helly Calebs first tooth got LOST as well LOL!
Im not sure at all what happened - i think it went down the sink when he was brushing his teeth - LOL! he was so upset - we wrote a letter to the tooth fairy also -
i think I was more upset than him to be honest !!
its terribly cute - when he lost his second one he made sure BIG TIME to hold onto it !! LOL XX XXXXXX

Good morning

Sal - This is great. Your school definitely demonstrates that they care about thier students. Fantastic for your boys, and fantastic for you being employed there. Perhaps you could ask the boy's mother to keep you updated on how he progresses at his new school. When do you find out about next year, or is it just a wait and see?

We're another fan of Reading Eggs. We had a 2 month trial earlier in the year, so both girls signed up and both got different things out of it. I would have to bring my laptop home each night so they could play at the same time!

Jayne - what did you decide about seeing the principal? Our principal is very available around the grounds in the morning, so I would have no problems with approaching her if I have concerns. At a bigger school this may be a little different. Perhaps you could write a letter requesting a response, this might allow you to avoid any emotional confrontation.

Bridget - What a beautiful birth story. And great news that CJ's confidence is growing.

Bec - how are you going with the juggling of school runs and a new born? Does your DH have any paternity leave?

Al - Hi there - hope the Christmas family organising isn't getting you down! It tis the season to be jolly!!

Helly - yay on the lost tooth (not so yay on the lost in the bin!) ... So you have both boys teething - good luck with that !! Oh no! is $5 the going rate for teeth these days, or just the first one?!
Thanks for sharing your feelings during pregnancy. It helps.

I don't have many pg signs, so just looked back at my first post on EB and this is what it says.

So looks like this is normal for me. - Don't worry, not intending to bore you over the next few months with updates, but at this stage you guys are the only ones who know, so need to out somewhere!.. maybe I should go join a DIG!!

We put our Christmas tree up on the weekend, so starting to get into the Christmas spirit.

Talk soon
MJ x

hey lady - u betta update us over the next months & ITS NOT BORING TO US Ok! Slap you around woman XXXXX love to hear all about it - hope u are feeling ok?


TBH im kinda scared of the principal and I aint alone I tell ya - i have NO real reason to be - but she is a very strong woman - I think I need to see her though -
I called a friend last night who is very high up in playgroup & child pysch etc - she thinks I need to see the principal ASAP however try & remain calm ( she knows me very well LOL )


have a top day all XX XX

Jayne do you have a friend you can take with you if you speak to the principle, might make you feel like you have a bit more strength and power to talk to her without forgetting stuff?

Michelle def keep us updated, we NEED to know Managing pretty well with school drop offs and pick ups, Quinn is generally asleep for the morning run, bit hit or miss with the arvo though. DH has no paternity leave, no idea if he was entitled to any as he didn't bother to find out (sore point with me), Quinn was born on the Wed and he was back at work the following Monday!

Helly maybe A swolled his tooth without knowing? I remember losing a tooth when I was in primary school - feel out at school, straight through a gap in some stairs into tiny white pepples - there was no way I was going to find it, all the pebbles looked the same as a little white tooth lol so did the letter to the tooth fairy too!

All my boys are doing great, Quinn on and off with sleep, but he is soooo much better than the other two ever where so that is a relief. He's feeding well and gaining weight, very healthy. Have check up with maternal & child health nurse this morning, then off to the GP for me as I have a weird rash all over me which I have no idea what from, hoping gp will say hives/allergy from something but what that something is who knows!

isnt that just what its all about XX bless XX

Bec i had a rash after Amy - and apparently it was hormonal XX
It did go away XX let us know how u get on XXX

jayne, dr reckons it's eczema, go figure as i have never had eczema before. doesn't look like it to me but i'm no dr either.

bec has the GP given U something for it ? do U have a baby clinic near you with midwives as they would know also I reckon .....................................hope that it clears up - mine took a while to clear but it hasnt returned ......

