Babies Born ~ September 2007 #75

[Cassius2]

Seems like E got a huge chunk of attitude for her birthday lol. Apparently 3 years old is the same thing as being a grown up.

Yup.

Agh! so awesome to hear that your grandfathers cheekiness is still in there that's a good sign for his morale. And you are so right: intellectually you know that at their age it is a 'good innings' but even so, when you have spent your entire life with them in it...it is soo weird to realise that one day they will not actually be...it's a whole rejig of the world order!

[AnyDream]

Hi ladies - aaaah - I so need to reply to your last few posts - on a v. tight timeframe today - school hols still eating my brains plus I'm working this week (who thought that was a good idea? LOL). But needless to say I'LL BE BACK.

Attitude, I hear you. Except not with a 3 year old! And the thing that is driving me INSANE at the moment is the WHINING. I try to ignore it and tell her that I can't understand when she's whining, but DH and DD1 keep running in circles around her when it starts (just to make it stop but of course it doesn't). I went back to work yesterday and my co-worker asked me if I'd had a good rest last week PMSL and I said NO, IT'S SCHOOL HOLIDAYS and then he asked if we'd had any fun and I said NO, NO FUN AT ALL. I think the problem is that we need an actual holiday - it's been groundhog day for months here.

[Artechim]

MD, I have a 5 year old with the whinge thing going on. I couldn't even count the amount of times I tell her in a day to use her nice voice! On the plus side, she has finally started keeping track of where her things are instead of losing them to the ether as soon as they are out of her hand (Praise the Lord!!!).

Only one more day of school holidays to get through It has been slow going - overspent on holiday in the first week so we can't really go out of town and the weather has been shocking so there have been many movies here. I get the whole groundhog day thing, it would be lovely to just do something different. And I seem to have upset the IL's and they haven't offered to take any kids over the holidays so we are all here getting on each others nerves. To be fair, I did snap at MIL so probably deserve it lol

Up bright and early this morning - E woke at 3.30am absolutely hysterical and furious at me because I ate her dream ice cream lol. She always has such vivid dreams.

[Artechim]

OMG summer is never going to come! It rained most of the second week of the holidays, then we had 1.5 lovely days and now we are back to rain. It has been a long and dreary winter here.

They seem overly fond of burning coal in fires here and the town has a distinctive tang on a cold day.

[Cassius2]

we are twins separated at birth Arte!! OMG. THIS WEATHER SUCKS lol. it will never be warm...on sunday it was 30 and sunshiney and now i am in a jumper and have a scarf on...wahhhhh!

but i guess there is some sense of summer in that the firies have started burning off here today. so it is cold and shrouded in smoke.

[AnyDream]

Hello, darlinks

Ok - re the Santa Secret. One thing needs to be made clear: it doesn't really matter whether you think FC is real or not, or if the turds, I mean kids, at school think FC is real or not, what matters is Believing in The Magic of Christmas. And everyone can Believe in the Magic of Christmas, no matter how old or young they are. Some sad people don't believe, and they say things about Santa. But that doesn't matter. Christmas is a time of sharing with and being with the people you love. You can talk about how people celebrate Christmas in lots of different ways around the world, and they are all ways of Believing in the Magic. Even if a person wasn't sure, it's nice to go along with it and enjoy it and not spoil it for the people who do believe. My nephew and DD1 were both worded up this way, and they were both happy to Keep Believing. And if that doesn't work, you can always throw in the threat that only people who Believe get left a present LOL.

Cass, how's stuff going in your big ole house? I hope you're not still feeling out of sorts like you were while DH was away. It's starting to sound a bit like depression, so if your low mood continues, check that out. Find some mental-wellness allies, get those supports in place so if things suddenly turn bleak, you've got a plan.

Arte, how's your grandpa going? I hope the weather has warmed up a bit, we've got the aircon going today (on low) LOL, but I hate the heat and would gladly trade (provided there is at least some watery sunshine). I think I was SADSing again this week, so I've had to drag myself out into the sunshine (even though I feel like I'm gonna burn into a crispy ex-vampire every time). It's not safe to go out there right now, though. There's a battle going on involving nerf guns and water bombs so I'm staying in my trench.

Anyhoo, I'm procrastinating my arse off over a tedious assignment, so I'd better get on with it before it drags itself over and bites me. WISH ME LUCK, ladies.

[Artechim]

MD, wishing you a heap of luck and inspiration for your assignment.

