Shrimples Birthday

 Well Shrimples is 4 he is officially a big guy now, although he has been telling people he has been 4 for a good year.  Shrimples went to Kindy and shared his ironman cupcakes with his Peers and then we picked him up and drove down south for the weekend, Fish and Chip dinner, swimming, bouncing and water slides (which he had to go down with me ) we had a great time Peanut was sick  ( temp From Tuesday afternoon) and finally got better on the sunday we left  ( typical)   but we ate at brewreys and wineries and had a good time the boys were really good apart from occasional moaning by Shrimples and on the last day running away by  Peanut well not so much running away but thinking he was on a racetrack and we were racing and nothing we could say would make him think others wise.  I have some News about Peanut but  Id like ot keep this about Shrimples my amazing little munckin so Ill talk about Peanuts things later .

Shrimples made a Friend in Teddy ( he loves stuff toys)  who just by per coincidence  happen to have Autism and be 2.5 years in his journey infront of Peanut  went through the same sort of schooling issues ETC  and  not only was that bizzare in its self that they became best friends but also that I knew Teddies Mother! from a private Facebook page we had never met in person but it was funny how we sussed each other out and then got on really well.

So now we are back at the rat race and  Since monday Shrimples has gone to bed with no nappies  first night he woke up dry  second night wet and last night he woke up dry at 5:30am but decided to lay in bed until daddy went and got him at 6:30 which meant his bed by then was soaking ! argh  ohh well no stress little bladder blah blah  I just so want there to be no nappies in this house.

Shrimples is doing really well in school writting and spelling his name and telling me what letters everything starts with. His beautiful drawing on the other hand has gotten  umm how do I say this  .. well they have turned to shit  just lots of scribbles  one today he drew was all black with three dots on the outside and one on the inside it looked like crap ! LOL   but we discussed the drawing and like  a good mummy I praised hm accordingly apprently its a cave and He is stuck in it and  Daddy mummy and peanut are all outside yelling " Where are you Shrimples, Shrimples where are you? " but he just cant find his way out cause the noises are too loud !!!...... umm  I think I need a psychologist for this child LOL  here are some picture of my handsome little man on his Big 4th !!

POST IEP STRESS

The IEP the IEP where do we start  I think I’m gonna break it down into  point forms

• ·      School was stunned to find out Peanut had Brains !
• ·      School was stunned to find out there is no magic cure for Peanuts behaviours
• ·      Peanuts Early intervention teacher is my new hero
• ·      Too many things are making Peanut struggle at the moment( too many EAs coming and going, too many kids, noises in classroom  Rules to follow without visuals supports in place to make sure he understand them. 
• ·      Even at EI Peanut is a pain in the arse
• ·      Peanuts strength is reading people very quickly
• ·      School is really making peanut do nothing!(work wise) 
• ·      EI teacher is going to get MS teacher to visit (actually MS teachers suggestion)
• ·      EI teacher and Therapy team will make up visuals for MS classroom and for Peanut
• ·      Deputy wants full time Aid time for him funded which EI teacher will help application with
• ·      School was interested to hear Peanut is playing them by acting as if he cant do a lot
• ·      Psychologists said nothing !! at all, all meeting just wrote a lot down !!
• ·      I felt supported by Peanuts EI teacher, She really does understand him which is lovely - She will be over seeing this MS transition
• ·      We are implementing a time out spot for him at MS with a 3 minute timer  ( which is what we use at EI and home)
• ·      Therapist will go in and work with Peanut and other students to help with social interactions and make sure hte teachers know how to use the Visuals schedules and social stories. 
•   The EI teacher did said she was ready to yell and get agressive but she didn't have to so thats a win

Really I felt it went well , I felt I would let the academically goals slide a bit as he is getting them at EI and therapy at the moment ( his accidemic goals at EI are actually quite high they want him reading by mid year) and I felt it was better he settle into the class routine and let them get visuals in place before pushing him too far. We have set a meeting for early next term which is when I will be pushing for the academic goals.  

