495 + 391 Weeks

Well, Christmas came and went, and now it's New Year's Eve!  This is our second dud of a New Year's Eve in a row.  Last year we were in the middle of a blackout due to the fires.  This year we are better off in that there's no black out, but fireworks have been cancelled and we have no sitter anyway.  I'm sure there's no fire works in many places around the world.  Carmie was desperate to stay up until midnight, but really, what's the point?  I'm just hoping that 2021 is a better year for the planet than 2020!

Christmas was lovely.  We were supposed to go to my Dad's near Newcastle, but we cancelled a few months ago.  What with our big move and settling in, we really didn't have it in us to travel anywhere.  Both kids wanted a quiet one at home, and it was definitely for the best!  Arley gets so out of sorts when his routine is changed up.  We did presents first thing Christmas morning, then had a simple lunch together.  The kids played their computers a lot of the day, which is exactly what they wanted to do.  We had cake and ice cream for afternoon tea, which made none of us hungry for dinner, so we watched some Simpsons episodes together and called it a day.  Too easy!  It was so nice to have a mellow Christmas! 

The very next day we went out to try out our new inflatable kayaks (thanks Pop!).  It wasn't the best timing, as the tide was too low, and Arley got super frustrated.  However, it was still an adventure, and we can see getting a lot of use and fun out of them in the future.  We tried them out at Urunga, which is the most beautiful place on earth, unless it's low tide.  There were a lot of people there, so a bit too crowded for the kids, particularly Arley.  He often has to go on a screen to block out his surroundings when we are out, so it can be really hard watching all the other families with kids playing, and there's our kids, one on a screen.  But eh, it is what it is.

The weather has been total crap, and it looks like we are in for a very rainy summer.  We are taking every opportunity to get out when it is not raining though.  One day we went to dog beach, and we took the kids' new floating donuts and water toys.  They had great fun throwing water bomb balls at me and chasing me with water pistols.  Luckily I am a good sport!

Another day we went up to the Bellingen pool.  It is a lovely pool, and we all got in for a swim.  There were a few kids there that Carmie and Arley knew from Alithia, which was nice, but also really sad because Arley didn't know how to join in, so a lot of the time he just sat on the side, being sad.  He thought the kids were excluding him, but they were just playing.  They all know each other better, so he was left out.  Carmie seems to be able to insert herself, but Arley just doesn't understand the social rules. It can be quite heart breaking.  We really need to find him some friends.  Just one or two boys his age that he can relate to.  He has Will and Charlie, but they are older so often end up hanging out with Carmie.  The problem is that he thinks all boys his age are babies.  I can't seem to convince him otherwise.

Today we drove out to Coramba to have lunch at the Coramba Hotel, a cute little pub.  Afterwards we walked down to the river where we found two beautiful and very friendly ducks.  There was also a water hole just down the river, with a rope swing that looks really fun, so we will definitely be going back.

All in all it's been a good week.  Arley had one doozy of a meltdown, but other than that, things have been pretty smooth.  The new meds the kids are trialling seem to really be working out.  Carmie got all teary a few days ago, thanking me for putting her on them (she was very resistant at first).  She has discovered that she likes writing, so that is huge!

Happy New Year to everyone! :)

Christmas morning

On the way to kayaking

At dog beach

At Coramba

Arley having a hard time smiling, because sometimes autistics can't put their faces in a smile on demand.

494 + 390 Weeks

Well, it's Christmas Eve, and the kids couldn't be more excited!  They have been counting down the days for the last two weeks.  Carmie found out about Santa this year, and so now she is really worried about not getting presents, because she doesn't know where I could have hidden them.  Just last night she said, "I hope our presents arrive on time," and I said, "So do I.  Fingers crossed!" and she burst into tears!  Poor thing, I wasn't expecting that!  A few weeks ago Jeffrey got down our Christmas decorations, and he left our Elf on the Shelf out, in his box, in plain view of the kids.  Arley started yelling at me, "Mum!! I caught you!!  It's you!  You've been moving the Elf!  It's not magic!  I caught you!!".  And I had nothing to say but to fess up!  But, his belief in Santa is still going strong, even though he was telling us last night that magic isn't real, except for the reindeer.  Hmmmm, I think he hasn't quite thought this through!

