tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61778177057545538012024-03-05T18:25:04.714+10:00Memo To SelfSelenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.comBlogger367125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-52552038283863860362016-02-14T16:09:00.002+10:002016-02-14T16:09:55.663+10:00Blogging, what is it good for?I haven't written here in ages, but "Blog" keeps appearing on my to-do lists and goals every year. But why? I'm not in it to be an influencer, to make money, or to propagate a movement. I'm not a writer, I don't really have any advice, and I only rant sporadically, if at all... So why do it? <br />
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It's taken me a while to find an answer to this question, and for me that answer is memory. This blog has been our family history archive since we had Lolly, nearly 8 years ago. Despite lying fallow for a couple of years now, there is a ton of history in these virtual pages. And so much of that history is things I never would have otherwise marked or remembered. Little things. "Doings." And that's what attracts me to keep blogging. It took me a couple of years to work out what was important to me about blogging, and what I missed, exactly, about not blogging. So I'm setting a goal around writing here again. I'm pretty sure that one day, looking back, I'm going to be glad I did.<br />
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Our family has got a fair bit older since we last talked, my step-son, Smash, is 20 now; Snail is about to turn 17 (!!) and Lolly, the youngest, is nearly 8 (that "nearly" is super important!). We're a little older and a little wiser, and still plodding along. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FY0ccvUDD80/VsAZAEA49TI/AAAAAAAAJeY/RLg7WLufHFQ/s1600/IMG_5311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FY0ccvUDD80/VsAZAEA49TI/AAAAAAAAJeY/RLg7WLufHFQ/s320/IMG_5311.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lolly, an Arctic Fox</td></tr>
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To anyone still reading this, HI, and I'll be seeing you soon. Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-36097031175515211482014-05-14T10:35:00.000+10:002014-05-14T10:35:58.349+10:00A cat's lifeIt's hard to be a cat, sometimes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VpjO-DwUK4k/Ut4j9-CBVMI/AAAAAAAAINA/H2YpKGsoeRA/s1600/IMAGE_182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VpjO-DwUK4k/Ut4j9-CBVMI/AAAAAAAAINA/H2YpKGsoeRA/s1600/IMAGE_182.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alia says: *le sigh*</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ayw3m66wnMc/Ut4kHPK7e1I/AAAAAAAAINI/9GCpifs0xMU/s1600/IMAGE_183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ayw3m66wnMc/Ut4kHPK7e1I/AAAAAAAAINI/9GCpifs0xMU/s1600/IMAGE_183.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An array of Princesses.</td></tr>
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<br />Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-1279610196980018162014-04-20T16:54:00.000+10:002014-04-20T16:54:36.848+10:00Blurry Circus snaps!Lolly has started her very first class! In <a href="http://www.flipsidecircus.org.au/" target="_blank">circus</a>!! She loves it about as much as you might imagine, and has tried a huge range of amazing cool stuff. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q61VKSPNnNk/Uw1dxCKdmaI/AAAAAAAAIXc/BjC4vhGMzjI/s1600/IMAGE_257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q61VKSPNnNk/Uw1dxCKdmaI/AAAAAAAAIXc/BjC4vhGMzjI/s1600/IMAGE_257.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the ring!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CZ0xxFGqlGs/Uw1MJ-J2TKI/AAAAAAAAIQI/uht_bQP95aE/s1600/IMAGE_200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CZ0xxFGqlGs/Uw1MJ-J2TKI/AAAAAAAAIQI/uht_bQP95aE/s1600/IMAGE_200.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plate twirling.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mFBGPp0ZK5E/Uw1KSeHpv2I/AAAAAAAAIPg/A12fHTajBDw/s1600/IMAGE_196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mFBGPp0ZK5E/Uw1KSeHpv2I/AAAAAAAAIPg/A12fHTajBDw/s1600/IMAGE_196.jpg" height="320" width="252" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balance beam, with fancy plate action!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GhVjMBA07Vg/Uw1MOd5FibI/AAAAAAAAIQQ/M1UqUOI8bGg/s1600/IMAGE_201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GhVjMBA07Vg/Uw1MOd5FibI/AAAAAAAAIQQ/M1UqUOI8bGg/s1600/IMAGE_201.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tightrope!</td></tr>
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She's also done trapeze and that awesome fabric stuff they hang off. And pole climbing and juggling. We're loving it and have signed up for next term! Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-72001078892211883712014-04-14T12:44:00.003+10:002014-04-14T12:44:47.180+10:00When I say "Lolly wants to be a vet" I am NOT kidding!We have a VERY serious play program here for prospective vet surgeons. Here are some recent shots, she is operating on a very bad tooth problem that her pet toy snake developed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aB78YQuAI8s/UuiA20ypvEI/AAAAAAAAIOI/LhhdMaMIwdA/s1600/IMAGE_188.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aB78YQuAI8s/UuiA20ypvEI/AAAAAAAAIOI/LhhdMaMIwdA/s1600/IMAGE_188.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the vet in surgery. Gloves and all. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lGgmnf5LW4g/UuiAZyu_GBI/AAAAAAAAINw/pVMlxg_snLw/s1600/IMAGE_185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lGgmnf5LW4g/UuiAZyu_GBI/AAAAAAAAINw/pVMlxg_snLw/s1600/IMAGE_185.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharp implements are required!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y3BR_6fCuc8/UuiAtB66TkI/AAAAAAAAIOA/0ipLKgkH0oc/s1600/IMAGE_187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y3BR_6fCuc8/UuiAtB66TkI/AAAAAAAAIOA/0ipLKgkH0oc/s1600/IMAGE_187.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Complicated lego jaw restraint system, co-designed by DinnerDad.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B1JtkydM4lk/UuiBAzsFfYI/AAAAAAAAIOQ/neSRg8Soadk/s1600/IMAGE_189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B1JtkydM4lk/UuiBAzsFfYI/AAAAAAAAIOQ/neSRg8Soadk/s1600/IMAGE_189.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see it's a delicate procedure....</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u2NKe6eFbQc/UuiAiZGYOUI/AAAAAAAAIN4/7-x0y_1BpCo/s1600/IMAGE_186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u2NKe6eFbQc/UuiAiZGYOUI/AAAAAAAAIN4/7-x0y_1BpCo/s1600/IMAGE_186.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her tools all laid out on a "sterile surface".</td></tr>
