I did a bit of scrapping, a lot of relaxing (including a nap on the lounge Sunday afternoon that Michael kindly captured on video for me) and Alec's soccer carnival on Saturday afternoon.

We loved going to soccer but I was glad of a sleep in on Sunday morning. It was a 20 week season and thankfully we only really got soaking wet about 3 times. On Saturday they played 5 games of 10 minutes each and then the coach, Jude gave out the trophies.


As a thank you to Jude for the fantastic job he did with the kids we had a book made at blurb.com from all the photos taken over the season, it turned out to be such a hit with the parents that I am putting an order in for 14 books! I know what some grandparents are getting for chrissy this year. I made it and it really is a cute book, I chose the 7x7 size and did imagewrap, which is the picture directly onto the hardback cover. We have had 2 books done by blurb now and are really happy with them.

And here is one of those photos I found. I couldn't think of anything to say about it though. I know how old I am because of the house I am living in but it could be 1985 or 86 but I have gone with 85. I got a few other pages done but they are for Buzz and Bloom and will be going up on Wednesday.

Labels: school, show and tell, stuff

forms for swimming, excursions, cake stalls, fathers day stalls, all these are littering my bench. All this with only three weeks of school left until holidays, the first week of the holidays we have the Perth Royal Show and Riley's 5th birthday, how did that creep up on me.

I just finished making 70 of these little gems, cookie dough with white chocolate the idea courtesy of the pioneer woman, I didn't have candy, so I used chocolate buttons, they got the thumbs up from the boys.


And here is our rescued blue tongue lizard, he was playing chicken with a truck on the road so we closed in our back yard and he has been with us for about 3 months, we haven't seen much of him but there was a little sunshine today, this being the first day of spring and all. While I took this the cats sat and stared at him, but he has a big hiss and they are big scardy cats so they wont bother him.

Labels: kids, school, stuff

who knew it would be so hard to get my child educated. I love Alec's teacher, the problem isn't there. At the end of last year I was told one thing about Alec's aide funding allocation or level or whatever it is called and then this morning I am told he actually has none, so I should feel amazingly blessed and grovellingly* grateful for any help my child receives (ok that last bit is my interpretation but I am mad so I can use a little creative licence)

Alec's case manager from the autism association came out and did another assessment, he needs help. He has poor muscle tone, weak upper body strength, he fatigues quickly and he needs OT during the day. If he doesn't get his squeezing and joint compression done he can;t focus or concentrate and his stress levels rise. At night when we get ready for bed if he is really wound up we open the little door in his head and let all the thoughts go, I know he needs this when he starts talking to himself really quickly, it is as though the amount of stuff building up in his head becomes unbearable. You know what though, he laughs, he loves the door in the head idea and it works. I will do whatever works, I am just amazingly frustrated that he has no consistent help, I am now at the stage where I can't do the best for Alec, I have had to call Michael into the fray, I know I am emotionally involved but I have become too emotional and it puts you at a disadvantage when you are dealing with these issues, I don't want them to cringe when they see me and think.. oh no here comes the deranged demanding mother again.

I hate this because this is the biggest priority to me and it just doesn't seem to be to them. Autism brings with it all kind of things but some of these things Alec can be helped with so he can learn and be part of the class.

I just want to have a throw down screaming tantrum right now.

* I made that word up, I really like it

Labels: autism, school

during lunch yesterday Alec fell off the path into the sand, he had twisted his leg and fallen.

He lay there and children tried to approach him, he lashed out and squealed, his teacher tried to calm him, he was frantic trying to get the sand out of his eyes. He didn't know what was happening, what were these strange feelings he was having, everything was all too much so all he could do was withdraw, touch would have been painful, he was in pain, but he doesn't know it is pain.

If I had the power I would protect him from every hurt, I can't. I hate that he hurt and couldn't say he hurt, I hate that he felt out of control, panic and fear. I need to understand so I can teach him.

I'm sad, just so sad.

School is difficult to deal with at the moment. How do you convey in mere words all the little things about your child that are different from the child next to them but make them in need of more help, more time and more resources, especially when the teachers haven't had experience with an autistic child before. They get funding for Alec, but we don't get the amount of one on one work that we are funded for, I sometimes think they don't quiet get it, every time they send the aide somewhere else they are reducing Alec's ability to learn. We don't ask for more than we are entitled, we try not to be too pushy, we just want the right thing to be done. I'm frustrated right now, I don't know what else to do. I would love to be able to afford another school, we have heard of some wonderful programs at other schools, maybe that is where my wages will go when I start work next year. I can't let Alec down and I feel as though the school is at the moment.

Labels: autism, school

Sometimes getting the things your child needs is hard. Last year it was great, everyone listened and agreed on the goals for Alec and how we would get there. This year I have felt pushed out, not by Alec's teacher but some higher force at work that I just can't work out and no one else wants to name.

We have our first IEP (individual education program) meeting this week and with the sounding out and questions I asked at the end of last term and discussions with Alec's teacher and aide this morning I feel better prepared. We worked out some strategies and I spent the morning doing some compics for a schedule for him and organised the creation of a work box so that when he finishes a task he can get the work box, otherwise the noise very quickly over powers him and he needs some quiet time.
To me everything is about doing the best I can for Alec. Right now I feel positive, I am hoping that by next week he will be getting the one on one time with his aide that he hasn't had so far this year, I am pushing for 2 20 minute sessions a day with 5-10 minutes of OT and massage followed by writing as Alec has very poor muscle tone and upper body strength, he has a lot of trouble holding the pencil.

He really does amaze me though, he has his own coping strategies. All the coloured pencils are in boxes together at school, and he asked if he could take his pencil box to school, I though it was to just have there but Helen tells me he has one of each colour pencil in there, he has picked out all the ones he likes and this way he knows he has all the colours and where they are. I learn something new about Alec every day.

Labels: autism, school