Monday - Anzac Day

DH left very early, to catch a 5.15am train for the dawn service in the city. He was then on duty as the Deputy Chief Marshall for the parade, before taking his place and marching with the UN peacekeepers. After lunch and tin-hat-shaking duty for Legacy, he was home by 5pm.

Sunday - the very long Easter post

The first one!

Wow...

Angie didn't get it. He legged it over to the sandpit.

Making Anzac biscuits

Playing in the sandpit. Pretty dress? No matter.

Mum's lemon meringue pie.

Saturday - child centred day #2

I raced around the house for about three quarters of an hour this morning taking a total of 36 photos. Tassie actually asked to pose for a photo, which is unusual, and so nice to get a sweet smiling one for once.

The photos are part of a project, where we have to take photos of Tas's activities, then laminate them. Then on a given day, three are to be selected for her three numbered activity boxes. The idea is to try and teach her to be a little independent at home instead of following me around the house like a lost lamb.

Friday - child centred day #1

This was the first of several activites we lined up for Tas today - I got out my wire cutters to separate the flowers out (they were pretend, not real!) to "arrange" into a bowl. Turns out I had more fun with that one. The fun ended up being with the playdoh - I watched closely to make sure Miss 3 didn't put any into her ear this time. Angie had a ball with the playdoh too, even sitting for a while on my lap til he got the hang of it. A relatively harmonious but fully child centred day. Phew!

Thursday - last kindycare day ever

A trip to the GP at 8.15, then off to Tassie's last EVER kindy care day, where she dressed up as a fairy to attend her first fairy show. Then early pick up for afternoon appointment with occupational therapist. Such is is the pace of our life these days.

Wednesday - new word #3

This is Angie in his new little dressing gown from Gandy. I handed him his banana, saying banana as I do everyday, only this time he said BABA. For banana.

GO ANGUS GO!

Tuesday - I'm a ltttle over excited and new word #2

Because I've been on the web so little lately, I hadn't realised that I had WON a scrapbooking challenge a few ago, on the Aussie Scrap Source blog. You may recall the layout I made with a home made rub on which they very kindly published on their site. So, apparently, there is a little goodie pack coming my way. And as you can see in the image above, I'[m a little over excited about it. It was just the pick me up I needed today.


Angie was playing in the backyard this morning and eventually came looking for me on the deck. He saw me pop my head out and he said PEEPO! It's a word Mum has used a lot, and I haven't said it in a while, so that was a real surprise.

GO ANGUS GO!

Monday - new words this week #1

How cute is this little Easter basket that Angus came home from childcare with today? Ian picked him up so I hope he thanked them properly. I KNOW the staff would have spent ages making them for the children.

At dinner time after Tasmin had demanded juice - which we don't allow in the evening - and gotten it, cos it wasn't worth the grief - Angus surprised us with I WANT JUICE. Come again? He said three words! I still can't believe it.

Sunday - outside day

It was a great weekend for going outside, and lovely sunshine. Ian was great and let the kids go outside for ages while he kept busy mending the rickety old gate (again) and other things that needed attention. We've found the kids can play relatively safely outside without needing micro management. Just a basic check every five to ten minutes to make sure they haven't run away/fallen down/hurt themselves/each other. It's definitely not a child proof backyard but we're working on it. I got to have a rest - trying to catch up on sleep whenever I can.


In the evening I felt so rested that I made three scrap pages. Three! I will post these up closer soon. I'm trying to catch up on my blog posts - getting a bit behind lately.

Saturday - keeping Tas busy attempt #1

If our family was a TV show, I think the audience would be watching us and laughing (though it's not really a comedy, more a survival show). They'd be laughing at Ian and I running crazily around, trying to please Little Miss Tasmin. We were somewhat prepared today after the Thursday shopping spree, so I came out with a special puzzle that shows the life cycle of a butterly. After a false start, when she grabbed at the puzzle and it ended up on the floor, we divided the pieces into four bowls, and she did the puzzle herself, with a little help from her Dad. She did it quickly and efficiently (it took us longer, I swear) and then we were left empty handed, trying to think of the next thing. There were still lots of tears and tantrums, so we spent the rest of the day removing the last of the toys from the loungeroom, for another re-organisation.