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<br />Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-1006392827090896412014-04-12T11:34:00.003+10:002014-04-12T11:34:22.304+10:00This Blog has no continuity: or, Lolly's sixth Birthday some more...Because of course, Lolly's birthday comes 9 days before Snail's! And also, it's in March :p<br />
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We had a small party after school with some friends, including a late season swim (it's mostly still hot as anything here in sunny Brisvegas!).<br />
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The highlight was the piƱata, though the puppy cake was a close second!<br />
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As for me, I have the usual parental disbelief that my baby is SIX!!! And we've *almost* recovered from the sugar overload. Almost.Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-43643474903318243272014-04-10T08:51:00.001+10:002014-04-10T08:51:22.281+10:00Some Birthdays are BittersweetSnail turned 15 last month. It's a sweet and sad day. She has no idea it's her birthday, or what birthdays are. Though she likes presents and cake and attention.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hit of the day was this Bananas in Pyjamas book!</td></tr>
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It's hard to get presents in the toddler aisle or online at special needs places.<br />
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And there's just something about birthdays that make her seem more different. They are markers that show how much her life is different from other 15 year olds. <br />
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But she had a nice day, some big smiles, a bit of joy, and a big piece of cake. That's something. <br />
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Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-68975594231764215632014-04-08T15:22:00.000+10:002014-04-08T15:22:48.057+10:00Cat and KittenOn a rainy day, Pickles and Alia contemplate the rain, and each other's existence. This post has nothing else to add, other than supporting the Interwebz cat addiction.<br />
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Pickles is 4 months old, Alia is 13! Be sure to especially admire the moustache. It is adorable!!<br />
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<span id="goog_1977687216"></span><span id="goog_1977687217"></span><br />Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-3623867848991286792014-03-26T13:12:00.000+10:002014-03-26T13:12:08.935+10:00Art and puppy-kidsHere's how to have a lovely day.<br />
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First, have a fabulous Modern Art Museum in <a href="http://www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/" target="_blank">your hometown</a>. <br />
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Second, get them to have some kid-friendly and future-vet-friendly animal-lover art.<br />
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Third, have a kid who wears cat ears (or lion or cheetah or leopard or puppy ears) everywhere.<br />
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Fourth, have a section at the gallery for kids to make their own art!<br />
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Fifth, combine and enjoy!<br />
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<br />Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-28903357502890710472014-03-23T09:26:00.001+10:002014-03-23T09:26:31.175+10:00Six!! Now with more kittens!!Lolly turned six recently! This year, we made the big call of getting her a kitten for her birthday. This is still the most awesome thing ever.<br />
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So we have a new Memo-er: Pickles!<br />
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Also, little kittens make small people very happy. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here she is on her first day!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting Alia, the cat of grumpy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, she has a moustache!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting Squirtle! </td></tr>
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Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-58858765061112455052014-01-21T17:35:00.001+10:002014-01-21T17:35:24.347+10:00School Holidays, in Picture form!We're coming to the end of our very first big 7 week school holiday. We've had a lot of fun at home this year, no big trip as we'd just been to the US in October (will photo-bomb in a future post). Some snapshots of our time at the end of Prep holidays!<br />
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Lolly found some colourful bug, insect and lizard toys and spent a happy day making "zoos" out the back. Here she is proudly showing me around the zoo.<br />
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The zoo also had a very fierce cheetah...<br />
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We're encouraging Lego play, and Lolly got a big "Friends" house set for Christmas. DinnerDad has a long and abiding love of lego, so on weekends they build new things with it. Here's a vet surgery.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tasty bones.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This puppy is getting an x-ray!</td></tr>
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Dressing up is a BIG favourite of Lolly's, and has been her whole life, really. She spends a lot of time being a puppy, cheetah, cat, and a range of creatures. Okay, mostly puppies. This one is Christmas puppy. <br />
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This one is a movie-watching puppy. It's basically all of the cute. <br />
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Lolly has been more interested in dolls, though mostly as vets/zoo keepers. She has taken lately to taking "her girls" around with her, brushing their teeth, and putting them to bed. <br />
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Of course, the pets are still the favourites, even when they're asleep!<br />
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We've had some fierce hot weather here, but with the air conditioning on, you need a blanket while watching your favourite kids TV (Backyardigans and Lazy Town). For a while there it was basically too hot to leave the house!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, this is the best couch in the world. Yes, those are cupholders!</td></tr>
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We like to head out for lunch, wearing our Disney Princess hat, coz that's how she rolls. <br />
