A mind airing

Hello everyone.

This is a post late at night......for me anyway.
But one that I need to have.
I need to clear my mind.
Some may agree, some may not.
That is also the general "gist" of this post.

I have had many conversations with many different people recently.
Some good people and some bad people.

How can you tell the difference?
Many ways.

Your gut tells you first.
The emotion tells you next.
And finally the decision on whether you want to continue with this person in your life.

Amelia, Tom and Scott will be in my life for a very long time.
People that I choose to join us is crucial to the overall happiness of Amelia's short life here and Tom's upbringing to make him the best person he can be.

Recently I was told that I am someone that "people come to".
I agree with that but not in a egotistical kind of way (well I hope not anyway).

Based on what I know and what I have been told, I would like to say something..........

Listen, give advice and support.
Do not give up on that person until it is detrimental to you or your family's well being.

I am surrounded by people with many different mental health issues.
Jeez.......I am sure that I could create my own new diagnosis that no one has ever heard of !!!!!!

DO NOT BE SCARED OF MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS.

You will probably be surprised by how much alike they are to you and I.
They have just been brave enough to admit their thoughts to a medical professional.

I am proud of those around me.

If you need to seek help.....do it.
It is not such a bad thing.

Every, single person is so different to the next.
They bring such a diverse personality, ideas and thought process.
It can either extend our own lives positively or destroy it negatively.

The world has changed and all of the chemicals in our brains work so differently between each individual.
Never, ever be ashamed of the person you are.
Everyone can make changes for the better.

Always here.......for anyone.

xxx

Some laughs

Hello everyone.

So many things to tell you.
So much to laugh about.

Lets begin with the commercial filming.........

At the end of filming a few weeks ago, the VIP's of what we were advertising for came over to introduce themselves.
I explained to Amelia who they were and that they were in charge of us being there.
Amelia leans over and says "Can I whisper to you?".
I explain "No. That is rude in front of people. What do you want to say?".
She then says in the clearest, loudest voice.......
"WHEN DO WE GET OUR MONEY?".

In future if Amelia needs to "whisper", I will let her whisper!

At Amelia's birthday she was given a present by her soul mate/best friend/boyfriend, Jackson.
It was a beautiful ring.
Amelia's reaction when she opened it?
"OH NO, IT'S NOT A PROPOSAL IS IT????".

Hysterical.

The day after Amelia's birthday she asked if we could "sort out" her presents.
Seems like a normal thing to do.
The only difference was Amelia had to also have her handbag.
She organised herself with her purse on her lap and her handbag open next to her.
I could not stop laughing as she put any money straight into that purse and any gift vouchers straight into the handbag.
EVERYDAY now she wants to know when we are going shopping !!!

Whenever anyone "passes wind" at the moment, she looks at them with a huge smile, nods her head and saws "good one".

Yep.....this girl is changing!

Lets move on to Tom now........

During the week, I went to check on his Birthday Invitation List.
He has been magnificent in marking off who can and cannot come.
Now Tom is only 6 and still spelling a lot of words by how they "sound".
I seriously lost the plot laughing when I came across this........

Well it is the way it sounds !!!

I am now going to end with something that happened last night.

Amelia had a meltdown.
A major meltdown.

She did not want to have a shower.
But for various reasons she needed one.

Scott started to cave to her request.

Now our house consists of us constantly disciplining Tom.
He HAS to do what we tell him.
Tom needs boundaries.
Give him an inch, he will take a yard !

But our household is also equal and fair.

In the past when Tom has wanted to skip showers he has been made to still have one.
It is needed for hygiene!

Now because of Scott beginning to cave, I stepped in.

I walked over to Amelia and began assisting her to the shower.
She held on to the couch.
I was firm.
She got angry.
She began crying.
She HIT me.

The last time Amelia behaved like this she would have been 3 years old.

She then promptly got a "line" on the discplinary chart.
(Tom has had this chart for a few weeks now. 5 lines and we will not take him to basketball, 10 and he misses out on footy).

Tom starts getting beside himself excited that I need to create a chart for Amelia.
He begins whispering "she needs 3 lines for that!!".

I shower her while she is hysterically crying.
Scott dresses her while she is still crying.
All because she did not want a shower and wants to watch "The block" instead!

We give her nurofen to calm her down and put her straight to bed.

