#1154 Saturday 16 May

It's been raining all night.... and it's still raining this morning.  After a couple of weeks of perfect burning weather the rain is very welcome.

Kaylia is doing her pacing thing.   She's had breakfast and now she's just pacing round the house with her dingle dangle.  She will keep this up for a long time ..... I spose it's good exercise.  As she walks I wonder about the way that families handle autism ..... we see so many families in distress .... where the autism is a source of conflict and disruption in the family ..... yet I don't feel that life is like that for us and I ponder why.

Firstly .... Kaylia is an only child .... no siblings to dilute the attention she gets.

Second .... choose the battles! We can't have a pleasant home if we have conflict so we avoid battles if we can't win them! ...... and there are very few winners in the autism battle.  Since D Day (diagnosis) our life has largely revolved around Kaylia .... maybe this can change some day.  Till then we arrange life so that we have a calm and happy child.

Of course she wouldn't be calm and happy without all the work we've put into "fine tuning" her medication..... to have beaten the meltdowns and anxiety attacks has been a major achievement.

..... and the constant awareness of what is happening for her .... watching for signs of developing anxiety .... taking steps to avoid it.

Another huge factor has been our wonderful au pairs..... having the extra carer for her makes a huge difference to our life ..... it gives us breathing space when things get too hard.

This all sounds a bit pompous ..... but it's worth it to have a happy giggling girl!

Noon:   It's pouring with rain and it's cold .... and Kaylia is in the outside bath!!!!

#1153 Friday 15 May

Chinese tonight! Yum.  Everyone looks forward to it.  

Kaylia has spent the afternoon in the bath and shower.  Our water bill is surprisingly low considering..... she never has the water on strongly and often has it on a trickle ..... and we haven't watered the garden for years.  (A grey water system is on the drawing board.)

#1152 Thursday 14 May

It's bedtime and we've been struggling to interpret the words that Kaylia is saying. She wants something on YouTube ..... Sounds like????? leven?  Lafan nusry???  When we finally found it, it's "language nursery "!!!!

It's hard work at times.

#1151 Tuesday 12 May

Tuesdays at school is when all the kids in the final year wear a special "leavers" T-shirt ..... this is Kaylia in hers....  when the year is over, we will have to frame the shirt.


Next year she will be in high school! 

We're still checking out her options for this.  Our preference is La Salle in Midland as it has a really good  education support centre.  The alternative is Kalamunda .... this also has a good ESC but is less convenient.  La Salle is very close to our Midland office.

.... and now she's in the outside bath .... covered in soap bubbles!

#1150 Sunday 10 May

H M D!!!! Kaylia has the best mother in the world!

...... and it's a good time to remember our mothers who are no longer with us.

Later: after a good sleep in, it was Sunday pancakes ..... then down to Midland to get tickets for a MD movie-fest tonight ...... followed by Nandis for lunch!   What a good day .... and we still have home made pizza to come!

Bedtime:   The movie was great!  ..... and Kaylia had movies at home with marshmallows .... courtesy of Hannah and Callum.  It's wonderful for us to be going out knowing that Kaylia is in such good hands.