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She learnt some fearsome new stunts from her older brother! <br />
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She's very interested in Snail's chair and standing frame, I had to get it out for her the other week so she could be "just like my sister".<br />
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Here are the girls out with their "cousin", puppy, Lou-Lou!<br />
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And finally, the awesome Elmo, modelling Snail's doll wheelchair that we bought in the US at American Girl!<br />
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Lots of home time, lots of playdates, lots of family, and back to school next week!Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-44204010620640725672013-12-28T16:02:00.000+10:002013-12-28T16:02:14.479+10:00Old Blogger Attempts New Tricks...2013 in Review!Or is that *Old blogger attempts old tricks?* I mean, I was a regular blogger once before, so that makes it an old trick, right? Okay then...<br />
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With that out of the way, here is the Memo to Self family at the end of 2013, by their humble chronicler. <br />
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The Memo family moved house in August, we sold our family home in September, and are in a fab (and HUGE) house closer in, which we are loving. The joy of not having the extra 25 minutes drive out to the "country" is still pretty fresh and awesome. We have a pool here, and Lolly has become at least 70% mermaid. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Mermaid and her Dog</td></tr>
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Lolly, DinnerDad and I scampered off to the US in Sept-Oct for a holiday (except for the bits where DD had to work :p), we took in a weekend at Disneyland, a few days in New York, and just over a week in Washington (unfortunately, when the government shut down was on, so not the most action-packed time to go, to be honest!). <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toys about to embark for the US!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lolly and her favourite princess!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Princess thing really stuck! Eating a street hotdog in New York!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Empire State Princess</td></tr>
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Lolly has finished Prep, which here in sunny Queensland, is her first full year of school! She goes to a fabulous alternative, democratic school nearby, which she has loved. We've had a couple of moments of separation anxiety, funnily, more at the end of the year than at the start, but we're still doing great, having fun, and producing innumerable items of art!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At School (end 2013)</td></tr>
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Snail had a mixed year, early on we were still feeling the effects of a pretty awful surgery and recovery, which saw her have 6 months off school, be in a lot of pain, and need a lot of therapy. We got our fab wheelchair adapted car in April, which has been quite simply amazing, so we've got heaps more mobility. As the surgery got further away, and we got a pretty good 12 month report from her surgeons, along with some drug changes for seizures, Snail has been fabulous this past month, back to her smiling, interactive, chatty and playful self. Without getting too deep about it, we were kind of afraid that she had gone, so it's been beyond awesome that our bright happy girl is still in there! Still getting seizures, but hoping for more balance with meds to come next year.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Intrepid bushwalkers!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OMG Eyes! Xmas 2013.</td></tr>
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Smash has had an eventful year, but is hanging in there, slightly bruised, but still going strong. Some of the bruises are real ones, from all the skilful and scary-to-watch BMX and skateboard tricks he can do these days. Best for parents to look away, really...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also, he turned 18 - first legal drink at his birthday dinner!</td></tr>
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DinnerDad is going strong, and I've been working a few hours a week at Lolly's awesome school, which has been good fun, I'm continuing on with that in the new year. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Princess and Me on a carriage ride in Central Park.</td></tr>
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I'll be back blogging some more, so tune in :D Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our awesomest Xmas Wreath, ever.</td></tr>
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<br />Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-51217645503126628672013-05-16T11:10:00.000+10:002013-05-16T11:10:11.451+10:00Five!In my immense slackness as a blogger, I have failed to record the Birthday of Amazingness that was Lolly's Fifth birthday! She had a party on her actual birthday, with lots of school friends, which was heaps of fun. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skateboard from her brother!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big bike from us :D</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her party was a Teddy Bear's Picnic theme, it was sunny and hot!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before the hordes descended.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Compulsory adorable cake.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hungry!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even the turtle got in the party mode.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dino piƱata!</td></tr>
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Excuse the lazy photo blogging! :DSelenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-13444830211918779612013-05-11T09:10:00.000+10:002013-05-11T09:10:24.402+10:00School days...Part the SecondLolly is in Prep this year, which here in Brisbane is our first year of school. She goes to a democratic independent school, which has just been amazing. Thought I'd share a few shots of school awesomeness.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the BIS tree.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the end of term art show!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flying kites at pick up time with some friends.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dress up Day! (Cleo from Clifford, the Big Red Dog)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheeky.</td></tr>
