346 + 242 Weeks

I am worn out!  I have a cold sore, which always happens when I'm crashing.  We have started this new protocol that is supposed to heal our autonomic nervous systems (essentially make us all super healthy, and help the kids with their issues), and I think it is kicking my butt.  But apparently this is what happens for the first month or so.  We are fully expecting Arley to lash out, and some days he is and some days he is fine.  Yesterday he was fantastic.  This evening, not so much.  The protocol is called the Nemechek Protocol, and it includes taking fish oil every day, which is pretty gross for us vegetarians.  But, I am hoping it is worth it in the long run.  Our psychologist saw Arley on Wednesday, and she said he is a different boy to when we started, and it is nice to see other people recognise it too.

This week we were busy once again.  The kids had swimming lessons, Carmie had gymnastics (Arley opted out this week), Scouts (which she just loves!), and Japanese class (Arely had a good play with other homeschool kids while Carmie was in class with her friends).  We went to Collers Beach on Saturday evening for our dinner, but it was a little blown out so we didn't get to stay too long.  I took the kids to Merry Beach yesterday after our therapy session.  They are out and about so much more these days - not so much homebodies right now.  Today we drove to Tabourie to meet up with some new friends - a travelling homeschooling family who sadly are leaving tomorrow.  The kids swam in the pool with their kids, and had a blast on the splash pad.  It was so nice chatting with like-minded people (they are actually doing the same Nemechek Protocol that we are!).  On Monday I hosted a homeschooling info session at the library, as we are trying to spread the word about homeschooling so that more people become aware that it is an option.  We had a really good turn out, with seven interested parents, which is pretty good for a small town!  And the kids had lots of time on their scooters.  Jeffrey took them to the duck park at Burrill on Sunday for a scoot, and they have been scooting around our cul de sac too.

I am still waiting on the report from Carmie's OT assessment, so more on that next week, hopefully!

Saturday evening at Collers Beach

 Stylin' little man

 Merry Beach

 Tabourie

345 + 241 Weeks

It has been such a busy week, I think I have over-scheduled us for the time being!  Time will tell, hopefully we will get more used to being in the swing of things again.  For the duration of the school holidays, we didn't do very much, and now it feels like we are doing everything.  The weather has been really hot, so we hit the beach on the weekend.  The kids had such a good time.  Carmie got hooked on jumping the waves with her Dad, and actually told him to remind her how silly she is when she complains about going to the beach (which she hopefully will never do again - she doesn't know how lucky she is!)

On Monday I had a meeting with NDIS for Arley.  It was a really emotional 2.5 hours, as they asked SO many questions and really picked him apart.  They were trying to find out what level he is at, to figure out what our goals for this year would be, so that they could figure out what kind of funding we get.  We have just put a hold on his occupational therapy until the funding comes through, as it is costing us a fortune, and I know enough to continue doing things with him at home.  We might have to start some OT for Carmie too, as she has something going on as well.  She had the second half of her assessment on Wednesday, but I have't received the report back yet.

Anyway, on Monday afternoon, both kids went to gymnastics again, but Arley skipped half of it because a boy told him to take his socks off (!) and then because he didn't understand the instructions.  He was so overwhelmed, the poor little guy, he just wailed like a lost baby.  It broke my heart.  He says he is not doing gym any more, so we'll see if he gets up some courage for next week.

Tuesday was a great day.  Arley was fantastic, and had a couple of breakthroughs.  He let me pack up his train tracks that he has had on his bedroom floor for over two years!  I had the kids painting in the studio, and he was laughing and I turned around to find him painting his hand and making handprints (this is huge for him!!), and then when I took Carmie swimming, he chose to stay home with his dad!

On Wednesday afternoon we picked Hannah up from school and she had a play at our house before she and Carmie went off for their first Scouts meeting.  They loved it!  I'm not sure what they did at the meeting but Carmie came home with a herb planted inside an orange skin.  I am so happy that she loved it, because she is really in need of some semi-structured social time.

