#777 Tuesday 31 December

New Years Eve ..... nothing like in Bali .... maybe next year.

Evening

The day's been quiet .... Chris has been quite sick .... Kaylia is improving but seems to be having pain spells.   It's not a nice virus.

Well ... See you next year!

#776 Monday 30 December

We're back .... and Kaylia has been brilliant the whole trip.... it's just amazing.  She has been so un-anxious and chilled..... Wow!

On our 'debriefing' we learned of the chikungunya virus .... from the description it certainly sounds like Kaylia could have it .... and Chris too.  The joint pain would explain Kaylia's anxiety like behaviour the last few days ... that's her reaction to pain.  Fortunately our treatment of the symptoms was spot on for the virus.

#775 Sunday 29 December

We began the day with a trip to a plant nursery to buy plants for the garden.

Then it was more maintenance .... Replacing cushion covers, umbrella..... there is so much work involved with running a rental villa in Bali.  It would be impossible without our trips ... one person scoffed at the idea that our trips were a business expense .... that view is downright ignorance !  The Bali trips are absolutely essential to the villa business.

3pm ..... I finally found one!  

We came to Bali without luggage scales to weigh our cases .... I couldn't find them at home but I had bought them at Hardys before so I thought that I'd just buy a new one. ..... not so!  I searched all over and none of the shops had them.  I'd just about given up and this morning I thought of a different place to look .... Nusa Dua.  This would mean a trip on the new toll road too!

..... and I found luggage scales at the last place! 

A 747 on finals with the new terminal in the background .....

Looking north to the mountains .... you can see the toll road stretching into the distance behind the motorbike riders.

A bloggable moment .... Kaylia swims like a fish ... eyes open and all.  So when she puts on swimming goggles her eyes don't feel right to be dry .... so she fills the goggles with water and opens her eyes inside the flooded goggles!

We're all packed ready for the flight in the morning .... up at 6am for a 9am flight.

#774 Saturday 28 December

Yesterday turned out a bit differently .... we went shopping etc but came home early afternoon .... and then had a sick girl!  She had a temperature and was vomiting .... she slept for ages .... she seems to be ok now though.  She wasn't a happy chappy!

Evening:  She has been a good girl ... fully recovered and giggly.  We've been out and about .... now we're at Gardenia for tea.  One day left.

While driving around we passed through a couple of vintage motorcycle groups.

This one is a BSA ... 50's

#773 Friday 27 December

A dry night again! Yay!  Kaylia has been sleeping on a folding bed next to ours and this morning she sat on it and the bed collapsed!  The metal frame has welded joints and these have torn.  Not surprising given the heffalump that has been flopping onto it.  Anyway ... I have disassembled the bed and sent Ketut off to get the offending parts repaired.  These beds are quite expensive so it's worth getting it repaired.

Breakfast at Gardenia .... pretty coffee.

Chris and Lara have gone off on a diving trip today .... so Naomi, Kaylia and I have the day to ourselves.  Hyper-mart!

#772 Thursday 26 December

It was another good night.  Today?  We will probably go hunting for a stone mason.

The living area has two large panels of carving on the wall ... and these have both deteriorated badly.

We had them fitted in the early days and since then we've become much more 'worldly' in the ways of Bali .... and we realise now that we were ripped of badly .... we probably paid about 4 times the correct price.  Ce la vie!

We will go to Batubulan where the carvings are made ..... and incidentally has a warung that makes the best nasi campur in Bali ... I think.  

We can stopped there for lunch.

The search for replacement wall carvings has been put on hold .... all the carvings are made of the same material and will suffer a similar fate!

This sort of thing is a possibility .... it will last and not be destroyed by the weather.

While out we passed the Bali Reptile Park ..... this was on Chris and Lara's 'to do list' ..... but when we were about to buy entrance tickets we found that the price was US$23.50 each!  For 5 of us that's a lot of money!  So we gave it a miss and headed for home.