Spent yest making many calls - recd a call back from our local health ctr here - its hard to explain but this place covers mental health - drug rehab - childrens services - mature age services - alot of stuff & they were so wonderful - caleb will be assessed by them at the latest in JAN - Im so happy
I called the school & asked if the principal could call me - they were fine & said yes so hopefully she will this week -
i met with a friend yest & she said that I really needed to speak with the principal and she is also the second person to say to me that if I dont know what is going to happen next year how crappy & worried I will be in the school holidays - true!

Hope you are all well XX

Hi Bec, hope the excema clears up now that you know what it is.

Q on MCN. My BF is due very soon and I thought MCNs might be a great present for her. I had a quick look at prices and found a starter newborn pack for $99 which was more than I was expecting, so did some more looking and some other sites have packages starting at $900+ . Is it really this expensive to start up, and do you have to be 100% MCN user to get the benefits, ie if you're still buying disposables is it worth it?

Thanks

MJ x


Jayne - you must have been posting at the same time! Sorry if I sound daft but is it Caleb's reading ability they will be assessing, or more than that? Great in taking the initiative in contacting the principal.

Michelle they will assess as far as I know most of his reading & writing ability -& emotional state - I just did sounds with him this morn & he is getting there - he isnt happy doing it with me though so it makes it very hard -
hey excuse my vagueness whats an MCN?

I gave a mate of mine those covers for a supermarket trolley - freaking fantastic gift - wish I had know about then when my kids were in the trolleys XXX

MCN = Modern Cloth Nappies (only just learnt this, I knew they were cloth nappies, but never knew what the M stood for).

Supermarket trolley thing sounds like a great idea... where do you find one of those?

http://www.trolleymate.com.au/

however U can get these on ebay & also in BIG W I have seen them - they are wonderful - such a top idea -

Much love XXXX

a friend of mine also uses nappies that are not disposable & she just washes them out each day in a bucket - they dont look like the old cloth nappies though - she loves them & she says that they are very cost effective however I have NO Idea the original outlay ........

Just quickly for Michelle re MCN's. They are expensive as an initial outlay if you buy them all at once. One nappy could cost $30 which is equivalent to a box of Snugglers nappies - you might get a heap more nappies in the box but at the end of the day you throw them out, with MCN you wash and reuse over and over and over again. You don't have to use MCN full time to get the benefits, but the more you use the cloth nappies the more value you get for your money IYKWIM. If you are buying as a gift, don't spend a lot of money as there are so many different nappies and it's often trial and error as to what suits each individual bub. There are also so many different options available - sized nappies eg small/med/large, one size fits most, all in one nappies, all in two nappies, pocket nappies, fitted nappies that also need a nappy cover, prefolds... it can be very overwhelming and confusing to start with! Maybe you would be better giving her a voucher to one of the online nappy stores, that way she could pick and choose herself? Or buy a couple of different brand nappies for her to try rather than a whole package? In terms of price comparison to disposables, it depends what you factor in - just your own costs, costs to make each nappy, brand of nappy you use etc and then environmental reasons as well. HTH. If I have confused the living daylights out of you just tell me and any other questions I'm more than happy to answer of course

Thanks Bec,

Edited to add: I forgot to say... thanks for all the info, that helps heaps but...

I'll think I'll buy her a box of Huggies!!

hi team XX

Calebs principal called me back yest - chatted for 30mns - was TOPS !!! Im very happy

I havent been very well this week - Just soldiered on as we do
WED I felt dreadful - Really bad - spinning head - nausea - cramps in my tummy - felt dreadful - the worlds sorest boobs I have ever had - ever -
Amy bumped my boobs in the shower & I nearly started to cry - Thurs I felt a bit better - then yest morn I started to bleed - 10 days early - I went to my GP yest at 4pm - miscarriage -
cripey !
im ok about it - wasnt trying etc - I am stunned at how unwell & ill I felt though - im sure that all the stress hasnt helped this week either.


hope u are all well XX

Jayne even though you said your ok, I'm sorry to hear that you had a miscarriage. As I was reading your post I immediately though "pg" when you mentioned the sore boobs, but then read the rest. Take it easy Glad you are happy with your contact with C's principal.