Today we met up with some homeschool friends at Mollymook park, which was great.  We made new friends and it was a lovely morning.  This afternoon Carmie started Japanese classes with her buddy Aska, and she loved that too.  Arley was a bit of a nightmare today, and he only got worse as the day progressed.  He ended up crying in bed tonight desperately sorry for his bad behaviour (after telling me that he wished I would just leave him and run away!).  Fingers crossed he wakes up in a better mood tomorrow!

 Can't believe he can colour in like this!

 And Carmie too!  A minor miracle that this got completed!

 Messy hands!

344 + 240 Weeks

It's been such a busy week this week!  We had our Saturday night beach dinner, and it was so lovely that we did it again on Sunday night!  After the dinner we always take a walk or explore the rock pools, and on Sunday, Carmie led the way and just kept going and going.  The kids loved exploring unchartered territory, and we were out until it grew dark.  That was the first night of Arley's bedtime changing from 7:30 to 8:30 (I am shooting for 8pm, but it hasn't happened yet).  Jeffrey has been trying to teach the kids to skip rocks, but neither has been successful yet, and they have a long way to go!

On Monday I took the kids to the pool so they could have a swim with Arley's bestie Jemma after her lesson.  We stayed long after Jemma was gone, because I don't think that Carmie is happier than when she is in the water, and Arley was finally brave enough to swim in the pool by himself without his floaty vest.  He was great, and I'm super proud of him learning to swim, as it has been a long time coming!

On Monday afternoon the kids started gymnastics.  Carmie used to go when she was younger, but we stopped going because Arley would cry and cause such a scene when we'd drop her off, as he was always too young to join in.  Now that he is old enough, we gave it another shot.  He was way too nervous at first, and was really worried because he thought they were going to make him take his socks off (he still has sensory problems with his feet).  I had to join in and felt quite silly being the only mum on the mat, but it didn't take long for him to let go of my hand and fit in.  At one point they were lining his group up to do 'sausage rolls' on the mat, and I just thought there was no way this was going to happen, as at OT last week, that was one of the things that Jenna his OT was asking him to do, and he flat out refused.  He sausage rolled all over the mat (after he was shown how to lie and given a push), and I got all teary watching him!  Carmie told me later that some girls were being mean and asking why he did everything differently, and she told them that he has autism, which actually shut them up.  She was totally taking care of him, and it was so nice to see.

On Tuesday we all went to Mollymook beach in the afternoon.  Jeffrey had the afternoon off, so the kids were psyched to play in the water with him.  It is so lovely to have the beach back to ourselves!  It was the most beautiful day, and we didn't want to come home again.  Sometimes it is like pulling teeth to get the kids to the beach, but then they NEVER want to leave.

On Wednesday we had a home day, at Carmie's request.  The kids and I did some tie dying, and they loved it.  Arley had been begging me for so long, and I had been putting it off thinking it would be so messy and he was too young.  Well, it was messy, but so worth it because both kids were really into it.  We are waiting for our shirts to dry and then we'll wash and dry them and make the dye permanent.  I think the kids are hooked.  That afternoon we picked up the kids' friend Hannah for a play after school.  The kids adore Hannah, and Carmie and her play so well together.  Our house is definitely rowdier with her around, but it's so nice to hear them playing.  Next week Carmie and Hannah are going to be starting Sea Scouts together, which is great, as Carmie really needs some semi-structured group socialising.

Today we met up with our homeschool crew at Narrawallee Inlet for a swim, picnic and day in the sun.  It was lovely, really nice to be able to get together with other mums and have a good chat while the kids played.  Arley didn't leave my side much, and was a little challenging, but it is nothing that they haven't seen before, and it was a fun day.

So, I am pooped!  

Saturday night beach dinner

 Carmie selfie :)

 Explorers

 Mollymook beach

 Tie dying

 Narrawallee Inlet

 Tie dye results!

 Cutie pies having iPad time together

 Making scrambled eggs