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<br />Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-49113617121128400732013-05-05T17:24:00.000+10:002013-05-12T09:50:11.535+10:00So...we got a wheelchair adapted car!!And it is awesome... <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the dealer :D</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We may have added some bling...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How it works.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DinnerDad pimped my ride with shagadelic Ikea rugs!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snail contemplates a Banana - IN OUR CAR!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It fits two chairs, TWO!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lolly looking cute and me peering in.</td></tr>
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The car has transformed our lives. It's amazing. Just amazing.<br />
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:DSelenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-1435957658918885032013-02-07T13:36:00.001+10:002013-02-07T13:36:50.908+10:00School DaysLolly has started Prep at school! She's doing great, and the school is wonderful. It's an Independent school with a small group of students, Lolly has only 13 kids in her combined Prep and grade 1 class. She's doing really well, and loving the play and learning.<br />
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I'm doing okay, it's a big change for everyone. Here are is a non-specific picture of the awesomeness of her school grounds. It's a whole new world!<br />
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<br />Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-27780897030864538362012-11-21T17:13:00.000+10:002012-11-21T17:13:02.485+10:00Standing Frame FrolicsWe have a standing frame on loan at the moment from the Cerebral Palsy League, so that Snail can use it to build up some strength and as part of her rehab. While it looks like some kind of medieval torture device and takes up more room than a small car, it's worth is for the fun Snail has in it!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monkey!!</td></tr>
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DinnerDad loaded up the girls on the weekend to storm watch in our front yard, here's Lolly on the front. Too cute. <br />
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We're probably going to apply for some funding to get one, they're pretty cool :DSelenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-11678082425390038092012-11-18T11:50:00.002+10:002012-11-18T11:50:51.679+10:00Travels and such...now with too many photos!All has been quiet on the blogging front, for two main reasons. First, not having anything interesting to report for most of the time, we've been either home with Snail, or sick and home with Snail. The girls have watched a LOT of My Little Pony.<br />
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The other main reason is we had a whirlwind trip overseas to Stockholm and London! DinnerDad had to work in Stockholm (as you do) and we had a week holiday there and in London before heading back home.<br />
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It was awesome!! Here are some snapshot highlights for your viewing pleasure :D Sorry about the photo bombing, I've been sick since we got home two weeks ago with a bug we picked up in Sweden. Blerg. But worth it!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gamla Stan on our first day in Stockholm</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute hat!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up close with the Lemurs at Skansen!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More picturesque at Skansen, Stockholm.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More cute hats and frozen puddles.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wolf hat and half-frozen lake at Uppsala</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butterfly House, Stockholm.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Keep off the Grass" NOT - at Westminster Abbey.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kensington Palace</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hyde Park!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tower of London looks imposing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">FANCY hotel in London!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pony on the London Eye</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squirrel!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After a LOT of flight time, Lolly watches more MLP on takeoff from Singapore.</td></tr>
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<br />Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-67413841052291956672012-10-01T11:32:00.001+10:002012-10-01T11:32:11.532+10:00Doings - August and September!Not as many doings as we are normally, well, doing, due to being at home a LOT with Snail. But we get out when we can.<br />
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To the wonderful Bush Kindy, organised by a dear and wonderful friend. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Treasure hunt collage!</td></tr>
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Sunny days doing a bird ID walk at bush kindy.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The very start of Spring, already roasting here in Brisvegas!</td></tr>
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I LOVE that the kids were to "tick" the birds as they spotted the cards, and Lolly drew an actual tick (as in, the little bug). She'd just had a tick on her neck that week, so it was clearly topical. ;)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ticks :D</td></tr>
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To Sushi train, where kitty gets salmon.<br />
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More sushi train, in which Lolly is so grown up. <br />
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Sisters watching Bananas on the iPad. <br />
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All of the drawing. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Mummy and Lolly in a house with a sun and birds."</td></tr>
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Making the most of an occasional cold August night at our fire pit.<br />