Michelle lol at going for the disposables!

All good here. C is on a school excursion today at the Werribee Zoo. I feel really sad that I couldn't go as a parent helper but didn't want to be dragging the younger boys around (you could take younger siblings if necessary) and no doubt breastfeeding and changing stinky bums would be a distraction as a parent helper anyway, no way am I leaving Q with anyone for a whole day just yet!

Was hoping to get our xmas tree up last night, but DH cracked it cause I hadn't organised anything decent for dinner (toast was on the menu to use up the bread we had but he didn't like that!) and I wanted something quick so we had heaps of time to put the tree up. So it's still up in the garage roof, hopefully we'll have it down on the weekend as no time tonight. I am making an advent calendar as well, not organised enough to have made it already so hoping I'll have that finished by the weekend too!

Bec

Hi everyone!

going alright here - still a bit all over the place with routines - CJ is driving me nuts sometimes with the Autism, it makes it so much harder to get things going when we need to go to school etc.. in the mornings, and I just can't get her to organise herself or eat breakfast or get dressed. It was school xmas party yesterday held by the Variety Club for the Autism school, she had a great time, she's a very lucky girl to be at such a great school. At the moment she's trying to understand why the other girl in her class won't sit next to her, every day she comes home saying "Sky is hurting my feelings, she won't sit next to me, you know?" and she has no clue why, it breaks my heart she doesn't understand at all that the other kids have problems, and I don't want to tell her that they are all autistic and have different issues and make her question herself... Not sure how to handle it! We get reports today I'm so excited!

Jayne - so sorry for your loss sweetie! Had no idea you were thinking/hoping for another, sorry if I missed it on here! Glad to hear the principal came through for you, that's fantastic news. It certainly sounds like you are getting the sharp end of the stick with Caleb's teacher, hopefully the next one will be a much more caring teacher and you'll get along great! I hate that word, "assessed", it sounds so nasty like! CJ and I found it super stressful, it will be more accurate if Caleb relaxes.

Bec my DH is cracking it about dinner getting organised too, although he won't help unless he's dying. It certainly is hard some days!

Helly aww cute! Sounds like Alek might have swallowed the tooth with the watermelon? Caitlyn gets a gold coin for her teeth, whatever I have available at the time.

Sal you're doing an amazing job, thank you for doing it there are so many kids who need help and support like you are giving and it's not recognised enough. I hope that the little boy will love the Autism school, I have no doubt that they will help him there immensely. I loved sharing a room with my brothers and sisters even when I was a teen, it's so great for bonding.

Michelle big hugs to you, I'm sure it will all fall into place - you are amazing, take care sweetheart!

Sorry ladies got to dash I'm on duty again!

Lots of love to all of you xox

hi team - Im fine honest - def dont want another cherub as wonderful as they are XXXXX
I still feel sick & crampy but Im fine guys thanks XX

Bec I wasnt able to go with Caleb to the zoo and I felt so sad
I knew that Amy would be running off everywhere & she wont go in the pram & I just thought it would be hard work on me & not fair either on the rest of the parents & kids - I worried about Caleb all day long ( lordy Im a worry eh?)
he was fine - tired as all hell but fine XX


Brigd morns are hard here too lovely - I reckon I ask Caleb honestly 8+ times GET DRESSED until I feel like I am a wild crazy woman as he just watches TV - plays with Amy - draws etc - OMG ! its very exhausting - how u manage love with a new baby as well is INCREDIBLE ! ADORE the photos by the way - so precious babe X
thats tough babe - my heart hurts for her
Caleb has a very similar thing & gets very confused & hurt - is she interested in sitting with anyone else ? anyone else that she is friendly with ? its so hard - I just want to rip him out & take him him - until 10am Im sure when I am losing my mind!
Lets us know how the report card go babe XXXXXX

Hi Guys, I'm don't usually get on here on Fridays, but Jayne whe your post arrived on my phone, I had to reply.

