Festive festivities ....

 OH MAN  Christmas is getting so close, every weekend for the last 4 weekends we have had a Christmas party and we have another weekend of them after this too. 

Tomorrow is the big one the Variety Christmas party. Im Excited  !! 

We have been making ginger bread cookies the boys have decorated the tree, made cards, and pressies for the rellies. 

The boys both really understand this year Peanut is Super excited , Shrimples is too but has been rude to santa a few times and shed some tears after not getting what he wants (not quite gasping the concept entirely). 

Peanut, Shrimples, Nynie and I went to the Justine Clarke concert last weekend  for those of you that don't know, Justine Clarke is a singer and play school host  and now author,  the boys have loved her for  2.5 years or more I guess and finally got to go to a concert,  Peanut wore his Christmas hat ( which he does alot now he is getting into the spirit)  and went down the front Following Justine Around the stage ( like a mini stalker) and trying to climb up to get to her.  Shrimples was  really excited but sat in his chair mostly until the end where he went head banging crazy in the isle near us. It was great a little little people rock concert LOL Peanut did get upset  that the chair were broken  ( really they were just those chairs that fold up when you stand up ) we nearly had a melt down but dodge it. I was proud of both of them  it was crowded and loud but they both did really well. 

The boys have had their photo with the santa at the mall it didn't turn out great  but with all these Christmas party's and all these Santa its a wonder they are not completely confused.  I know I am. Shrimples growled at Santa when he handed him a stuffed dog, He rolled his eyes and said  in a deep dark and creepy voice " I TOLD YOU I WANT IRON MAN!"   1. thats just plain rude.. so he was dealt with accordingly and 2. He loves iron man I know he does but he has never asked for one !!  and 3. Nynies the one getting him an iron man ! 

With Christmas coming up I have been working alot more which is nice cause we have no money ( still trying to win lotto)   but also tiring and I have to be careful  not to stress out and snap at the boys  (which I usually do Thursday fridays as Im just too worn out). 

Its Peanuts last day of School Next friday  and we are waiting on hearing when he can visit the new mainstream school he will be attending next year, I have been very nice and friendly to the principle and she in return has thanked me for constant phone calls.  only one week of the school year left!  I need to get this sorted but funny enough Im not really stressed about it. Peanut is okay with change so as long as I know where he should be and when thats all I care about really.  I got the boys uniforms and put in the book lists in and taken Shrimples out of the daycare he has been in for nearly 3 years.  


Peanut had a  Paed Review and  she wants genetic testing  so we have to get that done  and had an Ot review which stated Drawing ( whahah  I don't think so ), pre writing skills and visual memory and he is low average - average for his age, he had been  discharged due to his ASD diagnoses and the OT cried LOL  so I think we might send her a card. 


its pasted midnight here so Im gonna crack on and get to sleep ... BIG PARTY TOMORROW !! 

And yes Shrimples hair is getting that long!

oh and my blue pen ran out so Im using black now 

The golden ticket arrived

Just as promised by Awks the paediatrician, Peanuts golden ticket came in the post today! 
Diagnoses of Autism with Specific Language impairment. So now I feel the doors have opened up  the funding can be applied for and Peanut can start at his new school. 



I never thought my life could be
Anything but catastrophe
But suddenly I begin to see
A bit of good luck for me

'Cause I've got a golden ticket
I've got a golden twinkle in my eye

I never had a chance to shine
Never a happy song to sing
But suddenly half the world is mine
What an amazing thing

'Cause I've got a golden ticket

I've got a golden sun up in the sky

I never thought I'd see the day
When I would face the world and say
Good morning, look at the sun
I never thought that I would be
Slap in the lap of luxury
'Cause I'd have said:

It couldn't be done

But it can be done

I never dreamed that I would climb
Over the moon in ecstasy
But nevertheless, it's there that I'm
Shortly about to be


'Cause I've got a golden ticket
I've got a golden chance to make my way
And with a golden ticket, it's a golden day

Good morning, look at the sun!

'Cause I'd have said,
It couldn't be done

But it can be done

I never dreamed that I would climb
Over the moon in ecstasy
But nevertheless, it's there that I'm
Shortly about to be

'Cause I've got a golden ticket

'Cause I've got a golden ticket
I've got a golden chance to make my way
And with a golden ticket, it's a golden day

I find out my kid has Autism and I??

