430 + 326 Weeks

This week has been so much better than last week!  Friday night was absolutely terrible - Carmie was extremely emotional.  She gave her dad a bit of attitude, which is really unlike her, and then when she was called up on it, oh my goodness, the emotional explosion that resulted was unheard of!  It was crazy.  She was crazy!  Poor thing, she couldn't contain herself.  I guess all of the emotional upheaval with her brother that week had sent her over the edge.  We had a good chat the next day, and we set up some new boundaries, and both of the kids have had a good week ever since.  Arley yelled at me one morning because he didn't understand my answer to his question.  That night I came back inside from the studio to find he'd written me a note apologising for yelling that morning and saying he loves me more than anything.  I was so happily surprised, and it was such a visible sign of his capacity for remorse, it's a huge step.  He has still been quite cross at times - it's like his meds have just taken the edge off but aren't quite helping as they could.  We are going back up to his doctor next week, so we shall see where we go from here.

The weather has been amazing this week.  I got the kids to the very uncrowded Mollymook beach on Friday (knowing how the crowds would flock there come the school holidays, which started this week).  It was beautiful.  We are pet-sitting our friends' bunny rabbit this week.  Her name is Dapple, and she is a little skittish, because of Bella.  Bella is horribly jealous and can't stand for any of us to give Dapple attention before she shoves her big head in the way to scare the bunny.  Carmie is being a little cautious because she has been bitten a few times, but Arley is completely in love.  I thought it would be the other way around, but Arley is so very gentle and considerate with Dapple, and he is now saying that bunnies are his favourite animal.

The kids had a couple of days out with their dad so I could work.  On Saturday he took them into town for ice cream, and then for a play at the harbour.  They discovered a new 'sport' that they love, racing over the giant cement blocks of the break wall.  Jeffrey said they did it about ten times each, and the next day, Carmie's shoulders were sore.  That next day, Jeff took them both to the movies to see Abonimable, which they all liked.

The kids have had two vacation care days, which they were really psyched to go to, however Arley wasn't so sure when I dropped him off.  He wasn't too bad on Monday, because they were taking all of the kids to the movies, but he did not want to go today, even though the Shoalhaven Zoo was coming down with a bunch of animals to show the kids.  He was really nervous because there were about 60 kids there, and that is just so overwhelming for him.  But he braved up, and stayed until after lunch, when I got a call to come pick them up early.

Yesterday we had a great day at Mollymook park, playing with the kids' old homeschool friends who have since gone off to school.  They miss their friends so much, I'm glad they got in a good play.

This morning the kids had horse riding, and they were on fire.  They both cantered so quickly, they freaked me out, but both kids stayed on, which is the important thing!

Here is a video from this morning:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gQvfp8fLec

A video of the kids taking on the break wall:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTaU5j-lmEU

A quick video of Arley reading.  I'm so proud of him :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvgc94-ufyE

 Mollymook Beach

 Day out with Dad