Very draining, upsetting but also ridiculous.
We decide she must just be tired.
Her behaviour is unlike anything we have seen in 7 years !

As I go into Tom's room to kiss him goodnight, I realise that I should probably acknowledge to Tom this situation that he has NEVER witnessed before.

"Must be good to see someone else in this house getting into trouble for once" I say quietly.

His eyes opened wide, a massive smile crosses his face and his says with wonder....
"Oh mum. It was fantastic. And it was really BIG trouble".

Hope I gave you a laugh.
Enjoy your long weekend Australia.

xxx

Happy 10th Birthday Amelia

Thank you to everyone that came to Amelia's party.
Thank you to everyone for such heartfelt messages.
Thank you to everyone for all of Amelia's presents.

The entertainment was awesome !!!!
All of the kids were begging their parents for the same at their birthdays !!!
http://www.boptillyoudrop.com.au/

For the past 10 years (Amelia's whole life) Heather has made Amelia's birthday cakes.
They not only look awesome, the taste it too.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Heathers-Novelty-Cakes-Langwarrin/388369561173207

Thank you so much to party planner extrordinaire Michelle Mundy.
The awesome box of disco goodies from Meaghan Potter and Meredith Hill.
And to the many that helped on the day of the party (especially the Cooke family and Lauren Hunter)


                   The Birthday Girl

The 3 musketeers

                                                  My future son in law with Amelia

                                               The best disco idea I think I have EVER seen !!!!!

                                                                       Rock On

                                                                       The cake

                                           Tom helping Amelia with her "welcome signs".

                                                                  My crazy family

                                                              Karaoke Time !!!!

                                                      At the family birthday dinner

Happy Birthday my little Pink Princess.
Looking forward to celebrating many more with you.

xxx

My Pink Princess

 Explanation for my pink princess below....

As always a lot has been happening around here.

A lot.

But today I would like to talk about Amelia.

It is Amelia's 10th Birthday next week.
Her disco party is on Saturday.
It will be small, (considering the amount of children that have attended her parties in the past), but she is in total control of this one.

For someone who is developing into a young woman she is slowly changing.......
It is a good change though.

I have enjoyed planning her party with her.
She tells me what food, I either order, make or buy it.
She demands I take her to the shops to look for party decorations.
I wheel her chair around while she constantly yells "Wait! Back!".
Amelia will take something off the shelf, put it in her lap or hand it to the slave (me) behind her and then demands we go pay for it.

Today I mentioned that I will go and look at the party shops that her wheelchair cannot get in to.
"But.....I may not like what you get" she said.

Total control.
It is funny and such a change for her.

Two years ago she questioned the mainstream school she was attending whether she could get permanent pink highlights in her hair.
They said no. It is against the rules.
She pointed out the funky prep teacher with pink hair.
"You are a child. She is an adult" she was told.

Last night the beautiful Jade Price came round and put pink highlights in her hair.
It is part of her birthday present from Scott and I.
(Amelia cannot wait to go and show the "old" school that she has it!).

It was an experience that I had not prepared her for.
She could not understand the "foils", the time it takes and the procedure that needed to be followed.
Due to her confusion she worried, became grumpy and complained.

Finally when it was all washed and dried.....she smiled.

She loves it.
Scott and I love it.
Tom was even full of praise!

After much discussion, thought and advice, the presents are even changing.
Money, gift vouchers, perfume and earings are all top of the list.
Itunes cards, music and tickets to the Aquarium are also popular.

Amelia is laying in bed for 2 hours every night this week struggling to fall asleep.
"I am just so excited about my birthday" she says.

So to recap on the family as a whole......
Tom begged Scott to shave his head recently (he is now a skinhead), Scott has decided to relive his youth and repierced his earing through last night and my daughter has bright pink streaks through her hair.

I may need to get with the times..............
I am the only one not being creative and eccentric now!!!!!



xxx

My baby

Tonight I have written many things about what has happened in our lives in the last few days.

Nothing seems worthy to describe it.

Today something happened that summed it all up for me.

After many hours waiting, we began filming for a nation wide TV commercial.

25 people and many set props.

I was moved away from the front of camera........to behind.

Amelia was alone and delivering the script by herself.

I watched in awe.

What I had stumbled with minutes earlier was happening easily to my little girl.

A natural on camera.
A natural star.

Watch out for Amelia on a commercial in 3 weeks.

