This is a great day; our beautiful nephew Jack Trevor (my Dad and Catherine's late father's names) has been born. We're overjoyed ... and far too emotional ... that's me obviously, not Rory! He looks gorgeous and I can't wait to have my first cuddle with the little man .... good times ahead.
I was completely wrong with my guesses for the name - Id thought Trevor would be in there ... but had gone with William or James for first names thinkin they might like Will, Bill or Jim ... I was completely wrong!
I told Charlotte the news when she came out of school and then later told her about a surprise Gran had for her and Jacob the following day. we waited 30 mins for Jacob to arrive home from robinwood. When he got into the car, I said "Charlotte, tell Jacob the very eciting news we have today" .... you can imagine the news she chose as the most exciting - poor Little Jack was a distant memory!!
Friday, 14 September 2012
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
WELCOME TO HOLLAND (by Emily Perl Kingsley)
Somebody sent me this a year after Thomas was diagnosed and I just loved it - a great metaphor and comforting piece .....
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| He just looks sooooo sweet doesnt he? ... and yet here, he doens't talk or understand much language at all!! Incredible |
WELCOME TO HOLLAND (by Emily Perl Kingsley)
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting. After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible place. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language and you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met. It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss. But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.
I think, years on, one thing that strikes me here is that whilst all the above is quite true, we don't stand alone as islands; we need others to share the positives of our "different place". We are so grateful to our friends who have travelled along with us.
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting. After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible place. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language and you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met. It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss. But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.
I think, years on, one thing that strikes me here is that whilst all the above is quite true, we don't stand alone as islands; we need others to share the positives of our "different place". We are so grateful to our friends who have travelled along with us.
What a let down!
What a let down last night felt; Charlotte and Jacob were collected and I listened to their happy chats about what seemed like every aspect of their days at school - good and bad - it was lovely to hear them so stimulated and content.
But then I waited and waited to see Thomas arrive back from school in his minibus taxi before taking Jacob to his dyslexia assessment .... but he didn't arrive and we had to leave. From the dyslexia assessment (which indicated pretty poor progress for a child trying so hard), straight to meeting at school for Jacob's residential next week (... sounded great!) ... Returned home; Thomas in his back to front pyjamas, as he likes to wear them, had taken himself to bed although it was only 6.45pm.
Obviously there wasn't one syllable from him about the day in his new class, with new peers, new teachers in a brand new ASD unit within the school. He was humming and distracted. However, during the evening he was sick (I found the towel, he didn't tell me) and he has been up from 3am .... So, I'm not sure if that indicates anything about his day or not?! .... It feels wrong.
But then I waited and waited to see Thomas arrive back from school in his minibus taxi before taking Jacob to his dyslexia assessment .... but he didn't arrive and we had to leave. From the dyslexia assessment (which indicated pretty poor progress for a child trying so hard), straight to meeting at school for Jacob's residential next week (... sounded great!) ... Returned home; Thomas in his back to front pyjamas, as he likes to wear them, had taken himself to bed although it was only 6.45pm.
Obviously there wasn't one syllable from him about the day in his new class, with new peers, new teachers in a brand new ASD unit within the school. He was humming and distracted. However, during the evening he was sick (I found the towel, he didn't tell me) and he has been up from 3am .... So, I'm not sure if that indicates anything about his day or not?! .... It feels wrong.
Gordon Bennet - the last week has been absolutely manic ... and I feel like I've catapulted to now with a few minutes to catch up!!
Such an amazing amount has happened.... I guess the biggest even is that Michelle went into labout 6 weeks early and Henry James Alan was born on Sunday 9th September by emergency section. I couldn't wait to see him; he's just gorgeous - so sweet and perfectly formed ... but miniature. It felt weird walking down those corridors without being pregnant myself and it took a huge effort stop thinking whether there should be a 5th Kidd!! .... BUT NOOOOO!
2 days before that, it was little Martha's birthday - big girl two!! As her birthday fell on a Friday, we obviously had to have fish and chips or Thomas just would not have been able to pull through! .....(if I had EVER imagined 1. that our lives would have been so dominated by "fish and chips on Friday" and 2. the pure joy and intense relief when the big"M" pops into view on long journeys .... I just would not have believed it ... or I would have passed out in horror! ... but there it is!) We had a lovely low key party with Granny and Jack and all Ann Dean's family. Martha was full of fun as always and sang along happily before blowing out her candles.
