Happy Families Don't Exist

Over the recent school holidays, we went to Underwater World on the Sunshine Coast. It was a great day, even if we lost the boys a few times! We then went to the beach, had fish and chips
and played in an out of the waves. I took the shot above to remind me of the great day we had.

This is what I would like our family to be. Like this photo, all smiling and happy....but those of you with children will know its alot different.

At the moment the lot of them are harassing each other, screaming at each other, slapping, hitting, swearing (yes I know, I'm appalled) and generally giving each other grief. Caitlin is busy backchatting every-damn-second-of-the-day. Conor has become a whineing, annoying brat who is delighting in driving his siblings to distraction and Aiden is copping it left right and center.

Is it too much to ask that the kids be nice to each other?

***

And on another note. They were actually playing nicely just before and part of their game was telling each other what to say and do etc...Aiden calmly stated to Caitlin that his person was "fatally in love with her". I cracked up...ah to be young and be fatally in love with anyone!

Cheers,

Cin

The Easter Bunny Brought Eggs and a Cold!

Happy Easter everyone! We were spoiled this Easter as we spent Easter Saturday with our friends Trace and Wayne. Caitie is best friends with their daughter Tegean and the kids all get on well. We were pampered with prawns, barbequed haloumi (which we had never tried YUM!), a huge barbeque and potatoe bake, broccoli gratin, salad and home made proccuito and parmesan bread. We topped it up with copious amounts of fine drink, laughter and the most decadent chocolate mousse pie!


Easter morning, the Easter Bunny had brought the kids new slippers for the Winter and a big egg in one shoe and the other shoe was filled with little eggs. The boys over indulged during the day and it was like trying to catch jumping beans that night!

I musn't have been a cold girl this year because the Bunny bought me a cold. A nice snuffly cold, with copious amounts of snot and a rip snorting cold sore to boot. Ah, the joys of changes in the weather!

Caitie has kept me feeling better with cups of tea and I have been trying to sleep in...a little bit LOL.

Happy Easter all!

Cin

A Different Kind of Normal

A few weeks ago, our sons teacher called us up to the school for an interview. There had been an incident which involved swimming, locker rooms and nudity (sigh), all you typical boy stuff. We went prepared to deal with it and move on. Her first words threw me for a loop and I stiffened in my seat.

"I think Aiden needs to be tested for ASD." Ms L said. Tony asked what ASD was and we were told it is Autistic Spectrum Disorder or one of the many behavioural types that come under the Autistic banner. Wow......

She proceeded to highlight areas of his behaviour which mimic those of an ASD child. It was like a lightbulb went off in my head. Putting inappropriate items in his mouth, check. Excellence in some areas of school but poor performance in most others, check. Lack of friends or trying to make friends, check. Unexplained violent behaviour, check. Susceptibility to noise in a class environment, check. Inability to concentrate in a group situation, check. Unable to handle change, check. Poor toileting habits, big check. Inability to follow directions or gets distracted from tasks easily, check.

We always joked that Aiden had Bright and Shiny Syndrome...you know those kids that will be talking to you and then, "Oh LOOK, bright and shiny!" and they drift off? Seems it may be more. The more we spoke, the more I realised that this could explain so much of Aidens behaviour. Last year one of his teachers found him slamming his head repeatedly against a wall, exclaiming he was stupid over and over again. I have asked her to write a statement about that incident to take to the paediatrician.

I'm lucky that I have a solid friend base and home base to help us during this time. We have specialist appointments booked but they all take time. Meanwhile, I have been logging any incidents that happen and potential triggers to see if I can find a pattern.

And, I have been loving my boy for the person he is, even if he is a different kind of normal.

Cin

Funny Girl

This child of mine has the wickedest sense of humour and is forever cracking me up with the daft things she says.

On Sundays we like to have Takeaway food for dinner and on this particular night it was Kentucky Fried Chicken. On the way home, Caitie was talking to something, saying, "Hello, how are you? Are you having a good day?" My glance slid sideways and I said to her, "Just who are you talking too?"

Her reply?

"The drink bottle, Mum...after all, its always nice to make new friends."

I almost drove off the road!

***

A few years ago, a friend of mine informed me that she was expecting her sixth child. On hearing the news, Caitie exclaimed, "Six kids! Lordy, she's gonna run out of plates!"

She makes me laugh and smile. She is the only one who I play slappies with...and she loses with all the grace of a buffalo! (Slappies is taking a sneaky chance at slapping a bare bit of skin on a leg or a butt or a thigh...it hurts like billy-o but it IS funny, as only random pain can be!) And when she scores one on me, by jove she can run fast, giggling the whole way.

Most importantly, I have to say that I am extremely proud of the way she has knuckled down and taken her studies seriously. Last year Caitlin had a teacher who was , for lack of a better word, appalling. He was a bully who liked to yell at the kids, slap desks in a threatening matter, deny them access to the toilet, throw chairs...get the idea? Caitie learnt nothing and her abysmal maths results took a dive for the worse. This child was suddenly getting lower than a D in maths.

And had absolutely no interest in school.

This year, she has a fantastic teacher, with a wicked sense of humour, a fantastic teaching style and she is blooming.

So, I hafta say, "Thankyou Mr K, thankyou from the bottom of my heart."

Cin

Sometimes there are happy endings.

They say a picture can tell a thousand words, well this one heals a splintered heart.

Last night, after another day of sorrow for our grieving Mum, she settled in under the bed, on her own. A few minutes later, there were distinct slurping sounds coming from under the bed. An inspection revealed three bundles of fur who had decided, "Hey, if no-one else is gonna use this Milkbar, then we sure as heck should!" Puddin had two of the older 8 week old bubs and the 7 week old polar bear snuggled in and she was purring her head off with a smile from ear to ear. The other mums are happy to have a break and she is beside herself now that she has some babies.

All is right in her little world and it makes me glad.

Cin

Grief is Universal

One of our beautiful Queens was expecting this week. After a visit to the vet on Friday, Puddin proved to be in first stage labour and we settled in to wait. By Saturday afternoon she had started contracting and we were anxious to see the new arrival.

Around 5pm, Pudd gave birth to a stillborn black tortie female. The little one didn't take a breath at all and appeared to have been in some distress. Watching her clean her daughter and try to get her to breathe was heartbreaking and I sat there with the baby in my hands and wept. I allowed Pudd time to cuddle her baby and then quietly took care of the body.

Pudd is such a fantastic Mum that the loss has hit her hard. She has been calling for her baby and mothering the other kittens. Her cries break my heart and the anxious way she checks on the other babies and paces the floor have proven beyond any doubt that my baby girl is grieving and grieving deeply. This evening she curled up half on and half off my lap and just looked at me. Her ever present smile was gone and their is a look of puzzled hurt in her beautiful green eyes.

Animals feel pain and joy, sorrow and grief, they share our triumphs as well as our tragedies and no scientist with a clipboard will tell me any different. Her baby is in good hands, sleeping with our Arthur Bean at Rainbow Bridge.

Pudd will recover. She is going to be desexed and enjoy retirement with a loving family. Cuddles will be forthcoming as long as she needs them.

In happier times with an earlier litter.

Cin.

Bananas and Oranges

The lovely weather continues though the heat has come back..sigh. I want to bring out the doonas'!

For the first time in a very long time, we had a full weekend with the children, rather than having to work on Saturday and then do the market run on a Sunday. I decided it was the perfect oppotunity to whip out an Orange Poppyseed cake and for Caitie to make a banana bread. We had a ball with Conor helping as well. The results were edible and we have enjoyed them immensely, with enough over to bolster school lunches this week.

Cheers,

Cin