Monday, November 17, 2014

Madness week 1 is here... and Menu Planning

This week we prepare for our weekend in Adelaide.  the weekend itself should be nothing more than relaxing and listening to the waves, gulls and palms in the breeze as we put our feet up at Adelaide Shores Adventure Caravan Park...  but the Friday and Monday surrounding the weekend are going to be busy busy...  Not only are we doing the 500km trip to and from Adelaide but both days have medical appointments and we can't miss any of them!

So this week is lots of housework, list making, packing, stressing (because that's what I seem to do best) and planning to make sure we haven't missed anything, any one or the likes ;)

So menu planning this week is literally using up what we have and going to be for the fortnight starting from today (Monday).  We don't want to do any big shops over the next week and a half while we are going to be in and out and away so boring, pantry staples it is going to be ;)

  • MENU PLAN: November 19th - 26th


    •  Monday:  Slow cooked Porcupine Meatballs and Pasta
    •  Tuesday:  Pasta Alfredo  with Schnitzels
    •  Wednesday: BBQ or Rissoles with Salad
    •  Thursday:  Marinated Chicken with Steamed Veg
    •  ** Friday: On the Road - Takeaway? Maybe chicken and salad from Woolies
    •  ** Saturday: 
      • Lunch -  Cold Meat and Salad Sandwiches
      • Dinner - BBQ with Pasta Salad and Coleslaw
    •  ** Sunday:
      • Lunch -  2 Minute Noodles
      • Dinner -  BBQ with Salad
    •  ** Monday:  On the Road - Takeaway
    •  Tuesday:  (Steve and Jess here)
          •  BBQ with Salad lunch 
          • Slow cooked Beef Casserole
    •  Wednesday:  Chicken Mignons with Steamed Veg

      ** Back up meal:  BBQ with Potato Salad


    ** indicates day in Adelaide or on the road

Sunday, November 9, 2014

So much to do....

Madness, I tells ya, pure madness!!!

The next month is going to take it's toll.  2 trips to Adelaide, a Christmas Parade, Christmas organising, teenage school issues, My school stuff (or working out if it's even possible for me to study!) and then regular family life and dealing with our day to day things on top...

List making is going to be the thing to get us through...

A weekly list of general things.

A Christmas preparation list.

Adelaide trip lists x 2 - one for each trip

Menu planning

and kids therapy lists for both daily and weekly therapy and where we are going to squeeze it in!

At the moment I'm feeling very out of control...  I'm hoping woking out what needs doing, in what order and when will help us feel a smudge calmer and confident that we can complete this month with a little sanity left in reserve...  Here's hoping!!

Starting with    this weeks list...  

Appts:

  • Monday 
        • 9am - high school
  • Tuesday
        • 2.30 Podiatry Mr T
        • 4.30 - Millicent, Aleks lizard
  • Wednesday 
        • 12.45 primary school re autism SA visit
        •  2.00 group therapy
        •  3.30 groceries (Must take shopping list!!!)
  • Thursday
        • 8.45 Paediatrician Miss A
        • 11.30 Speech therapy Mr T and Mr D
        • 4pm Rubys drop off Miss K
  • Friday
        • 8am Rubys pick up Miss K
        • 9am Drop Trixie-Belle at vet for de-sexing
        • 10am Sensory Processing meeting
  • Saturday
        • 11am Christmas Parade - Mt Gambier
        • School lunchbox baking
  • Sunday
        • Mamabake - Christmas puddings, dry mixes, vanilla paste and stocks

To do:
  • Menu Plan
  • 2.5 hr study block x 7
  • list for Adelaide medical appts
  • list for Special Childrens Christmas Party weekend
  • Update and organise Aerynns medical diary
  • Drops in Tobys ears

Daily

  • Therapy Mr D - brushing 2-3 hourly, therapy box 20 mins, weighted therapy 10-15 mins, whole body activity 10-15 mins.
  • Sensory Play all children interested 20-30 mins/day
  • 5-10 minutes AUSLAN with Mr T



Photo-a-Day aka PAD

I'm doing a "break" month this November...  Mostly as it's becoming incredibly hectic with appointments and end of year organisational stuff (honestly it's because I've been lazy again!!!)  I have promised myself to pick it up Dec 1 and run it into the new year.  