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Why yes, Lolly did toast a carrot over the fire as we had no marshmallows! She ate two!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7maNR1U7VY/UD1fmD8TcjI/AAAAAAAAHBI/nu0yDJexBwU/s1600/IMAGE_E3CF402D-5C39-4500-9327-A76B2FBCD287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7maNR1U7VY/UD1fmD8TcjI/AAAAAAAAHBI/nu0yDJexBwU/s320/IMAGE_E3CF402D-5C39-4500-9327-A76B2FBCD287.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sad neglected children get toasted carrot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Snail is doing really well. She had to have one of the hip pins out as it had come through her skin (!!) but recovered quickly and we are well into rehab. She is (as of a couple of weeks ago) back in her normal wheelchair, so it's goodbye to the reclining thing we spent 9 weeks in! She's doing great at physio, and standing transfers are close in our future, which will make all our lives a lot easier, especially hers! It's been a hard time, but the light is at the end of the tunnel. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YUfhM9yjJjI/UGQRCKsa72I/AAAAAAAAHFA/XSC7NA1-GVk/s1600/IMAGE_7495FAB5-3CB9-4A31-AE81-912CB381A989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YUfhM9yjJjI/UGQRCKsa72I/AAAAAAAAHFA/XSC7NA1-GVk/s320/IMAGE_7495FAB5-3CB9-4A31-AE81-912CB381A989.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At one of our post-surgical appointments, around 8 weeks after surgery, at the hospital cafe, traveling in style!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally, girls with "pricklefoot" have to use their sister's reclining wheelchairs to recover. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8LgwjeFrsk4/UGQRKUixa5I/AAAAAAAAHFI/57IN3EP8WmM/s1600/IMAGE_2DD8749D-2A73-48E5-9A50-01F80896B523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8LgwjeFrsk4/UGQRKUixa5I/AAAAAAAAHFI/57IN3EP8WmM/s320/IMAGE_2DD8749D-2A73-48E5-9A50-01F80896B523.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-65830995226399319632012-09-27T18:24:00.002+10:002012-09-27T18:27:23.923+10:00How do you know it's Spring?Why, when your Hermit crabs come out of hibernation! Big Alice was spotted in early September, on the sea salt sponge. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jXLYeyq7B2s/UD1d20zcBiI/AAAAAAAAG_Y/jd3LEeF2YQo/s1600/IMAGE_EF827AEB-513C-4061-87B2-6724D6498E5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jXLYeyq7B2s/UD1d20zcBiI/AAAAAAAAG_Y/jd3LEeF2YQo/s320/IMAGE_EF827AEB-513C-4061-87B2-6724D6498E5D.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evidence!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We are rather relieved they are all still alive, Little Alice basically
disappeared all winter, I kept opening up the case to see if it smelt
like a bad seafood cocktail. But no, all was well, and Big Alice,
Little Alice, and Pinchy are back crabbing around as it heats up. It's getting even more like a naturalist paradise round ehre, Lolly is insatiable with her need to get new pets and care for them.<br />
<br />
In other pet news, here is Squirtle's new home!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GkeGqplunrQ/UD1hYouqiII/AAAAAAAAHDM/A40uvmSfu-o/s1600/IMAGE_E04C51AA-7E75-4C83-B8CD-D584FDAB937A.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GkeGqplunrQ/UD1hYouqiII/AAAAAAAAHDM/A40uvmSfu-o/s320/IMAGE_E04C51AA-7E75-4C83-B8CD-D584FDAB937A.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A fab red makeover for the stand, courtesy of DinnerDad</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bCVty_AMQ0o/UD1hfNwxZ_I/AAAAAAAAHDU/ARIaYCU1zkY/s1600/IMAGE_73BD247A-DC59-4B74-A11A-9E44DA616F1D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bCVty_AMQ0o/UD1hfNwxZ_I/AAAAAAAAHDU/ARIaYCU1zkY/s320/IMAGE_73BD247A-DC59-4B74-A11A-9E44DA616F1D.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squirtle: OMG, Awesome!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-53459758516353524392012-08-20T18:19:00.004+10:002012-08-20T18:19:56.071+10:00New family members, or: OMG PUPPY!My delightful sister-in-law and dear friend has a new (ish, she's had her a few months now!) puppy. A puppy of awesomeness. A puppy whose cute-osity knows no satiety. Lou-Lou!!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NXrrArLLAwU/T8wQtfQDqtI/AAAAAAAAGtU/Wauqhvlh8t8/s1600/IMAGE_CE684D1E-6DFC-47DE-8D9E-B3B060C5B705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NXrrArLLAwU/T8wQtfQDqtI/AAAAAAAAGtU/Wauqhvlh8t8/s320/IMAGE_CE684D1E-6DFC-47DE-8D9E-B3B060C5B705.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant fluff ball...and puppy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My DSIL (delightful sister-in-law) has never known so frequent a visitor as young Lolly, since obtaining this puppy paragon. Lolly barely gets a week before demanding to see "her puppy Lou-Lou."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IqkknWJrFvw/T8wRCWT1UJI/AAAAAAAAGtk/voouxqtq8u8/s1600/IMAGE_D207A280-8A30-4F7D-9EF5-8AA67E89B6AD.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IqkknWJrFvw/T8wRCWT1UJI/AAAAAAAAGtk/voouxqtq8u8/s320/IMAGE_D207A280-8A30-4F7D-9EF5-8AA67E89B6AD.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ZOMG the cute</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I mean, seriously. 'tis not a dog, 'tis a fur-ball of cute!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_N8yvualZRM/T8wcGqGhWEI/AAAAAAAAGxM/FkbggLYZvaQ/s1600/IMAGE_80BB3A99-29AE-48B4-8B78-22DC34A9F43C.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_N8yvualZRM/T8wcGqGhWEI/AAAAAAAAGxM/FkbggLYZvaQ/s320/IMAGE_80BB3A99-29AE-48B4-8B78-22DC34A9F43C.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alarming similarities?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-drpSlDoZ4bg/T8wcQ_NI30I/AAAAAAAAGxc/u3Y7nJWFet8/s1600/IMAGE_0526B9DD-5912-4319-9822-202C59C2DE1B.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-drpSlDoZ4bg/T8wcQ_NI30I/AAAAAAAAGxc/u3Y7nJWFet8/s320/IMAGE_0526B9DD-5912-4319-9822-202C59C2DE1B.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two happy puppies.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Lou-Lou and DSIL, we loves you!!Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-9921101948377138562012-08-17T15:43:00.001+10:002012-08-17T15:43:13.897+10:00Are you ready for too many photos of the Ekka?I hope so, because here they are! If not, look away...NOW<br />
<br />
The day before the Snail got back home, I took Lolly to the Ekka (for our overseas guests, a big country fair kind of dealio held for a few days every year at these inner-city showgrounds). We've been every year since she was 2! Okay, so that's only 3 times, but still.<br />
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The best part for a Lolly is the giant baby animal feeding/poop centre. We seriously spend ages in there. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hk2AgescCTw/UCWyhmHZqEI/AAAAAAAAG80/td6aQyv6obY/s1600/IMAGE_A5EC7DDE-1996-472C-87EA-419018A475FD.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hk2AgescCTw/UCWyhmHZqEI/AAAAAAAAG80/td6aQyv6obY/s320/IMAGE_A5EC7DDE-1996-472C-87EA-419018A475FD.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OMG tiny animal!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6DsKTF1ksgU/UCWyEWo9hyI/AAAAAAAAG8c/Nrsux3bMGi0/s1600/IMAGE_EF0FFB69-DDFC-4ED4-BC32-4E54EE62095C.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6DsKTF1ksgU/UCWyEWo9hyI/AAAAAAAAG8c/Nrsux3bMGi0/s320/IMAGE_EF0FFB69-DDFC-4ED4-BC32-4E54EE62095C.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feeding goats.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
