Mainly highs

This week I have rolled with the punches.
I have also been lucky enough to roll with the "highs".

The most recent would have to be the treatment of Tom at the Primary School today.
You do not realise a 5 years old's thinking of his sister's school until you listen to his surprise of going to art and music weekly.
When he says "can you ask the sports teacher to take it easy on me on my first day".

The anxiety after our car accident reached fever pitch for poor Tom.
REALLY odd behaviour and mannerisms began.
Once the talk of school next year began, he became worse.

So today an incredible person at the school showed him around.
Everywhere.
I say incredible because he talked to Tom.
He described and explained things so that Tom understands what he will be doing next year.
I have not seen the anxiety behaviour at all today.

Then Amelia woke me up very early today.
Excited that it is "Friday".
Today Amelia had a project to present to the class.
She had to give a talk about Community helpers.
She had interviewed Scott about making plastic products, including our council rubbish bins.
Such excitement about interviewing, writing and presenting over the last week.
Apparently she got extra ticks for smiling and looking at the audience.
It makes me emotional that the school knew she would be able to do it. They also insisted on doing all the practice during school hours.

Something that may appear exhuberant and selfish..........I booked another holiday.
We didn't use Amelia's Project funds, we used our weekly money.
When we get back from America,I have been worried that we will crash and burn.....mentally.
This whole year has been geared to going to Disneyland.
So when we get home........I need to be busy again.
I need to keep my mind occupied.
If I fall apart, I worry everyone will.

So.............
November 17th , Eclipse at midnight.
Amelia finishing Grade 2 and Christmas.
AND now January 11th - 18th 2012, the kids and I are going to stay with a good friend in Coolum, Queensland.
She has 4 gorgeous daughters that spoil my two.
I can relax with my friend and........just be.
Before we come home and begin another full on school year and Tom entering Primary School permanently.

Then Amelia's Project begins again.
This week I heard about something being organised that will make it even bigger than it aleady is.

So must go and watch True Blood now.
Have a beautiful weekend everyone.

xxx

Onions, musicals, vomit and Vampires !!!

So how many people are sleeping with onions next to their bed after last nights blog ??!!
I can only imagine !!

Interesting day today.
Amelia spent the morning vomiting.
I have no idea why.
After a few hours she got up (from being lifeless seconds earlier) and was starving.
So whatever it was is hopefully gone.

Tom had his first invite as a "prep in 2012" at the Primary School today.
We were invited to go and see the Grade 6 musical.
It was so good and brought back so many memories.
My beautiful dad came to sit with Amelia so that she could continue vomiting and then I could go and let Tom enjoy feeling special and important.
We danced and sang along to Hairspray, high school musical, Grease, Mumma Mia and The Lion King.
It was run so well we had no idea that a boy had fallen over backstage and an ambulance had been called.
He has recovered apparently but I felt for the poor mum (who I know) receiving THAT phone call.
But the memories came flooding back from my Grade 6 musical.
Alice In Wonderland.
I was the Cheshire Cat and it was one of my most favorite experiences ever.

Thank you everyone for putting up with my constant talk of True Blood.
I think I love it for many different reasons.
Firstly, Scott and I ALWAYS sit at opposite ends of the house once the kids go to bed.
We generally like different TV shows and I have my computer obsession.
But now we excitedly get the kids to bed so we can get the next episode started!!!
And the other thing is, after you get to Episode 6, Season 1, you are hooked.
Hook, line and sinker.
It just gets better and better !!!
Anything to bring some extra happiness and excitement into our home (even if it is through vampires, sex and romance).

Soon you will be able to read my blogs and see LOTS of photo's from Disneyland.
I want you to all try and live it with us........

xxx

Up, down and all around

Once again it has been an interesting week of emotions.

The weekend was busy, much busier than usual.

On Saturday morning "the Moshi Monster" expert (an 8 year old girl) came over to give the kids and I inside information on how to get further in the website.
Definately a very computer literate little girl and one I struggled to keep up with.
But Amelia and Tom now have "moshlings" and they are very happy !!!!

Saturday afternoon Amelia had her first appointment with a very clever speech therapist.
She was "spot on" with her recognition of Amelia's difficulties and how to help her manage it.
Swallowing and breathing while talking have been addressed and Amelia just needs simple reminders to help her remember what to do.

Sunday was Fathers Day and we celebrated a very special day with Scott, my dad and Scott's dad.

Amelia was tired Monday and came home from school exhausted.
She was eager to tell me some incidents that had occured in the playground at school though.
One child told her she does not now how to catch a ball, another close friend said "we are breaking up" and finally someone asked her........."do you ever wish you were normal".
She was really down that night and we found ourselves giving lots of cuddles and reassurance.
This morning at Tom's Kinder a child said "you cannot talk properly. You talk like a baby".
I was impressed to see Tom jump to her defence.
I said to him "yes she can talk properly. YOU just can't understand her".

I think that I may take Amelia to look at the special school I looked at a few months ago.
The one where they are intellectually ok but physically they have difficulties.
See what she thinks and whether she would like to consider attending one day a week next year.
It may help her to see that she is normal.
Everyone is normal.
No one is the same, everyone is different.
At this special school she could see that there are lots of children just like her.
She just hasn't met them yet.

Imagine watching everyone laugh, run, jump and be full of energy........
While you stand there struggling to put one foot in front of the other.
You struggle to hold a conversation.........
To get them to stay long enough and listen while you get the words out.
You feel so incredibly tired...........
all of the time.

Maybe it is time we start introducing her to other children that have difficulties too.
Children that also go to school.

Just a thought at the moment.......

Then something very funny happens.

Another A-T family told me about an old wives tale..........
Put onions next to your bed.
Do not peel them or cut them.
They absorb all bacteria and infection and keep a person healthy.
I thought there was no harm in trying this out.
We have slept the whole Winter with onions next to the kids beds.
The kids have had the healthiest Winter they have ever had.
For the first time ever in Amelia's life she has not had croup once this year.
Then we did a really stupid thing.
We needed them for cooking and I did not replace them.
We ate the onions possibly full of bacteria and infection.
Now we have all been sick for over two weeks.
Coincidence ???
Maybe.
(But if you google this myth it says do not put onions in the fridge and then eat them because of the amount of bacteria they have absorbed).
So now we ALL have onions next to us at night.
Interesting talking point when people come over !!!!

So tonight I had the biggest laugh this week when I was looking at Facebook (after finishing another 2 episodes of True Blood of course!).......
I read the following status from my male neighbour whose wife I adore...(I hope that he does not mind if I copy and paste it).......

" Should i be worried? - i really like our neighbour .... but now find myself lying in bed next to an onion ...and just finished watching some vampire series....worse still i found myself wanting more !!".

xxx