minute has kindly awarded me this award:



How bout that eh??

What a lovely idea! Usually the awards go to the blogger, not the supporter!! It's a relatively new award, originated from HERE

So passing this award on:

Renata is always commenting and bringing me such a cup of cheer. :) She always makes me smile. So thankyou Renata!

Donna - who is at the moment blogless because of some glitch in the Blogger system - often offers support and understanding. :) Thanks "Darl".

It works!!

You may remember that we are in the process of putting a swimming pool in our backyard - mainly because EJ's OT said that it would be good therapy for him. It was a bit of a gamble, because we couldn't take EJ to any public pool to test out if this would be effective therapy or not. So we took the risk and went ahead with it.

This Christmas break we went to a caravan park that had a swimming pool in it. EJ was in there morning, afternoon and evening. Three reasonable swims a day. Even though we were in an unfamiliar place - which normally sends him over the edge very easily, he was calmer than I have ever seen him to be before in my life. He coped very well with everything we threw at him. We even took him to a bowling alley with very loud music and lights flashing everywhere. He bowled brilliantly and coped excellently - he started to tick towards the end, but we went back and jumped in the pool and that cured him of that!

When we came home - the relaxing effects of the pool started to wear off. Yesterday he had a meltdown. He was ticking, irrational and very on edge.

Daz is out at this very moment, getting the stuff together to put the pool up. We are hoping to get a majority of the ground-work done this weekend!

It's so exciting to find things that are helping him relax and cope with life. He's going to love having a pool in his own backyard and I'm going to love the effects it has on him! :)


Here is E - taking time to smell the roses....



and laughing when the pollen goes up his nose...


Priceless!