Thursday 31st May

Hubbie – aka Mr Bluecrisps – has been feeling quite important today, bless him. He’ll be on the phone and then ask if anyone else has liked “his blog”, Awww!

D went in well this morning, we decided not to stop at the park “with the naughty swing”, probably a good thing!

When we were arriving at school, a TA was leading a girl with cerebral palsy (and uses a wheelchair) with walking down the corridor. Supporting her, standing behind and alongside her, holding on, encouraging her to walk. The smile on the girl’s face was amazing, it was lovely to see. D was smiling at her too. They were in the same class when D joined two years ago but in separate classes now. Really really heartwarming to see the progress that she’s made and being encouraged to make.

D came out scared at the end of the day, she wouldn’t tell her TA what was wrong and only told me when we had said goodbye. It was very much a guessing game in the interim – was it the full buggy? cooler weather? Transport escorts around? – apparently none of those. Because they had come out late, one of the boys in her class that gets too close sometimes was behind her and she was worried by him. The one advantage (if there is one) to her making a fuss is that the ice cream van (which hadn’t been there) arrived late so she did get her ’99 to occupy her whilst walking. Another SN parent was relieved to see the van too!

We’ve unpacked her “my butterfly garden” at home. Just as well we did, I assumed (as it said on the website) that you have to send off for your caterpillars, but they were there in the box, in two separate little cups, complete with food. A couple were moving – phew – we’re going to take a daily picture, this is today’s:

The other picture is a free scene and sticker sheet that came with it, very quickly created and will be taken to school tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, like virtually every other school, they’re having a Jubilee party. I hope she enjoys it. Our nominated food to bring is crisps and D has said “I won’t eat them on the way to school Mumma because I’d be too full” – bless her! Naturally she wanted me to buy “blue crisps”, I hope she shares them..

We decided to get patriotic in the garden, here’s our flagpole, felt like I should be humming some sort of sea shanty whilst hoisting it!

Hope everyone has had a good day, thanks very much for reading, comments/RTs as ever welcomed Jx 😘

Wednesday 30th May

Our wedding anniversary today – 12 years together, 10 years married. I did a post for Hubbie today – Mr Bluecrisps – it was a soppy one but only after writing it, do you realise how much has gone on in the last ten years. I don’t know what the next ten will bring but I’m sure we’ll cope with the challenges!

D went into school very well this morning, one of the TAs was in the doorway, wearing a wooden bead necklace that another child had made for her. D went in with her, telling her all about the swing episode yesterday – I can imagine she’s told everyone today and who was to blame. Surprised my ears didn’t catch fire!

She’d been swimming just before end of school so came out full of beans! Rushing at me, nearly bowling me over. She was having to walk, so an ice cream from the van was in order. The man said that she was always happy and I agreed but thought “yes, cos its food” and if I didn’t give her the right money and there was people in front of us, it would be a different story and there would be tree-hugging!

She absolutely loves the colouring book I bought her today and she’s done quite a bit of very detailed colouring in it:

So…a nice day for us, shame it’s not half term but we’ve had a peaceful evening. M&S Eton Mess cheesecake for tea tonight – very nom nom – no picture because it didn’t stick around long enough!

Thanks for reading. Comments/RTs as ever welcomed Jx 😘

Mr Bluecrisps

With thanks to lovely Lisa for the inspiration for the title!

Hubbie would probably be very pleased at the title actually, he’s always telling his customers about the blog and he’ll sit there, poised with his phone, ready to read it as soon as I’ve pressed “publish” – why he doesn’t have a sneak preview beforehand I don’t know! Bless him!

I can imagine he’s reading this with “Mr Blue Sky” going through his brain!

Anyway, today we’ve been together 12 years and married for 10 years. We married on our second anniversary. In Jersey, on a day as beautiful (but not quite as hot) as today.

Hubbie became on that day a stepfather to C and has proved to be more of a father figure and role model than his birth dad ever was so I’m grateful even if C is going through that *one grunt for yes/no/whatever”‘phrase. It took a course of Clomid to have C so I wasn’t sure if we’d be blessed with any more children, T and D were very welcomed – if not a lovely surprise, both times!

