Update June 13th

OMGosh another blog that's been left by the wayside since my life became ten shades of hectic!! My craft blog has also suffered terribly since I've been AWOL :)

Things have been really happening since my last update - when I last posted I think it was just at the beginning of the University semester.... WELL, let me tell you that I've already learnt so much (the rat dissection in our first labratory class was definately an eye-opener LOL). I passed my mid-semester exams and have been really enjoying studying, although I will be honest and say that getting back into the swing of 'school life' hasn't exactly been the easiest transition I've ever had!

Work-wise things are going along nicely. I have 2 clients that I look after each week and they're both extremely flexible which means *hopefully* minimal hassles when it comes to next semester and my timetables (which are likely to change). I still really enjoy the work, physically it's helping build my strength and endurance and I get some 'head space' time to just chill, tune out and think about nothing which is virtually impossible for me at any other time of the day/week.

Kaleb is coming along at a good pace also, thanks to the fantastic help from his ECDP (Early Childhood Development Unit for the uninitiated!) - he's so fascinated by anything and everything to do with animals and nature, but especially lizards/snakes/beetles and bugs .. even birds! It's been wonderful to share in that fascination; we now have stacks of lizard/snake toys, books and even a few DVD's coming (Steve Irwin) that will indulge his special interest. Speech-wise, he's definitely coming out of his shell more, talking in more complete sentences instead of just echoing back but I gotta tell you, his constantly asking 'what does xxxxx do?' just about drives me around the bend some days LOL We've even started attending a local Autism-specific playgroup which has been really nice, I get to meet with some other parents in my situation and compare notes as well as give Kaleb the opportunity to interact with children 'just like him', without having to constantly be on the lookout and explaining to parents why he is the way he is.

We've been in our new home for almost 3 months now and it's going wonderfully -- we've really settled in and I'm absolutely enjoying doing up our very own home, just the way I want. The backyard has been cleaned, trees trimmed (by MYSELF! Very proud DIY moments there :p) and I've even started a small potted vegetable garden :) I'm growing tomato, capsicum, spring onion, garlic chives and basil. I really didn't think it'd be possible, given my history with plants - but it's amazing how much they've grown in a few short weeks! I'm feeling very handy LOL Kaleb enjoys it almost as much as I do, I've shown him how we pot the plants, how to water them every few days and to make sure they get lots of sunshine.. he really enjoys being able to help and I hope it can teach him something at the same time :)

There's not much else that I can think of to update about right now, so I'll finish this awfully long-winded post with some photos :)

My vegetable 'garden'


Kaleb rough-housing with Aunty Demii


Worn out after a big day of exploring


What a wonderful playground!! Kaleb's ECDP Unit


I PROMISE that I won't leave it so long between posts next time!
Til then
Stace xox

Update 2nd March 2009.

Well it sure has been a LONG time between updates! Lots has been happening for us over the last few months ... I've started my Nursing Degree at Griffith University and whilst I love it there is a lot of information I need to digest!!! Thankfully my girlfriend is in the same course and we share notes and ideas.

Big news of course is that on Feb 24th, Kaleb celebrated his THIRD birthday!!! He is such a big boy now, it's amazing to think back to when he was just a tiny newborn babe *sniffle* He got some great gifts from everyone but I think his favourite was the Mr Potato Head that Nan and Pop got him! He loves it and plays with it at every chance he gets :)

Kaleb has started at a new daycare centre who have experience in caring for children with Special Needs and they have been so supportive and really dedicated in bringing out the best in Kaleb. He's learning Makaton, which is a sign language children can use if they are unable to express themselves in other ways. He loves going there each day, in fact he runs to the gate in the morning and can't wait to see 'Snappy the Turtle' and the fish that live in his room.

We've had numerous specialist appointments over the past few weeks also and most recently we saw a wonderful specialist who has given us the indication that we are dealing with more than just a behavioural/attention disorder. In no way does the upcoming diagnosis change who my little boy is, it simply provides us with the means to get the help and support he needs to excel and to move forward and improve as best he can. Of course it's been hard for me to come to terms with everything and I'm still dealing with those feelings of grief and disbelief but that's perfectly normal and it doesn't diminish the love I feel for my special little man - in fact, I love him more than ever (if that's possible!) and I now take a different view of things: he was sent to me as a gift, he chose me as his mother because he knew I would never give up, that I would never stop fighting for him. Our bond is that much stronger now.

Life in general has been a rollercoaster ride and it's not stopped yet!! We're officially on the hunt for a new home and there are some great houses in the area that I think would suit our needs quite well ... they all have enormous backyards which is at the top of my wishlist and I'm really looking forward to our new adventure.

As always, the sharing of some recent photographs:


My University Campus - isn't it gorgeous!


Kaleb enjoying the surf at Burleigh Heads


Having fun with his little cousin Alahni


The Birthday Boy loves his presents!

Update 26th December 2008

I hope you're all enjoying the festive season!!

