620 + 516 Weeks

Today has been such a nice day, the best day of the week.  Jeff and I took the kids to Australia Zoo this morning.  It was so nice to get out somewhere that wasn't a therapy!  Arley was a little dysregulated, but we got through it, and had a lovely morning.  The weather is amazing - a little chilly in the mornings and evenings, and absolutely beautiful during the day. Perfect.

We've had a good week.  We had family sports day again on Sunday morning, and I was absolutely terrible at hitting the ball.  Even Lolo was better than me!  Haha.  On Monday I took Arley back to the dentist, and I'm happy to say, our appointments are fortnightly from now on instead of weekly.  His teeth seem to be changing slightly, and he is breathing better through his nose.  Both kids also saw the chiropractor on Monday too, and she said she can feel differences in them too.

On Tuesday we had Taekwon Do and horse riding.  Arley refused to get on a horse, because he was too hungry, and mad at me that I hadn't packed him any snacks (insert eye roll!).  Instead, Lisa and I walked him out into the paddock to visit the other horses, and it was so lovely.  The horses all came over to see us, and Arley loved it and forgot all about his hunger and grumpiness.  Meanwhile Carmie was trotting around at her lesson, so everything turned out OK in the end.

Carmie went to her girls' social group yesterday, and there were four other girls there, which is so good.  She needs the interaction so badly, and she had a good time.  She is still teaching her Procreate class on Fridays, and one of the girls is in her class too. 

I have had more time on my hands and have been painting again, which is making me very happy.  I hope things can stay this way, but sadly I'm doubtful!

Park play with Bear

Kangaroos on my morning walk!

Family sports day

619 + 515 Weeks

We have had a nice week, with the usual bickering and squabbling but no huge dramas.  It was Mother's Day on Sunday, and it was the first time in four years that we told the kids, and I had a real Mother's Day!  I was totally spoilt, like on my birthday, and it was really lovely.  We went to my parents' place for a family lunch, and Georgia and Mark came too, because they were up on the coast visiting for four days.  It was great to have family around again.  Lunch was really fun!  Poor Georgia and Mark though - it rained every day they were here. The weather was pretty terrible, but the day they left, the sun came out again.  They didn't really get a good idea of why it's called the Sunshine Coast!

We didn't have Taekwon Do or horse riding on Tuesday, so we had an at-home day.  I have been getting the kids to do their school work for their yearly registration, and we are almost done.  I have to admit, it hasn't been much fun and has really added to my stress levels!

Today we had our last OT session with our OT, Toni, who is moving to the UK.  It is sad to see her go and not to have her support anymore, however it is really nice to know that we will be free every Thursday morning, or at least we will be able to schedule other activities then so we won't have to cram things all into one day.  This morning the kids also went to the chiropractor who saw big improvements in both of them.  Carmie's pelvis is more stable and she has more strength in her lower half, and Arley's palette is flattening out, so all of his dental exercises are working.  So good!

Carmie has still been going to her social groups which she is really enjoying.  On Wednesday her and her two friends went out bike riding.  It's so nice to see her doing things that other kids do!  I wish I could get Arley on to a bike...maybe some time this year?!

I don't have much else to add, so until next week!

618 + 514 Weeks

This week has been a little stressful because I am trying to get together all of the requirements for the kids' homeschooling registration.  The kids and I have been frantically creating work samples, but that's not even the hard bit.  The hard bit is the essays that I have to write about the kids' progress, as well as the educational plans I have to devise for the year ahead.  It is hours and hours of work, and I hate it!

Not much has changed this week.  Regular activities, no dramas.  We had a 'family sports day' on Sunday, and Lolo and Dida, and Zach came over so we could play baseball and bocci ball in the park.  It was fun, but poor Arley was chasing a giant bubble and he hit his head on a metal pole.  His reaction when he gets hurt is to run and get really angry, and I didn't know what had happened.  I realised a little later when I saw the egg on his head, and he went home to chill.  So, that wasn't so great, but the rest of us had a good time :)

We had Zach over for dinner on Tuesday and Thursday nights, and we saw Lolo and Dida on Tuesday in between Taekwon Do and horse riding.  Speaking of Taekwon Do, I got some photos of Carmie kicking, because she can suddenly kick crazy high!  She has improved so much, it is awesome to see.  We are having way more family time than we ever had before, and Georgia and Mark are coming up this weekend too, so we'll have even more extended family time.  It's really nice, after living without extended family for almost three years.

I don't have much else to report, which I think is a good thing!

617 + 513 Weeks

Our busyness is kind of doing my head in at the moment.  On top of all of our regular activities, this week we've had appointments with the dentist, chiropractor, dietitian, podiatrist, OT, and GP.  All I am doing is driving, listening, driving, listening, driving, listening.  Then trying to put everything into practice at home.  It is hard work, on all of us!

This past weekend I took the kids over to my friend Andrea's place.  They are pet-sitting a snake, so the kids had a play with the snake, which they loved.  Then Carmie and Jaida, Andrea's 14 year old daughter, caught the bus together to go to the mall.  It was Carmie's first trip like that, and she was nervous and excited.  They shopped and had a snack at the mall, then caught the bus home again.  In the meantime, Arley did a little fishing with Chayse, but then decided to walk himself home because he wasn't catching any fish.  Both kids are showing so much independence, it's great, although I do wish that Arley hadn't walked home alone.  It was only two blocks, but I did think he was still at the park!  Carmie is very proud of herself for her mall trip, and so I am.  It is a pretty big deal for a kid with anxiety to do all that on her own. :)

Somehow I have injured my hip flexor, and I've been limping around all week.  I was unable to do Taekwon Do, but I still got the kids there.  Also to horse riding.  After Taekwon Do on Thursday Carms and I drove out to Dulong and stopped at the lookout there.  It is the most amazing view!  Also, this week Arley received his gift basket that he earned from getting 10 new foods into his diet.  Ten foods!  This is so huge, I can't tell you.  He eats pancakes now, and spaghetti!  He still won't touch anything wet, or eat fruit or vegetables, but we are on our way :)

There's not much more to add.  I am just hoping that next week is a little less busy!