And speaking of reptiles ...... not far from our place is the Hyatt Resort ... set in large gardens.   Last night one of the security guards found a python in the garden .... not unusual .... but he put he snake round his neck ...... and the snake killed him!  The silly man was from Java ... not a local.

#771 Wednesday 25 December

Happy Christmas to you!  Kaylia has given us a nice present .... a dry bed!

This is what the fairies leave around the place in Bali on Christmas Day .... it happened to us in 2007 and it has happened again here.



Christmas day for us has been relaxing at home .... a small trip to Hardys for shopping followed by J-Co for donuts .... then down to the beach for tea.  Kaylia knows exactly where she wants to go and charges off with all the adults trying to keep up.  When she arrives at "Bobbys" on the beach, she waltzes in and goes to 'our' table.

As usual, her sense of location is unerring ... she knows where she is and where she wants to be.

..... and we continue to be "gob-smacked" by how happy and calm she is.  No "nagging" for this or that ..... the routine behaviours that have been a pattern in the past .... pool - bath - shower -pool - play - bath ... it's all gone.  We were remarking today that it is so easy to look after her now ... so enjoyable.  In the past it has been 'enjoyable' because she is our child  .... but it was B*&^% hard work at the same time.  Now it is just so easy to care for her.  I just hope this isn't a dream that we snap out of next week.

Matching thongs and toe-nails!

#770 Tuesday 24th December

Christmas Eve .... we have booked to eat tonight at the only German restaurant in Bali .... since we have lots of Germans again this Christmas ... as we did a few years ago .... we will celebrate Christmas in the weird German fashion.  They have Christmas on the 24th - not the 25th!  They're a weird mob too!

Breakfast:  ..... and it's raining. Yesterday the rain was heavy enough that the villa plumbing drainage almost stopped working .... and the new villa being built in front - it has a below ground garage - this was completely full of water.

The day has been one of very heavy rain .... and when it rains, seems that you head for a massage or a pedicure!  So we did!

This is a girl who is really enjoying her pedicure!

..... and this is me with rainbow coloured toe-nails!

In the evening we went to the only German restaurant in Bali for a German style Christmas.  Kaylia had a foot long hotdog! She loved it.

One of her presents was a necklace ..... do you think she liked it?

#769 Monday 23 December

Boring .... another wet bed.  I got her up at 11 and it was already wet.  She sleeps very deeply.

The day has been shopping .... Hypermart, Gramedia, Ace.... then Biaritz .... Carrefore.   Mostly villa stuff but some fun stuff as well.

Some amazing doodads .... electronic mosquito bats!  The guests will love them.

We got home and the skies opened. It poured.  We're now having tea ... close by so we don't get too wet.

#768 Sunday #2

Padang Bai

This spot is accessed via many very steep stairs that have a deep tread.  I knew from a previous visit that I would have trouble with the stairs so I took it slowly and then found a perch at the warung above the beach.  From there I could take photos and play on my harmonicas ..... I had a very appreciative audience.

Chris and Lara on the beach

The moody bay .... it was a very overcast day ... almost a mist

                                                                                           Chris snorkelling

Experimenting with filters on the iPhone

 This is the end of a straw in a glass!

Lara and Sandra

Kaylia and Naomi

Once we were back at the villa it was 'chill time' .... then a driveto "Downtown"  .... a restaurant near Hardys that I had found on a previous trip ..... excellent food.  Kaylia has chicken schnitzel and she just seems to breathe it in!

Naomi had a kebab par excellence!

Note the "writing on the wall" behind ....... the place has guest comments all over the walls.






.... and note Lara hugging the table .... she isn't really exhausted ... and she hasn't "had too much" ..... she's just trying to escape being in the photo! 

#767 Sunday 22 December

It was another wet bed night.

This is our circular sent to family and friends .....

            Christmas 2013                                

Greetings of the season to you all!  I'm at a bit of a loss about what to tell you because I know that most of you read the blog (team-kaylee.blogspot.com) and so a lot of the "news for the year" is not really news to you!  So it will be a summary for some and news for others.