Such an amazing amount has happened.... I guess the biggest even is that Michelle went into labout 6 weeks early and Henry James Alan was born on Sunday 9th September by emergency section. I couldn't wait to see him; he's just gorgeous - so sweet and perfectly formed ... but miniature. It felt weird walking down those corridors without being pregnant myself and it took a huge effort stop thinking whether there should be a 5th Kidd!! .... BUT NOOOOO!
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| Henry is just so gorgeous - it's such a miracle - never fails to amaze me! |
2 days before that, it was little Martha's birthday - big girl two!! As her birthday fell on a Friday, we obviously had to have fish and chips or Thomas just would not have been able to pull through! .....(if I had EVER imagined 1. that our lives would have been so dominated by "fish and chips on Friday" and 2. the pure joy and intense relief when the big"M" pops into view on long journeys .... I just would not have believed it ... or I would have passed out in horror! ... but there it is!) We had a lovely low key party with Granny and Jack and all Ann Dean's family. Martha was full of fun as always and sang along happily before blowing out her candles.
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| Playgroup all sang to Martha |
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| Martha got some beautiful nightwear off Gran Kidd and her lovely dress off my parents |
Wednesday, 5 September 2012
Back to school - Thomas!
Hurray! - it's a sunny day; the children are all back to school. Thomas was great and got dressed without fuss (no shoes - but that's just fine - he wore his socks and the shoes went with himon the mini bus).
We had to return the trophy he won at the end of last term for "Child we're most proud of". Thomas was so distressed to be awarded this by the mayor that he lost the plot, wouldn't come out of his seat, crying etc, so the poor mayor had to wade through the children and present it to him practically laid on the floor with the photographer in tow!! ... It was a teary moment for us too .... but I was so pleased that he won the award. As that photograph won't really be one for the wall, and the memory of the event has now faded for Thomas, we were able to take one this morning with him holding the trophy proudly, before we returned it. As mentioned previously, Thomas cannot tolerate the school uniform so he wears his own clothes and sometimes the teachers there are able to change him into the school polo shirt. I just don't understand the whole autistic sensory issue - it's a minefield!
Jacob was eager to be at school early to complete his jobs and Charlotte went happily, looking forward to seeing the new friends she made yesterday.
We had to return the trophy he won at the end of last term for "Child we're most proud of". Thomas was so distressed to be awarded this by the mayor that he lost the plot, wouldn't come out of his seat, crying etc, so the poor mayor had to wade through the children and present it to him practically laid on the floor with the photographer in tow!! ... It was a teary moment for us too .... but I was so pleased that he won the award. As that photograph won't really be one for the wall, and the memory of the event has now faded for Thomas, we were able to take one this morning with him holding the trophy proudly, before we returned it. As mentioned previously, Thomas cannot tolerate the school uniform so he wears his own clothes and sometimes the teachers there are able to change him into the school polo shirt. I just don't understand the whole autistic sensory issue - it's a minefield!
Jacob was eager to be at school early to complete his jobs and Charlotte went happily, looking forward to seeing the new friends she made yesterday.
Tuesday, 4 September 2012
Back to school for Jacob and Charlotte
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| Ready for school |
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| We're very proud of Charlotte's hair - 6 years old and only 1 trim in her life ... very very extremely thin hair |
Well, two of the muppets are back to school today. Charlotte came in to us at 6.45am declaring she was "very excited" to be starting her new school and Jacob was very keen to be at school early for his new Year 6 role of putting out lunchbox trolleys. Thomas (up from before 4am last night) seemed bemused by all the uniforms and photos .... not sure how he will cope with starting his new school year tomorrow (Thomas doesn't wear the school uniform - think it's a sensory thing - well it is with the trousers, not sure about the rest ......and I certainly can't see him wearing his new shoes ... let's hope it's dry!)
Monday, 3 September 2012
Martha's Dedication
This was such a lovely day for our family and we had waited so long to be able to celebrate her dedication. We chose Worden Park as our venue and the whole day went without hitch. Our good friend, and former Pastor Pete delivered the sermon and several of our friends were moved to tears with his words. We were so delighted that David and Catherine were there and expecting their first baby. Catherine wrote and read the most beautiful reading for Martha which I will include here when I've worked out how to do it! It was perfect and we felt so incredibly priviledged to be able to celebrate with our friends and family
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