2010... The year that was...

2010 was a better year than 2009. Here are some of the positives that 2010 brought:

- Ellies seizures, even though still happening, where much more controlled in 2010

- Succesful grommit surgery

- A very succesful and fun filled day with "A Run for Ellie" (Thanks Jeff & Trace)

- Ellie started rolling from front to back and back to front

- Ellie can lie on her tummy for short periods and hold her head up

- Ellie received her hearing aids

- Ellie received her standing frame and can now weight bear for periods of up to 25 minutes in the frame and about 30secs - 1 minute without with us holding her arms

- Ellie started to eat textures such as risotto

- I fought hard to get Ellie into a program that originally wouldnt accept her because of where we lived

- Ellie got her second glass eye, that was suprisingly bigger than her first

- We have also got to met meet 4 families with children with WHS

- Ellie started Hydrotherapy

& Lastly my favourite positive..... Ellie has become so much more interactive, aware, smiley, funny etc... Her personality has blossomed in 2010 and I feel this has so much to do with her being alot healthier this year

2010 also brought some hard times which included:

- The discussion about fitting Ellie with a gastric feeding tube as we were struggling to get Ellie to put on weight, in fact for about 3 months she lost weight constantly. Currently her weight is 8.3kgs and her weight gain, though not massive, it is slowly increasing.

- 7 weeks of brochilitis in winter which pretty much kept us house bound, and brought on violent vomitting from coughin

- A hideous rash caused by a viral infection and a UTI, all which brought on some small seizures

With saying all that I truly feel that 2010 was a better year health & develpment wise for Ellie. I am also exicted about what 2011 will bring for Ellie as she is starting at CPEC in term 1 for their conductive education program and also starting at Bayside Special Development school in term 2 for their early education program.

My wish is that Ellie keeps developing and learning new skills as she has done in 2010.. Bring on a healthy and happy 2011

Thank you to all my readers... alot of the time I forget that what I write, people are actually reading. I appreciate all your comments and thoughts on what I post.... Thank you!!

Camera crazy!!!

Sorry for the overload, but we have taken heaps of pics lately. Mostly from our week away with Lukes family, and some of meeting another WHS beauty, Caitlin

Off on holidays..... YAY!!!

Just a short update to let you all know that we are off on holidays from tomorrow till the 28 December.

Luke, Ellie and I are going to visit Lukes family. So I probably wont be posting any updates. However ill be sure to post about our holiday and of course lots of photos when we are back.

Wishing all my readers a Safe and Happy Christmas!!!!

4P AUSSIE KIDZ Bank account set up

We can now cross off another job on our 'To do' list for 4P AUSSIE KIDZ.

Yesterday we completed setting up the 2 bank accounts required. One of these is just a ordinary account, and the second is labeled a gifting account. This will be required once we receive DGR status from the Australian Taxation Office, so if any one requires a tax deductible receipt, their donation will be required to be made to the gifting account.

(However in the mean time if you wish to make a donation you can still do so, we are just unable to provide tax deductible receipts. We are hoping to be ready to provide these early in the new year. If you would like the bank account details to make a donation, please email me at 4paussiekidz@gmail.com)

I really feel like we have come along way from when this was initially just an idea....

Dont get me wrong there is still alot to do, especially when it comes to organising our first 'annual fundraiser' for mid next year... But hey Im excited about that!!!

Dont know if I ever posted our finalized logo on the blog either, here it is:

Ellies plan for next year...

Some of you may remember a post I did back in August, (click here for that post) about a particular program that I wanted to get Ellie into, at the Cerebal Palsy Education Centre (CPEC). But her name could not go on the waiting list because of where we live, as they only take kids from the eastern region.

CPEC is a one of a kind in Victoria, this program is not offered any where else. I truly believed that Ellie would benefit greatly from this program, and didnt find it fair that kids with disabilities miss out on something so unique because of where they live.... so I took this battle on, and in the end she got her name on the waiting list, and Ellie wasnt the exception, they changed the rules and accept kids from all regions now.

Last week we receied a letter of offer for 2011. Thats right Ellie has got a spot at CPEC, starting in term 1. So every Monday and Wednesday from 9:30am - 12:30pm Ellie will attend the program with me. This is a family centred program, where I participate with Ellie. I am stoked about this as I have heard so many stories from other families and also in the media about the great work that CPEC can acheive with children.

The other good news is that Ellie has also received a place, starting term 2 at Bayside Special Development school in their Early Education Program.

This will be every Tuesday and Thursday from 9am - 2:30pm, this is a program for kids with special needs and focuses on development of communication, social and cognitive skills, and gross and fine motor skills in a play based environment. Bayside SDS has its own therapists such as Physio, OT, speech & sensory on hand to provide support to the groups.

I am unbelievably excited about what 2011 holds for Ellie, I am looking forward to Ellie attending both these programs as I think it will be massive for her development, I am excited to see how she will develop, it will also give Ellie more of a chance to interact with other children.

What this also means is that I will start to get a bit more of a break.... as I will have 2 days to myself at home without Ellie

Am I looking forward to this.... Yes...

BUT.... I am also nervous & scared and will probably be a blubbering mess in Term 2 when I drop Ellie off for her first full day at Bayside SDS. You see I have never left Ellie in childcare or occasional care etc.. I have only left Ellie with a handfull of people.... family and council carers.

I know she will be fine.... I know I will be fine.... I know that she will be taken care off and most of all.... I know that this is the best thing for her.

I may just need some kleenex next year.

Variety Annual Childrens Christmas Party

Wow!!! What a day. Ellie received a invite to the annual Variety childrens christmas party. For those of you that dont know who Variety are, they are a not for profit group that help kids who are sick, disadvantaged or who have special needs.

My mum, Ellie and I got into the city at 9:30am. This was our first time to attend the annual childrens christmas party and I have to say I was blown away. There was approximately 5000 people there, made up of children, parents, carers, teachers etc.

When we walked in you were greeted with a carnival like atmosphere. There were giant slides, jumping castles, face painting, alot of fast rides for the older children, slower rides for the littleies, animal petting zoos, santa visits, wheelchair basketball, fencing... etc etc... the list goes on. The also had performers singing and breakdancing. They also had free food for lunch and the coffee club serving free coffee.

With all this going on, you could imagine there was alot of people, lights and noise. Ellie was mesmerised!!!.

We got Ellies face painted like a cat. She wasnt too sure of this, she cringed every time he painted a whisker on her face... but the end result was toooo cute!!!

I also took Ellie on the tea cup ride, which she liked at first, but I think by the end she was very overwhelmed by it all.

I could not get over how well organised this party was and how many volunteers there were, everyone that was volunteering was happy and helpful. Without the volunteers this would be impossible, so they do an amazing job!!

By 1pm Ellie had had enough, and on your way out you collect a present. Ellie received a fantastic activity castle, which is a square activity centre... which I think she will love

Thanks Variety!!! By the amount of smiles I saw on the kiddies faces as I was leaving, they all had the best day!

Here are some pics of our fun morning!!!

Here are some extra recent pictures

Little does Ellie know that this 'fun' in the washing basket

is actually therapy... she LOVED it

Looking very grown up in a 'big kids' chair

Ryley, Rachel, Braeden, Ellie and Elliott

at our mini WHS catch up