From there, it's a straight route over to the horses.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PJQAuXeiBzo/UCWyqEw42kI/AAAAAAAAG88/uRIHmuCC-cE/s1600/IMAGE_E21A3009-BCE9-4ED6-B226-1622257C5A73.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PJQAuXeiBzo/UCWyqEw42kI/AAAAAAAAG88/uRIHmuCC-cE/s320/IMAGE_E21A3009-BCE9-4ED6-B226-1622257C5A73.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OMG HORSE!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Dogs and cats are next.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WAGt50GRgtM/UCWy7Yq-PkI/AAAAAAAAG9Q/-nASgL5zJvY/s1600/IMAGE_D4A149E2-FD05-482A-B605-5E8FC896CFAD.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WAGt50GRgtM/UCWy7Yq-PkI/AAAAAAAAG9Q/-nASgL5zJvY/s320/IMAGE_D4A149E2-FD05-482A-B605-5E8FC896CFAD.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More shots of Lolly patting things.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We hit the kiddie ride section pretty hard this year, it was the first year she really wanted to go on anything. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I56X1yKBeQo/UCWzCcm8CYI/AAAAAAAAG9Y/TTB52akxN7I/s1600/IMAGE_D1F215C0-DDBE-4810-9D29-C09EEBA9EFE2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I56X1yKBeQo/UCWzCcm8CYI/AAAAAAAAG9Y/TTB52akxN7I/s320/IMAGE_D1F215C0-DDBE-4810-9D29-C09EEBA9EFE2.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Excuse the finger over the lens, but check out that face!! On the Ferris wheel with Nanna.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A0My9vjFtRU/UCWzRqzeeaI/AAAAAAAAG9o/8hi_WtG2wKA/s1600/IMAGE_5B626431-5A23-441B-9BA7-DC7E70BA7918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A0My9vjFtRU/UCWzRqzeeaI/AAAAAAAAG9o/8hi_WtG2wKA/s320/IMAGE_5B626431-5A23-441B-9BA7-DC7E70BA7918.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UkcJPXQLpWo/UCWzZVcnMYI/AAAAAAAAG9w/gdfXJjfevIM/s1600/IMAGE_98DF58DC-EF3C-42C0-B16C-0EB8F1B112D0.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UkcJPXQLpWo/UCWzZVcnMYI/AAAAAAAAG9w/gdfXJjfevIM/s320/IMAGE_98DF58DC-EF3C-42C0-B16C-0EB8F1B112D0.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding the tea cups with Pop!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CtYNt0eCIAM/UCWzhmKZP9I/AAAAAAAAG94/44BFZHQYFds/s1600/IMAGE_CC126ED4-5674-49F2-886E-F5BD4E423C7E.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CtYNt0eCIAM/UCWzhmKZP9I/AAAAAAAAG94/44BFZHQYFds/s320/IMAGE_CC126ED4-5674-49F2-886E-F5BD4E423C7E.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pony ride with Nanna!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uTBbmAU9M9s/UCWgpFROdSI/AAAAAAAAG60/nP9-N6BAY_g/s1600/IMAGE_27B787A1-A855-4A60-BBA5-C26F01222BED.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uTBbmAU9M9s/UCWgpFROdSI/AAAAAAAAG60/nP9-N6BAY_g/s320/IMAGE_27B787A1-A855-4A60-BBA5-C26F01222BED.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Overpriced and ever-shrinking strawberry icecream!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-spR94zn-kZ8/UCWg4sfnSCI/AAAAAAAAG7E/SfJGN3zu6CM/s1600/IMAGE_4CAFA2DF-D52B-48D1-BAD1-D1B30186222C.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-spR94zn-kZ8/UCWg4sfnSCI/AAAAAAAAG7E/SfJGN3zu6CM/s320/IMAGE_4CAFA2DF-D52B-48D1-BAD1-D1B30186222C.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carousel.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XqXg936qNeQ/UCWhBUq1FWI/AAAAAAAAG7Q/SvCwHIUglYw/s1600/IMAGE_80BD5DE1-9A10-4601-90AD-656E4CFD5AE5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XqXg936qNeQ/UCWhBUq1FWI/AAAAAAAAG7Q/SvCwHIUglYw/s320/IMAGE_80BD5DE1-9A10-4601-90AD-656E4CFD5AE5.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bees!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8BLYLNwQweA/UCWhJIA_29I/AAAAAAAAG7Y/zkm_jU6GAwQ/s1600/IMAGE_02C9920E-6532-4FBE-8FA5-6D80F5AA457A.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8BLYLNwQweA/UCWhJIA_29I/AAAAAAAAG7Y/zkm_jU6GAwQ/s320/IMAGE_02C9920E-6532-4FBE-8FA5-6D80F5AA457A.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Produce!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm sure (if you've read this far) that you get the gist of the Ekka from these shots. It's a kid's paradise, basically. This year she was quite interested in the show bags, too, and we chose the "pretty pony" bag, with an over-abundance of over-priced ponies. Awesome!! She's already counting down the time to next year when we get to go again. <br />
<br />
Can I just give a bit THANK YOU to Nanna and Pop. And my lovely friend, Vanessa, who made that gorgeous top, which mean Lolly was the cutest identifiable kid at the Show :DSelenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-44137012023767817032012-08-14T17:06:00.001+10:002012-08-14T17:06:11.073+10:00Home again. Snail is back with us! She's here for three weeks, then, if she's up to it, we'll be back to week about. Transfers are a little hard to say the least at the moment!<br />
<br />
We're nearly 4 weeks out from her surgery now, and we're getting there...slowly! Snail still has a fair bit of pain, and isn't eating well. Given that most of her meds are oral (don't ask about the others!) this is a fun time for all. Still, she is getting better every day, which frankly is odd. <br />
<br />
Not that she would get better from surgery, of course she would. Her health is basically good, and her immune system works a treat. It's more the weirdness of her having something awful happen that will GET BETTER. We're more used to "oh, that's the suckfullness that is her/our lives now, and we just have to wear it." The CP, the intellectual disability, seizures that just get worse and worse and don't respond to meds well, then the hips, which have been gradually deteriorating for at least a year now (in the acute phase, longer really in terms of decreasing mobility and increasing pain). So yeah, we don't really get things that GET BETTER.<br />
<br />
This will, you know, get better. She'll feel gradually better every day. She'll get MORE movement and ability back instead of less. She'll get LESS pain instead of more. When it's all said and done, she'll be better off in a few months than she has been in years. We might even get some mobility back, it's been ages since she could use her walker, or walk supported. So, it's kind of awesome. Though I'm not quite feeling it yet. Cautiously awesome. <br />
<br />