Peanuts EI IEP he achieved 80% of in 3 weeks again !!!  which is great and I’m honestly surprised how bright he really he I knew he was bright but lately I’ve seen some massive things from him that is beyond age appropriate for a kid that’s zoned out 70% of the time I think thats amazing.

Summary

Its all a waste of time  if no one follows through so now my chasing up job begins  I have put my name down for class helped on the 21^st of March so I can see if things are in place.

 hearing all your sons problems with school and life is hard even though you know them already but I try to focus on some of the good points which were his intelligence level and his ability to make very detailed Pictures out of magnet shapes LOL 

Im positive the next meeting (if all is put in place) will be alot more positive.

 I am emotionally exhausted! I find these things take a real emotional strain on me and I take a while to recover.. 

I got that IEP sinking feeling

So  this will be quick cause really Im just trying to waste time before heading off to the BIG DUN DUN DUNNN IEP meeting.. 

all Ive heard are horror stories so Im not expecting this to go well but you never know my interal optimist is peeking through ever so slightly telling me to calm the  fuck down and hard the fuck up..  So   30 minutes till the big HOOO HAAAAA... GULP  I think I just swollowed to spew .. seeya round 

and then it all turned to SHIT

I haven't written in a while cause Ive been unsure with where we are really.   Peanut is not doing very well at either school at them moment I feel like we have taken a step 12 months backwards  and to be honest its breaking my heart.  We have an IEP  type meeting next thursday but Im really very nervous about it.

Peanut is running circles around his MS school and pretty much not doing anything he is asked this is spilling over into EI  and  really its just a big explosion  too many Eas, too many teachers coming and going  its all just too much for him and me  and of corse that has an effect on Shrimples.  I just want him to Snap out of it and be the little boy he was 12 weeks ago  !! where is he gone he is making noise constantly having meltdowns  no complience and  is in his own little world 95% of the time its heart wrenching.  I know this is part fo the whole AUTISM  thing but really  please little man just come back to us.  I have never seen him this bad.

 Im trying to think positivity and there has been some okay things in his communication book  participation is music and sport and walking nicely in line  but he is also Pushing, kicking and refusing to share with kids  ( which is unlike him the violent side I mean). and today he even wet himself in the playground.
 The school has no visuals in place and way to many people  he is upset by noise and  the Sub EA has not been seen in a while the teacher has taken 4 days out of the 9 he has been there off and he has had a different teacher every time the only constant person is the class EA whom seems lovely but completely overwhelmed .. ITS NOT WORKING FOR ANYONE !!!



I found this  on Facebook today and thought it very fitting to my mood

Schools Back FROM summer - Part two watch out mainstream

Part 2

Day 3 

MAINSTREAM!!!  OMG now Peanut has an EA for half of the day there is a Class EA and a Class teacher and about 20 kids  - So completely different set up from Early intervention, I didn’t think I would be this nervous I have some saint johns wort and a big mug of sugary tea ( even though I’ve been sugarless in my hot drinks for weeks) and I still feel like throwing up  He is Super excited and we walked to school no stress (Fucking slow though  a 5 minute walk took over 15 minutes !!)  unpack his bag show him where to put things and walk in  he says hello to the teacher with  prompting and  heads over to the toys  the teacher  goes over and tells him in the morning they play with puzzles and books and no toys yet. We got a little grumpy  “ I want to play” to which I said yes you can play with the puzzles or you can read a book  “NO!”  you see the teachers recoil  I go and grab him a puzzle and he settles down. As we are playing some other boys head over to the toys and get the same treatment and the teacher reads them a story until the music teacher arrives that is when  I made a swift exit he said good bye and gave us a kiss and I walked away I should have felt better but I still felt sick  and I will until I pick him up in one piece.  BREATH MUMMY BREATH