We've had a good week, pretty relaxing.  It has still been raining on and off, and Jeff has been working a lot.  Like, a lot.  His days at the new tree-lopping job are 11-12 hours long, which is absolutely ludicrous.  Doing physical labour out in the heat and humidity for that long is just not right.  He came home exhausted every day, and with blisters.  He's got about two weeks off now, and when he goes back, he is going to tell the guy that eight hours a day is his limit.  It's just not worth it.  Carmie was pretty much crying every day when he was working because she didn't get to see him.  Other than the ridiculous hours, he likes the work though.

Arley had one massive meltdown this week.  It was really bad, and at the end of an evening.  But that was our only incident. Both kids have been trialling Dexamphetamine, and so far it's been good.  They said they haven't felt any difference, except I have noticed a difference.  Carmie is able to sit and write freely for the first time ever.  We usually try to do a bit of copywork to satisfy the school authorities, but I have only been able to get Arley to copy a short sentence a day (about five words), and Carmie has been writing about two sentences a day.  That is the amount of school work I have been able to get them to do, and we have only just started up again, and it's been happening about three times a week.  But now Carmie is able to write out whole paragraphs of things in her head, like actually get her thoughts out on paper, which has been so difficult for her.  This morning she was on a full dose of Dex for the first time, and I got out of the shower and she had cleaned her room, dressed, and written out a whole paragraph about her favourite computer game.  This is literally unheard of; I'd even say it's a Christmas miracle.  She says it's not the meds, she just wanted to make me happy.  Eye roll!!  Both kids are happy on the medication, although Carmie was quite nauseous this afternoon.  It does keep them up at night so they have to take something to help them sleep. I think these side effects will go away though.  Fingers crossed.

Yesterday we went to Urunga for a swim, but it was really low tide, and so quite mucky.  We made a quick change of plans and drove up to the Bellingen swimming pool.  Earlier in the week I had taken the kids there to have a swim with their friends Will and Charlie, and it is a really lovely outdoor pool.  Jeffrey and Carmie were practising balancing stunts, and had so much fun.  Arley swam and hung out with me and read his kindle. We have actually been to a pool four times this week, it is the kids' most fun thing to do at the moment.

My business has suddenly taken off this month.  A few weeks ago we paid an autistic influencer to make a video and do an Instagram post for us, and it worked.  We have had so many store visits, sales and followers this month, it is kind of making my head spin.  It's definitely a good thing, but I have realised that I have to figure out some kind of schedule so that I am not working all day and all night.  I have suddenly found myself to be a neurodiversity advocate, and I have many people coming to me for help, and many many people contacting me to give me thanks.  It makes it very fulfilling and worthwhile.  :)

Tonight we drove around to see the Christmas lights.  They were beautiful, but the kids can only see them for so long before they get headaches.  It's not like America here, but there are a few streets that really go to town, and it's fun to see.  Our decorations got half wiped out in the rain, and we've been too busy to fix them, so our house is looking very bedraggled!

On that note, I'm signing off.  Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone :)

This is the epitome of the two of them!

493 + 389 Weeks

 Oh my goodness, it has been the week of torrential rain!  Coffs Harbour is supposed to have the best weather in the country, but not at the moment!  It has been rainy day after rainy day.  Jeffrey was supposed to start work this week.  He found work as grounds crew for a tree lopper, which is awesome because he loves that kind of work, but with all the rain, he never got to start.  It is supposed to be sunny tomorrow, so he will start then, while I take the kids for a swim with their friends.

We haven't done too much this week, given the weather.  On Friday we were able to dodge out when it wasn't raining and get a Christmas tree, so we decorated it on Friday night.  The kids love doing it, they so look forward to it every year.  We got a beautiful tree, and while it is rather over-decorated right now, the kids love it!

The kids both had appointments with the paediatrician this week.  Arley is trialling a new med called Dex, and so far, so good.  He is only on a very small dose in the mornings, as we are getting him used to it.  Carmie is also trialling the same med.  The paediatrician went over all of her assessments and screenings from over the years, and he thinks she is also autistic.  We are waiting on a call back from a psychologist here so she can start another assessment.  Best to know.  It doesn't surprise me at all.  She is a quirky little thing.  We'll wait to see what the psych says...

Horse riding was cancelled this morning, but the kids still made it to swimming this afternoon.  We have barely been out, except to the mall.  There are plenty of places to go here when it's raining, we just all felt like hibernating.  I think it's because we are so busy all the time.  Now that school holidays are starting, we are getting a break from all of our activities, at least for a few weeks, and it is definitely welcome!

There's not too much to add!

Santa?

Christmas tree shopping