#817 Saturday 26 January

Australia Day .... it doesn't mean much to Kaylia yet. Maybe later.

It was interesting this morning to read an account (released under FOI) of the Canberra committee that oversaw the 1988 Bicentennial celebration .... how the committee tried to 'sanitise' the day and to rewrite history by removing any reference to Australia's convict history and by removing any mention of the theft of the land from the original owners!
Times have changed for the better since those days ......

..... but we still have politicians trying to force reality to adjust to fit a desired economic outcome! I speak of the current changes to the definition of autism .... the politicians seem to hope that they will make the situation better by pretending that autism doesn't exist!
..... and so they force parents and teachers to cope with a real problem with even less resources and help.

Evening:
Zoe and AJ are down at Freemantle to watch the fireworks .... so Naomi and Kaylia and I have some 'us' time.  Kaylia has found a game of Jenga ... and she is enjoying playing with the blocks. 

She also has a pile of about 30 DVDs that make interesting sensations for her when she rolls them round in her hands.

#816 Friday 25 January

"Dr Christie" is the hot favourite this morning! Kaylia is babbling away and I can hear references to the party .... lemonade .... lake ..... and Dr Christie! The importance that she applies to Dr C is quite surprising since she only sees him about twice a year .... he clearly makes a big impression.

10:30am  We've just come home from a trip down to Midland and her interest in Dr C was plain .... we drove past the street that his office is in ... she looks down the street and says "Dr Christie!"  Her sense of spacial location is amazing ... she always knows where she is.  We don't need to worry about her getting lost ... I'm quite sure that she would just pick one of her places to go to.  We only need to worry about her road sense .... she still isn't really aware of cars on the road.

Before we went in the car we were talking about "9 days to school" .... off she goes and gets a back pack and loads it up ready for school!

Evening:
The afternoon has been torrid. She had a meltdown while shopping and AJ had a new experience! ..... managing a 9 year old who's 'lost it' in public.
I'm currently wondering if we missed her evening medication last night .... this would explain the events of today. It emphasises just how important her medication is.
We need to put a better record system in place ..... something better than my memory!

#815 Thursday 24 January

AJ is doing interesting things with Kaylia  ..... there's nothing radical but it's good!  ... Kaylia is responding well and making much better use of language ..... I think it is the consistency of the work she is doing.  Having 5 adults that are all insisting that she use good words ... then giving her praise for doing so .... this seems to be having a really good effect.





This afternoon she was able to point to photos of her activities and tell me the story of her day.  She clearly enjoyed this. 

An off-shoot of this seems to be that she is becoming even more affectionate with all of us.  She has always been 'huggie' .... but now even more so. 

#814 Wednesday 23 January

..... another bloggable moment!

Last night at around bedtime, Kaylia was in and out of the bedroom trying on clothes .... all the adults were downstairs having a 'music session' ..... singing and playing whatever instrument was at hand. We were really 'into' one song and we heard the bedroom door slam .... she'd had enough of us!

In earlier times she would demand singing times .... but they had to be on her rules. In some ways I prefer the new way .... at least we get to sing something other than nursery rhymes!

Good news!! Zoe has been accepted for a place at uni ..... so she can now plan her life here properly without worrying about having leave the country!


Midday:  I got 3 hours sleep last night ... I have to crash.

#813 Tuesday 22 January

Life continues amid many count-downs and much nagging.  The nagging is greatly improved by the chart showing her daily allowance of showers, cars, shopping and swims ...... the count-downs (till the start of school and the next visit to the dentist) are vital and each day AJ sits with her and counts the days!

....... but she has two other demands that we can't answer ..... she wants to see Dr Christie and Dr Law!   I can't do much about Dr Christie .... I think he would be highly amused!  Dr Law ... I may be able to fudge this .... if I talk to the reception at the medical centre, they may play along and have a pretend 'doctors visit'  ..... we'll see.

Another 'bloggable moment' ..... AJ and Kaylia were out for a drive before the next therapy session was due to begin .... Kaylia was prompted for the name of the therapist (Alison).  Kaylia at first says "therapy with Kat"  (the last therapist) .... AJ says "No ... therapy with A ....." and Kaylia pops out with "therapy with Alligator!"   So we have a new therapist .... Alligator!  (I hope her bark is worse than her bite.)

#812 Monday 21 January

Intelligence .... is it something that exists because we perceive it? What if the nature of the intelligence has nothing to compare with? Does it cease to exist because we don't recognise it?
What is the sound of one hand clapping?

Kaylia was just in her room .... suspecting clothes type behaviour I sat where I could watch ..... Sho nuff she began to put things in the wash. I said "Don't do that." .... "Naughty?" she says ..... "No - not naughty - just don't do it." Kaylia looks at me ..... walks away .... then comes back and moves the clothes from the basket back to the drawer! Awesome!

Evening
I learned a lesson tonight ..... don't leave Kaylia in the shower with toys ..... She puts them down the drain hole!

#811 Sunday 20 January

Back home again! I got to bed at 3:15am .... and in the morning Kaylia woke with a huge grin to see me there. At breakfast time it was a different story .... she had realised that she'd missed a trip to Bali .... and she was not happy!!!! She even found her special travel bag and began packing for a trip. She wants to go! I'll watch the fare sales and see if it is possible for her to come with me on the March trip or the May trip.

This trip was good for business as well as being good for me ..... my social contact during these trips is usually much better than when I'm home. .... and the beauty of it is that it's all tax deductible!

Kaylia has been very happy this afternoon .... she got off to a bad start when she was upset that I had been to Bali without her .... but a car ride broke the cycle and she has been chuckling and singing ever since.