Sunday morning

We all know that getting out the door on time in the morning can be a challenge, even if it's on the weekend to get to sport or church.  Even if the kids behave it can still be a challenge.

Dad’s Pool of Peace – by Phil Brewster

I got out of the shower

The boys own the airways with disobedient fun

Has Isaac’s nappy been changed?

I…Shoooosh Reuben I told you, I need to hear mum,

Now what did you say?

Yes but the boys need to do their teeth

Reuben interjects, but we haven’t had breakfast.

You said you had breakfast!!!!

No – well I had 5 weetbix

5?!?!?!?

Well I was hungry – and I gave Isaac one too.

Well... that’s breakfast

But we didn’t have milk on it!

It still counts as breakfast! Did you have five weetbix without milk??

Yeah-s

Well… you’d better go and have a glass of water,

or your poo pipes will block up!!  And it will really hurt.

Big eyes, gulps water, a moment to think, time to eat.

They’re moving to the door now.  I don’t want to go

to church today I say.

Fine, then you can hang the washing out, and thanks

I could have had a shower.

Bye Dad… the door shuts… I’m still… standing…

Now my heart slows… silence…

The clock ticks, welcome

The kids have gone

And a pool of peace wells around me

My legs say sit, the jugs boiled

But I dare not break this moment.

I'm baaaack!

No, I didn't drop off the face of the earth, I've been finding things a bit tough going recently, hence the lack of posts.  A dear friend told me a couple of weeks ago how long it had been since my last post....
Starting with the anniversary of my Dad's passing.

We've been having some behavioural issues with Reuben.  He's fine at school and his after school programme.  But at home, well that's another story.  Hitting, kicking, biting, throwing things, breaking things.  Poor wee Isaac gets terrified when Reuben gets like that.  I get bruised.  But I'm not giving in, I will continue to discipline him, and not allow him to behave with such disrespect! Mum has spoken, you have been warned!

Work has been difficult, restructuring which is going to take a total of about six months to complete, in addition to other things which I am unable to talk about here.  So I've started having a bit of a look around to see what other opportunities are around.

After I got over the flu, I've ended up with the hundred day cough which seems to be doing the rounds in Canterbury at the moment.

On a positive note, we've hit spring big time.  And I've started getting motivated to do some baking with the boys.  Been doing something each week, and because we've got a convection microwave, I don't have feel guilty about heating the whole oven just to cook/bake one thing.

I have missed international Cerebral Palsy day which was also the second anniversary of the first of the earthquakes - September 4th.  We've had over 12000 earthquakes in the last two years.  But we did just have a stretch of 10 days where there were none at all - it's a bit surreal that a statistic like that is a milestone!

Isaac has been a star.  He's making fantastic progress with his walking.  He is only using it at preschool intermittently, and occasionally at the mall.  His motor control for feeding is improving.  He now has a special raised chair that he uses at the table.  I was initially a little wary, thinking that it would create more mess, but actually it's been okay.  Balance is getting so much better and the exercises that he's doing at champion centre have lead to him being able to jump off his chair (when I hold his hands) knees bent and everything.  Yeah, I'm a proud Mama.

The next few weeks are going to be hectic. Why is it that all the apppointments end up happening within a couple of weeks of each other? Isaac has his first IP this week.  I'm kind of nervous about it, but at the same time quite excited.  He has come such a long way in such a short time.  Optometrist appointment which we've had to wait 3 months for.  Appointment with Paediatrician - I think she is going to be impressed with our little guy. OT home safety assessment, and Lifelinks assessment (my best advice for people is to get into the system as soon as you can, that way you can access as much funding, etc as possible). Add in some interviews, a couple of staff leaving lunches, pamper day, Silver Ferns test.

We were really fortunate to be able to get our house insulated with batts (under floor and ceiling). It has made such a difference and although we've past the worst of winter and headed into spring, I think that we're going to notice a difference through summer and into next winter - YAY for saving money on Pellets for the pellet burner!

If anyone knows how to do a circular or oval crop, please let me know.  It's something that I haven't had time to figure out - or maybe I don't have the correct software.  We're not allowed to put photos of champion centre staff on the net, so I've improvised.

A group a mum's from champion centre have started getting together for dinner once every month or two.  Last time was the first time that I'd been, but I figured if I don't do it now, I'll wimp out later too.  I got my friend Cushla (also a Champion Mum) to come with me.  We had a great time meeting new people and eating great food.  Some of the mum's are graduates, so they know what we're going through. It is crazy how ordinary people end up going through an extraordinary journey for their child.  

