Thursday 29 September 2011

A week in the life of.... Thursday 29th Sept

Friday 23rd
Got up, got out of bed....
I had a day off to sort out some bits&bobs (tm) and so started with the school run. After a weird couple of months, things are back in the fullest of swings - but a day off meant that I was free, for once, to attend Ev's PT after school. Grandma looked after Maya&Sam while Loup and I took Ev. I'm not sure if it was that he had both of us there, or that he was at the end of a really busy couple of weeks, but he seemed a little bit lacklustre. It must be really difficult to get up for each session but he pulled it round to "ok". It's a little bit frustrating sometimes as we have so little quality time at PT, but he's a little boy and it's a difficult balancing act.

Saturday 24th
It was Matthew's, Ev's best-friend, birthday party. The serendipity of a PT session in a children's party is something I suspect only an SDR parent will appreciate.

Sunday 25th
Today was one of Ev's beloved "pyjama days". They do what they say on the tin, and - true to our word - he gets a "day off".

Monday 26th.
New week arrives like fresh snow, and we attack it the best we can. Now that Sam is at "big school" and Loup is working full-time, it's all systems go, all the time. We have even managed to stay in the groove of getting the stuff ready the night before. We are supposed to fit in Ev's PT which takes about 30 minutes but somedays we have to reduce down to a series of the main stretches. As the kids have developed a taste for sleeping-in (well, it's all relative) we have about an hour+half to get the all fed, washed, dressed, do the PT, then get ourselves sorted. After school, Maya goes to Grandma's house for tea but Loup still has to take Sam and Ev to PT. Sam just sees this as a play-centre, and who can blame him, but it does distract from PT slightly. In the meantime, I have l"egged it" home from work and started on tea, quick bath, stories, pick Maya up from shell-club and then we finally get to sit down together for a bite to eat, gone 9... Get the kids clothes together and then off to bed.

Tuesday 26th
Morning routine is pretty much the same as the day before - frustrated again that dont get enough time to do the PT. However, Ev has a PT visit at school and he does swimming - so we know it will be a tiring day for him. After school, Loup picks the kids up, feeds them and then takes them to Maya's swimming class with her as I'm going to a "maths thing" at school - so we all meet up just after 8:15. In amongst all of the getting ready for bed, Ev tells me his news. HE HAS DONE 100+ STEPS WITH PT AT SCHOOL and he won himself 10 house points into the bargain. A real gem in amongst all of the to-ing and fro-ing.

Wednesday 27th
Morning routine is pretty much the same as the day before. Ev has PT after school and, after work, I drive and meet up with Loup in a local car park where we transfer Maya and then I take her to dancing while Loup takes the boys home and starts on tea. Sounds like Sam had "fun" at PT... When we get home I have even more news from Ev. However, I dont really find out about this until he is in bed. HE HAS DONE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE INDEPENDENT STEPS - WITH A 180 DEGREE TURN!!!. Great news - after the session I saw a week earlier, it was amazing.

Thursday 28th
Morning routine is pretty much the same as the day before. However, we get a following wind and I manage to sneak in a proper set of stretches. It feels really good to be able to fit this in - it's proving to be a difficult balancing act - putting in the time he needs, plus getting on with life. A hectic 7 days, probably no different to most households around the land, we even got a bit of sun and both Loup and I managed to squeeze in a night out. Wonder what next week will bring....

Thursday 8 September 2011

Homework - Wednesday 8th September

Well, back to it.....

And so, the wide-eyed newbies headed for school, and that was just myself and Loup.... Even a massive downpour didn't curb any enthusiasm although it did make it somewhat damper ! Sam went to Aireview (first day at "big school"), Maya was in Year 5 and Ev was moving up to Hothfield. So all new, all nervous, and we were even on time... Along with a new school, a new building, new routine, came new faces - in the form of new Head Teacher, new Teacher and new Teaching Assistants.... Very pleased to report that so far we are all coping and Ev has already proved to be a charmer.

More on these new adventures later, but now a quick update of the school holiday's activity. It's a very difficult balancing act - you want to let the kids have the rest and fun that they deserve but there are still stretches, exercises, walking practice and PT to fit in. I think we did ok in the end. We even managed to get a few days away. We had a few days in Tenby, Wales and absolutely loved the beach and St Catherine's Island - followed by a couple of days at Legoland and then some "chillaxing" (not my word).


In terms of actual progress, here are a couple of videos of Evan doing some independent walking. In the first one, set at the clinic, he does a great spot of "correcting" - which is stopping himself from falling. In the second, he is shown walking to the car. We have spent time trying to get him to walk "in the wild" - and this is really coming on. We just need to do lots more of it. Lots, lots more...





...and with that, the 6 weeks were done. Well, back to it...