My granddad is still in hospital. I am going up next weekend to visit. Twice now he has got out of bed and fallen since he can't walk. Our hopes of him going home again are slowly fading

After my complaint about the dreary weather we had an absolute stunner of a day, about which time I remembered that I don't really like the heat and had to flit from shade to shade. I am also getting a permanent frown lines from all my squinting because I can't figure out what to do about the glasses and sunglasses thing lol.

All going well here. W has been going to counselling for the last couple of months and it seems to be making a difference. They have taught him some awareness of when his engine is running too fast and tips to bring himself back down. Although he tends to be happier and relaxed during the holidays and start of term so I guess we will see if the stress levels rise as the term progresses. It is nice for now anyway.

Cass, how are you going with E's diagnoses?

I got a haircut for the first time in ages the other day because both my licence and passport need renewed and somehow managed to still come away with a god awful passport photo and yet to see the drivers licence one but not holding high hopes lol.

[Artechim]

Having an awesome day here! Chased up a couple of refunds from bond/electricity/enviro rates, and checked the balance of a property I have been guessing rates for the last couple of years - way in credit! Almost 2K coming my way!!

Then on the way out of Kindy Miss A found a snail, then just lying on the path a few steps away was another one for E which means they are both happy and there is no snail envy/fighting It is all coming up Arte today!

[AnyDream]

Arte I LOL'd at you remembering you don't like the heat. I recently bought myself an umbrella with a SPF factor so that I can take the shade with me. I'm also getting to the point where there's going to have to be some glasses/sunglasses action too - I can't work it out either.

That's great to hear that W is getting benefits from the counselling. Having a shared language ("engine running too fast") helps with being able to bring it to his attention when he's at home too. Having a 5 or 10 point scale can be useful as well. Anyway I hope you see the improvements continue during the term too.

Finally got my essay in, later than late, but it was still accepted and marked, did quite well even after it was penalised for lateness and wordiness. LOL. Anyway, got another couple of big ones over the next couple of weeks, so it's no rest for the wicked at my place.

[Artechim]

MD, bummer about the overdue assignment, but yay for a good result anyway.
I think I have decided on a pair of prescription sunglasses and I will just have to change between them and my normals. I thought about contacts and normal sunglasses which may be cheaper, but my eyes are pretty sunken and black these days and I prefer my normal glasses so it isn't as obvious lol

And I was meaning to say thanks for your input in the blocked ears thread. I had a head cold last week that left my ears very blocked and I went home for the weekend so I had several flights to nurse my ears through. You might have saved me a burst ear drum I was holding my nose and swallowing constantly during the decents, something I wouldn't have thought to do because some long ago teacher told us we must never do that!

[Artechim]

MD, I saw a real life narcoleptic! When I was visiting my grandfather in hospital, my uncle and his girlfriend were there too. Every time the conversation lulled, she would tip forward and start snoring!! Totally fascinating (from a psychology perspective and as someone who doesn't have to deal with it....). I can see how easily it can ruin lives though.

[Cassius2]

argh! i have been MIA big time!

MD: I so do not envy you with those assignments. blergh! but massive relief at still getting good marks despite the norti marks taken off lol.
I think that i am dealing with some mild depression TBH. the move has not done my mental health all that well and the shocker year with Emilia is really driven home as i go through her memory book and see the 'before' and 'after' pictures of our little family (before all the crap hit the fan and after). I have a good counsellor in melbourne and think we will go in as a couple at the start of the year when we get back, as i think i do need to debrief it all etc.

Arte: I was *so* sure that i had replied to the super snail find. we had a similar story except that for Miss M it was a dead snail and we all didnt realise as she carted it around for around an hour...she is desperate for her own 'pet' but for some reason only seems to be attracted to the dead things...caterpillar last week and a centipede thingy the other day hahaha.

I do the yawn trick for blocked ears on flights. i look like a no0b but it works lol. i also make sure that i have a pack of ear candles in my back pocket at all times. those things rock my world.

my passport photo looks like a mugshot. i am not kidding. it is so atrocious. i was hating on the woman taking my pic so much lol...she was a cranky old bird that killed my joy...and it shows hahaha.

Man, i need a haircut and a bikini wax...winter is over...time to de-fur lol (prolly shoulda put an image warning on there lol).