Hubbie is the brother of one of my friends and ex-work colleagues so joining their family was very familiar! He was wonderful with C from the first moment he met him and at subsequent BBQs and parties was the one that the children flocked to to throw cold water over or play football with.

We’ve gone through a lot in the last 10 (or 12) years – marriage, house move (6 weeks before D arrived), two home births, D’s diagnosis, various family & pet deaths, my attack just over a year ago and my mum’s continued ill health but we have each other and our family unit and that what makes us strong.

Hubbie works very hard for us and incredibly protective. I’m his “woman” and he’s my man. Before you think that sounds very anti-feminist I’d better add that for all his masculinity he’s rubbish at DIY and gardening so that’s my role!

Wouldn’t be without him. It was a big step for me as a single mum to take those first tentative baby steps and for him, as a confirmed sport-loving bachelor to take on me and C.

Very glad you did though Mr Bluecrisps. Love you, Mrs Bluecrisps 😘😘

Tuesday 29th May

*sighs* D didn’t get to school today. We dropped T off at his school and then, as we have to walk (ok, I’m walking, D’s in buggy), if I’m not in a hurry then D has a couple of minutes on the swings. She was loving it, lots of “higher, higher” until the time came to go, I was slowing the swing down and she fell off.

She immediately got up, screamed “YOU NAUGHTY GIRL” and bolted! So I was able to establish quickly that a) she wasn’t too badly hurt and b) she was cross! Once I’d caught up with her she had a bruised backside and a headache so… I kept her off school. She’d have been awful to get through the door and, to be honest, I’d have spent the whole day wondering if she was okay. Less stressful for both of us.

So we had a mooch at the shops before it was time to collect Mr O. She was so relaxed during our time in Costa that she actually used the public toilet, it very rarely happens that she will “go” in a public toilet or even at school so a massive bonus for her. So often she will spend all day at school “holding it in” and consequently be desperate all the way home.

The funny thing was that because I already had her lunchbox with me, she wanted a “snack” in Costa, she ended up eating everything in her lunchbox – by 1030am – and then once Mr O had been collected and was expecting lunch, she wanted lunch too (routine, routine). So she had lunch number 2 but a scaled down version and lots more fruit to add bulk and volume on the plate.

She’s been quite antsy this afternoon, think its a combination of her bruise coming out, plus the warm weather plus the change to routine. Although she has said she’s had a nice day, it hasn’t stopped her telling everyone that she fell out of the swing and it was Mumma’s fault! I’m not going to live that one down for a while – even if I am innocent.

Here’s my girl, looking cute!

Hope everyone’s had a good day. Comments/RTs as ever welcomed, thanks for reading Jx 😘

Monday 28th May

A slight change to our morning routine today, T was heading off to a leisure centre to join other schools in an Olympic opening ceremony street-dance style! They all had to wear block red, white or blue and although T wasn’t particularly looking forward to it (give him a football any day), he practised and showed us what he’d be doing. T went off earlier than usual so only one school drop.

D had a bit of reluctance this morning. She was going with four other classes to Legoland with school. There was the usual anxieties around Bunny – she wanted to take her and I wrote a note in her diary – explaining again that Bunny is D’s calming mechanism, put Bunny in a little cross-over body bag (D said she would stroke Bunny’s head and not take it out) and I asked the TA if Bunny could go and explained why.

This is Bunny, by the way, she’s in virtually every picture I post of D on here. Either in her hand or under her arm. Never dropped, always taken everywhere:

I headed off really hoping that she would be allowed to take Bunny, it’s such an anxiety soother for her.

Ummm….NO.

D came out at the end of the day eager to tell me about the rides she’d been on, the stamp she’d had put on her hand and the fact she’d missed me. Awww. But Bunny had not been allowed to go.

Hubbie is considering complaining but I think we just have to set things out at the start of the new school year and hope that her next teacher is a little bit more empathetic.