The high point for the year just has to be the wonderful progress that Kaylia is making in overcoming her disability.  This year she has really blossomed and as a result she is such a happy and contented child.  Naturally this means that we are happy and contented parents too!  What form is the progress?  The most important factor is her improvement in thinking, listening, understanding and speech.  This improvement is really striking and although she is still far from being "on a par" with her peers, we now can feel as though we can relate to her in a 'normal fashion' ..... what an amazing difference!

Most of the improvement is due to her therapy program .... but the success we have had in "fine-tuning" her medication has meant that  we can get the maximum benefit from the therapy.  ..... and getting the medication right means that her anxiety attacks are almost a thing of the past .... she's a very happy child.  I'm writing this while we are in Bali for the Christmas break.  This trip has been amazing as Kaylia is such a different child this year.  It's as though she has woken up .... she is aware .... attentive .... responsive ..... and above all she is happy.  It really is a delight after the years of living in the autism nightmare.

She is not at the end of the road yet ..... but things are looking pretty good.

The family business (The Child Wellbeing Centre) has been a continuing operational success with many appreciative clients .... and at the same time it has been a financial battle.  I'm told that the first three of four years of a new business are always the hardest .... and this is true for us.

Naomi has battled with her massive work load .... full-time professional work plus 2 days a week of study at uni.  (You do the maths ... how does that compute?)  This year she has had practice placements which are rewarding at the same time as being very hard work.  Naomi has had a real battle this year.  Next year should be better with just a thesis to write.

The year has been a battle for all of us and I'm no exception.  Last year the state government announced a program of making compensation payments to the victims of abuse at the country hostels in the 60's and 70's ..... the actual process of preparing and making the claim has been extremely hard and it has reopened many wounds which had been under control if not healed.  The conclusion of the claim process has been very healing ... for the first time in my life I sleep without nightmares.




I hope your year has been good to you too ....  and that the next will be even better.


Best wishes from Ian, Naomi and Kaylia

#766 Saturday 21 December

Yesterday began at midnight .... at the airport to collect Naomi.  Her flight on Air Delaysia landed on time .... but then went to the wrong parking bay and they sat on the tarmac for 20 mins .... and the flight had been with faulty a/c.  So all in all, it was a bad flight for her!  It was over an hour after landing before she escaped the terminal!

Then the day was spent at "New Kuta" Green Park .... a really good water park .... not many people .... Kaylia loved it and we loved it!  Kaylia did many goes on the really big water-slide.

Kaylia was up today at 6am for the swimming pool and the bath.

Today the villa maintenance hits full steam with the floor tiles being renovated and a new door being fitted to the storage area.

At the moment it's breakfast at Mama Putus.  

There's trouble with our order!  It's too complex ..... MP has been back 3 times to check the details.

8pm. Phew .... what a day!  It was fortunate that the trio was off travelling ... the villa was a madhouse with two crews doing different jobs at the same time.  The furniture had to be emptied from the main area into the lawned area .... and then rain threatened so we had to move it all into other rooms.   

And while all this was going on, I was changing all the locks .... 17 of them. This was to fix a situation where various people in the past have not returned the keys when they ceased working for us ... so security has become very iffy.

Kaylia was in "chill mode" while all this was going on.  It's amazing how well she is coping now.

#765 Thursday 19 December

Mummy comes to Bali tonight!

At Mama Putu for breakfast.

After breakfast Kaylia took Lara and Chris to see Hypermart .... and J-Co .... while I worked on office stuff.

For lunch we feasted on a bundle of sate sticks plus pasta .... then it was pool time for Kaylia for the afternoon.  At 4:30 we trooped of down to Hardys .... ate at a beaut little place not far from Hardys.  Then after collecting a few more DVDs for  Kaylia we piled into a bemo for the drive home .... since the bemo is tiny, it could fit down Jalan Belanjong and it took us right to our door!  Chris (2.2m tall) looked a sight inside the tiny bemo.

It's now 11:30 .... nearly time to go to the airport to collect Naomi.  Kaylia had already wet the bed .... we'll before the wee run time.  Too much hydration!