You seem to be handling things really well, but be good to yourself, your emotions and hormones are probably all over the place so don't be surpised if a laugh turns into a cry or you're yelling at DH because of the smallest thing, you still need time to heal.

Bec, not a bad day for the zoo. no rain yet!

Bridget, that's fantastic about C's school. When you think back to the start of the year, and the 'stuff'you had to go through with the other school, I'm so relieved for you all that it's working out.

Well DH and I have spent the morning mowing (we have a mower each!!)...bloody hard work!! and with this weather I'm sure we'll be doing it again next week, but still need to keep the grass down so we don't attrack the snakes.

We're off to our Monkey Business (aka mother's group) Christmas party tonight - I'm better go and wrap some presents!

Have a great weekend.
Michelle x

that made me laugh XXXXXX have a fun night X

Hey guys,

On the countdown to our trip on the weekend – feeling like a headless chook even though I’ve been good about getting things prepared. Still overjoyed about N’s test results – though a bit shocked. He has the same thing as A does, so it’s quite the mystery how he hasn’t been affected as of yet. It can be progressive but as A’s has been stable and his results are similar to his newborn ones I’m now daring to hope that it might stay OK. Of course after our experience with A we know it will all be fine either way, but it is wonderful to not have multiple weekly appointments or struggle to keep aids on the ears and not in the mouth of a baby!

Today is the last day of school for A – we got his report and we were really happy and proud of our little dude. This year has gone so much better than we ever dreamed it could (just a shame he seems to save his best behaviour for school and we get the attitude at home, lol)

Jayne So sorry to hear about your m/c, even if you weren’t trying I’m sure it will knock you around for a bit. : Really glad to hear that you’ve got something sorted for Caleb, hopefully they’ll give you a good plan of action. A also hates being corrected or guided by me (he usually snaps “I already know that” if I try to correct pronunciation or meaning of a word), I’ve really found the computer stuff works for him
I was definitely more upset than him about the tooth! He was all happy and telling his mates how the tooth fairy wrote back to him and was able to find his lost tooth :rolleyes

Michelle Hope the m/s is staying away! As for the tooth, I wanted to give $2 but DP said that was mean and got out the fiver. Dunno if we’ll make that just for the first couple, could be exxy otherwise

Bec Hope the rash has gone and not come back. Great that Quinn is going great guns! Hope you got your tree up – we got ours up during last week but only dressed it on Sunday. Good idea about the advent calendar – I’m not that keen on the chocolate ones you get here I must say. This year we’ve got a Lego one and it’s been a fantastic success – A is sooo excited each morning!

Bridget The party sounds good! Maybe some books would help CJ? We got several books for A about kids with hearing problems, and also difference
http://www.amazon.com/Its-Okay-Different-T...r/dp/0316666033
We also got books about “how to be a friend” and so on and found it was really good for opening up conversations – if you look on somewhere like Amazon or Book Depository there’s a wide variety, and it really helped us

Sal How's the sleeping going?

Anyway, better go and do the million and one things on my to do list – baby is asleep and we have to pick up A at 2pm, so my last day of freedom is short

helly

edited for spelling!

Quick hello guys - wanted to find somewhere on here to post about this but wasnt sure where ...
I dont know if U guys remember that DH has twin girls from his previous relationship they live in Perth & he hasnt seen them since they were 2 - has rec'd ONE lot of photos in the 11 years that we have been 2gether - we dont have an address for them - just the mums mobile # -
anyway yest we rec'd a letter from child support & they claim that DH now pays $1200.00 a MONTH WTF ?
two weeks ago I completed our debts etc for them & they have now raised this monthly payment by $400.00 ??
we run at a loss each week - we cant afford to go on a holiday - nothing - Im shattered - im exhausted at trying to budget all of this & now this - mum says that we should get legal advice -
Its just a nightmare

