486 + 382 Weeks

 Oh my goodness, I simply cannot believe that I am here writing a blog post again!  Where did this week go?!

The kids had their friend Charlie sleep over on Saturday night.  Will and Charlie are brothers, and Carmie and Arley have become enamoured with them, and seemingly vice versa.  The boys have been begging to have a sleep over at our house, so we tried it out with Charlie first.  It was a huge success as far as the kids were concerned (I was exhausted!). Charlie has lots of energy, and loves being over at ours because, well, he likes the kids, but they all also love playing screens together.  I dislike that aspect of their friendship, but it seems like that is the world these days!  And they just love it.  Anyway, we spoiled them rotten, they had a TV dinner night with ice cream for dessert, and then afterwards they were very wound up, so I took them for a night time play at the neighbourhood park and a scooting session, despite the fact that it was raining lightly.  At first they didn’t want to go, but once we were out, it was really hard to get them home, because they LOVED it.  But I managed to get them back and to bed.  Charlie slept in Arley’s room, and they finally got to sleep around 10:30.  They were up again at 6am, which is not enough sleep for Arley!  I had organised to meet Charlie’s Mum with Will at a park the next day for the hand-over, but apparently a sleep over was not enough play, because Will and Charlie ended up back at our house for another play!

On Monday Jeff took the kids to the trampoline centre around the corner, and they had a blast and got a massive workout at the same time.  They came back exhausted and happy and were more than content to stay at home for the rest of the day.

On Tuesday we started family tennis lessons!  I bloody loved it!  The kids are still doing homeschool tennis on Friday, but we thought it might be a nice thing for us all to do together.  It was so fun, and a really good way for us to connect.  The coach Jared keeps the pace going really quickly, and I definitely improved in the half hour lesson (which admittedly isn’t hard considering my dismal tennis skills and lack of experience!).  We’ll be doing it every Tuesday, and we’re really looking forward to it!

Yesterday we joined the Nambucca homeschool group at Swimming Creek Beach at Valla.  It is a gorgeous beach, and Charlie was there so the kids were happy.  But after a few hours it went downhill because Charlie and Arley were determined that Charlie was going to come back to our house to play (screens).  I said no, not because I didn’t want Charlie over, but because I had a lot to do after the group, and Charlie lives in Bellingen half an hour away.  I just don’t have an extra hour in my day for all of that driving, and I’m certain Charlie’s mother doesn’t either.  I figure they’ve had their play, time to go now.  But they had other plans, and asked me probably 40 times.  Arley couldn’t handle being told no (over and over again), and got quite abusive.  We got him home and he proceeded to have a huge meltdown.  Next week I have already invited Charlie over after the meetup, but things are going to have to change because Arley just gets far too overwhelmed.

This morning the kids had horse riding.  I was a little wary going, because the instructor has asked to teach them separately, which makes for a very long day, and Arley has been quite ornery there.  However, he was brilliantly calm (even though he was telling me he hates horse riding beforehand!), and the lesson was smooth sailing.  Carmie had a great lesson and can’t wait for next week!

This afternoon the kids also had swimming lessons.  It was Carmie's second lesson since March, and Arley's first.  Carmie started last week but we didn't like her teacher, and they were kind enough to open a new class for Carmie at the same time as Arley's private lesson.  Carmie really liked her new teacher, and Arley really liked his.  They set Arley up with a male teacher who has two autistic boys of his own, and they got along SO well, so I am super happy.  It made for a jam-packed day, with horse riding this morning, but we all survived.

So, all in all it was a good week, I’m happy to report!

Night time play

Pre-tennis photo

Swimming Creek Beach

Dressing up tonight, playing spies.

485 + 381 Weeks

 Oh my goodness, I just realised it is Friday night and I didn't do the blog yesterday!  I had to beg Jeffrey to tell me what day it is - somehow I never know!

These weeks are just flying by!  We have become really busy with activities, and with our business, and somehow the time just goes.  We are finding Carmie to be asking for time alone with each parent, so this week Jeffrey took her out to Sawtell and then to the park at Sapphire Beach, while I took Arley out to a cafe and then a wonder around at Park Beach.  It is much easier to divide and conquer like this (some things never change!) and Arley is able to talk to me about his anxiety.  He told me he feels really scared when I'm not around.  Anyway, Arley and I had a lovely lunch and play, and Jeff and Carmie came home all smiles too, so it was a good day.

I wish it was so easy when we went out as a family.  Arley's anxiety always escalates, and he starts terrible fights with Carmie.  We took them to the jetty at Jetty Beach, which we hadn't been to before, and Arley was stressed the whole time, and took it out on Carmie.  She was walking too loudly, or moving her body funny, or making too much noise, or walking ahead instead of behind...it really could be anything, and shouting ensues.  It doesn't matter who is around.  It is very stressful for us all.  After we walked the jetty and ignored all the drama, we continued along until we found a park, and suddenly Arley was right as rain and thankfully the kids had fun together.  It made the day turn out OK.

The kids did horse riding again this week  Arley was cross because she put him on a different horse - a smaller horse who he actually rode much better.  He still wants the giant horse he started with, but going forward he will be on his new horse called Woody.  The instructor has asked to give them separate lessons, because Arley tends to hold Carmie up with a lot of refusal, and she can work with them both much better on their own.  It is going to make for very long Thursdays with hour long lessons with a half hour break in between.  I think it's all worth it though.  I wish we could teleport back to Milea every week, but obviously that's not going to happen!