Anxiety issues were held back until we got home and there have been a few incidents, nothing major, just pent-up Bunny emotion.

D was so funny this evening, we were all in the garden and she found a tiny rhinestone-type stick on gem – must have fallen off a t-shirt. She bought it over and said “look at this gem”, Hubbie said “you’re a gem, D” and she replied very indignantly with “I’m
NOT a gem and I don’t sparkle!” – very literal, very true!

She and T has been making videos on my phone, I have lots of 30-second giggling segments and shots of feet, grass, stairs etc.

I guess from the school’s viewpoint, they’re worried about Bunny getting lost or dropped or abandoned somewhere. It just wouldn’t happen! When we have our CAMHS appointment perhaps I need to mention that Bunny is her calming mechanism and if it’s in a report, it might be noticed!

Don’t know. Anyway….thanks very much for reading and comments/RTs as ever welcomed Jx 😘

Sunday 27th May

An interesting one tonight, there’s a burst pipe somewhere in our area so no-one has any water. Very hard explaining to D why there’s no water in the pipes, why she can’t have her usual Sunday hair-wash etc. Makes you realise how much we take a fresh water supply for granted, hopefully it’ll be back soon. T is hoping not, as no water in the area will mean no school!!

Both T and D slept badly last night – too warm – and consequently she’s been very up and down. Very prone to bolting if something hasn’t happened the way she’d like it. I have always asked her to come back and tell me, some times more successfully than others but it’s been a long day. Again, I know I’m very very lucky that she is able to tell me what’s wrong, albeit later. Huge respect and *fist bumps* to the parents who have non-verbal children.

Today’s picture was a rare moment when T & D were in their 3d DS’s, making Mii’s on the Mii Channel and sending them to each other:

The last picture is my cat, Bitsey, she has no shame! Ignore the poor, patchy grass, she’s on where T’s goal goes:

Hope everyone’s had a good day and our water supply is back soon! Thanks for reading, comments/RTs as ever welcomed Jx 😘

Georgia Davis – I wish you well

Like the majority of the country, I’ve read about Georgia Davis this weekend and, apart from feeling very sorry for her, wondered why and how a 19-year girl can be 63 stone.

The “how” almost beggars belief. If the newspapers and statistics are to be believed, she went to “fat camp” 33 stone and then returned home some 14 stone lighter and from the pictures looking happy and proud of herself. She was greeted on her return with fish & chips, which obviously set the tone because she is now some 45 stone heavier. The explanation offered is that the foods she was eating at fat camp (lean meats and salads) were hard to find in the local supermarket (?).

There must be immense self care and mobility issues with being that size so I doubt that she would have been able to prepare her own meals. To gain 45 stone in a few years must have required almost constant eating.

And the why? Well, there are obvious triggers – the death of her birth father at a young age and her step-father’s illness. She must be trapped in a constant vicious circle of eat-feel guilty-comfort eat to feel better-feel guilty as comfort eaten and so on.

I do remember seeing Georgia in real-life stories in magazines so was there a financial incentive to being the parent of “Britain’s Fattest Teenager”?

I do hope that Georgia comes through this but all those around her need to take into account the emotional as well as physical issues going on here. Her mother and step-father need to appreciate their daughter for the adult she could become – with the right help – rather than the publicity-generating adult she is now.

Baby steps will be needed, with any weight loss applauded – but away from
the public eye. Let her do this in private, when she is ready emotionally as well as mentally.

I do wish her well, it would be nice to think that in a few years she is healthy, happy and doing all the things that her size has prohibited her from doing. I really hope for that.

The first picture was taken on her return from fat camp, the second a more recent one.

Be happy and healthy Georgia.

Saturday 26th May

Another warm one!

D had an “Angry Birds” t-shirt on today (bought from the boys section in Next, but don’t tell her! Wonder why clothing manufacturers haven’t cottoned on that girls like “Angry Birds” too) anyway and unfortunately that t-shirt summed her up today. We’ve had quite a few meltdowns – her brother annoying her (not on purpose), Hubbie heading off to a “no children allowed” wedding (out of routine) and, I think, the weather have all been triggers.