Friday - bye Mutti

And so we said farewell at the airport, with a quick photo opportunity with Mutti's camera.

Mutti was very loving and attentive to Angie while she was visiting. It made me so happy to be in the kitchen and hear her quietly talking to him, engaging him. He went to her quite willingly, sitting on her lap and enjoying cuddles. Ian and I love it whenever someone pays HIM some attention, which isn't easy when Little Miss Tasmin is around.

Thursday - last day at Monti and shopping spree

THEN


NOW

Mutti was allowed to dress Tasmin for her last day of Monti, though of course Tas chose the dress she wanted. She looked very sweet (but was hard to pin down for the photo). She and I were up half the night, with Tas having trouble staying asleep but she was comforted again in the morning by Mutti (she is sporting a "Mutti" fringe only haircut).

Then off we went for a lovely coffee and a spot of shopping for toys. Educational, of course. This is Angus's "Mutti haircut" by the way. Not bad!


I love Mutti's petite hands. They are so feminine. And there is the purple.

These needed to be photographed.

We caught up with Manda and baby in the afternoon, and another chance for photos. Mum was there for a while as well but didn't stay long enough for a photo.

It was good to catch up on some auntie time. The strategies suggested by the Occupational Therapist during our first visit yesterday worked well today - a deep warm bath after Monti/kindy care and cuddles with the heated wheat bag.

And the boy played happily with his cars, trucks and little people.

Tuesday and Wednesday - Mutti arrives

On Tuesday night Mutti arrived from Melbourne to shower us with love.



The next morning, as Tassie was awake very early, Mutti let her in to her room for a cuddle and a read. So generous! Tassie loved every minute.



She got dressed and sat on the bed for more stories.




We all got a bit dressed up for playgroup today, and it was fun to bring Mutti along. It's our last one til next term. It was nice to see Tas a bit happier and more relaxed with Mutti here to help out. There was a book and a letter from my cousin Karissa, which was very welcome too. And another book and CD present for Tasmin.

Monday - quilt for show and share

Tas was a bit desperate to take the quilt for show and share this morning, but she relented and agreed to have a photo instead. The quilt has been a bit hit, but it's tricky convincing her to keep it in her room.

Angus surprised me this morning. As I said goodbye to him at childcare, he reached up for me to pick him up, and cried and cried at the imminent separation. This hasn't happened at childcare before and I wasn't sure what to do. One of the carers took him for a cuddle and I dashed out with Tas, to get her settled. When I looked in a minute later, he was drawing at a table. Happily, I hope.

Meanwhile back at home I got on the phone to make more of the endless phonecalls needing to be made lately, before settling down to catch up on the blog and photos for developing. I hope to get to the photoshop at some stage in the day. Wish me luck!

Sunday - quilts and photobooks

Our Aunty Patty and Uncle Bob have been holidaying in Adelaide and we had arranged to meet up for lunch on Sunday. Since neither my sister or I felt able to host the get-together, with our lives so hectic at the moment, we met at a local restaurant instead. We were excited to present them with a photobook I'd made of my sister's wedding that was held at Patty's house, two years ago, together with pictures of our recent visit in January with my baby niece.



I love this candid moment, describing Angus's progress to date - thanks to my sister for grabbing the camera.



Love my Aunty Patty. She is the youngest of the 11 siblings on my Dad's side of the family. She very generously made the most beautiful quilts for Tasmin, Angus and my baby niece and I have been having fun scrapbooking some of the fabric scraps for the baby's scrapbook album.



As for Tasmin, she was beautifully behaved for the most part, and looked gorgeous in her pink velvet dress handed down from cousin Escher.

Saturday - we like home theatre

This is what all the fuss was about: some conduit was needed to hide the wires of the "wireless" speakers, so they could be mounted on the wall, safely away from the children. When you have one child toss an expensive sound system part to the floor, only to be told it can't be repaired because after five years they stop making the parts, then one tends to be a little more cautious the second time around.