#764 Wednesday 18 December

Evening and we're at the pizza place near the villa .... for a pasta night!

The beer is good .and Kaylia is scoffing the little pastry sticks.

She's had a good day .... while I worked she's had a car ride, peek-a-boo time, beach time, pool time and now ... yum!

#763 Tuesday 17 December

After a night of reinforcing "Tomorrow ... We have to wait" ..... the wait is over and we're at the airport.   The chant is "Slow down Kaylia" as she tries to rush ahead.

Plane ..... Hop on the plane

(That was Kaylia's addition)

Now we're about over Pt Hedland.  It's been a magic start to the holiday with no anxiety attacks at all.  She's been as good as gold.  The meal cart has just been past .... and they didn't give us anything!  Just said there was an Australian menu and kept going!  (The prices on the menu we must use are double the price for other countries .... thanks Mr Rabbit!!

Evening at Mama Putus

The flight was good and she is happy.  3 watermelon juices down!

#762 Monday 16 December

According to the Lunar calendar today is day 1 of week 51 .... and full moon!  I'd forgotten and it makes some sense of the behaviours of the last few days.   She will settle a bit now.

Dry bed last night.  I got her up at 11 for a wee run and she was really fast asleep.  It was very hard to rouse her enough to do a wee .... but the effort was worthwhile. 

Now when she demands "holiday" we can say "Tomorrow!"

Evening

We've stuck to the plan and she understands that it's tomorrow .... but she still wants tomorrow NOW .... not tomorrow.

We're all packed ready for the airport in the morning.

#761 Sunday 15 December

After another "wet bed" night, she's wide awake at 6am and wanting to have a shower! Sheesh!

6pm ..... The day has been hot and routine ..... Swimming,   Aunty Moo's, shops,  hose time ..... and food!  We had Aunty Stana and Uncle Dennis here for tea last night and there's food left over everywhere!  It's a serious problem as we have 24 hours to eat it all before we go to Bali .... fortunately Chris eats enough for three people!  He will fix it!

#760 Saturday 14 December

It's 2am and I've slept through the "wee run" times .... so Kaylia has woken up with a wet bed again.  At least she goes back to sleep again.  In 'nights past' she would then be awake for an hour or two ..... she would be downstairs and noisy .... we didn't have to worry as we could hear what she was doing.

#759 Thursday 12 December

One of the benefits of writing this blog is that the process makes me appreciate Kaylia.  I'm having to think about what to write .... and without that prompt, I would probably be much less aware of her.  So the blogging process is good for me .... as well as producing a detailed record of her life.

#758 Wednesday 11 December

Last night we were having the usual battle with the DVD player .... trying to get it to work ..... (I think it's time to replace it) ..... and I said to Kaylia .... "See the round button?  Press the bottom of the button." .... she walked over and just did it!   This is really amazing stuff.  Not long ago we would battle just to get her attention ... let alone understand that instruction ... and then follow the instruction.  Now we can relate with her on a normal basis.  This is amazing progress and incredibly rewarding!

I think the "self-accumulation" of knowledge .... a stage that was reached January 2012 ..... the accumulated knowledge has reached a point where she is able to function in a relatively normal fashion.  The biggest problem we face now is US!  We've become so accustomed to her methods of communication and her speech ... that we accept it and we don't insist on the much higher level that she is capable of.  We need to get her to a point where she uses the same skills in general life that she demonstrates in therapy sessions.

#757 Tuesday 10 December

The class Christmas party at school today.  Kaylia was very happy to have three of us there .... Lara, Chris and me. She "claimed" each of us alternately. 

I have seen each her class mates for many years now .... some since kindergarten ...... and it was good to see how much Kaylia has progressed.

#756 Monday 9 December

9 days to go and "holiday" is a frequent topic.  It's good though as it's making lots of practice for conversation and the concept of a future event .... she still has a lot of trouble with this.  Time has no meaning unless she can see the seconds counting down.

This afternoon it's therapy and she's really firing!  The answers are snapping out.  What a far cry from previous times when she struggled to think.

