A phone call…

Ok so I bit the bullet and made a phonecall ….got messagebank….

but then he called back….

2hrs or so later we are going to see each other on the weekend…and yes I’m smiling

cuddles are back!

Ever since Corey discovered the power behind the words ‘no cuddle’ around Christmas time in Adelaide cuddles have been very thin on the ground. He has not liked to hand them out even after a full day of daycare….Owen has been having major tanty’s over the lack of cuddles too.

I am happy to announce that cuddles are back and the ‘no cuddle’ appears to have vanished…for now anyway….*touch wood* just enjoying my big Corey Cuddles again!

What’s in a name?

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet….right?

and so the ‘man’ saga continues….I have been trying to move on with getting my life more organised. The whole flirting bit caught me by surprise the other week. So the idea was to wait and see what happened and in the meantime to start to get control of the housework the new work hours the school, kinder, daycare, swimming, kids at Daddy’s routine. The idea being that IF I was to ever let a man into my life it might be good to have my life organised enough to actually allow some time for said man.  Around that I seem to have made some weekend plans here and thereabouts….and then just when I thought I had pushed things out of my mind I got a call from a friend….who advised me that her brother Stephen had been asking for my number. So I did say to let him know that that was ok for him to have it…and now back to waiting again…with a smile and a warm fuzzy lol…but really the name the name the name…..(my brother is Stephen and my ex is Steven)….has me wondering if it is a good idea to go down that path at all….and yet…really…what’s in a name….A man by any other name….

life is interesting…

Paperific Autumn 2008

You can check out the details at Paperific.
This is the first time they have been at Caufield but it is a great venue so it should be a lot of fun.

I will be there as Top50 has a stand in the retail section just to help promote the site to anyone who has yet to hear about it. Paperific is always loads of fun and now there are to be TWO shows in 2008 I’m sure it will be even more exciting. Hope to see you there.

5-in-1 Template Box Instructions

At long last girls I have gotten around to doing the instructions for you. They are available for looking/downloading in the side bar! Have fun and if you make one I would love for you to post a comment with a link to a picture if you can!

I don’t ‘do’ mornings

I don’t…really.

This morning I struggled with the whole get dressed and ready and get out. And while I was arguing with Brett to get him to get dressed and getting myself organised the most amazing thing happened. My favourite big 6yr old not only got dressed for school, he got himself some breakfast…but not just for him – he got 3 bowls of cocoa pops and they all sat at the big table and ate and when I finally managed to get myself dressed and come out there they were all sitting nicely at the table and telling me finished but still hungry…so we all had a banana and got out to daycare/school on time…..

he has been amazing since school started!

oh Happy Day!

ok so I managed to get out of bed and organised for school and we walked again. Kids are starting to assume we are walking (as opposed to driving) which is great.

I had managed to rearrange Brett’s swimming lesson to Thursday mornings so I could stay for assemblies and parents meetings – sadly that meant leaving Owen 5-10min before the bell at school on Thursdays but meant I could stay Mondays…..and today was a good day to stay as Owen got an award for ‘listening really well to our stories’. Now I know that sounds pretty ‘lame’ perhaps but Owen is NOT a good listener so it is a pretty big deal hear!

We got home and the little boys played nice for a while then at lunch time we had some pies…went to put the sauce away after and found that Brett already had! really …without being asked! It’s a miracle – I know small things but it is using his initiative and being helpful!

Next Corey has been on a serious ‘no cuddle’ binge…I mean really seriously a lack of cuddles from that cheeky little monster….well Brett smothered me in cuddles after lunch til Corey couldn’t resist anymore and joined in!

So then I put Corey to bed and he napped with minimal argument (we are moving his nap time from 2pm to 12.30ish to allow a nap before school pick up – we need to leave by 10 to 3). Then Brett and I played the ‘rush hour’ game. Its a kids version and it is for 6-8 yr olds and he got through so many of them he only has the last 10 (of 40) to go…and they get harder as they go along….his thinking and reasoning is good – had to stop because after an hour or so (wow a whole hour) his attention span was slipping and he was getting silly.

fast forward to cooking dinner – kids were out of my hair and not fighting – mostly kinda ate without too much moaning….didn’t fight the no dessert ruling as they didn’t eat all their dinner – the vegie war!

