End Of Term

Now it's the end of term, that makes it a busy time of year for a crafty mummy like me. Tabitha has a lot of people who help her each day at school, and I wanted to thank them all for what they have done for her. I made cards up using some SU! products and some other patterned papers I bought a while ago and recently rediscovered. Here they are.

I also made some coordinating bottle labels for everyone, and put them over bottles of wine, and in one case, a large bottle of vodka for one special person.

Then I remembered the buddies that Tabitha has had this year. These are year 4 students at her school who help the Reception children learn the routine of the school and keep an eye on them. So I made them these.

Little pillow boxes that I stuffed with mini choclate eggs. I also made them some cards which coordinate, but I had to leave before I could photograph them. Sorry! Note to self: Be more organised next year.

Family times

When I nipped to the Post Office yesterday, I asked them if they would be interested in stocking some handmade cards. They said they would! So I am now trying to find inspiration to make up some samples to take up there to see if they will sell.

Here is my first effort.

It's in Sahara Sand, Daffodil Delight and Regal Rose, with the Confetti background stamp set and the sentiment from So Happy For You SAB set.

Yesterday, we went out for a walk as a family, not always easy as we like to tramp around in fields, and you just can't do that with a special needs buggy in tow. However, yesterday we went to Brean Down Fort, somewhere we haven't all been to together before.

Tabitha found the tiniest of hills, and decided she couldn't walk down it, so she had to scoot on her bottom. Nicely stained trousers were the result!

And here is Ellie and Piper, with Brean Down Fort in the background.

Computing Progress

Tabitha has shown some wonderful interest and ability with the computer. She has been using a two-switch scanning system for a while now, and her LSA at school has been working on developing her mouse control. She uses a single button mouse at school, and they have sent it home for us to see how she's doing on our own PC. I plugged it in tonight, and this is what she did.

I think this is fantastic news for her. She can fully explore and use a computer when she masters this skill, and it's going to open so many opportunities for her. I am so impressed with how well she is progressing this year. Mind you, she is being a nightmare while I am on here, so some things don't seem to change!!

Christmas Preparations

I have been being a naughty crafter. I've been buying things, and hoarding them. That's not the plan!!!! When you buy, you must use! Last night, I got everything ready so I could sit in the lounge with my hubby, watching I'm A Celeb, and crafting at the same time. Imagine my disappointment when I'm A Celeb was cancelled for football. Grr. Still, everything was set up, and I got on with the job in hand, which was making Christmas tree decorations. I decided to make them double sided, as these things never hang the right way when you need them to, and here they are.

They are in Rich Razzleberry (which is my favourite colour at the minute) and use the Tiny Tags and Scandinavian Season stamp sets. I sprayed the Razzleberry cardstock with a glitter varnish before I punched out the Scalloped Circles, just for an extra bit of interest. I punched holes with the Crop-a-dile and threaded through the silver elastic cord. I'm really pleased with them and will be making more. By the way, they have chocolates between the 2 halves ;-)

In other news, we seem to not be making much headway with getting Tabitha to understand the significance of her glasses. Some days she'll leave them on fine, others she just throws them. She has 2 pairs, so that if one gets broken, she still has a pair to use......in theory anyway. Earlier this week, I discovered her usual pair were a little twisted, so I have been using her spare pair until I can get her into the Opticians to get them fixed. I put her spare pair on this morning, strapped her into the car, and drove to school. When we arrived, this is what she had done.

I have no idea how, but they are totally trashed. So, after school today, but the Opticians we go. At this rate, I'm beginning to think that laser eye surgery might be the cheapest option for Tabitha's eye sight!

Realisations

Being the parent of a special needs child is a complicated job. Not only do you have to deal with the numerous 'professionals' interested in your child, you have to meet a whole bunch of needs you never imagined, and for a lot longer than you could ever have believed. Tabitha is now a couple of months away from being 6, and it's bringing home to me just how delayed and severe her needs really are. She is still doubly incontinent. She is non-verbal. Her communication skills are restricted to a few signs, that she will only use when she is prompted to, not spontaneously. She has little or no understanding of other people's needs. In effect, we are living with a petulant toddler, who is 6 years old, and is showing no sign of developing rapidly to try and catch up with her peers.

It is hard not to look ahead and panic about what the future may hold for us. It is looking very unlikely that Tabitha will ever be independant and as much as being a parent is always a full time post, it's hard to know that in our case, it will be full time, for the rest of our lives with no break. We all love our children, but to know they will never leave you because they can't, and that no matter how things go for you in the future, there will always be a fully dependant child to worry about is one hell of a responsibility.