#755 Sunday 8 December

Ah..... 8am sleep in .... with each to their own iThing .... Kaylia has re-discovered "Barney" .... much to our regret.

She is really harping on "holiday" at present.  In some ways it's progress as she is wanting to talk about it .... she's not actually not demanding .... but she is still learning to use different words and different tone of voice..... so the process is still quite wearing on us.

After the exertions yesterday I'm quite achey ..... Oh for the days of yore!

2pm .... at Macdonalds playground

On the way here I saw a girl about Kaylia's age standing at the side of the road waiting to cross .... and I wondered how many years it will be till Kaylia can even be out on her own - let alone crossing a busy road.

On the bright side..... the "battle of the scales" had a win this morning.  In the past month, Kaylia's weight has gone down 1.5kg!  This is a very good thing .... it shows that the current medication regime and exercise (swimming after school) is worthwhile.

#754 Saturday 7 December

10 days to go .... Kaylia still can't grasp the idea of waiting ... she wants NOW!

Last night was a dry night after a run of wet nights.  .... and Teddy decided to disturb our sleep instead.  After his summer cut, he was cold!  He couldn't settle till I wrapped him in a blanket.

3pm. Every few years I do something really stupid .... and I've done it again this afternoon.  I drove down the back with the Falcon .... and decided to drive a slightly different route ... but I didn't get out and check the route before ..... and after getting to the point of no return I found an obstacle that the car couldn't get past.  Then in turning around I got the car stuck. .... and in the process dented the side of the car.  Stupid.

Fortunately a neighbour had a 4WD and pulled me out.

..... and all this was to do a good turn for a friend!  Sheesh!

#753 Friday 6 December

Teddy is having a haircut today.  It's time for the "summer cut".  I'll go and collect him from the groomer's soon.

I'll add a photo of Summer Teddy.

#752 Thursday 5 December

The new coat of paint is happening!

This Chris ..... Lara's better half.  He's a powerhouse of maintenance projects!

Do you like the new colour?

It's "after school" and Kaylia is out enjoying herself with Lara .... probably at the "slee poo poo".

#751 Wednesday 4 December

It's that time of year again and we had the staff Christmas party last night at a Thai restaurant ...... Yummy!  Kaylia took her crew to Nandos while Naomi and I had to "do our bit".   Kaylia clearly enjoyed her evening with Lara ... when we arrived home she was still bouncing!

Tonight Kaylia will have her favourite .... chocolate pizza from 'Little Cesears' !!! We will have a 'send off' special meal for Jo who leaves us tomorrow.

After tea ..... the pizza shop messed up our order and the pizzas we had for tea weren't the pizzas we ordered!  Never mind  .... they were still very nice.  At  least they got the chocolate pizza right!

#750 Monday 2 December

Another wet bed ..... it's getting monotonous ..... 4 nights in a row.  She has learned to tell fibs!   She doesn't like to get out of bed to go to the toilet .... so when asked if she has already been she is saying "yes".  Up till now she has always answered factually .... now she is saying what will let her stay in bed.   I'll stop asking her and just insist on a toilet visit regardless.

#749 Sunday 1 December

Kaylia has been having a bubble bath outside this morning .... the new bathtub works a treat and with bubbles it's even better.  While she was doing that (and having some mummy-time) I had some shed time .... using a "pole-saw" in the garden.  I think it's the firstime in about three years that I've been out there.

Teddy has a new spot to retreat to .....

#748 Saturday 30 November

We had a review of Kaylia's therapy program yesterday .... she's doing so well that it will be wonderful to see how much better she can do!

Her sense of humour is a joy at times.  She was doing homework with Jo in the morning .... she had to look at a word and then write the word after it was covered. She would somehow distract Jo so that the word was exposed for a moment .... and then she'd sneek a look and keep writing!   She saw that we were  watching her. .... big grin!

I can't resist commenting on the current Oz-Indo politics ..... he should say ....

I'm getting a badge made to wear on our next trip to Bali.