It's all worth it. I LOVE watching my fave movies in surround sound :-)

Friday - feeling perplexed

Little man and I had to make ourselves scarce today since tv guy would be returning and I didn't feel like faking friendliness after he blamed me for his half-finished installation of our new tv recently. DH said not to worry, it's typical of men to do this when they make mistakes?!? I say: sometimes it's easier and more logical for men to deal with other men, non?



We went to the autism playgroup, only to be told that it had been cancelled, but they didn't want to tell the mums in case they still felt like coming?!? Yes, I was feeling perplexed by then. The receptionist offered to open the room for me, set up some toys, and keep me company while little man played. Which was very nice, really.



Angus and I returned home after a while, via the playground, followed by more play in the sandpit at home. Luckily his Daddy was on hand for the clean up job in the bathroom afterwards. Dadddy freaks out a bit at the sight of dirt and sand on the children, which is kind of funny, after all those years out in the field with the army! Yes, more perplexity. But in a good way.

Thursday - answers and more questions

Here is the transcript of the dvd interview with Tas: I managed to arrange for Ian to mind Angus so I could take Tas to see an Occupational Therapist today. I got an answer for all the increasingly nightmarish behaviours from Tasmin... the strange toe-walking, the kicking, the screaming, yelling, tears and tantrums, constant demands for attention, non-stop talking, the hours of getting ready in the morning, inability to play independently, fights at dinner, nightly meltdowns and the lack of an "off switch". It's a condition where (very much like her brother Angus who has autism) she needs a lot of extra sensory input to function. When her needs aren't met, undesirable behaviours follow. It's known as Sensory Integration Dysfunction and I'm so grateful to the mums I've met recently, Hannah and Anna, who experience this same situation on a daily basis and alerted me to it in the first place. I mentioned the problem to countless other people and professionals who had no idea. With some occupational therapy, and a different routine at home, I'm very hopeful things will start to improve. The question is, am I up to this?

Wednesday - catching up on sleep

No pics for Wednesday. I took the kids to playgroup as usual, and they enjoyed playing. Angus surprised me by working out an activity where you thread large beads on to a shoe string necklace. When it was time to pack up, he didn't want to stop playing. So he went outside and sulked, watching us doing his favorite activity with the parachute. But I was pleased to see he cared enough to silently protest in this way, while still watching us. He would not have done this a few months ago, noticing what was going on around him.

Both children were so exhausted they slept in the car on the way home, and napped when we returned home. I did too. Tasmin has been waking most nights with night terrors and screaming, calling out for us and banging on her door. No doubt it's waking Angus too, who shares a room with her. Tomorrow I'm one step closer to finding out what's bothering her.

Tuesday - funny faces

At lunchtime Angus and I met Mum, Manda and baby Delilah for lunch.

In the afternoon, I was so gleefully happy to see my Scrapbooking Memories mag had arrived in the mail. I collected Tasmin from Monti and took the children home to play in the sandpit and enjoy the sun. They both love this sort of play, and even better if it's hot enough for an icy pole. Tassie stuck out her tongue to show me how red it was.

We're totally making the most of the last few weeks of summer sun.

Monday

It wasn't the usual sort of Monday where I got to catch up on some "me" time, but I did manage to get the camera out.

Here are some scrapbooking layouts a did a little while ago. The year in review:


This one will be the last page of the 'Project 365' album.


This was a photo of Tasmin waiting to be scrapped from last year.

I just love stamps. My sister gave me her entire childhood collection recently.

Weekend

One of those classic Saturday-morning-reading-the-news moments where he shakes his head and rolls his eyes, saying something about "those politicians" (polite version).


This is a really good moment on Saturday when it's just minutes before bedtime. We're nearly there...

Sunday ... Ian managed to get the kids out of the house for a while in the afternoon while I rested. No sight of Gandy today. Ian ended up getting Chinese takeaway for the two of us in the evening. At least there were some vegies in there!