We've got another nearly four weeks of splints and the foam wedge that holds her legs and hips in position, then hopefully after her follow-up appointment and x-ray we'll get more of a repreive and can move to just using them at night. Then an intensive couple of weeks of physio at the hospital to get her used to moving again. Then, back to school and regular physio. Can't wait!!<br />
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So, that's my mildly coherent update. And here are some shots of our various contraptions, which are numerous! The recliner for relaxed telly watching that we borrowed from her Mum...<br />
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The reclining wheelchair, complete with bonus world's fattest cat and our new turtle tank :D <br />
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Snail and DinnerDad are camping out in the lounge because we can't get the enormous chair down our tiny hallway. At least it's bright and sunny out there!<br />
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There's a hoist too, but apparently I haven't uploaded a pic. Next time. We haven't had to use it yet as the 2-person lift is working fine. Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-46551755313562265332012-08-07T09:16:00.000+10:002012-08-07T09:16:00.655+10:00Lolly the Artist - age 4 and nearly halfLolly is 4 and a half (nearly) and loves art. A day doesn't go by that she isn't drawing, painting, or doing some kind of gluing masterpiece. And I'm here to make sure the internet viewing public sees them all!!<br />
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Here are some of her latest work, I've been so interested to see how much detail she does in her drawing lately! Eyes will have circles and pupils, even little holes in the ears, fingers and toes, and hair, of course. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-04CS77d_so0/UB-Glh4j-4I/AAAAAAAAG4Q/cjW-DeGqY5I/s1600/IMAGE_5CB6F1E4-5A3D-4400-8CFA-94EE3374FDCE.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-04CS77d_so0/UB-Glh4j-4I/AAAAAAAAG4Q/cjW-DeGqY5I/s320/IMAGE_5CB6F1E4-5A3D-4400-8CFA-94EE3374FDCE.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crab!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snails having a race!</td></tr>
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Here, she's done her current fave - people with puppies. You can see
where she's written her name up the top. Love the backwards "L" and
will be sad to see it go.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eyes with pupils! Ears with little holes "to hear out of"!</td></tr>
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All her pictures have elaborate and awesome stories attached to them. Like this one, which is "a turtle in a tank with some feeder fish, some bubbles, and bees and a caterpillar for company."<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turtle in a tank :D</td></tr>
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I am a total slacker and mostly make her do watercolours for painting, which is an inside job on a plastic table cloth. I liked this one, which is water over a texter drawing of a dinosaur.<br />
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But lately she's been very into going outside with "proper" paints, which necessitates several baths a day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Easel of mess :D</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-inAZ_D8rBYk/UBm3D9xMhII/AAAAAAAAG1Q/w-2JOyKzKX4/s1600/IMAGE_99BF2530-E38B-4575-A57A-384FC5BBE65A.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-inAZ_D8rBYk/UBm3D9xMhII/AAAAAAAAG1Q/w-2JOyKzKX4/s320/IMAGE_99BF2530-E38B-4575-A57A-384FC5BBE65A.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Products of easel of mess.</td></tr>
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She also loves gluing and construction of all kinds. Here is a puppy she made with a wooden peg and some fancy yarn my sister sent her for her birthday in March.<br />
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Finally, after an epic post of kid art (Yay, you all say, if you got this far!) - we have playdough ponds with creatures in them, her playdough fave thing to make lately.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish pond with eels, a horse and some lavender "trees" </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-46036950080035905432012-08-05T18:01:00.002+10:002012-08-05T18:01:36.167+10:00Recent doings - JulyAfter horrid lurgys, and being at home with Snail pre-surgery, then having the surgery - Lolly and I have found ourselves with time to go out! It's very strange. But Snail is at her mother's, so weirdly after all the *emergency* of our past few weeks, we had basically 2 weeks off, with no Snail, no lurgys, and lovely fine winter weather. She's back Friday.<br />
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Once I'd had a couple of days at home reeling around and feeling anxious, depressed, and weird, we've been off doing stuff.<br />
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We visited an awesome friend at her new home (yay! Much closer to us!), and Lolly had her face painted.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Tp_tCu_Wf_w/UBjY4B20BcI/AAAAAAAAGzM/LQysLJXCYmA/s1600/IMAGE_9EF2ED9F-42BC-4055-B754-1BA6F3F381D1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Tp_tCu_Wf_w/UBjY4B20BcI/AAAAAAAAGzM/LQysLJXCYmA/s320/IMAGE_9EF2ED9F-42BC-4055-B754-1BA6F3F381D1.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lolly - Face painting by her little friend, B.</td></tr>
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We've been to the shops! Lolly's lunch of choice when out is what we call "McSushi" - fries, a raw salmon sushi roll, all dipped in oodles of soy sauce. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">McSushi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One night last week Lolly decided she was going to sleep in the toy basket.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qQZ8m7bSBSI/UBjZHUDxFXI/AAAAAAAAGzg/FokZRI3ozwY/s1600/IMAGE_8E78E12F-F3D4-4C6E-B3FF-C9AF6634D946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qQZ8m7bSBSI/UBjZHUDxFXI/AAAAAAAAGzg/FokZRI3ozwY/s320/IMAGE_8E78E12F-F3D4-4C6E-B3FF-C9AF6634D946.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cute!!</td></tr>