Immediately: I am relieved, then feel validated and then look at the speechy and see her eyes watering up and then I grab a tissue let out a little cry, laugh, ask how many points he got  and high five Backpacker cause we made a bet in the car and I won, thank them and ask what’s next?

Over the next few days: I will ring schools, Ring Autism advisers, Hug my son a lot, talk to friends and try and work out what route you want to take. Its great there is Funding and I’m super excited about it. Financially we can finally do what we want for Peanut without crippling the family, but there is a pressure of not wasting it on the wrong thing. Lucky Peanut is a pretty laid back guy so we have been told as long as we focus on speech the rest will be fine and okay no matter what we decide.  So we are just going to take it slow get this operation out the way and then start him at the education support centre  (yep I made my decision). 

Please note this is just how I felt when I found out I know other people have different journeys and emotions over these sort of things 

 The assessment process :

 We got there and I was about to upchuck  when I get nervous my tummy goes crazy  not butterfly’s but  teacup piglets running around squashing all my vital organs.

DR Huge eyes was there smiling, and the Speechy whom Id like to name wellington (as account on her eyes welling up a lot)  and a pead whom to be honest looks awkward and uncomfortable so her name will be Awks.

Awks told us she would be waiting behind the one way mirror watching and then come in afterwards to chat and would we mind is Peanut was observed by two student Doctors (at Peanuts birth  we said yes to that and by the time he came out there were an extra 8 people in the room at least!), Whom I later found out were Big bang and Smith (there is a reason to these names but I can’t really say it without revealing their real names). So we sat down and Wellington asked Peanut to sit down which he did and they played some games with shapes and puzzles and balloons and bubbles she gave him food and he seemed pretty comfortable with the whole thing you could tell peanut had been in rooms like this  since he was 2 (which actually makes me a little sad) he packed away after each activity and sat nicely he made no eye contact and had no interest in what or who wellington was (PERFECT).

After a good hour and a bit of “play” with Dr big eyes and Wellington writing everything down, Awks walked in and Wellington walked out Awks asked us questions about genetics and such and took us down for Peanut to be measured and weighed and have his reflexes tested this was when we met Big bang and Smith (two quite handsome looking Asian men I liked Big bang best he was nice had a nice smile and a nice jaw line).

They got Peanuts height and weight without a fuss thank god as I was not going to step on the scales with Big bang and Smith present. He was 18 kilos and 105 cms on a flat foot then they needed to check his breathing and heart which all went great (much to my surprise and typical that he has now gotten used to and okay with doctors just in time for his Op next week which is most likely traumatise him and make him scared of Dr's again). Awks went to do his reflexes which was hard as he wouldn’t relax his legs he did the arms fine but kept saying “Excuse me, Excuse me, all done, excuse me” which I thought was very polite and Big bang thought was funny.  

We then went back to the room and Awks kept pointing out Peanuts walking to Big Bang and Smith. We got given some coffee and sat in wait. Backpacker mentioned he thought Peanut nailed it he nailed being autistic! We let Peanut eat, I played with a remote controlled car and Peanut played the ipad doing math, that’s when they came back in. I sat peanut at another table with his ipad. 

They shuffled around us and you could tell they all hated this part Wellingtons eyes welled up so I knew the news and then Awks said it “from what we have found, Peanut meets the criteria  for Autism (those were probably not the exact words but close enough it was a blur to be honest she could have said BLAH BLAH AUTISM BLAH BLAH BLAH and I wouldn't have known). They asked if we expected it, to which we said yep we sure did, there were a few tears (from Wellington and I) and they went on to list all of Peanuts great qualities and how well we had done as parents. He has a good IQ, is great with change and adapts well to new people and places and there is no reason mainstream with an aide would not work for him. But agreed an ESC would be a good boost.  Mummy's instincts are always on the money. That was it really we spoke about who to contact and what speechys would be good for him. We thanked them and walked out.

 I had a lot of adrenaline in me and I was so proud of him and bursting with love for this little man. I rang the schools and talked to principles and got him all booked in to start in 2 weeks.