Pick up time, some other parents had made an effort to ask me how Peanut had settled even though they had no idea who I was. I then get ushered in I walked in and got "Oh hi mummy I had a good day" like a little robot LOL YAAAAHH the Sub EA talked to me Peanut did super well the only moan /whine was cause they told him to stop eating and go play! He didn't wee all day until I got there and he didn't drink so perhaps a little stressed he wanted to sit on the teachers chairs, they were firm with him and gave him his own chair which he didn't like but he joined in with most things ( music and painting) and when he wouldn't his only option was the do 1:1 learning with the EA who I’m so bummed was a sub cause she was AMAZBALLS! (she was there all day) he showed me a book they read and was excited to show me all the things he learnt about the book using lots of words, he came home happy and talking up a storm! I have never seen him come home from school this happy. He was pretend playing with Shrimples leading the play and singing songs I’ve never heard so he must have learnt them in music class.  I’m really excited that peer role models are just what the doctor ordered.

Day 4 

Shrimples is slightly upset this morning he does not have his hat but after explaining hats are left at school  he hurries off to school to grab his hat, he unpacks his bags and sits to does puzzles, Shrimples and another boy sit with him. The puzzle is of a face and its missing and eyebrow so I quickly leave before this upsets him to much and lead Shrimples to his class.

Shrimples first day was only half a day but he turns up cute as a button and a few kids know him already and excitedly announce his arrival, him and Earstar sat down talking about shoes and doing puzzles and that was it I sat for a bit and then walked home.

For me I hear you ask  or I don;t hear you ask but Im just assuming  you will want to hear about it or not if not Skip to the next bit.

Gym Induction and  PT session  got the outfit happening and the trendy new sports bra. I sat with the PT and we talked about how over weight I am  ummmm lol  not pleasant but I made a joke out of most of it then she ran me through what I needed to to do I felt great after 1.5 hours

I have signed up for stampede with a few other crazy SN mums its running and climbing through mud obstacles and even live electricity   GO ME !! So I need to get fit I of corse after my session was is so much pain  LOL my muscles ached for a good 4 days

That night Peanut didn’t fall asleep until 9:30 and was up at 4:50  his little brain working over drive chatting away to himself

Day 5

Went off without a hitch Nynie arrived, we took the boys to swimming lessons where Peanut jumped around like a wound up spring and Shrimples screamed the house down about going the deep end.

We great weekend tiring the boys out. A lot of Scripting from Peanut, No eye contact and little listening skills. We spent Sunday in the lagoon and it started to get a bit better. 

This morning is Monday of the new week and the SHIT HIT THE FUCKING FAN  ( I would say mind my language but they say people who swear more are more trustworthy, and TBH my morning was SHIT !)

Peanut was so upset to be going to Merriwa school and not princess school I had to drag him in crying I made things worse ( as I was not in a mood to be a sn parent) I pushed him through the class room door and closed it behind him smiling at the teacher as I quickly retreated  I got to the car and a wave of awfulness sweep over me.

I’m a SN mum I’m ment to be more understanding more compassionate, gentler, more prepared and have 100 times thicker skin than your average run of the mill vanilla kids mums. But I broke down tears and all I wanted to do was run back to school and give Peanut a huge hug and make sure he is okay. Backpacker talked me off a ledge and now I just feel like I need a stiff drink.  Tomorrow morning Backpacker is coming with me for school drop off and we are going to reassess whats goes on and see what we can do.  Its so hard to work out what it is upsetting peanut if its a tantrum or a melt down does he understand and just not want to go? Does he not get it, its only day 1 of week 2 surely it will take some time is it the fact they don't push him at Mainstream or the the fact princess school has a better playground.  Stay tuned to find out It might take a while ( if we ever do we will let you know)

Schools Back FROM Summer

 So we have been getting Peanut ready or School for the last few weeks, social story’s, Visual schedules, setting up a study /therapy room for him.

This is how it went down  ….

Part 1

Day 1

So keen to start hurrying us up to get dressed and out the door and then as soon as we got to the car park the Shit hit the fan!!! he was crying not screaming but fighting enough that I had to carry him in and refusing to do anything asked of him the scripting was at an all time high. 