Kaleb and I stayed at my parents house on Christmas Eve-Day so that we would all be able to open the presents together in the morning. Kaleb slept all the way there as per usual and we had a very relaxing afternoon swimming in the pool and lazing around in the heat.

Christmas morning I got to sleep in until 7am so that was one of many Christmas surprises from Kaleb! It's not often that I wake before he does LOL There were so many presents for him, and considering that I left ALOT separated out for his birthday he still outnumbered everyone else under the tree this year :) It was great though, he had so much fun unwrapping his presents by himself this time around, he loved it so much he started opening other peoples presents too (Whoops!) .. I wasn't able to get any pictures from my own camera - in all the excitement, I had forgotten to charge my camera battery.

I did however get some fantastic photographs of the Christmas lights in our nearby suburbs.







Also, here are some shots this morning of Kaleb playing with his toys.







Today was a very relaxing day - we did go out at one stage to brave the stores in order to get some photos printed off and to get some discounted decorations for next year (why pay full-price when you can shop smart and get them cheaper hehe).

Wishing you all the very best for 2009!

TFL xox

Update 14 December 2008

It's been a long while since I last updated so I thought I should pull my finger out and let you all in on the good news (for those of you who haven't heard), and also to share some recent photographs.

First things first - I got accepted into my University course! Yippee! I cried when I read my email notification LOL I just couldn't believe that I'd done it! I'd made the first step towards my dream of becoming a Nurse... I start on March 2nd and there are so many things that need to be done prior to this date but I'm taking small steps, planning it all so I don't get too overwhelmed which is COMPLETELY easy to do! I've enrolled in my 1st semester subjects already and have signed up for an introductory 'getting around Uni' course. There are plenty of other pre-semester workshops aimed to help us adapt to Uni life but you don't sign up for them, I have the dates marked on my calendar don't you worry :)

Work is still going great - I'll be taking 2weeks' leave over Christmas to spend time at home preparing for the New Year and to give myself a break, some time to relax and maybe even take a small trip to the coast??? Nothing is set in stone so we'll see what happens on the day. I've finished my class hours for my Certificate III so am now at the stage of being assessed in my client's homes. One more certification to add to my collection!

Kaleb has also started at a new daycare centre during the last 2weeks. His Familydaycarer has gone overseas for a few months and I've decided to keep him in a daycare centre for a few reasons. Mainly because he needs all the space he can get, being as active as he is, and also because there is more structure and focus on social and skill development in a centre than what I found in a domestic environment. He's at daycare 2 days a week at the moment but I've had full-time placement guaranteed for me come the start of school next year. It's such a great centre and it's only a few hundred meters up the road from us. The carers are excellent, so attentive and patient with Kaleb and while he has his moments of separation anxiety (whenever I leave!) he soon settles down and involves himself in the activities of the day.


Kaleb wearing his new daycare centre hat

The weather's been quite hot and humid lately, with plenty of thunderstorms for us to watch. On the weekends we've been taking lots of walks (for the exercise as well as to escape the heat and catch some of the breeze) and it's done us both a lot of good ... I'm starting to get back to my pre-baby weight and I feel so much more energised and fresh. Unfortunately our plans were derailed somewhat last week when we both came down with an awful bout of gastroenteritis. I recovered quite well but it was SO hard to get enough rest when there's a recovering toddler in the house!


Beating the humidity!

Today was another warm day so we packed up early and went to the local pool - we got there when the gates opened at 9am and we had such a wonderful time! For those of you who know me, it's a rare event indeed for me to put on a bathing suit and get into the water but guess what? I swam today!! I even dug out my old bikini and IT STILL FITS! A little snug around the hips but overall not bad ;) I quite like my new shape, very womanly LOL Kaleb and I spent the majority of our time there in the shallow area, with him jumping in from the side of the pool, floating on his back with me, splashing each other and practising our freestyle as best we could. Later, we moved to the deeper area so Kaleb could make use of the waterslide, which he did with a vengeance! There were quite a few people there but we still had a lot of space to play and relax.


Kaleb at the water's edge


Wearing his new hooded towel

I'll update again after Christmas so have a Very Mery Festive Season!

TFL
Stace x

Time for another update:

Hi all,

It's been quite awhile since I've updated here and there has been so much happening since then!

I've had a really good couple of days thanks to my sister and my niece coming up for more than a weekend! They came up last Tuesday and both Kaleb and I spent last weekend down on the Gold Coast at my parents' where they're staying and we had a lovely time.. I took another of my slices down for them to enjoy and I made sure to have my camera on hand so I could catch Kaleb and his cousin together - Kaleb was a little jealous of Alahni to begin with, that might have had something to do with my holding her at the time!! He loves his Mummy so much that he didn't want to share LOL

Things went downhill somewhat when Kaleb discovered that she had a bellybutton just like he did! He was a little over-eager in his attempts to get at her 'bellybuddin' and Alahni didn't like it one bit! Poor little mite!

Kaleb and Alahni:


Alahni in her Bumbo:


What a contortionist!


