I think that sums up life at the moment - Crazy. I don't have a moment to breath, let alone blog.
Since the beginning of May I have been travelling with work, 2 nights in Amsterdam for a meeting, 5 days later another 2 day meeting in Amsterdam, last week a 5 day meeting in Istanbul (thank god I am not there this week), tomorrow I head back to Amsterdam for yest another 2 day meeting, then hop straight over to Copenhagen for a 4 day meeting.
In between all of this I am also doing my regular mummy duties, dog walking duties, decorating the boys bedroom, training for the Great North Run in September and trying to find a reasonably priced gardener to come and tame the jungle that seems to have appeared outside the back door (please don't get me wrong, we are not rich or posh and have never had a gardener before and probably never will do again, but having done all these meetings, we are in a rare position of having a little extra cash and are realistic enough to realise that neither one of us has the time, knowledge or willpower to sort the garden - the idea being, get a keen gardener who wants a bit of cash in hand to sort it out and then we maintain - mmm right, that's the idea anyhow).
I am also in the process of stomping my authority with the school and refusing to be fobbed off and demanding my Little Man's lack of progress is recognised and looked into and I think we are making progress. The SENCO retired at Easter so I saw the deputy and the head and said I was worried and showed them his work books over the last 2-3 years and the lack of progress.
I expressed my shock when the headmistress actually utter the words 'perhaps we need to accept that Master E has reached his potential'- I don't think so love, and I think she regretting speaking them out loud. The deputy clearly got my upset (only someone with very thick skin and a lack of perception wouldn't have done) and said she would see what she could do.
The following week she rang me and said she had done some assessments and we had every right to be concerned (people did look strangely as a jumped around outside the headmistresses office doing a victory dance while chanting 'told you so' - no not really).
Long and short of it is, they have had the Autistic outreach team in to assess him which has lead to 3 visits from them, and an acknowledgement from them that he needs extra help, and I am currently waiting to speak to them having said we wanted to be involved.
So I had better get back on with the work I need to do towards these 2 meetings I need to fly off to, and get the rest of the painting done, then hopefully out for a run and dog walk all before picking the boys up.
Tuesday, 4 June 2013
Thursday, 25 April 2013
A to Z Blogging Challenge - S is for
S is for sleep
Sleep
What is that over-rated thing called sleep?
Something only the weak need? Yes in the eyes of my eldest son!
Sleep was not an issue when Little Man was a young baby, he started sleeping through at about 12 weeks old and was a dream.
At a year, he decided he had had his fill of sleep and stopped his daytime sleeps and his nighttime sleeping. He would go to sleep for about 3 hours and then think he had had enough and be awake through the night.
We tried everything - diet, meditation, sedation (he was one of the rare few who are not affected by the sedative), soothing bedtime routines, background noise, night light, no nightlife, door open, door shut, controlled crying, staying with him and each night a step closer to the door, doctors, health visitors, putting him in a bed at the age of 18 months, EVERYTHING.
Some mornings I would get up and do a mental calculation and I can't believe it now but I clearly remember days where I would think things were improving as I had had 2 hours broken sleep which was getting better than the previous 1 hour broken sleep a night.
I was a mess being so tired, I got to the stage where I would wake on the landing floor or propped against his door, I drove through red lights as they simply didn't register.
Nothing we did seemed to help his sleep pattern.
It simply boiled down to the fact, he does not need much sleep, neither did my husband for that matter until he hit 40 and old age has started to catch up.
He finally started settling when he was about 4, he still spends a great deal of time awake in the night but he stays in bed, doesn't generally disturb us, and tends to look at his books or have a little play and then drop back off again. I often hear him but can just roll over and go back to sleep.
Right now work is incredibly busy and I try and fit my hours round the boys and school hours, so this often means in busy periods getting up at silly-o-clock to get a full working day in so I am back to being a walking Zombie at the moment!
Sleep
What is that over-rated thing called sleep?
Something only the weak need? Yes in the eyes of my eldest son!
Sleep was not an issue when Little Man was a young baby, he started sleeping through at about 12 weeks old and was a dream.
At a year, he decided he had had his fill of sleep and stopped his daytime sleeps and his nighttime sleeping. He would go to sleep for about 3 hours and then think he had had enough and be awake through the night.
We tried everything - diet, meditation, sedation (he was one of the rare few who are not affected by the sedative), soothing bedtime routines, background noise, night light, no nightlife, door open, door shut, controlled crying, staying with him and each night a step closer to the door, doctors, health visitors, putting him in a bed at the age of 18 months, EVERYTHING.