Jayne, I don't really know anything about CSA but I've seen some threads on it round EB - maybe in the "stepfamilies" sub-forum? I guess a call to CSA would be the first best step but from my little knowledge the following could have happened:
- your income has gone up? has your taxable income changed?
- maybe the age of the children? I think some family payments increase in the expensive teen years, maybe CS does too?
- the mother's situation has changed eg. more children?

hope you manage to get it sorted

helly

Hi Jayne, I don't know anything about the system, but has your income increased in the last year? I'd be giving them a ring to find out what drove the increase.

Helly, great news about N's hearing tests and A's report. I remeber the stories of A and his ways of losing his aids, unintentially of course! I didn't realise though that it was caused by something specific - I take it if N has the same thing it's a genetic thing? Good luck with your packing, and if I'm not back online later in the week have a great holiday. Merry Christmas!


AFM - H finished up at 3yo kinder yesterday and the teacher gave the a DVD with little movies and photos of their time over the last year. It was very special and we all sat on the couch to watch. Hannah was so proud... so we watched it again!!

Our school finishes next Friday, but the kids are in wind down mode, all assessments etc have been completed and now we wait to hear which class they are in next year. We have been told that there will be a Prep / 1 and and 1 / 2 class. One of the mums said they split the grade just based on age - so if they halve her class (there are 14 of them) C is the 5th youngest which would mean she will be in the Prep / 1 grade. I see advantages in this as she does let her friends tell her what to do, maybe if she has younger kids in her class they will look to her for direction and she can learn how to be more assertive. So either way I'm happy with the teachers and the classes.

Talk soon
MJ x

Hi Everyone,

CJ's report was great - it's not like your traditional mainstream school report unfortunately, it's hard to explain, it's all about the progress they are making with their autism specific problems and how they do their work and social interactions basically - but her biggest advances have been in her speaking and confidence. CJ's still struggling with a lot of things like a 2 part or more instruction, she just can't follow it and things like this or anything literate such as writing, reading she will not do it independtly. As I posted on FB yesterday I think it was, her teacher secretly told me that she will have CJ again next year along with Sky (the little girl who is struggling with CJ) and 3 other girls, so it will be an all girl class (which I know CJ will adore because she prefers girls to boys, but this has a big downside!) and that she thinks if CJ keeps up her progress she may be able to reintegrate into mainstream at the later half of next year - which I have to admit freaks the hell out of me now that we have experienced mainstream and she gets such great support at the Autism school!

Jayne, yes she will sit next to the boys if she must, she does have some great friends amongst the boys and they love her. She just prefers to sit next to a girl and be with girls, she thinks of Sky as her best friend even though Sky has the issue where she will not interact with anyone even the adults, it's Sky's issue apparently and not anything that CJ is doing - they've been having special "girly time" just the two of them doing things like nail painting, hair dressups etc to try to get them to bond in a girly way (this is the trouble with the Autism school and the rate of Autism being 3 out of 4 boys) but it's still not helping. We'll see what happens next year, perhaps CJ will bond with one of the new girls.

Helly have a fantastic holiday in NZ and wishing you the very best over the christmas season!

MJ the dvd from kindy sounds so beautiful, what a great idea! I think combined classes are fantastic for the little ones and it is really good for the older kids too to bond with the younger ones, and show off so to say, how grown up they are and take the younger ones under their wings and assist them in the classroom.