Oooh, look what I got.

I got some new toys today. I am very pleased with them all, and can't wait to have some time to be able to properly use them and see what I can come up with. All lovely stuff, and not even inked yet. I wonder what I can do with them. I must say a very big thank you to my wonderful friend Karen, who enabled me to get these things.

In other news, I took Tabitha to ENT out-patients today. She was a pickle, she totally refused to play the 'now, lets try and check your hearing' game, and she made it clear she didn't want any one looking down her ears. We got sorted in the end though thank goodness. Trouble is, her grommets are blocked and she's going to have to have more put in. This will be the 4th set, and her 21st operation. Speaking of operations, we are still waiting to hear if the PCT will fund her surgery to correct her protruding ears (I refuse to use the term they use to describe them), which could be number 22 if they agree.

Poor Tabitha. She certainly has more than her share of surgery.

Day of Fun

Today, Tabitha spent the day with a lovely lady who she has known for a long time. This lady was her carer at the Special Needs Playgroup (before the Council made the unbelievable decision to close this valuable resource down...don't get me started on that one!!), and since leaving there, she has become a part time respite carer, and we are lucky enough to have her services. Leaving a child who is non-verbal and has medical needs with anyone is extremely difficult, and I count myself very lucky to have Jo that I can call on. Anyway, today was one of our respite days, so Tabitha got picked up this morning, and Ellie and I had the day to ourselves.

Usually, we do things together at these times, that we can't do with Tabitha around. We have visited the local caves and climbed the hills before, and we have gone ice-skating, things you just can't do with a large and heavy special needs buggy. But today, funds are a little short (that's the school holidays for you!), so we didn't make big plans. I took Ellie for her morning swimming lesson (she's going every morning this week), then came home, and got the face paints out. I was pleased with the rabbit I painted on Ellie's face. She drew a butterfly on mine. I know I am going to regret this, but here we are, all painted up.

After this, we ate lunch, then went to a family fun swimming session, with another child that my Mum fosters and who Ellie just loves to pieces. It was great fun, jumping about, chasing them around and tipping them off floats. Then we came home, and Ellie made a card for the person who has been running the morning swimming lessons for years. This week is his final course, and she is sorry he is leaving. Ellie has been going to these week long courses now for 4 years, and was a total non-swimmer when she started (at 3!). Now she is an extremely accomplished swimmer for her age, and she still loves it. We have a lot to thank him for.

Tabitha displayed great understanding this evening. She was using her switches on the computer, and constantly demanding the program was reset when it had finished. I went to do it one more time, but told her (and signed) that this was the last time, and then it was finished. When the program got to the end, she jumped down off the chair, and headed up the corridor to bed!!! She can demonstrate such great understanding at times, it makes things all the more frustrating when she's being stubborn and digging her heels in. Even her speech therapist once said the thing that holds her back the most, is her own personality. If only we could get her to understand that....

Injury

Poor Tabitha. She doesn't get a break. Today, she was just milling around, doing what she does, and Ellie managed to trap her fingers in a door. I was very worried that she had broken something, but after giving her some time, she is using the finger without too much trouble, not complaining of pain, and can tolerate it being softly squeezed, so I think it's just badly bruised. Here's a picture of her poorly finger.

Poor Ellie was devastated she'd done this. She was just as upset as Tabitha. I know she wouldn't have done it on purpose for the world, so I just hope that now she will learn to keep her eyes open when she is closing doors. I've warned her so many times, but sometimes practical experience is the the only solution.

I am hoping to have a play with some crafting gear tonight, but I may not, it kind of depends what time I get Ellie to bed, and if there is anything I fancy on tv ;-)

Viral interruptions.

I was hoping to be introducing my family properly today, but things have taken an unexpected turn. Tabitha is really quite poorly, with (I hope) a virus of some description. She has a very high temperature and is being quite sick. The sickness is all part of her condition, and anytime she gets unwell she starts being sick, as well as at times when she isn't unwell too! When a child is ill, the stress can cause some friction in a family, and Tabitha gets unwell a lot.....so today has been a little fraught. I am hoping it's a 24 hour thing, and tomorrow will be better. I'm supposed to be taking Ellie for swimming lessons every day this week, and that's going to be no fun if I have to take a sick child with me too!

This is a picture of my poorly girl today. Definitely not the usual active and boisterous child we have come to know and love.

Fingers crossed she a) gets better quickly and b) doesn't need to go to hospital, an ever present threat.