Some mornings I would get up and do a mental calculation and I can't believe it now but I clearly remember days where I would think things were improving as I had had 2 hours broken sleep which was getting better than the previous 1 hour broken sleep a night.
I was a mess being so tired, I got to the stage where I would wake on the landing floor or propped against his door, I drove through red lights as they simply didn't register.
Nothing we did seemed to help his sleep pattern.
It simply boiled down to the fact, he does not need much sleep, neither did my husband for that matter until he hit 40 and old age has started to catch up.
He finally started settling when he was about 4, he still spends a great deal of time awake in the night but he stays in bed, doesn't generally disturb us, and tends to look at his books or have a little play and then drop back off again. I often hear him but can just roll over and go back to sleep.
Right now work is incredibly busy and I try and fit my hours round the boys and school hours, so this often means in busy periods getting up at silly-o-clock to get a full working day in so I am back to being a walking Zombie at the moment!
A to Z Blogging Challenge - R is for
R is for Running
I think last year, I may have don R is for running as well, but I am seriously addicted to it now!
18 months ago, I was not capable of running to the end of our street (about 200 yards) - seriously. It wasn't a lack of fitness really as I could easily jump in a pool and swim 50 lengths or walk over 10 miles, it was simply an inability to run.
Anyone else had/have that problem? I use to dread those horrid miserable, drizzly school days where they didn't know what to do with you at PE time so would send you on the dreaded cross country death run.
Where I live my senior school is on the side of a massive park and you've guessed it, we use to have to run round that park. I never made 1 side, let alone all 4 (in total about 1.5 miles) and that inability to run has stayed with me.
18 months ago I was challenged to a half marathon and being one to never turn my back on a challenge - I decided to overcome my running phobia.
I got decent trainers and set off under the cover of darkness with only the dog and music for company.
Initially that first 200 yards was hard enough but then I started setting myself new lamp post goals - 1 lamp-post further each run and then I suddenly seemed to break a barrier and I was off.
To be perfectly honest, the mad hound trying to charge ahead of me who is completely untrainable on a lead possible pulls me along rather than me 'running' but it all adds to my distance!
This time last year - I entered my first race, I don't do things by half so did a half marathon which was an amazing experience and I stunned myself in completing it in 2.35 hours - i don't think I have ever been more proud of myself.
Yesterday I got an email through to say I have been awarded a place through St Gemma's Hospice in Leeds who cared so lovingly for my Uncle and his family last week for - wait for this only The Great North Run!
I am both excited and scared witless about this! But bring it on!
I think last year, I may have don R is for running as well, but I am seriously addicted to it now!
18 months ago, I was not capable of running to the end of our street (about 200 yards) - seriously. It wasn't a lack of fitness really as I could easily jump in a pool and swim 50 lengths or walk over 10 miles, it was simply an inability to run.
Anyone else had/have that problem? I use to dread those horrid miserable, drizzly school days where they didn't know what to do with you at PE time so would send you on the dreaded cross country death run.
Where I live my senior school is on the side of a massive park and you've guessed it, we use to have to run round that park. I never made 1 side, let alone all 4 (in total about 1.5 miles) and that inability to run has stayed with me.
18 months ago I was challenged to a half marathon and being one to never turn my back on a challenge - I decided to overcome my running phobia.
I got decent trainers and set off under the cover of darkness with only the dog and music for company.
Initially that first 200 yards was hard enough but then I started setting myself new lamp post goals - 1 lamp-post further each run and then I suddenly seemed to break a barrier and I was off.
To be perfectly honest, the mad hound trying to charge ahead of me who is completely untrainable on a lead possible pulls me along rather than me 'running' but it all adds to my distance!
This time last year - I entered my first race, I don't do things by half so did a half marathon which was an amazing experience and I stunned myself in completing it in 2.35 hours - i don't think I have ever been more proud of myself.
Yesterday I got an email through to say I have been awarded a place through St Gemma's Hospice in Leeds who cared so lovingly for my Uncle and his family last week for - wait for this only The Great North Run!
I am both excited and scared witless about this! But bring it on!
Wednesday, 24 April 2013
A to Z Blogging Challenge Q is for
Q is for.....
To be fair I couldnt think of a Q to blog about and I found myself trying to think of things beginning with Q and that is what has formed the basis of my post, just how easy is it to think of 20 words that begin with Q without looking at a dictionary?