Re: Miss Es diagnosis...i feel relieved. i finally feel that what i knew was there is now recognised. Her neurologist right at the beginning did tell me that it would take roughly 2 years to diagnose, and it took just under, so i am happy for that. it changes nothing really for her care, just means that we have to keep taking her in every few months for chats and the like. it is all very hands off when there is not brain impact etc. she has an EEG coming up in March to compare to her last one. but thankfully it looks to be just a day stay (as opposed to overnight like last time). I am so super happy with her care at the RCH, they are super awesome people and her neuro is just right on the same page as us. so all good really

That is pretty tough news about your granddad. confidence within themselves can also be a huge hinderance to getting better and i have noticed that as my own grandpa feels less and less confident with his body that he is deteriorating at a much faster rate. it just plain sucks.

[Artechim]

Gosh I read your post Cass and replying has been on my list and now it is nearly two weeks later lol. Not that much is happening, but there are a lot of little bits and bobs that seem to take up a lot of time.

So when do you go?! Where are you off to this time? I don't even know what an ear candle is!
It is quite comforting to have a diagnoses. It seems to have made a huge difference to BIL to know what is wrong with him. He is actually being mostly reasonable for the first time in forever.

Not a whole lot of anything going on here. Making our way into the downhill slide that ends at Christmas. Only 5 weeks of school left! We made the decision to close the school at the end of term 2 next year, so I am not sure if I am going to start A there knowing it is a short time or do the two school drop off jig for those terms. Can't believe she will be a big school girl next year! She seems tall for her age and with W being small they are almost even now. He is going to spew when people start asking if they are twins lol.

[MamaPan]

hi everyone :-)
it has been ages since i have been on to see how everyone i going and to update you! Cass - when are you leaving on your trip? it sounds like it will be an amazing holiday! jealous! we are doing the beachouse again this xmas holidays - it works really well for us to have a close to home easy break at that time esp as it is so busy in the lead up.
we have booked to go to cambodia and vietnam next year tho whoch will be fun. and it also looking like i will go to usa for work in march... so lots on as usual! work is really going gangbusters for me, i am enoying it a lot but v firmly in the career mum bracket which also comes wth the guilt, worry etc.
i didnt realise cass you were feeling so down. i am glad you will spend some time with the counsellor and hope that helps. i also didnt know E has a diagnosis? gosh i cant believe it has been 2 yrs since all that horror began.
Arte - so what will happen with the school closing? if you start A there will the kids move with her? that would make it a little less disruptive. why isnt it an end of yr thing to mke it easier to transition?
all is well with the boys. i have just had J assessed by an OT, as he is super smart but struggling a bit motor wise, esp finemotor so we want to get in top of tht b4 school next year. she has assesed him at school so i willhear next week what her thoughts are.
I just bought N his first judy blume! tales of a 4th grade nothing. ah the nostalgia!

[Artechim]

Hi MP. I have never read the Judy Blume books, but I made the kids watch The Princess Bride the other week when they were all home sick Love the nostalgia value of those old movies. Also made W watch Back to the Future.

School is closing mid year because no one really wants to close it. But there isn't enough parent support/cash in the coffers/may lose the bus run so it can't last much longer. We wanted to give the staff enough time to plan and to give the kids time to get used to the idea - I know that I couldn't spring it on W now and expect him to have come to terms by the end of the year. I think we will start A there, she keeps telling everyone that she is going to that school and she isn't the sort of kid that would mind changing mid year.

I liked the candle that J made - will be a nice talking point as a centrepiece at your family hanukkah celebrations lol Hope all has gone well with the OT. Miss A is a bit on the unco side but she seems to be improving.

[MamaPan]

there are so many books i am waiting to read with them, and also for them to read themselves. we went to a agreat kids fstival on the weekend, playfest.. . was not as busy as i thought it'd be but kids had a ball. highlight for them was meeting andy griffiths and also sally rippin, i am so glad they are so into books. it is so important.
gosh i hadnt thought it would be easier transition wise to move part way thru the year.. different perspectives as always!! will all the kids transition to the same school? will make for some interesting dynamics

[Artechim]

It is a bit different around here because 1 June is 'gypsy day' when all the share milkers move farms for the upcoming season so in the rural schools there is a fair bit of change around then anyway. The other kids will probably go to schools further out that way, mine will most likely go to the one on the other side of town. A will be fine shifting and it will be an issue for W no matter when we do it lol. So I might as well take advantage of the 1.5 teachers for 10 kids for as long as I can.

[Artechim]

How is everything going MD? This week must be the 5 year mark?