The Teacher lead him out the door at pick up time and with a funny look on her face 

I said “ not a great day ?”  and I got a big thumbs down  and “a Scripting was High and compliance low”, We shared a chuckle  “ I’m not surprised” “ Yep it will take him time to get used to New routine”

We got home and he was still unsettled and that’s when I start self blaming  - I should of I shouldn’t have .. BLAH BLAH BLAH   ( no help to any one big old BLAH ) So we sit down and ease into the new school year with just 15 minutes of home therapy  he settles with the chance to earn some gold doubloons and Ive finally worked out why he was so upset! He wanted to go to the school with the princess, Every time I mentioned school he would say princess when I picked him up he said "Hi mummy .. go princess" I had no idea what this ment until after therapy he pointed to Clarkson crest on his Visual schedule and said " Clarkson .. Princess up the stairs down the stairs" and Bang it hit me Peanut was in the class for just over an hour 10 weeks ago but what did he play with a castle a fairy princess castle !! God its hard having to be either a mind reader or a detective but we got there in the end.

Its all confirmed as he keeps wanting to put his Hulk t-shirt on cause it was the t-shirt he was wearing on that day so now he thinks its his princess school uniform LOL

Ive told him again and again and showed him on visual schedule but although he was listening he didn’t want to understand so  Snap to

Day 2 

Started off same him excited about school and me blurting out “ No princess school today Merriwa school”  every  15 – 20 minutes, undressed as he was searching for his hulk t-shirt  ( which is in the wash) so he is walking around nudy but then after that it was pretty uneventful he went to school without a hitch still wasn’t 100% but getting better. 

Visual Schedules

                                                                                              

Bag Rack 

Study and therapy desk 

Peanuts sensory cushion 

Peanut ready for his first day 

Starting CEASE therapy soon !

So we went to the naturopath today for the first time in about 8 months, She is wonderful still trying to get me to do GFCF for Peanut but we tired it and I honestly saw no improvements but I saw more improvements when using Spectrum awakening, a probotic and cod liver oil. 

 Im sure diet helps alot of kids but its a long debate and I feel its just not for us. 

Another debate is the whole immunisation debate which is a minefield.  One thing which always comes back to me is when Peanut was 20 months old he got an infection and was put on Antibotics for 6-8 weeks and although I personally don't believe this was the cause it was definitely after that we saw big changes in him perhaps it was a trigger, its hard to tell as in his short life up until that point we had moved alot he had a little brother, I started back at work, we had to say goodbye to his dog and everything was rather unsettled.  
But I don't feel putting him on ABs for that long at that age was wise, I of corse had no idea at the time( done my research now though) and Shrimples was a sickly baby and I just wanted my biggest little man to get better, he was in a lot of pain with a massive lump in his groin.  Its actually the time he started toe walking ( which I put down to the pain in his groin) 

ANY WHOOOOOO  lol  my mum used to take us to the naturopath when we were younger so its something I believe in  (Backpacker does not) so once we got settled before Peanuts DX that was the place to go  we did lots of test which I also got similar ones from GP  ( as I believe both can be of benefit). Basically Peanut was high is toxins  Lead, mercury and some other  lovely goodies and had slight leaky gut we got it working well and he started school and I saw some great improvements with the goodies she offered us.  Peanut suffered anxities  going to school to start with first term it was horrible  so she made us up some homeopathic stuff which sorted that in 2 days!! just a few drops on his tongue a couple of times before school  or anything else were his anxiety skyrockets and we are good to go.   

So this brings us to now! Appointment today and she suggested we start CEASE its sounds a bit confusing reading about it online but when she explain it, it was simple and made sense since we both feel toxins are Peanuts biggest problem.  So we are awaiting the call so we can go and pick up all our good stuff and begin the program.

I don't expect a cure or a mircle, I would just like him to feel his best and if toxin are what is exacerbating some of his traits then Id like too see them settle down a bit, so he can be his best and concentrate more at school.  

