SETTLING IN

Well if there is one strength that Kaitlin has, it has to be that she is a very adaptable little kid!!!  We are attending Conductive Education here in CHCH.  This time around Kaitlin is in a class of three little girls - you've never seen so much pink!  She is doing well and physically she has made some significant improvements.  She can lay on her back and push herself around on the floor quite some distance!  She has a few new toys that she canb touch and they make sounds and lights flash, she is directing her arms to them with more accuracy and a little bit less effort.  She is rolling on a regular basis now although her way of doing it is to flick her body really fast and then curl up.  The conductors said that these kids adapt to what their bodies do and start to figure out their own way to do things even if not in the typical way.  She is finally sleeping through the night THANK GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  She is eating solids well (as you can see by the pumpkin tongue in the photo).  Next term she starts swimming on Fridays which is awesome as she LOVES the water and splashing.  My Aunty Helen does Porse childcare in her own home.  She looks after two sets of twins, a wee girl called Freida who is a bit younger than Kaitlin, and a little baby boy called Moses.  We have been visiting them  and hanging out, going to the playground, playing with the Guinea Pigs, reading books etc.  The kids are great with Kaitlin.  When we first went there and I took her out of the pushchair and she was her floppy self, one of the little boys said "oh, poor Kaitlin, she's tired from walking all this way.  They hold her hand, push her on the swings and turn pages of books for her.  Helen even got her her own Guinea Pig called Toots, because we asked Kaitlin what she thought it should be called and she let out a big ripper down below that lasted ages, so we thought Toots it is!  I have some great photos of all the kids playing together but I have to get them off Helen and then I'll post them.  We are taking Kaitlin on her first fishing trip to Kaikoura this weekend.  It is a big family affair with aunties, uncles and cousins, and weather depending (it doesn't look great) we will go out on Uncle Glenns boat and try our luck.  Two nights away will be heaven, and lots of new experiences, sounds, sights and smells for our wee girl.  I see a good photo opportunity!

GARDENING AND GUINEA PIGS PICS

MUSIC APPRECIATION

Due to a change of circumstances, Kaitlin and I are now living in Christchurch. We are staying at my parents at present but have found a cute little house that I am looking at renting for the two of us, very exciting!
We are having fun catching up with everyone that we only saw a few weeks ago, and thank goodness for Aunty Frith for being sooo entertaining and giving Kaitlin loads of stimulation especially in the music and laughing area. Here are the two of them mucking around with bongo drums and listening to a bit of Drum n Base.

NEW PETS

Hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lots and lots of good news around here. Kaitlin is over her tonsilitis and various other issues at the mo and slept ALL NIGHT!!! In fact it is 8am and she is still asleep as I type this. Kaitlin is also now the proud owner of two sheep and three pet lambs - Shanks, Chops and Houdini (nothing quite as freaky as gardening and having the feeling you are being watched, only to turn around and theres a naughty little lamb escaped and staring at you from under your camellia bush!) It's all a bit much for a girl from the city, especially when Kaitlin's naughty Grandad Peter told me their teeth need to be brushed every Sunday. I believed that ratbag for about 2 minutes and he has had a good laugh at my expense so on Sunday we took Kaitlin out to brush their teeth and take photos to send him for Fathers Day. As you can see by the photos, Kaitlin thought that toothbrush looked pretty good and wanted it for herself. We have got a cute wee toothbrush for her (not the one pictured!) and having her teeth brushed is something she enjoys and she smacks her lips for about ten minutes afterwards savouring the taste.

Daddy brought her some new socks and shoes yesterday and I nearly cried because they are little girl shoes and socks, not baby shoes and socks and I want to know. who kidnapped my little baby and gave us this cute little girl in her place?

We are going to the hospital today for Kaitlin to have an ECG (Heart Testing) to make sure that it isn't any heart problems contributing to her blue spells. Kaitlin has spells where she stops breathing, turns purple, passes out and then comes around twitching and disorientated. We are used to them but it is a bit scary and uncomfortable for her and we would like to know why she does it!!!

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!!!

We have come a long way since the first time you changed Kaitlin's nappy (shown here) daddy!!! Your belief in Kaitlin and who and what she will be, has brought both of us girls so much strength. The time you spend singing her silly songs, soothing her when she is sick or sad, reading to her, playing puppets,teaching her and loving her is so cool to watch and we think you are the best dad ever!! We Love you so so much,
Becs and Kaitlin xxxxxXxxxxx

THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY AND THE HAPPY

Yesterday morning Kaitlin, Daddy and Happy Cat had delicious cuddles in bed and a bit of a lie-in. I'm pleased I caught it on film as it was the calm before the storm! The smiley photo above (no mummy is not a good nail cutter as you can tell from the massive scratch on her face) was very quickly followed by Miss Pouty Face, followed by Miss Cry the House Down. Poor little darling has tonsilitis now on top of everything else she has had to deal with! She also has conjunctivitis, diahorrea, and still teething those big molars. Back to hospital but we assured them we could deal with it all at home if they would give us the oxygen and equipment she needed. After ages away, another hospital stay was the last thing we wanted for her or ourselves. I was questioning that decision this afternoon as she has cried non-stop from 11:30 last night til 2:00 this afternoon and would not sleep. Part of me feel so sorry for her pain and illness, and another part of me feels sorry for myself for having to deal with it. I'll have to snap out of that, how selfish and she can't help it.

On a much brighter note, Kaitlin's Great Uncle Bernie sent over a stack of the COOLEST clothes for her and such a sweet letter with little pictures on it and lots of effort!!! I wanted to dress her up in them and take cute blog fashion show photos but she has been too unwell. He sent a gorgeous little denimn dress that she wore to the hospital, and I have to say she looked beyond styley and cute (not that I'm biased or anything!) and everyone commented on how fabulous and grown up she looked. Bernie has always taken the very best care of me and been a very generous uncle and friend. It's so lovely that this extends to my baby girl as well. THANK YOU BERNIE, VERY VERY MUCH - WE LOVE YOU!!! X

ANOTHER MUSICIAN IN THE FAMILY

Thanks to some thorough spoiling in Christchurch by Uncle G, Kaitlin is now the proud owner of a xylophone/keyboard. Following in daddies footsteps (we'll have her DJing in no time heehee).I think it may be good therapy and teach her more purposeful movement of her arms and hands by using it as a motivator. There is an instant feedback for her via the music when she hits a key. She smiles and loves it and it is also teaching her that she can have an effect on her environment. Uncle G you rock!!

IF THE CAP FITS......

...or even if it doesn't! Kaitlin came back around to being our little daddies girl again over the weekend and these two are such good buddies again that they are even sharing clothes (well hats) AAWWWWWWWWWWWW! So cuteX