#859 Saturday 5 April

Voting day .... I helped as  "Get Up" person at the local polling place.

I'm the ol' codger in the rocking chair!  ..... I'm still not sure ..... but I'm not sure what I'm not sure about.  .... and while in my comfy rocking chair, I refuse to get up.

I found that many people would come over and talk to me .... most were surprised to find that it isn't a political party and liked the idea of being encouraged to think about their vote.

This is "Taco" .... a high school student who coordinated the Darlington Get Up crew.  She was one of several young people who participated.  I was impressed.  It reflects well on the quality of the teaching staff at their school ..... the staff encourage community involvement.


1pm  Kaylia will be home soon ... and the routine will continue.  This afternoon it will be "hose time" till Naomi gets home ... then shopping .... then tea-time.

#858 Friday 4 April

This morning at breakfast she was even more (than usual) keen to get moving .... on to school!  She was doing the rounds of each of us ..... looking and hugging, wanting to be close.

I've been thinking that this is where a parent teaches their child to "be in love" .... prepares the child to be a "loving adult" ..... it's the pleasure gained from the company of another person .... the anticipation of pleasant experiences .... the excitement of living.  When a child has had these experiences at a "child level", then they build a foundation to be a loving person as the child grows.  Kaylia is certainly building the foundations of being able to grow into a loving adult.  Given her autism and the problems she has with social interaction,  this foundation will be especially important for her as she grows.

#857 Thursday 3 April

DB. Kaylia slept well but it was one of those nights where I couldn't sleep after the "wee run" .... so I was awake for the next three hours.  This was a bit strange as Chris and I had replaced the verandah roof at the bungalow .... and I was worn out!   So I should have slept like a log.

It's now 6:40am .... Kaylia is wide awake and raring to go!  At times like this she likes to look at us!  There's a big smile on her dial .... she looks at me ..... then she looks at Naomi .... and so on .... and all the while she's chuckling and chortling.

Bedtime

Kaylia has been very happy today.

Naomi and I are very fortunate to have been able to change Kaylia from the sad, anxiety ridden girl of three or four years ago .... to the happy girl that she is today.

She is a joy.

#856 Tuesday 1 April

7am .... we're waiting at the hospital to go in for premeds .... they don't make any allowance for girls that want things to happen NOW!

Happy birthday Mum

I'm waiting for Japan to say "April Fool - we're not really going to stop killing the whales!."

10:30 .... in post-op recovery.  She's having lots of icy poles because she ripped out the hydration cannula .... 

While waiting we observed another auty patient .... similar to Kaylia but without the benefit of years of therapy .... Phew!! 

4pm .... at home.  We were home at midday and she slept till 3 .... me too after being up at 5:30 to be at the hospital by 7am.  This as usual was a waste as we sat and waited for nearly an hour .... not easy to do with Kaylia .... she wants things to happen now!

#855 Monday 31 March

Kaylia seemed particularly happy and excited this morning .... she has a sort of giggle that is almost a stim for her .... it was going full steam this morning as she was getting dressed.  Then at breakfast, we told her that tomorrow she would be going to the dentist hospital again ..... she went quiet .... then a big grin crept over her face.  I think she will be irrepressible today!

She LOVES the dentist!  She only needs a minor filling in one tooth ..... but even that has to be done with her under GA.

Evening

I've just read that the ICJ has ruled that Japanese whale killing is not science and should stop immediately!  Yay! On ya Sea Shepherd!

A short while ago I had a phone call from the anaesthetist for tomorrow.   Kaylia realized who it was and kept on interrupting "dentist! dentist!"  She even spoke to the doctor on the phone.