He is 5 !!

Peanut  turned 5 on the 12th of Jan and had a great party... way to many kids for me but he coped fine  it was a bit much for Shrimples half way through took himself for a nap but came out smiling and Happy I think for Shrimples it was very hard watching  Peanut get pressies and him not getting anything  but instead of moaning or crying ( like he usually does ) we had a chat about it before the party and he did really well. 

Peanut started back at speech and had a massive meltdown ( weve had a few hard weeks on that respect). We got his report and I don't like to read it LOL its like most reports we get which say in testing he was  blah blah blah behind and severe this and severe that  but we feel due to Peanuts lack of compliance and attention he could have tested better ( so really same old shit)

But we have had some good times these holidays Shrimples is now in Level 2 for swimming lessons and Peanut is going into a mainstream swimming class  (which we will see how that goes - insert Snort-). Shrimples is actually quite a good swimming and confident if he can stand or is in lesson but out in someone else pool he freaks out and worries alot where as Peanut is not so great in lessons but  super confident with his arms bands on ( hardly inflated) and can stay in the water for hours blowing bubbles  kicking and  plodding about constantly making noise  ( which  means I really need to get to the  Naturopath again - YES Im a hippy) 


Work has been slow for both backpacker and I so our finances are HURTING! lol but we keep our chins up and struggle on through.  We are actually looking into buying a house through a shared ownership scheme as rent keeps going up and up.  Of corse it would mean a tiny house with next to no back yard but as least we would own it (or have a mortgage on 70% of it LOL.) 

Peanut had his Chromosome microarray tests yesterday and now we have to wait 4 months for the results.  It was fairly traumatic for all involved I shed a tear and backpacker looked scared for his little man. Which is F -ing Silly ( we are drongos) its just a blood test and Im thankful both boys are healthy and dont need alot of them. It took 5 of us, the first needle came out cause he wriggled and screamed the second needle came out half way through cause of the self retraction thingo and the third needle finished the trick.. he was such a good boy despite the screaming and wriggling. He got a bag of m&ms and a prize and went and wee'd in a cup.  As per usual with Peanut after something traumatic he talks alot more. 
Who knows what it will bring maybe nothing but I feel it was to important not to have him tested. 

In general  Peanuts Communication is getting better ( at home anyway ) recently Ive heard the boys have conversations limited ones yes but actually conversations and this morning I even heard this 

Shrimples "you wear a nappy"
Peanut "NO you are a nappy"
Shrimples " No your a nappy"
Peanut "NO you nappy"

these sorts of things are music to my ears a little laughter and teasing between brothers. 

Also hear these things constantly! 

Peanut "do you want to ride bike with me?"
Shrimples "NO!"

but don't worry  Shrimples gets the same 

Shrimples "want to come on the trampoline with me?"
Peanuts "No I don't want to go trampoline"

But we also get them agreeing and saying okay and going along with each other. 

NO, NO , NO !!!

 ARGHHHHH   NO NO NO NO NOOOOO  thats all we are hearing of late,  NO PANTS,  NO SHOWER, NO DINNER, NO GO OUTSIDE  and then the occasional, ITS MINE, GIVE IT BACK , GO AWAY.   Its driving Back packer and I a little insane.... BUT .. there is aways a but with Autism, the teeth grinding has stopped, and he is talking alot more, and is clearer, he is playing more appropriately (when they are not fighting) and Shrimples and Peanut run through Scripts together acting them out as a team.  I put all these NO's down to  NO school.   
    He desperately wants to go to school he asks a few times a day which is great as this time last year I was convinced he was just not ready and he would hate it  ( which was the case in first term  ) but Im happy to say I was proved wrong, Peanut needs constant stimulation and  he gets that at school and with therapies, Speech is starting back next thursday.  Now he is at home while Mummy and Daddy are cleaning for rent inspection and prepping for Party.  Today we are off to the lagoon for a swim in the morning and then having an antipasti and champers playdate in the afternoon  ( champers for adults only of corse  although that might give me a nice sleep in tomorrow),  Moose and Ruby Gloom are well loved by both Peanut and Shrimples,  Moose is a 3 year old Girl who acts alot like a boy in pretty dresses, Ruby Gloom and I have been friends since we were 8 or 9 and  Moose  has been around since she was born, so I wont be telling them until later today as Peanut will obsess about it all day.  

