It has been two weeks since I posted, and I still have no photos to show, barring a couple of Arley! However, we have had a good couple of weeks. The kids have been doing really well. Carmie is the same as always - eats like a bird, lies around like a slug, acts like an untrained puppy in the evenings...LOL. She is still going off to her social groups. Last weekend she did a 6-hour D&D one shot campaign and came home exhausted but happy. Carms has started up fortnightly physio to help her posture, and I'm so relieved that we are back at it. Now I just have to get her to do her daily back exercises...
I took Carmie to a teen girls homeschool meet up last week. She wasn't super keen to go but I was happy that she went. It didn't go very well though. She had a chat to two of her friends for five minutes and then withdrew to draw on her iPad, wearing her headphones, as she became really uncomfortable. We aren't going to back until she wants to - no point in pushing her when she isn't ready.
As for Arley, he is KILLING it! He is doing so well. His behaviour specialist was here this morning, and she said she thinks his prefrontal cortex has started growing, as he is SO much more mature than he was even a month ago. He is able to keep his cool for longer, apologise when he is wrong, calm down faster when he has lost the plot. He asked Carmie if she would like it if her were kinder to her, as he wants a better relationship with her. This friendship with the two brothers down the street has really been eye-opening for him, and tested his patience as well as taught him to navigate problems. We actually had to have a break from them this week, as they had been over nine days in a row (!!), twice on Sunday! And they stay for hours, and pretty much take over the kitchen, lounge room, Arley's bedroom and the pool. Definitely an inconvenience and yes, it felt like their parents were taking the piss. I could just see them high-fiving every time the boys came over. Haha. So, I'm limiting it to a few days a week now, because all three started bickering with each other, and the boys really started feeling too at home here! It has been worth it though, to see Arley mature so much.
Jeff and I drove down to Brisbane on Saturday night to have dinner with Ciri, my Aussie bestie. She was up in Brisbane at a vet conference, so we met her for dinner. It was great! It's so nice to be able to drive to a big city and have good Mexican food!
Carmie has started doing another D&D social group on Wednesday afternoons, and this one I have to drop her off and pick her up, but it's silly for me to go home in between. Yesterday I hummed and hawed about going to a cafe, or going for a solo beach swim. I chose the solo beach swim, which I haven't done in years! When I got to the beach, it was kind of windy and quite rough - but I was OK with that. But then I got down towards the shore, and saw that there were giant jellyfish and hundreds of bluebottles everywhere. Ugh. So, that meant no swimming. So, I decided to spread out my towel, like on my back, hat over face, and have a rest. After ten minutes I felt drops. It was raining? Nope! I took my hat off and looked at my birdshit speckled legs and feet, and realised I would have to brave the jellyfish infested waters to wash the crap off. I then went for a good walk to dry off. I had fifteen minutes left before I had to get Carmie, so I lay down again to rest, and then...rain. Yep, it started raining on me. It was not the beach experience I was hoping for. Next week I am going to a cafe!!
Arley has decided to give up his bunk bed for a big bed (a double, although he was pushing for a queen!), so I took him bed shopping last week. (Thanks Pop!!!). The mattress is here leaning against the wall in the lounge room, and every day Arley asks when the bed frame is arriving. He is very excited! That is where I got photos of him, see below :)
Fingers crossed for more good weeks ahead!
Mattress shopping with Arley
Jellyfish - my foot is for size reference!