I have been amazed a the courage of parents I have met online from around the world.  There are a couple of people from the UK and Australia who are raising awareness of the newborn cooling which Isaac had at birth.  I watched a story on tv tonight about an amazing father with a child who has cerebral palsy, it was really inspiring.

Until next time, and I promise that it won't be so long

Technology and Clothes Pegs

Hasn't the world around us changed so much in the past century.  Ok, so a century is a long time.  Even the past 20 years, technology has moved forward in leaps and bounds.  And isn't it awesome the difference it can make in a child's life, but particularly those with special needs.  It's great that we can just pick up the phone and talk to someone, as though they were in the next room, or skype relatives that live overseas.  There are some any cool gadgets out there, but imagine what the next 20 years holds....

I do have a bit of a thing for information and technology.  I can recall all kinds of seemingly useless information and have been known to get a little obsessive.  You could even say sometimes even slightly obsessive compulsive, although if I catch myself heading down that track I am normally able to stop it.  Like with pegs hanging out the washing.  I use a particular kind of peg (pink pegs) for a while there I had 3 batches of pegs all of varying stages of colour fade.  I had to use pegs of the same depth of colour on a garment when I hung it on the line.  BUT, I also had to ensure that the total number of pegs was a multiple of 6 - that way it was also divisible by 3 and 2, and if it was divisible by 2, then there was a 50/50 chance that it would be divisible by 4, so a multiple of 12 was even better.  I willingly chose to do this, it wasn't like I HAD to.  When I realised how crazy it was getting, I went and bought another couple of packets of pegs, but the manufacturer had changed what they did, and now pink pegs came in packets of mixed pink, green and purple.  This could have been really, really bad.  But I was able to rationalise my way out of it and can now just use what ever peg I pick out of the basket.  It also makes a difference when you have a couple of willing little helpers who get the pegs out for you - that way you don't have a choice.  I'm not too worried about the number of pegs that get used, although I do still count to multiples of 6 when I bring the washing in.

But I digress, I really like numbers and patterns, that kind of thing. Really enjoyed algebra when I was at High School - see I really am a bit Tutti Frutti!

I have been interested to see what my blog stats show me about people who have been visiting my blog.  Here's a snap shot of my pageview audience stats:

New Zealand - 688

United States - 177

Australia - 38

Russia - 16

United Kingdom - 15

Canada - 10

Germany - 6

Japan - 6

Finland - 2

Ireland - 1

There was also one from South Korea but that disappeared!?


I have a global audience, and I guess that I can rest easy about no-one reading my blog, although that could change after today's post....

What a great day

It's been a really good day today, and the boys have been fabulous.  I've been having issues with Reuben getting ready in the mornings.  Occassionally he behaves, but more times than not, it is a huge drama just to get out the door  to get to school on time.  Phil leaves for work before any of the rest of us get up, so I'm basically a solo parent in the mornings.

Not sure where I found this, hopefully I'm not breaching a copyright!

This morning Reuben was super good, got himself dressed, had breakfast, etc no problems, no disagreements.  Then tonight when we got home, I had a terrible headache.  Although I hadn't said anything to Reuben, he was being really helpful.  Then we sat on the sofa and practised the sign alphabet.  His class have been learning a bit at school.  After we'd done that for a bit, and spelt out all of our names, he said to me right out of the blue, "Would you like me to brush your hair mum?"  Not something I'd normally go for, but why not it might help my head feel better, and it'll be relaxing anyway.  It was soooo nice and very relaxing.

After both boys eating all of their dinner (doesn't happen very often), I got Isaac through the bath and Reuben had a quick shower.  It was a reward for him since he'd been really good, but only on the condition that it was quick.  Now, yours and my idea of quick, and that of an almost 6 year old boy, are two totally different things.  For a while he has had to have baths because he was taking over 20 minutes to shower.  Tonight he was nice and quick, and both boys were in bed on time!  Again another rareity in our house.

Sometimes it just a combination of small things, that make it feel like a big deal.  Let's hope that this behaviour continues.  What have your little rascals done lately that makes you feel really good?

  

Creative Images

I haven't heard from the Champion Centre yet, so I'll be phoning tomorrow to see if I can get things moving along.  It's over six weeks since Isaac's appointment with the consultant, and we still haven't had an apointment with Speech Language.  I think it's time for me to get that moving along too.

I've added a couple of You Tube songs to the sidebar of my blog.  They have been a source of hope and comfort during some of the most challenging times in my life.  Take a listen, and see what you think of them.