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And when we can, we go visit Snail at her mother's. Here we are, all buckled up ;) <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RLwVLV0G28s/UBjaF3xlQ9I/AAAAAAAAGzw/b7XehD229Xg/s1600/IMAGE_7E3D8503-703F-4431-B1F0-F12BB82A22CB.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RLwVLV0G28s/UBjaF3xlQ9I/AAAAAAAAGzw/b7XehD229Xg/s320/IMAGE_7E3D8503-703F-4431-B1F0-F12BB82A22CB.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click, clack, front and back!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We've also been to playgroup, had Nanna and Pop over, and generally been enjoying a strange island of peace and quiet as much as we can.Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177817705754553801.post-62490063661093272102012-08-03T09:02:00.003+10:002012-08-03T09:02:32.029+10:00Hospital timeSo, this is what we've been doing the past few months...<br />
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As most of you know, Snail has cerebral palsy, and uses a wheelchair. A lot of CP kids develop hip problems, mostly due to their lack of weight bearing in early development. Your hips and femurs need walking and weight bearing to finish forming properly. So a lot of kids with issues walking, and issues with muscle tone, end up with hip malformations which eventually leads to dislocations.<br />
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Which is just what happened to our Snail.<br />
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Over the past year, since an x-ray last August, we've known that Snail would need surgery. Last August, her right hip was 40% subluxed (sitting incorrectly in the socket), early this year it was 80%. A few weeks ago, we had a bad incident with her pain and when they did an x-ray at Emergency, her right hip was completely dislocated.<br />
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So, after living with that for several weeks, she had surgery 2 weeks ago.<br />
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Here is a simple <a href="http://www.hipdysplasia.org/developmental-dysplasia-of-the-hip/child-treatment-methods/osteotomy/" target="_blank">link</a> to what she had done. She had a femoral varus derotation osteotomy on both sides (re-angling of the femoral head), and an acetabuloplasty on the hip socket (re-shaping the hip socket) on the right side. Basically - it was an operation on both femurs, to reposition the head of the socket correctly, and to make sure her legs came out the same length after surgery (which is why they do the both sides at the same time). She also had her right hip socket reconstructed into a more normal shape. <br />
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It was, in the words of one of the registrars, a "big day out" in surgery. One of her surgeons commented that it's pretty much the maximum amount of surgery they can do on a person, other than in a crash or something. It was 4 hours, and took two surgeons. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Maw8Sx2JnVs/UBjYC9MtIJI/AAAAAAAAGyY/Wig4sXCqU9Q/s1600/IMAGE_10A23A9A-B191-4EF0-AE6A-6C13631C6AC6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Maw8Sx2JnVs/UBjYC9MtIJI/AAAAAAAAGyY/Wig4sXCqU9Q/s320/IMAGE_10A23A9A-B191-4EF0-AE6A-6C13631C6AC6.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Towards the parent lounge, during surgery.</td></tr>
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Surgery day was everything you might expect, horrible, torturous, awful. And can I say there's nothing quite like having to spend the entire waiting time with your husband's ex-wife. I'm sure she would say the same! No way round it when we're all there waiting for Snail to get the awful thing done.<br />
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She looked AWFUL in recovery. It was a shock. You know that's what people are going to look like after surgery, but it's still horrible to see Snail go through it. She was white as a sheet, with heaps of cords and lines everywhere. She ended up having two transfusions. For which we are so grateful for Australia's safe blood supply! We're all going to donate blood in the next couple of weeks. You should too: there are kids out there, like MY kid, who need it.<br />
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The first couple of days were predictably horrid, DinnerDad stayed at the hospital, I went up a lot as my Mum and Dad stayed a couple of days with Lolly (THANK YOU - you both rock!!). She looked like death and was barely moving or awake. She had a temperature, and part of her lung collapsed. Both her legs are in these fabric splints, and hold a foam wedge in place so her hips can't move. She had an epidural for four days. They put a naso-gastric tube in as hospital and pain upset her eating and drinking, and she needed her regular oral epilepsy meds. So, you know, all that fun stuff.<br />
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By day four she was starting to perk up. Truly amazing what our bodies can recover from, and so quickly. She was more awake and interested in us all, and watching telly. They got her chair organised, a reclining wheelchair as she can't sit at more than 45 degrees for several weeks. We also have a hoist to do transfers, as she can't help with transfers and can't be moved much until 6 weeks afterwards.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cQ0c-OJcmZQ/UBjYK13_kKI/AAAAAAAAGyk/PVEE360nMfE/s1600/IMAGE_6031F7E9-509B-46AB-BE9C-4B1FCCFE5791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cQ0c-OJcmZQ/UBjYK13_kKI/AAAAAAAAGyk/PVEE360nMfE/s320/IMAGE_6031F7E9-509B-46AB-BE9C-4B1FCCFE5791.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is day 4, trying out the reclining wheelchair and getting some sun!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RHYOUFaDQ74/UBjYm7zi8ZI/AAAAAAAAGy8/_8zJOeYdI1o/s1600/IMAGE_131B3CD2-5E66-4B01-AEBA-ED3EA0E18A86.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RHYOUFaDQ74/UBjYm7zi8ZI/AAAAAAAAGy8/_8zJOeYdI1o/s320/IMAGE_131B3CD2-5E66-4B01-AEBA-ED3EA0E18A86.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 5 I think! Watching Blue's Clues on her iPad and starting to look better!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-60gn-QLh1uE/UBjYwnCjsQI/AAAAAAAAGzE/SEbSBdhEK2s/s1600/IMAGE_99BF6445-E827-456F-9589-6F260E9DEF7F.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-60gn-QLh1uE/UBjYwnCjsQI/AAAAAAAAGzE/SEbSBdhEK2s/s320/IMAGE_99BF6445-E827-456F-9589-6F260E9DEF7F.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The girls watching iPad telly :D</td></tr>
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She went home after 8 days, back to her mothers for two weeks. We'll do our catch up after that, and will have her here for a good while. Can't wait, we miss her.<br />
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It's very strange to have a child go through this and not be with them (even if you aren't their "real" mother). I feel for DinnerDad, it's been very hard on him not being with her, too. Looking forward to having her here!!Selenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16906565055142387639noreply@blogger.com0