On Wednesday we met up with the Nambucca homeschool group at a place called the V-Wall.  We had been there once before, but I was still taken aback by the beauty of the area.  The kids had a blast (until Carmie cut her foot on an oyster).  It is awesome to see them swimming and exploring, making friends and having fun.  It's what home schooling is all about for us.

Arley had a moment tonight, lots of shouting.  We had our windows and sliding door open, so all of the neighbours got to hear :(  For some reason he flips out when Carmie dances or moves her body in any way.  And I mean flips out.  I haven't heard back from the therapy team yet - I will chase them up on Monday.  We really need to get some more help for him.  He went to bed very remorseful, and he made a sign for his door pretty much saying that no Willbanks members are allowed in his room, only his friends.  I went in anyway :)

Happy boy on a day out with Mum

These bush turkeys are all over the place here!

Carmie's day out with Dad

Making a sign for her door

The Jetty

This photo speaks volumes!

Finally fun at the park

Arley on Woody, Carmie on Rosie

484 + 380 Weeks

 It is Thursday again, and it seems like the weeks are flying past.  This week was mostly good with a couple of downs, plus one big dramatic Arley meltdown.  It is so hard, because there is very little we can do to stop a meltdown in its tracks, and it really takes it out of him. :(  He is so regretful afterwards, and he just doesn't understand that it is not his fault (it is also hard for us to remember this in the moment as well).  But we muddled through it.

We took the kids to Mooney Beach for a picnic at the inlet and then a walk around the headland.  Arley did a lot of moping at the inlet but then had a good time on the walk, which surprised me because I thought it would be the other way around.  Some days he is so hard to get out of the house and he can make things quite unpleasant for everyone.  If he has friends around, it is a different story though.  Mooney beach is absolutely gorgeous.  The headland is just stunning.  It ended up being a successful outing, which doesn't happen as often as we would like!

Another day I took the kids to the Big Banana water park with their friends Will and Charlie.  It was a great day.  Will and Carmie took off together, and Arley and Charlie hung out, so it worked out really well.  Afterwards we took the kids to a park for more play, but they still weren't done so then Will and Charlie came to our house for a play.  We are so lucky to have found these friends.  The mother is lovely, and the kids all gel really well.

Jeffrey has been teaching Carmie to skateboard, and she is loving it.  She has her own style, and she seems happy being 'goofy footed'.  I'm totally proud of her, because she is pretty much the clumsiest person I know, so it's good for her.  Arley has started riding his bike again, which is great because it was causing him a whole lot of stress and anxiety before we moved.  He is still nervous on it and often gets off to turn corners (which is maddening!) but he is getting better and seems happy to do it.

Yesterday I took the kids down to Shelly Beach in Nambucca to meet up with the homeschool group down there.  They didn't really want to go, Carmie in particular.  We decided we'd give the group a few more tries before we gave up, and boy are we glad we did!  Yesterday we had a blast!  The kids made a new friend, I made some new friends, and Shelly Beach might be the most beautiful beach I have ever seen.  Seriously.  The kids swam and jumped waves, dug holes, climbed trees and buried each other in sand.  It was a brilliant day, and we are now looking forward to joining this group every Wednesday, where ever they meet up :)

This morning the kids had their second equine therapy at the new place, and it was SO much better!  Carmie was on the perfect horse for her, and I could tell she was getting her mojo back.  Arley was on the same horse as last week, which is too much horse for him, but the horse is a gentle giant and Arley seems to like him.  Arley really didn't want to go, and ran and hid when it was time to get on his horse.  However, the lesson ended up with high fives and smiles, so I am really happy.  There apparently is another smaller horse Arley could ride but he is supposed to be a bit too feisty, so she's going to train him up a little more first.  I think Arley will do much better on a smaller horse, but for now he is happy, so that is a giant win!

The kids and I got our hair cut this afternoon.  The hair dresser and I convinced Arley to go really short (we have been trying to get him to go short for a few years), and he did under a lot of pressure.  He looks so good and will be much cooler now!  Carmie got hers quite short too, and she looks like such a little pixie, really cute.

So, this week I went to a disability support company to find a new occupational therapist for Arley.  I am SO happy.  I have found a team of specialists.  I had an hour and a half meeting going over all of his history.  He has been assigned a support worker who is a young guy who likes computers and gaming (perfect!), and this support worker will come out every two weeks to hang out and work with Arley.  Then he goes back and all the specialists convene and discuss his therapy.  The OT will tell the support worker what to do, or step in herself if necessary.  After he gets accustomed to the support worker, they are going to introduce him to a behaviour specialist who will also come out bimonthly and work with him.  They will also come with me to my yearly NDIS meeting for support and funding help.  I feel so positive with this group, and I can't wait for it all to start.

So, all in all a good week!

A quick vid of carmie learning to skateboard:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-17GXF0z3M

Photos from our trip to the pool last week

Moony Beach

Dad teaching his girl to skateboard

Crystal making

Park play with Charlie

Shelly Beach

Horse riding this morning

Post horse riding face!

New hair cuts and donuts (bribery!)