I do have the rest of October to upload... I may do some images for Nov, but at the moment I have school, appointments, 2 trips to Adelaide (1000km round trips each!!) and a difficult situation with a teenage daughter to deal with...  Looking forward to some more peaceful, calmer times where I can enjoy more without the stress!!!  

Saturday, November 8, 2014

A Speechless Life is Not Necessarily a Quiet Life

We are coming to terms with the face that Toby has a complication which has so far rendered him to be non-verbal.  For all intents and purposes he is otherwise a completely normal 20 month old baby boy.  


He laughs, cries, blows bubbles, runs, climbs (and OMG is he ever a climber!!!)  He hugs, kisses and absolutely loves his siblings.  We aren't sure, but our GP, paed and child health specialists all believe he may be deaf BUT he reads body language perfectly, he will get Aerynns dummy or sippy cup if she is upset or in pain and he has his own way of communicating with us what he wants.

Toby's life thus far has been speechless, but he communicates well.  He can't understand what we say, but he knows when we are cross, happy, sad or even being silly.  

Toby will remove his nappy when it is wet.  If it is secured under clothes (to stop said removal LOL) he comes, grabs my hand and lays down on the ground in front of me patting his nappy indicating it is time for a change.  Sometimes he will even bring me the clean replacement as well!  Oh and if it is dirty he will pat the nappy, screw up his nose and make a grunting kind of hissing noise like he is indicating "yuck" 

Tobes lets us know when he wants a drink or something to eat.  He is often seen raiding the cupboards for bowls for cereal, plates for dinner or toast or a cup for a drink.  If he wants milk he will get the big 3 litre bottle from the fridge and struggle dragging it to wherever we might be - seriously the bottle is half his size!  if he wants something he shouldn't have he will sidle up to us with the item behind his back, and he will work his puppy dog big brown eyes, begging without words for a little treat... and more often than not we give in to him. Yes we are suckers... Ok,  I am the sucker ;)  

If he wants to look out the kitchen window to look at the chickens and ducks he will pull a chair up and come find me for help up (it's a high window so he usually grabs a stool which he can't climb all too well) whiles he is gesturing to the window he will grunt and move his mouth like he is talking to us.  All animals make the same sound to Toby...  he makes a sound similar to the ending of the word "duck"  so it's kind of like he is saying "ugh ugh ugh" and that is for ALL animals... a dog goes "ugh ugh"  the cat says "ugh ugh" and the chickens and ducks are "ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh!!!" 

Ask Toby for a hug verbally and there is no response.  Get his attention and open your arms wide and he is there with a huge squeeze in no time.  He knows how to blow kisses (and give sloppy loves as well)  and will play "hide and seek", wrestle and loves jumping on the trampoline with his siblings.  

If there is a big noise outside, Toby won't turn to the noise.  If it is close he will run to us for comfort.  Is he feeling the vibrations under his feet or in his body?  We just don't know...  


Toby is far from quiet.  Yes he plays silently, he has silent conversations where he moves his mouth but there is no sound, but other times he is LOUD!  He yells, laughs, cries, screams, throws things, bangs, makes all kinds of noises... he just doesn't say any words... at all... a little babbling... mumumumum and the occasional bababababababa and odd dadadadada... but our speech therapists tell us they are simply developmental noises.  

They aren't words.  They are primitive verbalisations.  We need to be realistic.  


Honestly, we don't know what the future is going to be with Toby's communication.  We don't know what he can hear, we don't know even if it is a hearing loss or something else.  He has a full audiology assessment on November 24th.  It's scary, we don't know what to expect... The experts are saying that other than severe hearing loss the other main reason for non-verbal children is autism, however our Mr T is not exhibiting any signs despite our strong family history of ASD.  Maybe he will one day come up and start talking, and we won't even know it... we will just start talking with him, then it will dawn on us that Toby spoke!  Wishful thinking??   Maybe he will require hearing aids or a cochlear implant to help him hear sound and start building a verbal form of communication. Then again maybe he will be speechless for life... But we do know that no matter what happens, he is a happy little man who communicates so well, and there are very few times that he doesn't get his point across.  And no matter what happens we just love out littlest man, he is perfect in our eyes no matter what!


Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Monday (ok, no it's not monday) Menu Planning

No, it's not Monday, I know... yesterday was spent in town for appointments trying to get the oldest daughter right for school (augh!!) so once again Tuesday is becoming Monday and well. At least I'm planning!