She is unbelievably awesome.

xxx

Future TV star ????/

Yesterday it was suggested that I give a "casting company" a call.
It had advertised for a child with a disability.
They needed the child for a TV commercial.

I rang the company to enquire further, and then suddenly she had booked us in for an interview today at 10am !!

There are other people being considered for the same role.
It would require about 6 hours of time next week.
It pays a VERY reasonable amount of money.

Amelia and Tom had very different reactions towards our adventure today (even though Tom was going to school).
Amelia was full of nerves and asking many questions like "do I have to talk?" and "will there be cameras?".
Tom was trying to over ride the conversation with 'I want to go!" and "I want to be on camera!".

My two polar opposite children.

Amelia was a lot more comfortable about the idea today.
Even questioned my choice of clothing for the day......
"Are you wearing that?. Don't we have to look pretty?".
(Join the brigade Amelia, that shakes their head at my wardrobe !!!).

Amelia really, really relaxed once we got there.
Something happened to make her relax though.
Story ???
Ok.....read on........

After being welcomed into the office in the city, I was asked to complete some paperwork.
Amelia's name, address, clothing size etc.
Amanda's (ME) name, address, clothing size......
CLOTHING SIZE?

I walk up to the reception desk and ask why my height etc is needed.
"Because you are auditioning for the commercial too".

WHAT ??!!!

No make up.
Eyebrows looking like the National State Forest.
CRAP !!!

Anyway.......
Amelia is watching my reaction in HYSTERICS!
She thinks it is hilarious that she is not the only one nervous NOW!\

I also had to "facebook" the employee a family photo because the WHOLE family may be needed !

Amelia is relaxed, happy and smiling continually.
Me? Well I had to take a few deep breaths and then I realised how fun this experience could be.\

Move on I say.

So we answered questions.
We introduced ourselves.
We had FUN !

I think that the waiting room was just as exciting (and stories from inside!).

A very famous commercial was being cast.

The personalities and money amounts being discussed...........

WOW.

Totally different world.
Amelia was even able to understand what was happening around us.

That is our touch with possible stardom for 2013 I think.

We find out if we have been accepted for the "role" on Friday.

I would say fingers crossed but the adventure today has left us both so happy anyway.

                                                                       
                                                                       On our way!

                            Do you think that she fulfills the possible role of TV Star.....Diva maybe ???!!!!!!

                        No photo's / selfies of the National State Forest are available at this point in time..........

xxx

Mothers Day 2013

Dear Family and Friends (inclunding Online friends I have never met!),

There are many reasons why you may read this page.
There are many reasons that you may be a member of Amelia's Project page on Facebook.

Either you were already part of our lives - before diagnosis- or you have been drawn to "our journey".
Some people we have met naturally through education and sport.

Either way, you are part of our lives.

You have laughed with us.
You have cried with us.

Many of you have lived a lot of this experience with us.

The "community support" in my home town has been phenomenal.
It is something that took me a while to get used to.
Other people taking my child to school.
Other people picking them up.
Letting the kids "sleep over" earlier than I normally would.

All the things that I was so protective over a few years ago.

But today is Mothers Day in Australia.

At the very beginning of our journey, the outpouring of grief for our family was not only for the child that will have a shortened lifespan..........it was also for the mother.

ME.

It was for the father and the younger brother but it was also all of my friends, that were mothers or knew the priveledge of having a mother, that began such a wonderful support network.

Even though Amelia's Project has ended now, I still have a close group of friends around me.

These people quite often step in and "surrogate mother" my children when I am not around or have too many commitments at once.
(and Scott obviously, but I am writing this from a mothers daily duty point of view).

They may be teachers, friends or sporting coaches.
They may have been in our lives forever or appeared recently and really "clicked" with us.

They are so important to our family in our daily lives.
They are the ones you can "call on" when you need help.

In our situation, we need those people.
WHY?
It is hard to explain......
To keep us sane, to make sure everything runs smoothly and to present many wonderful people to our 2 children.
To show them a variety of people and situations.
People that like them, people that love them.

People that will help make sure they have an "amazing life".
People that also accept us with no judgement, ulterior motive or expectation.

Some of them have been there consistently since the beginning.
I hope that I am the type of person that will always be there for them too.

They know who they are.
They know we are indebted to them for our daily living.

To all mothers today reading this......

Happy Mothers Day.

Just remember, we are Mothers everyday and we are very lucky.

xxx