#747 Wednesday 27 November

Her "play skills" are progressing well.   It is still a prompted activity outside of therapy time .... we will know that it has been successful when we see her playing on her own.  At present she can play ... but her preference is to stim.  After tea in her room she still dingles and dangles!

I'm not complaining!! Far from it.   The stage that she has reached is a tremendous result.

Midday
This morning a "courier" came to deliver a parcel .... at least I think it was a courier .... it was a big white van with courier branding on the side.  Inside it was a chaotic jumble of parcels and the person struggled to find the one he had to give to me.  He looked all round the back .... then went to one side .... then the other ..... then he turned to me and said "Is this Kalamunda?"  !!!  He didn't know where he was .... he didn't know where the parcel was .... ha asked me what forms he should fill in!!  I hope it was his first day on the job or there will be some very slow deliveries!

Evening

She's trying out the "new" garden bath!  An old bathtub that Chris has made a special frame for .... Kaylia thinks it's great!

#746 Monday 25 November

Wow!   Therapy is really humming! Today I watched Kaylia enthusiastically playing "Snap" with cards .... now she's playing "tea-party" .... and she brought all of her Teddy bears to join in!  This is really amazing stuff.   The progress she has made is almost exponential.  She's exploding.  She clearly loves her sessions with Alison.

Credit for this huge success is due to the hard work of all the members of the therapy team over the years .... over six years now.  I think I'll have to assemble a list of all the people who have played a part.  It wasn't easy for many of them and I'm sure they'll all cheer for Kaylia's success.

#745 Sunday 24 November

We started the day with Kaylia's favourite food on the BBQ .... then off to Aunty Moo's with CandL .... followed by a trip to Hillarys Boat Harbour for a swim and fish & chips.  I was ashamed that Perth could serve such bad fish an chips to visitors from Germany ... it was expensive and really poor product.

Kaylia has been doing her usual singing in the car .... and ogling her "latest acquisition" ..... Lara!  ( Kaylia does a sort of close up stare that is a sort of possession statement.)

.... and she has been singing the last bar of a title song from a YouTube video. .... over and over and over!

#744 Saturday 23 November

The funniest thing happened tonight .... we have two phones on different lines in the house and we were about to start tea when both lines rang at once!  I picked up both and realised that both calls were spam .... one was "India calling" and the other was "Microsoft technical dept ... you have a virus"  ......  I thought "I can't do my $150 charge thing to two at once .... what will I do?"

So I put the two handsets  mouth piece to ear piece .... and let them talk to each other!!  I could hear the conversation .... they were very confused.  I haven't laughed so much in ages.

Zoe was on Skype tonight .... she has some exciting news but I can't tell you about it.  Maybe one day soon. 
When Zoe was with us  (looking after Kaylia) we were striving to develop imagination in Kaylia and it was so good to be able to tell Zoe about Kaylia's playtime.  This is what we have worked really hard for ... and she is doing it.

On Thursday night we were having tea at Nandos .... after we finished, Naomi says to Kaylia "What shall we do now?"  Kaylia immediately come back with "HOLIDAY!"  (ie Bali)

Ah well .... three and a bit weeks to go.  We found out tonight that Lara's Mum will be in Bali on holiday at the same time as we will be there!  What a coincidence.  Hopefully she will be able to come and stay at the villa with us for  a day or so.

#743 Friday 22 November

She's happy.

It's so good ..... I wish all of you (who knew Kaylia 3 or 4 years ago) could see her now.  What a difference!  Thankyou for all your hard work and the contribution to this improvement.

#742 Wednesday 20 November

I've missed two days!  Life has been very busy.  I Monday the office receptionist was away sick .... so I had to do three jobs for the day instead if the normal two.  My head was mush by tea time.

Yesterday we had a real "head scratcher" moment ..... at the office the cleaner comes very early each day and on Tuesdays the bins are put out on the rod for collection as she leaves.  Yesterday she left a note to apologise for forgetting the bins....  she must have walked past the bins, seen that they weren't out .... and instead of putting them out, she went back inside and wrote the note to say the she hadn't put them out ?????  Why not put them out rather than writing the note??  (later:  I now turns out that the rubbish truck came early ... before she had put the bin out .... but she didn't say that and it sounded really strange.)

