[Tamara]

Lotta my children had to patch for a while, Imogen more than Noah. And the confusing thing for me was it was at the same time and they had to patch opposite eyes. Unfortunately Imogen had to wear hers to school so I made patches and embroidered pictures on them. It was a joyous day when we were told we didn’t have to wear them anymore! But the glasses you get used to so I am very glad Sofia is enjoying hers. She can obviously see a difference (that is not a pun) in her vision which also makes them want to wear them.

RIP Mickey Rooney – what an innings hey? One of the greats.

[Nicole]

Thanks Ladies, she was fine all day yesterday but went downhill again last night. She is sleeping now.

I loved that Mickey Rooney movie when he is in an aged care facility and that evil matron was bumping them off.

The Twins initially did a lot of patching, we used contact over the inside of the lens, you can’t see it from the outside so no-one knows. Then we changed opticians and he said that he could make glasses to fix them, patching was not necessary. It was brilliant.

[meleliza]

So I just got this news: one of my dresses is going to the White House!!! That’s right, the White House. For the Easter Egg roll. Michelle Obama invited my neighbor’s company, so her family is going and her daughter will be wearing the music box dress I made her last summer! Squee! How crazy excited am I?

Nicole, I hope Liddy feels better soon.

[Nicole]

Oh Melanie, that is beyond exciting!!!!

You must get her to get a photo *somehow*, would there be security issues?

And you MUST mention that on your website.

I succumbed yesterday, violently but only briefly and everyone else seems fine. I kept Missy home one more day to fatten her up.

On a personal front, it is my 20th wedding anniversary today. Yup, I was a child bride https://www.flickr.com/photos/motherof5/5605690090/in/set-72157624823403656

I still think I did rather well for myself.

[meleliza]

Thank you! I am so excited and will definitely be watching the live streaming. My neighbor has promised to take pictures, I have no idea what the security is like. There will be 30,000 people there! But if anyone can stand out in that crowd, it will be this little girl. We will work on my SEO this weekend to be ready. OMG!!!

There’s a nasty bug going around my boys school too. I keep sanitizing their hands and my fingers crossed. Congratulations, Nicole, on 20 years! That’s wonderful. I hope you get to feel better and celebrate!

[Tamara]

Oh my goodness that would be exciting but I think I’d be more excited for you if you were also there in person to see it happen!what great news!

I have just returned from the school spelling bee where Noah was in as the runner up year three. It didn’t turn out so well – we have problems losing or getting things incorrect in this case. He came fourth and I am proud of him for that – out of the whole primary school. And I hope he is in no more for the rest of his primary school career! The words they used were given out as a list for the kids to take home and practise. We got our list this morning whilst the other children had theirs last week – the cover letter was dated 3 April. So I think things might have turned out a little better had we had the opportunity to really practise those words rather than having to cram.

I am not disappointed though he lost. I am only disappointed at his reaction to the loss.

Oh and I didn’t get to take a photo of me in the new traveller dress either!

But yesterday I was in the shop getting bits in between piano lessons and noticed one of the little girls walking around with her school dress hem undone. So I offered to sew it back up for her mum – my spot of community service for the day! Of course she hasn’t given me the dress to do but I said that if she can get the dress to me through my kids before the end of the week, then I can get it back to her in time for next term.

Happy happy wedding anniversary Nicole! Hope you have a wonderful day.

[bren5kids]

Oh how exciting, Melanie! I hope you get a nice picture you can put on your website!

Congratulations, Nicole! You were a beautiful bride. Is it safe to assume that your husband is at least a few years older than you? My husband and I are coming up on 18 years this June, I was also a child bride 😉 18 years old…..gasp!

[Nicole]

Thank you Ladies, I have had a lovely day.

I was 19 Bren and Jed was nearly 30. But I come from a large family and my older sisters were all married by their early 20’s so my mother was not too concerned.

And I was very determined 😉

My mum made my dress for under $100. I was very proud of that fact. I don’t think it looks it.

[with love Heidi]

How exciting Meleliza! Make sure she’s got some of your business cards 🙂

Congratulations Nicole!

[Mama_Knowles]

So exciting meleliza!

Congrats Nicole and Happy Anniversary to you both!

[cybele727]

Melanie… that’s the bees knees!

Happy Anniversary Nicole. Wow 19! And he being 10 years older. I would worry, except that it was marriage. When a man wants a marriage, he’s more serious. That dress was lovely!

I was an old lady at 33, with a younger husband! I met my husband in law school. We got married while still in school. When we were making rounds to each table to do the pretty, the first table thought it was funny to sing to us. So at each successive table, they sang a song with the word love. Our law school friends sang, “Here’s to you Mrs. Robinson!” Oh funny bunch those lawyers are with their macabre humor! I take solace in the fact that I look about 10 years younger than I am, and hubby looks older than he is.

