490 + 386 Weeks

 And once again I forgot to do the blog last night!  I think it’s because I’ve been sick.  Carmie came down with a cold this week, and I was so proud that I didn’t get it.  Or so I thought.  I was definitely counting my chickens!  Carmie was sick for three days, so we missed playing with homeschool buddies on Friday, and then I was sick this week, so we missed going to the homeschool meetup on Wednesday.  We did briefly make it out though in between illness.

One day we went to the tidal pool at Mylstom again.  It was a disaster, because it was Arley’s second day trialling Ritalin, and we were NOT prepared for the come down.  He turned into the Incredible Hulk on steroids, it was scary.  And Arley is pretty scary anyway when he gets mad, but this was a whole new level, and out in public.  The poor boy, he must have been feeling terrible.  He still asked for Ritalin the next day though, and we tried for four more days before calling it quits.  It definitely made him a little happier, and probably more focused, but his hair trigger temper was even worse, and we really had to help him through the come downs, because they were frightening.  I did realise pretty quick that when the meds were wearing off, I could give  him something sweet and get him on a screen and he would be fine, but that’s not so easy to do when you are out.  In the end it wasn’t worth the benefit of his two hours of happiness.  We have another appointment with the paed in three weeks, so we will try something else soon.

We made it to dog beach again, and it was beautiful.  The current wasn’t as strong in the river part, so no floating races, but it was still lovely, despite me having to cater to Arley and his mood the whole time!  On Monday it was crazy hot, so we stayed home with the air conditioning and made it out into the backyard for a water balloon fight.  It was pretty fun, despite the balloons more bouncing off of us instead of bursting.  We ended up playing catch with the water balloons, which was pretty funny when you missed them.

Another day we went to the library.  There is a photo below of Carmie at the library, using the stools for wheel feet.  She is our unmedicated ADHDer.  Meanwhile our ASD kid on Ritalin had his nose stuck in a book and was completely oblivious to everything going on around him.  And yes, I am very tempted to try Carmie on Arley’s Ritalin!  She has an appointment with the paed next month, and I do expect it to go that way.

On Wednesday Jeffrey took the kids to the park at Sapphire Beach so that I could rest.  They love it there.  It is in fact where we are right now as I type this.  Yesterday I took the kids to horse riding, and it was great.  Arley was a total pain in the butt again, but he pulled through in the end.  He has been refusing to hold the reins properly this whole time, and yesterday he finally did it as he was trotting over a jump.  The instructor is very patient with him, but I think she needs a bit of Milea’s no-nonsense attitude to deal with him properly.  Anyway, he finally did as asked, AND I got it on video, so he can’t dispute it.  I will show him next week before the lesson so he knows he can do it.

And that’s it, in a nutshell!

At the tidal pool

At dog beach

Water balloon fight!

Library visit

At the park with Dad

489 + 385 Weeks

This week has been good - not as busy as normal because tennis was cancelled on Tuesday, then we didn't go to the homeschool meet on Wednesday because I had a guest interview for a podcast (yes, I'm going to be a guest on a podcast, and I'm lining up another one today!).  Jeffrey took the kids to the park at Sapphire Beach so I could have quiet for the interview.  Last night Carmie started coming down with something, so she went to bed early, and she is still sick today, so she skipped horse riding, as well as swimming.  I took Arley to horse riding, and he has definitely gone backwards as far as skills go (he has gone from cantering to being lead again!!!), but he and his instructor had really good rapport today, so I was pleased.  He pretty much has been refusing to do anything beyond loosely hold the reigns.  He won't steer, but he will trot if she is running along next to him making the horse trot.  It is infuriating for me to sit on the sidelines watching because I know what he is capable of.  But I just have to be happy that he is smiling up on the horse, let alone getting up on the horse!

On Saturday we took the kids to the tidal pool at Mylsetom.  It's just before the river meets the ocean, and the river is netted off, with a boardwalk around the outside that you can jump off.  The kids LOVED it, and met a boy there they were playing with.  And while we were swimming in the pool area, three dolphins were swimming close by in the river.  We will definitely be going back!

On Sunday morning, Jeffrey and I took Arley to dog beach with Bella.  Carmie wasn't feeling so hot so she stayed home and slept.  I wish she had been with us, because it was gorgeous out!  At the north end of the dog beach there is a river that meets the ocean, and it has a strong current, so we took pool noodles and had floating races out to the ocean.  It was so fun.  We could have stayed all day, but we had to get back to Carmie.  But I think that will be a regular activity for us too, as even Bella can come!  She does get very upset though when we are all floating along the river.  She runs along the edge after us, no matter who is in her way!