We also caught up with them today at a playcentre in Cleveland as they fly out on Saturday morning and I won't be able to catch up again. Kaleb was very gentle with his cousin this time around, he was more concerned with chasing all the other children around in the ride-on-car area! He was really enjoying himself, running up and down the playgym, sliding on his stomach down the slides (the little daredevil!), bouncing around the jumping castle and doing broadsides in one of the ride-on-cars ... it was so funny to watch! We were there for just over 2hrs and when it came time to leave, Kaleb didn't put up much of a fight - he was tuckered out from his big play! We stopped at the supermarket on the way home to pick up a few things and the little man fell asleep in his pram :) He slept for almost 2hrs when we got home soon afterwards so it was quite a long nap.

Enjoying the playcentre ride-on-cars:


Keeping busy in the playcentre:


As far as my adventures go, I'm still at TAFE studying towards my Certificate III in Cleaning Operations - we've almost finished the theory, next comes approximately 6weeks of assessments in clients' homes which I'm really looking forward to! Next education-related milestone for me is (hopefully) my acceptance offer into the Nursing course at Griffith ... class of 2009 here I come! I was talking with my friend 'G' today about it actually, she's currently studying at QU and she said that she'd be very surprised if I didn't get an offer so hopefully she's right!

I've also been getting back into the habit of donating blood every 3 months as my blood type is quite important for the Blood Banks - something to do with it being a universally acceptable donor type. I have my next appointment this coming Monday and as well as doing my part for the community, it will be another chance to pick the nurses' brains about their work LOL It was great last time as the nurse had only recently graduated from her RN degree so was full of useful information and hints/tips for me :)

We've also been cooking up a storm the last few days - Honey Bubble Crunch, Honey Joys, Choc-Chip cookies and all manner of slices and cakes ... it's been quite lovely! My pantry is still well-stocked so I don't need to hit the shops again for a little while to replenish my supplies. The only downside is that I'm wanting to find 'health conscious' recipes as I'm really focussing on getting my health under control and hence beginning a weight-loss/exercise plan. Kaleb and I have been taking an afternoon walk every day this week and it's been a lovely chance for us to have one-on-one time together out in the great outdoors. Our walks have ranged from half an hour to over an hour at a time and we both have huge appetites when we get back home! This afternoon's walk was close to an hour as we went further than we usually do, up to the school and back through a track running behind the houses. Kaleb was happy to hold my hand most of the way, although the poor munchkin got tired on the way home so I picked him up for some of the way - despite it being VERY humid, there was a nice breeze so it wasn't too bad. We had a small sunshower on the way back which helped keep us cool and comfortable :)

As you can see, there has been quite alot happening so at risk of sending you to sleep with more of our adventures, I'll leave it at that!

TFL x

Update Time

Hi bloggers!

I thought it was high time for an update, it's been a while from what I remember and I don't want to keep you waiting too long!

Kaleb and I are doing really well of late - it's Springtime, and with the change of seasons comes a change of pace for the two of us. The sun is out more often, we get the occasional thunderstorm (and a good excuse to cuddle up in Mummy's bed and watch the lightening), but most of all there's something magical about the smell of fresh growing grass, flowers drifting to a resting place having been tugged by the wind from their garden bed home... like I said, magical!

Work has been work - still enjoying it immensely, and towards the end of the year I'm hoping to open my schedule to take on a few more clients. TAFE studies are almost over, which means that my Certificate III isn't too far away!

Kaleb has been his usual self, always cheeky, never sitting still for longer than five seconds, totally in love with his Mummy and I with him :) I can't believe that he's almost 3 years old! Where does the time go I wonder?
There have been a few developments with his behavioural troubles, resulting in a referral to a Paediatrician- my Familydaycare office is assisting with trying to get our name as close to the top of the list as possible - - with reports and their own referrals to add to mine. Fingers crossed for a speedy appointment!

Here are some pictures from our recent travels:


Playing in the spaceship at the park!


Relaxing on the stairs


By the pool with Aunty Demii


Plum tuckered out after a trip to see Nanny and Poppy


TFL

Facelifts and a change in the air ....

I thought it was time to give the blog a facelift and I am very pleased with the results!! It took me FOREVER to choose a background, there were so many gorgeous examples to choose from!

I've also started another blog - this new one is for scrapping only and I'll obviously leave this blog for personal updates. If you're interested, you can follow the link ----> to Stacie's Scrap-shelf or you can just click HERE

There are a few updates of a personal nature so I might as well get them typed now so as not to keep you waiting any longer for new news!
Kaleb is maturing so much, I can't believe it! He reminds me so much of a mini-gentleman with the way that he walks around, his serious expressions when he's exploring and figuring things out, but mostly when he sees something he likes or if something catches his attention, he'll come running to me with a big smile and wide eyes and grabs my hand, pulling me towards the object of his attention saying "Come on Mummy, come on!" It's gorgeous!

This weeks' pictures are from the weekend - we had a lovely time indoors at home mostly as it was raining for the majority of Saturday and Sunday and although it warmed up occasionally, I wasn't about to let a dirt-loving boy loose in a yard with wet grass and muddy dirt!







TFL
Stace x