Last night's therapy included a part where objects are hidden under cups which are placed round the room.  In an adult conversation between the therapist and the assistant, the location is described and Kaylia has to listen then work it out and go to the right cup.  Last night one of the cups was at the top of the basement stairs and she accidentally knocked the cup so it went bouncing down the stairs ..... From then on, she ignored the task of finding the right cup ... she just went straight to the stairs and knocked it down the stairs again!  I think there's an lesson for the adults there!

#741 Sunday 17 November

A good night .... Yay!  Now it's sleep in time ....  then pancakes for breakfast.  Then it will be time to drive to Aunty Moo's and Aunty Max's.  The routine kicks in.

Kaylia has done her usual thing when a new aupair arrives ..... she has clearly staked a claim on Lara .... "She's mine!"

Afternoon

Well .... she broke routine!  Today she wanted swimming pool and hose.... mummy time.  It's quite a change so maybe this shows that she is reaching a new stage of her development.

We've just been to the op shop and she has her next dingle- dangle.

Evening

Kaylia and I have been for a drive down to Kenwick to collect an old bath ... a freebie that we will set up outside as a play thing for her.

During the drive we pass a spot on Coulson Road we a mystery has us intrigued ..... the road traffic is being disrupted during the day by lots of people and cars .... there are temporary demountables and generators .... 

There are ablution blocks and a large eating facility nearby.   We suspect that it is a TV house renovation reality show being filmed.

This is the house being done.  

#740 Saturday 16 November

Another wet bed despite all the wee runs .... the full moon nears.

Evening
She's had a good day .... she's giggling her head off!  We had  a BIG watermelon at tea time and I think she might be drunk on melon!  The melon was 8kg and we had half of it tonight .... split between five of us.  The possums love the rind from the melon.
In the morning we trooped down together and collected the spruced up Magna.  It's been repaired and polished up .... it looks 1000%
Then it was off to Whiteman Park and the pool.  When Naomi came home from work we went shopping ..... then took Chris & Lara on a drive to Kalamunda and the zig-zag road (via the weir).

Interruption .... CODE BLUE!!
Naomi and I have been upstairs and Kaylia was downstairs.  We forgot that she was very quiet .... bad mistake!  She'd filled the bath .... and then kept filling!  The bathroom and laundry were flooded big time.

Oh well .... the floor is clean now.

#739 Friday 15 November

Once again .... wet bed and poor night ..... and the full moon is 2 nights away! The consistency of the effect is entirely convincing for me.  I have no idea how it works but I am sure that the evidence is sound and the link (between behaviour and the moon phase) is there.

Lara (and Chris) arrive tonight.  Lara doesn't takeover from Jo for another two weeks but their trip up North has been shortened and they will be here early. We will soon find out whether it was the weather .... 

#738 Thursday 14 November

The Magna goes in for panel beating today .... I mention this for the benefit of those who have been driving it in the recent past.

This is the damage .... car park!   The car was unattended!

We've been battling the "nagging" lately ... and we realised that the nagging seems to be starting after a particular event in the daily routine . So we will now try to short circuit the process by immediately skipping a step and going to the next item in the routine .... we had a trial last night and it seemed to work.


 Togetherness!

#737 Wednesday 13 November

Some more art from Kaylia

#736 Tuesday 12 November

I forgot to mention the other day that the periodic "weigh in" for Kaylia shows that her weight has remained the same since the end of June ..... that's four months now. 

This is a terrific result.  If we can keep this going, then as she grows she will no longer be over-weight.  This is largely due to reducing the dosage of Risperdal ..... it is still enough to manage her ability to concentrate .... but it is missing  the side effect of increased appetite.  We now need to adjust her thinking.  She's become accustomed to eating large portions and we need to reduce the size of the portions that she expects.