Autism is so different from one kid to the other alot of kids with Autism need to be told of goings on way in advance social stories need to be made and such, Peanut you just got to throw things at!  surprise him with good things  ( if not you'd get come on lets go constantly in your ear for days) and  shock him with the bad ( or it would be hell trying to get him to do what ever it was). We are working on all this with him at the moment we are talking about the party but not really saying when  a very vague (next week) as yesterday Peanut got out the cake book and a chair and was ready to make some cake he actually took it pretty well when we packed it away, considering his mood of late. He is okay with change and no set routine but he is not okay with wanting to do something and not getting to do it or not wanting to do something and being made to do it, for now no social stories or preparation works for this we found first and then works best atm.

 Im off now  but Ill leave you with a picture of Peanut in his sulking position. Batman outfit on and off to his room to stare at the fan  !  LOL I do love his unimpressed face. 

OKAY its a fresh new year - pictures

Well Our Christmas went well , we went down to the farm for a week, dressed up as Super heros, went swimming in the dam alot as there was a heat wave, all the kids loved the dam and much to my fright Peanut loved it so much he wandered down there on his own for a swim ! YEP I freaked out ! That horrible sinking feeling running like Bolt down to the water to see a happy little head bobbing around in the water.  I fritzed, Burst into tears went pale for a while with the what if and buts and  then realization that he really has no concept of danger ( which is a hard one  as Ive always thought he knew his limitations even though he was a dare devil and I guess he still is he just doesn't understand what would have happened if he had slipped and gone to deep ).

Shrimples has been super emotional of late (and constantly in his iron man outfit )  and Peanut has been well .. Peanut ( which can be different from one day to the next ), Both itching to go back to school / daycare  ( they have 5/6 weeks till school starts again )  the weather has cooled down now (  for the time being anyway )  and the boys are playing outside alot or watching super hero squad, I really need to take them to the park today as I have been a lazy mum, Peanuts Birthday is on the 12th and Rent inspection on the 15th, So Im busy cleaning all the things  that don't get cleaned for 3 month and you can't even tell have been cleaned  once they are cleaned unless you live here, ovens, Back rooms, draws  etc.

 Planning the big Pirate party extravaganza, alot more people coming than  I had hoped although  I wish I could still invite more. I hope peanut copes with all the people as it is his day, He knows everyone so thats a bonus we have borrowed a bouncy castle and we are doing up the undercover outside area piratey, I've made a game  "pin the treasure on the map" and  also got a pinyata  I don't want to plan too much there will be 20 Children  half of which will have Autism and all between  3 and 7.  I wish Peanut could pick whom he wanted to come and it would be that simple but since he doesn't really have friends  I just went with the kids he seems to get drawn to most.  I know he has two favourites and they will be attending so I got that right,  just got to wait and see if its too many kids ( then I will feel super silly) Shrimples will have a great time though with all those kids !

Fingers crossed  for us

I have included some Photos from  our Christmas week  - Yep this year Im going to include photos for a more personal touch.

Collecting the Chickens eggs

Decorating the Farm tree 

Peanuts favourite Spot 

Peanut in my Thor outfit 

Cousins in the bath 

Shrimples admiring the View 

Peanut or Spiderman 

Shrimples Moaning again  ! 

Shrimples as iron man, Peanut Super excited 

Peanut Enjoying the sand 

Me 

Boys playing at park in Demark 

Shrimples Happy 

Peanut as Spiderman in another Fav spot 

Lizard 

Boys and the dog in the dam