Jayne omg that is excessive!! My understanding of the CSA is that they cannot put your family in hardship with the amount your DH pays to his ex, but you do hear it all the time that father's are paying more than they can afford. I would definetly get legal advice and appeal - this link tells you how to do it: http://www.csa.gov.au/FAQs/Question.aspx?3...dJSHAS9eQdRUQ==

hi team - No DH income hasnt gone up - wish it had
we havent done his tax for this year yet & child support sent us a letter say 6 weeks back as they just EST this years income & decided that he earnt an extra 10K WTF?
Its terribly exhausting all of this -
and the power that they have is incredible -
we have called them & pleaded with them they just say U MUST PAY THIS - we dont have a mortage however they have even said to us - CHILD SUPP COMES BEFORE EVERYTHING EVEN YOUR MORTAGE - His ex doesnt work - never has AHHHHHHHHHH -
Thanks for the help ladies - I will look into this - my mum is going FREAKING BALISTIC * this in turn is stressing me out however I see her point & I KNow that she is worried -
im so over it

Bridg thats so great about the report XX
Its wonderful to hear of a supportive school ESP as i dont feel my little one if getting much support Im relieved for you that they care so much - all girl class - sound so sweet doesnt it

sounds very sweet & at least the school is trying to help these two together -
it must be hard for u angel XX

Our boys kindy graduation is tomorrow - bring the tissues!
Mum and DH are cming and mums besty also -
very very cute -
His teacher hardly even looks at me know let alone speaks to me - I assume that this is after the principal has spoke with her ?? Its shame but what can I do??

his private lesson was yest & I was very concerned when the teacher comes out & says to me " i think he will get there " ummmmm NO Lady you say 'he will get there!"
as chance had it on Sat he had a diff teacher and he really liked her alot - younger girl - very calm etc - maybe he needs to swap teachers there ?
I have so much going on in my head at the mo

Jayne, hope you get to the bottom of it, sounds like a terrible system

Bridget Yippee, the report and girls class sound great! I can understand your feelings about mainstreaming but with the right support I'm sure she will thrive there too. Would she go to your closest school?

Michelle Yup it's a genetic thing, which affects the nerve cells in the cochlea. I don't totally understand how he could get off scot-free but we'll take every month of good hearing that we can, so important for developing language even before they talk! One ear consistently fails the test they use for newborn screening so there's something odd there, and the testing has limitations, so I'm still paranoid (the fact he doesn't bable or chatter nearly as much as A doesn't overjoy me either) Next testing is in Feb when he will be old enough to do puppet tests and we'll get a better idea of what he responds to.
The DVD sounds great - one of my jobs I meant to do was to go through all the old vids and catalog and backup them up - so hasn't happened!

Glorious day here in Sydney, took the boys down to Darling Harbour and it was perfect. Do feel cheated with all the awful weather we've had while I've been at home though Think we're having the 6 mth growth spurt - I'm feeling trapped on the couch

helly

hi team xx i did post on blended families and it started out well however last night when I was sleeping away - i guess its such a pesonal issue and I understand that - I just wanted some advice cause this is affecting my children & our life - I mentioned credit card debt & some were most displeased with me - Its still a fact that we have it & have to pay the debt - and DH still pays child supp also - I asked the moderator to close the chat
Thats happened to me before in here
I just wanted some advice
anyhoo - Calebs graduation is this morn - tissues XX

much loce guys XXX

Hi Jayne, went over and read the thread, gee you struck a few nerves! Probably a good thing you were sleeping while that was unravelling. I wouldn't take it personally, I think they had their own agendas.
.. but there was some good advice, in regard to the calculator, and ways to put through a formal query etc.
Enjoy the graduation today.

Helly, thanks for sharing the information on the boys' hearing. You have such a positive attitude.. very inspiring!

Bridget that's great how CJ is developing and coming along. You've definitely been her advocate.

.. I finally made the decision on a DS for C today. DS lites are on sale at K-Mart for $174 (starting today) which includes a starter kit and a game, so mum was down at K-Mart this morning at 7am with her discount card and she picked one up for me. So with discount came to $165.... so I'm happy with this.

Have a great day
MJ x

thats awesome !!!!!! Your mum is a legend!


Yeah I did hit some nerves and its hard to not take it personally however thats me -
I understand that its hard being on the other side as well - I didnt mean to upset anget anyone at all however these threads seem to get so heated .....