Friday, February 25, 2011

Happy Birthday Brendan!

Brendan born at 30+1 weeks on the 25th of February 2007, weighing in at 1545gm (3lb 6oz) and 40.5cms long. Now four years old and 13.9kg approx 104cms tall.

From small beginnings
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Great things happen.
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Pics from Brendan's party =)
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Cake made by Battered Cakes =)

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Brendan's 4th Birthday Party

Ok... so... we are doing two parties, one for my friends and kids and one for family. I need to make sure I have enough for both.

Party One
(my friends and kids) Approx 10 people/kids
* Snowballs (choc coated marshmallow)
* Chips
* Crackers and Dip
* Lollies
* Party pies and sausage rolls
* Spinach and Ricotta puffs
* Fairy Bread
* OJ, water and cordial.
* Cupcakes
* Fruit Platter
* Wine for the mummies

I was just going to put some music on and let the kids play while the adults chat.

Party Two (Family, approx 25-30 people)
* Snowballs (choc coated marshmallow)
* Chips
* Crackers and Dip
* Lollies
* Party pies and sausage rolls
* Spinach and Ricotta puffs
* Fairy Bread
* OJ, water and cordial.
* Cake
* My wine, DP's beer
* Sausage's
* Marinated Chicken
* Coleslaw
* Pasta Salad
* Bread rolls
* Fruit Platter
* Jelly
* Icecream

4 salads being brought by family members

This one will be more for the family to get together lol, my boys are the only kids.

(Bolded items are the things I have... I need to buy the others)

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Finally! An Update!!

The past month certainly has been a test for us, but things are falling into place now and we are in a better position now. Thank you to everyone who offered support and things for my boys during our time of need. I really appreciate it all xx

Brendan is nearly 4, yep it's scaring me too, 8 days to be exact. Well 7 days and 7 hours exactly he'll be four. He's now 13.9kg and approx 104cms tall. He's now in Kindy, four half days a week (two mornings and two afternoons) he is really struggling with being left there, not that he hasn't been left before it's just he hasn't been left there before. All new kids, new teachers and an aide (which he didn't have before), can be pretty scary for any child, especially one with an ASD. He had his hearing tested today and he has improved, his left ear is now just within normal limits.... read that NORMAL, he's never been normal. His right ear is still bad though and the audiologist would like us to be sooner than June by an ENT, and is doing what she can to get that to happen. She's a gem, really brilliant with Brendan.

Tristan had his hearing tested today too, they wanted to make sure of two things, that A) he's not following Brendan's path and B) that his hearing isn't causing his speech delay. Well he is 100% perfect. PERFECT you couldn't get any better! I am not going to bother getting him weighed this month, 2 reasons... the first being I just don't have time, so many other appointments I need to clean the house at some point! The other reason being I just don't want to. He cracked 10kg last month so I feel I can breathe a little sigh of relief. Yes he might be underweight for his height but so is Brendan.

Thanks for reading
Sally
xx

Friday, February 4, 2011

Freak Storm

At 3pm on Saturday the 29th of January 2011 we were suddenly hit with a very strong storm. Most of WA were watching Cyclone Bianca, which we were not concerned about, we saw a few reports in the morning telling people in the suspected path to take precautions. We starting to watch some DVD's and chilled out in front of the TV, it was about 40 degrees so we had the house darkened and aircons going. My parents are staying with us atm and mum had popped down the shops to get a few bits of shopping, when she got home she raced inside and told us all to come outside quickly we need to see something. This is what we saw:

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We thought we had a minute or two to move the cars from under the tree and let the dog off the chain. My dad jumped in his car, moved it to face into the wind and wound the windows up, DF jumped in the work ute and back it up to the house and ran over to let his dog off to bring her inside, he didn't get there... the branch on the tree crashed down and everything went black, we also lost our power. Looking out our back door into the storm:


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I just got inside with the two kids when the dog bolted inside with her chain still attached, thankfully she had broken the line she was on and was able to get out of the storm. When she bolted inside she got her chain wrapped around Tristan I managed to grab hold of her and comfort her while trying to release the chain, I yelled out to mum who came running in, she slipped and fell down the step badly hurting her ankle (at first we though it was broken) in her agony she managed to let the dog off who bolted. Mum, the kids and I then made our way to the bedroom where we shoved the kids under our bed and I grabbed a bag of peas for mums ankle. It was about that time when the roof started to peel back and fly off. Soon after the first piece of roof went DF managed to get back inside, about a minute or so later and the rest of our roof went. The rain started pouring in and we started to flood in the kitchen, bathroom, kids room, dining room and laundry/toilet. It was about then that the ceiling in the kitchen collapsed.


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It continued to rain and we rushed around to save all the important things, paperwork, medicines and grabbed clothes into a suitcase. Meanwhile the two boys stayed under our bed with my mum laying on the ground next to the bed comforting them.We managed to grab the essentials and then the rest of the ceiling in the kitchen came down.


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By this time the wind had settled a bit and we started to organise everyone, mum was taken off to hospital and the rest of us loaded everything we could into the car and took the kids up to another house on the farm (about 500 metres up the road, which had only minimal damage) which we were going to be moving in to within a few weeks anyway, so thankfully it was empty. I had started to move a few bits and pieces in too, some of the kitchen things were already here as well as some of the kids toys.

Our roof in the paddock next to the house, other parts had been taken about 1-2kms away across the paddock:

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Our bathroom, the following day:

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It was a terrifying event, the past few days have really tested us all, but we've got through it and we are stronger because of it. As much as the whole thing sucked, I believe it happened for a reason, it happened for the better. We didn't lose a whole lot, and we are insured, no-one was seriously injured and we got a lot of help that day to move us out. We are financially better off in this house and the kids are so much happier too, there is a lot more room for them here.

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