To be fair I couldnt think of a Q to blog about and I found myself trying to think of things beginning with Q and that is what has formed the basis of my post, just how easy is it to think of 20 words that begin with Q without looking at a dictionary?
- Quiet
- Question
- Quantum
- Query
- Quick
- Quirky
- Queen
- Quaint - struggling a little now!
- Queer
- Quack
- Quake
- Queue
- Quip
- Quilt
- Quid
- Quest
- Quota
- Quote
- Quiz
- Quill
I have really struggled with that list! Can you add any?
A to Z Blogging Challenge P is for....
P is for Priorities
Ever since they were born, the boys have been my priority, they come before anything and everything else - I live and breathe for those 2 boys.
I am finding more and more though I am not prioritizing time with them. I need to step away from the computer and sit and watch TV with them, run round the field with them, go to the playground after school, instead I seem to spend every night rushing home to get back to the computer to work.
After the events of last week and losing my Uncle and hearing the vicar recounting all the memories his 4 son's had shared with him of their childhood with their Dad, made me realise that although I work for myself so being prompt and ahead of the game is essential when it comes to deadlines and responding to things to keep repeat business coming in, in reality there is nothing that won't wait until tomorrow or until the little fellas are in bed.
I know I am now very behind on this challenge and wouldnt be surprised if I have been stuck off the list, but I have been really run off my feet work and not wanting to spend additional time on this computer!
I want to spend more time with them, making memories x
Ever since they were born, the boys have been my priority, they come before anything and everything else - I live and breathe for those 2 boys.
I am finding more and more though I am not prioritizing time with them. I need to step away from the computer and sit and watch TV with them, run round the field with them, go to the playground after school, instead I seem to spend every night rushing home to get back to the computer to work.
After the events of last week and losing my Uncle and hearing the vicar recounting all the memories his 4 son's had shared with him of their childhood with their Dad, made me realise that although I work for myself so being prompt and ahead of the game is essential when it comes to deadlines and responding to things to keep repeat business coming in, in reality there is nothing that won't wait until tomorrow or until the little fellas are in bed.
I know I am now very behind on this challenge and wouldnt be surprised if I have been stuck off the list, but I have been really run off my feet work and not wanting to spend additional time on this computer!
I want to spend more time with them, making memories x
Saturday, 20 April 2013
A to Z Blogging Challenge O is for....
O is for Obsessions
Back to my little theme for this challenge which has been about Little man and ADHD and ASD. I had a little diversity the last few days due to personal family stuff but O is for obsessions.
One of the biggest clues that Little Man may be on the autistic spectrum was his obsessive behaviour. He would get fixated on one thing.
As a toddler it began with Thomas the Tank Engine DVDs. We didn't think much of it at the time, with him being our first we thought it was normal. He would watch his Thomas the Tank Engine DVD on repeat, and then get fixated for months on one episode. Even at the age of 2 he worked out how to rewind the DVD so he could go back to the start of this one particular episode (the one with 'Boulder' high up on the cliff watching the trains for anyone who might be interested!). Nothing else interested him. He would also get fixated on one toy which had to go everywhere with him, it was more than just having a favourite toy, and often it was a tiny silly toy - like a plastic tarydactyl that was meant to sit on top of a pencil.
He never got obsessed with lining toys up or things being in colour order which is a classic sign of autism so his obsessions were not something we initially picked up on, it is only looking back we realise it or as people starting mentioning it.
As he has got older he get obsessed with various things - about the age of 6 it was club penguin, he lived and breathed it, all drawings, all conversation, all play was club penguin, he literally was incapable of talking to you about anything else. This lasted about 2 years. From there we moved onto Moshi Monsters - this was a little briefer only about a year, the we had spongebob, and again went through wathcing the same one episode for months and we are now obsessed with Lego, we know everything there is to know about Lego. He has thousands of pieces and can look at one his brother has and know it belongs to him. He has a special box in his bed which his treasures go in and no-one can so much as touch this box.
Obsessions are quite hard to deal with as it is their sole interest. I have to admit we are quite thankful this latest one is something so normal, and something everyone else can actually relate to and talk to him about - Lego is the way forward!
Back to my little theme for this challenge which has been about Little man and ADHD and ASD. I had a little diversity the last few days due to personal family stuff but O is for obsessions.
One of the biggest clues that Little Man may be on the autistic spectrum was his obsessive behaviour. He would get fixated on one thing.