Justsewit, I hope my son never asks to participate in the spelling bee. He’s got a disorder of some sort, and spelling is nigh on impossible for him. We are engaging in the special education process where we expect a fight.

He’s almost 8 and functions between an 11 and 13 year old on most things, except writing and spelling, where he’s functioning like end of Kindergarten. So because he’s “smart” they don’t see the problem.

I don’t particularly want to deal with the disappointment of certain doom when it comes to a spelling bee. Some failure is good, teaches character. Setting one’s self up for failure? Not so much. And I totally sympathize with the disorganized boy losing papers. My life.

[Tamara]

Cybele727, has dysgraphia ever been mentioned in your journey for a solution at all? It is relatively unheard of around here but from what I have found out it includes the issues of not being able to grasp writing and spelling.

I had the teacher on my case about Noah last year regarding his writing skills so of course as I do every time a teacher expresses some concern I went on a research rampage. That is to say I would have gone back to the paediatrician if I could get an appointment but there was no need so I read up on it anyway.

I hope you find a solution and that the school wakes up and pays attention to the fact that even bright kids can have needs that just don’t seem to fit. My school goes in the complete opposite direction. They try and diagnose a child regardless of smarts – hence my need to get a second opinion from the paediatrician. And the biggest pet hate of all is favouritism!

I have one kid at home again today. She went to school yesterday but today was down worse. The attendance party is tonight and even though she has been invited, she won’t be going – no costume and home ill from school. N will go though. We have decided on dressing as a jelly fish – too easy.

[cybele727]

We just completed a neuropsych eval. He was dx’d with ADHD. Apparently his spaz isn’t the garden variety 7 year old type. Makes me feel better. I worried I had unreasonable expectations about behavior and that my frustration was unfounded. I still get frustrated but I understand why, that it is a reasonable reaction, and try to focus on how to ameliorate my reaction and his behavior. We take lots of deep breaths. We haven’t decided on/ if meds. That is super hard to decide.

The doc also dx’d “written expression disorder”. She said that was the official term and dyspraxia and dysgraphia fall underneath unofficially to distinguish between areas of difficulty.

I think he has both. Dysgraphia is the writing with spelling component. Dyspraxia includes things like can’t do buttons, tie shoes, and the writing. Grip issues, hand strength, some articulation problems, general clumsiness. So he fits both profiles.

I had him tested by a literacy expert yesterday. I am lucky my friend is a PhD in early literacy. She also has a child who is gifted with spec ed issues. She is helping me build my data portfolio to counteract the school’s rubber stamped no. She will coach me and perhaps be our lay advocate.

We are lucky. We are well educated, and have extensive network of free resources to assist us. The fact that both my husband and I are lawyers tends to intimidate and scare. Even though we don’t wave the lawyer card. They all know what we are anyways. Unfair but I guess when you are fighting for your child, you use what you can. I feel for parents who must navigate this without what we have.

My school is so difficult because they have so much need and poverty so they would rather spend resources elsewhere. Oh well fight the good fight!

I am sorry to hear about everyone’s sick kids. That is no fun. Here we eagerly await a well deserved spring!

[Tamara]

Fight the good fight is right! I just got off the phone to my school re a semi meltdown from young Noah at assembly today. They want a meeting but it is the second last day of term. I said give us the term and a big rest and then we can play it all by ear.

The thing was that some kids went up to receive attendance awards and when his name wasn’t called out he made a loud groaning noise. To me that is not a meltdown that is just a verbal groan of disappointment” my son gets lots of attention at home but not alot of recognition at school and I think it is taking a toll.

I think this is really the last straw. I need to make an appointment I think.

[Tamara]

Yes I thought dyspraxia also. I know initially I thought my son might’ve been a candidate for this but then fine motor skills therapy helped him progress.

I had a chat with the teacher and asked her to please write a list of the most concerning issues regarding his behaviour and I will do the same. Instead of having a meeting with the teacher first (because half of the admin staff will want to join in) I am going the paediatrics route. The problem I now have is actually getting someone on the phone at the surgery to make an appointment. I don’t like my chances of getting to see the lady during the holidays but I will try and she is my only way in as I don’t need a referral to see her – existing patient and all that you see.

Anyway I have three minutes to shoot back out the door complete with jelly fish costume and child – try sticking ribbon on an umbrella for improvisation. The trick now is to keep them stuck on!

I wore my new Traveller dress to school today and someone said I looked seedy – they meant I didn’t look well. But after the phone calls and research that has come after it I am not surprised! She thought I might be pregnant! I told her I will let her know!