When she hasn’t been an “Angry Bird” she’s been happy playing with her Playmobil and playing football with T. She had Playmobil in both hands and Bunny with her so absolutely no chance of handball, she was belly-ing the ball!

This is one of her Playmobil pieces, the tiniest phone ever! Taken to her room, destined to escape in the night!

The cat has had the right idea today!

So, an up and down day but bearing in mind the triggers, I’m not surprised. Better day hopefully tomorrow.

Thanks for reading, comments/RTs as ever welcomed Jx 😘

Friday 25th May

25th of the month always makes me think “x months since Christmas, x months to go” – today’s random “J” fact!

Today has been, on the whole, another good day for D. She had a teeny bit of reluctance but once her TA came out of the classroom, she was smiling away and went in happy, after giving me a sweaty hug!

D was very funny on the way to school. She’s having a Jubilee party at school next week and I’d bought her a dress (yes, I know, once worn..never again probably) for the party. The dress was too small so I was changing it today. D said on the way “look at me, look at my body for the right size and don’t get the wrong size again”, I thought “yes, ma’am!”.

Said dress exchanged, for a different one, as original dress was sold out. She’ll look very cute, albeit with leggings underneath!

D came out brilliantly at the end of the day and bursting with excitement. This is the reason:

A pop-up little toy that she’d been allowed to choose at school because she’d received a “Good Behaviour Award” *happy dancing*:

Absolutely delighted with her “bertificate” as she calls it, well done D!

The toy has not left her side, or her hands, apart from when we got home and she had a Magnum ice-cream, it melted rather quickly, went EVERYWHERE and as the ice-cream melted over her clothes and her hands, so did D. Poor thing. Attempting to pacify the situation took a while, clearing up afterwards took even longer. Now realise that she’s better off with cones *mental note to add to shopping list*.

That aside, D has had a fantastic week. I briefly mentioned to her TA my theory around the music and she agreed with me, more research into it over the weekend I think.

Hope everyone’s had a good day, thanks very much for reading, comments/RTs as ever welcomed Jx

Thursday 24th May

I’ll just say it once – GAWD, IT’S BEEN WARM TODAY – seem to go from one extreme to the other within a week, anyway..

D went in brilliantly again this morning, no reluctance, no TA needing to come out..wonderful! It was a sort-of “bounce-bounce I’m here” – bit like Tigger – and then she sat down to start her day. I went off thinking that that dark cloud which descends when she goes in badly can just stay away!!

And then I started wondering “why? What’s different about this week?” and it came to me…the School Proms.

Every day this week her class has gone to a performance by another class/a visiting school band. I don’t know if it’s been morning and afternoon but it’s been daily.

The music department is wonderful at her school, the teachers are really enthusiastic (without being annoying) and empathetic, using their skills to get even the most handicapped child to participate, whether it be by a tap on a drum/a press of a key on their speech tool or a nod of the head – wonderful and humbling to watch. The songs at the Proms have been really positive too, songs that the children enjoy singing.

There is a link between autism and music therapy, I’m going to investigate and see if we can incorporate elements into our before and after school routines. It might be something as simple as playing on YouTube her favourite song “here comes the sun” or something else. We can’t sing on the way to school as I don’t drive so singing along to a CD in a car is out and we draw enough attention with her being pushed along in her SN buggy for us to sing out loud en route! Food for thought…

Back to our day: she was late coming out so I had to go in with all the transport escorts, that unnerved her and she made herself into a little ball in the corridor. I knew why she’d done it (the escorts passing all around her) so we just had to wait until it was calmer before attempting to get her up and outside. She was fine after that.

Settled very happily tonight with one of her books.

I don’t how when this happy bubble that we’re in will burst – the Proms end tomorrow and next week has some trips and a Jubilee party – but we’re enjoying it whilst it’s here.

This picture was D on her birthday on Sunday and it’s just too cute!!

Hoping our happy bubble stays afloat overnight…comments/RTs as ever welcomed, thanks for reading Jx 😘