As a toddler it began with Thomas the Tank Engine DVDs. We didn't think much of it at the time, with him being our first we thought it was normal. He would watch his Thomas the Tank Engine DVD on repeat, and then get fixated for months on one episode. Even at the age of 2 he worked out how to rewind the DVD so he could go back to the start of this one particular episode (the one with 'Boulder' high up on the cliff watching the trains for anyone who might be interested!). Nothing else interested him. He would also get fixated on one toy which had to go everywhere with him, it was more than just having a favourite toy, and often it was a tiny silly toy - like a plastic tarydactyl that was meant to sit on top of a pencil.
He never got obsessed with lining toys up or things being in colour order which is a classic sign of autism so his obsessions were not something we initially picked up on, it is only looking back we realise it or as people starting mentioning it.
As he has got older he get obsessed with various things - about the age of 6 it was club penguin, he lived and breathed it, all drawings, all conversation, all play was club penguin, he literally was incapable of talking to you about anything else. This lasted about 2 years. From there we moved onto Moshi Monsters - this was a little briefer only about a year, the we had spongebob, and again went through wathcing the same one episode for months and we are now obsessed with Lego, we know everything there is to know about Lego. He has thousands of pieces and can look at one his brother has and know it belongs to him. He has a special box in his bed which his treasures go in and no-one can so much as touch this box.
Obsessions are quite hard to deal with as it is their sole interest. I have to admit we are quite thankful this latest one is something so normal, and something everyone else can actually relate to and talk to him about - Lego is the way forward!
Friday, 19 April 2013
A-Z Blogging Challenge N is for....
N is for Narked!
I may just be feeling narked due to the funeral I've been at all day but the bottom line is t'husband really narks me at time and it is becoming more and more frequent and really getting me down.
As he gets older, he gets more and more like his mum, who he hates and doesn't have any contact with due to her selfishness and attitude but I honestly keep seeing more and more of her in him and to be frank it scares me.
Tonight I am well & truly hacked off as hubby got in from work, saw the boys and made straight for his computer. I was upstairs changing to take Little Man out to a games club he likes. I had to call him up and as he walks in he starts going on about his day and a stupid client - moaning. I then say our neighbour 2 doors down has cut a tree down and offered us the wood to burn so i asked hubby to pop round to get it. Simple answer was No.
Reason - new family are Polish and spent about 5 months gutting the house & garden - all workmen were Polish friends or family helping out. Hubby couldn't stomach this and constantly bitched about how we never get that, how we have to pay full price - you get the picture. The house is also one of the few on the road that doesn't have a driveway, they have 2 cars - 1 is parked on the road outside their house and the other now goes outside our house BUT they park higher up so we can't even see it from our window. It really pisses me off that he can't be happy for other people, that he is so bitter and feels so hard done by. His attitude that they shouldn't have bought a house with no drive if they have 2 cars - what the hell! It's a public road! They are not harming anyone. We can fit at least 3 cars on our drive so anyone visiting can park behind our cars.
It really gets me down, the moaning, the bitterness, and he's getting worse :(
I may just be feeling narked due to the funeral I've been at all day but the bottom line is t'husband really narks me at time and it is becoming more and more frequent and really getting me down.
As he gets older, he gets more and more like his mum, who he hates and doesn't have any contact with due to her selfishness and attitude but I honestly keep seeing more and more of her in him and to be frank it scares me.
Tonight I am well & truly hacked off as hubby got in from work, saw the boys and made straight for his computer. I was upstairs changing to take Little Man out to a games club he likes. I had to call him up and as he walks in he starts going on about his day and a stupid client - moaning. I then say our neighbour 2 doors down has cut a tree down and offered us the wood to burn so i asked hubby to pop round to get it. Simple answer was No.
Reason - new family are Polish and spent about 5 months gutting the house & garden - all workmen were Polish friends or family helping out. Hubby couldn't stomach this and constantly bitched about how we never get that, how we have to pay full price - you get the picture. The house is also one of the few on the road that doesn't have a driveway, they have 2 cars - 1 is parked on the road outside their house and the other now goes outside our house BUT they park higher up so we can't even see it from our window. It really pisses me off that he can't be happy for other people, that he is so bitter and feels so hard done by. His attitude that they shouldn't have bought a house with no drive if they have 2 cars - what the hell! It's a public road! They are not harming anyone. We can fit at least 3 cars on our drive so anyone visiting can park behind our cars.
It really gets me down, the moaning, the bitterness, and he's getting worse :(
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