On Sunday afternoon, the kids' friend Will came over for a sleep over.  It went smashingly well, until bed time.  Arley was desperate for Will to sleep in his room instead of Carmie's room, and Will was being very diplomatic about it, but it was Carmie's turn (Charlie slept in Arley's room a few weeks ago).  Arley just couldn't get it through his head that Will didn't want to sleep in his room, and when it eventuated, he was heartbroken, and sobbing and started having a meltdown.  I gave him lots of cuddles, then I gave him melatonin and told him he could have a sleep over in my room instead, so that's what we did.  Arley and I went to bed and chatted and read until he fell asleep.  The poor little guy.  He was devastated.

The next day we met Will's mother, brother and little sister at Urunga for a swim.  I keep saying how amazingly beautiful it is down there, but it really has to be seen to be believed!  The kids had a great swim and play, and I got totally, utterly sunburnt!

My good news for this week (or month!) is that Arley and I went to see the paediatrician today, and we liked him!  It is so rare that I find a doctor I like these days, one who listens and doesn't fob me off.  This doctor actually told me that I had more depth of knowledge (about autism and medications) than any parent he had come across.  I am patting myself on the back for that one.  This doctor actually listened and understood, and seemed to have empathy too.  Arley is trialing Ritalin tomorrow (we actually want to start him on a different medication, but legally he has to try Ritalin first - that's bureaucracy for you!).  The good news is that this doctor isn't going to stop until we get some help.  He said Arley's anger won't go away with any drug, that it is part of his specific autism makeup along with his anxiety disorder, but maybe we can find something to help him a little.  My hopes were high, and they have seemingly been met, so I am really happy with the outcome!  I'll update next week as to the Ritalin - fingers crossed.

At the tidal pool

At dog beach

They don't look like they are moving, but they are, and fast!

At beautiful Urunga

Will and Carmie making the leap :)

Park play with Dad

Arley asked me to take a photo to see what colour his eyes are: slate grey.

488 + 384 Weeks

 I have actually remembered to post on time this week!  Even though the time is arbitrary, I have been posting every Thursday night since just after Arely was born, so more than seven years now.  I feel that if I skip a post, then that will be it, the blog will end...I know that is ridiculous, but that is my uptight black -and-white thinking brain for you.

This week has been good, albeit with the usual dramas.  Arley has had a few whopping meltdowns.  I got one on voice memo on my phone so I can play it for the paediatrician next week.  My hopes are really up for this new paediatrician, I really hope he works out.  Otherwise I will have to keep searching, and waiting.

On Friday night last week we went to the Twilight Food Market which is an outdoor hot food market with live music that is held here in Coffs at Park Beach every Friday (yes, there are things to do here in Coffs!).  I chose Ethiopian food while the kids and Jeffrey shared a pizza, and we had a picnic on the grass.  Such a lovely, easy way to do dinner on a Friday night!

On the weekend we had one ‘home day’ and then on Sunday we took a trip out to Dorrigo, to Dangar  Falls, which is about an hour away.  It was SO beautiful there, with a great big waterfall that stormed into a swimming hole and a lovely river.  It was a bit too cold for us to take the plunge, but we have promised the kids we’ll go back on a really hot day (it is a bit cooler up in Dorrigo) so that we can swim behind the waterfall.  

The kids did homeschool tennis on Friday, and then on Tuesday we had our family tennis lesson.  It was our third one, and still so fun!  We love it so much, we’d do it every day if we could.  After three lessons we can really see improvement in all of us.  I have a pretty bad forehand but a surprisingly good backhand (for a novice!), so I’m not completely embarrassed out on the court :)  We also did a family swim session at the pool.  The kids love it so much when we do activities together - I wonder how long that will last!

On Wednesday we travelled up to the Promiselands so the kids could have a play in the Never Never creek with their friends Will and Charlie.  Talk about beautiful, and being immersed in nature. We went around the bend from where we went last time, and it was even more incredible.  The kids divided themselves into two groups, Will and Carmie vs Charlie and Arley, and they got a little nasty with each other, so I’ll have to get on top of that, but apart from that, it was a really lovely day.  Luckily I get along very well with Will and Charlie’s mother, so it was pleasant for me as well.

So, the one problem with living here in Coffs is that the weather is so amazing that we want to get out every day.  While this is awesome, it leaves a lot of chores hanging, and so today we wrote up a to-do list of six different big things to get done over the next week or so.  Jefffrey and I were so proud, because we actually managed to cross three things off that list, and get the ball rolling on one more task.  We were even high-fiving each other...until I realised that we forgot to take the kids to their private swimming lessons.  We had one thing that we actually HAD to get done today, and we forgot!!  I need a secretary!

At the Twilight Food Market

Walking to Dangar Falls

After a long family swim session

Giant bubbles!  That's considered science, right? :)