Then get a phonecall from swimming – they are opening up an 11am class on Thursdays – unreal I can be at swimming and still drop the boy and be there when the bell goes!

so how good is my day going….

Owen rings Granma to tell her about his award – and he actually talks and she mostly understands, Brett has a quick chat and then Corey too…then I get on……Mum is glad to hear form me she has just got news

YOGI’s pathology report came back ALL CLEAR – ie no sign of Cancer YAY and he is coming home on Wednesday! Sue is over the moon!

so happy day oh happy day……

rules of engagement?

Ok so I have been a single mum now for almost 2 years. I got that and moved on and dealt with it. I learned to deal with spiders (even huntsmen), with changing lightbulbs, taking the rubbish out, cleaning the loo. I learned to deal with being on my own with the kids 12 days out of 14. I learnt to enjoy my 2 days off without the kids…I can do the single mum bit. Ok I struggle sometimes but I CAN do it.

Today I went to a birthday party and well I know it is dumb but to me single and mum went together all the time and well SINGLE can mean more than just doing all on your own….single can mean actually meeting someone…actually smiling, talking, even flirting a little…..

I went to a kids birthday and I met a gorgeous man. Yup really, sweet and lovely and easy on the eyes and dammit if I managed to forget the man’s name (I was told before I discovered it might be worth remembering so to speak) and at the end of the day as I left I wasn’t sure how to say hey mate I’m interested lets swap numbers or something – how silly. The guy is the brother of the girl who threw the party so lets hope I might get to see him again…cause you know he knew I had 3 boys, he met them, he knew that one has aspergers and that I am well lets face it he saw me ‘bum as big as two bowling balls’ and all and well he still seemed pretty interested…and what do I do …forget the guys name….single…it’s harder than I thought….I’ve never really done the dating thing….not really thought about it…..guess the first lesson has been learnt….get better at remembering names…..he even likes cheesecake….ahhh well see what happens if it is meant to be it will be and all….

Time….where does it go?

This morning we discovered that if we leave home at quarter to 9 we make it to school with about 3 min to spare (which means it takes us about 12min so I guess that isn’t bad). We drove to kinder this afternoon – its the first afternoon session and goes from 12.30 to 3.30 (will usually be 4.30 – as of next week I think). The problem there is that we will pick Owen up and then have an hour or so to kill before kinder but if we walk home then well that is 12min and then walking to kinder maybe 20min so that is 32min out of our hour so we are home for what 28min? worth it? who knows….probably not so much in summer ….but the cold alternative on winter days…maybe it will be lol!

sorting out a few dramas with kinder t-shirts as the change in suppliers meant that the new ones were bigger sizes…wish everything was universal….so will have to reorder some and kinder will just have a small supply on hand for direct sales. Just have to wait for two return calls (why can’t everyone be home when I need them to be).

I have to go meet centrelink tomorrow and I don’t have the truckload of paperwork that I am meant to have organised either…am meant to be doing that now ….in the 20min b4 I have to do the school pick up.

Had a message from Sue…. Yogi has only just gone in for surgery…it’ll be at least 3 hrs apparently…sending good wishes that way!

Answers…

I did say that I was expecting to have to wait for a report to get any answers/diagnosis for Owen…I was wrong and today we have answers. Not that answers make any of Owen’s challenging behaviours any better or even any easier to deal with but at least an explanation for them. Next time someone asks me the question does Owen have autism I will be able to give a clear answer…Owen has asperger’s syndrome. It doesn’t change him in any way and yet walking out of that room I felt a wave of relief wash over me like a refreshing sea breeze. No I am not just a bad mum, there is a reason for things, an explanation…no ‘solutions’ yet still some answers. This will help him to get funding for the extra help that he may need. He only just made it onto the aspergers/autism spectrum which doesn’t surprise me really. School are amazingly on top of things. I told the assistant principal at 3ish this afternoon and by 3.15 she had arranged for the school speechie to do a full assessment of Owen on Monday week and will get started on the funding application – obviously it helps the school too but what helps the school helps him.

Meanwhile his teacher is amazed at how well he has settled in.

Brett starts kinder tomorrow morning.

And spare a thought for Yogi (my bil) who goes in for surgery on Thursday.