News

We finally managed to get some footage of Ayla doing 'News' at school.  It's amazing how silent the kids are when Ayla's iPad is talking!  Very cool.....

And just for kicks.....here's another video of Ayla stepping into class this morning.

One Little Breakthrough Deserves Another......Surely?

We all know that I've done Potty Training posts before......long before.  Well, we're back at it again.  I started on the potty training venture around 2 years ago, then stopped because there didn't seem to be any recognition from Ayla that she knew what we were about with it all.  Then we started again.....aaaaannd then we stopped again.  And now, here we are again!  But this time seems a little different.

We have gone back to the toilet timing way of doing things....that is, putting her on the potty at set times of the day in the hope that she will get the rhythm of it and hopefully hold on when she knows potty time is drawing near.  Both schools are involved and have a roster of timing too.

Just lately I have noticed that when Ayla does 'do' something (like that?  See, I can be subtle), and we make our big hip hip HOOORAHHH, she has the biggest grin on her face and gives a knowing little giggle.  So I thought that finally she may be starting to understand what's going on and what's expected of her when she's there.  This morning....I KNOW she finally understands!  She was playing quietly in the loungeroom while Steven and I were in the kitchen.  Ayla rolled into the kitchen/dining area and straight up to her potty.  When I asked her (hopefully) if she wanted to do 'wees' on the potty, she smiled.  I was dubious but put her on anyway.......and whaddya know......the potty started SINGING!!!  We have a weeeeeeeeeee! And even better, that was her second potty wee for the morning!  I'm so excited!  Nappies don't get too darn comfortable in my house cos you are on your way OUT THE DOOR!  Soonish, anyhow.

We just have to keep trying with this.  Ayla's biggest hurdle will be letting people know that she needs to go and somehow I will find a way to help her do that.  We may go back to the toilet sign on the wall....I just don't know if that's the right thing to have on the wall at school.  I just don't want her beoming a teenager in nappies because her parents didn't really give the potty training a go.

Oh and by the way......yes, Ayla did do her news last week....and no, getting footage wasn't successful.  But she's giving news again tomorrow and Steven is going to film it.  PROMISE!

There's No Time Like the Present to Start Again

This week we have been starting again....again and again and again :)

This is the start (again) of my blogging.  It has been hard to get back into it.  This year, I am having a year that includes me.  I'm actually going to attempt to have a life too.  And it is coming together.

I have handed over the fundraising to Grandma and Grandpa for a year (Thanks Guys!!!) and that means no markets and no sewing unless I really want to.  I am now the Mother of a school-age child that is attending school 4.5 days per week and that means that I am also now a Working Mother.  I work as a Naturopath, seeing patients in a health food store 1 day per week and I have my own clinic room at a wonderful Yoga studio called Power Living.  The studio is truly becoming my 2nd home due in part to seeing lots of new clients (full day next week!  Yeeha!) and also due to the large amount of Yoga that I'm doing too.  Love, love, love Yoga....I feel like I have my brain back!

This week we have also been starting Ayla's schooling over again.  I sat in on her mainstream school class on Monday (just in the background) and took notes of things that needed to be adjusted, items that the 'disability' organisation haven't come through on and ways of fitting in Ayla's stepping, toiletting and feeding into the normal rhythm of her classroom's days.  It was an absolute eye-opener!  The kids are fantastic with her and the teacher is just inspiring.  I was amazed at how the kids could politely ignore Ayla's yabbering and pulling their hair whilst they were participating in classroom activities, but gravitate towards her and give her their full attention when their attention wasn't required elsewhere.

We have also started again with Ayla's 'speech device'.  We purchased an iPad earlier in the year so that we could create a speech device using the App, Proloquo2Go.  Much cheaper than purchasing an actual AAC device.  iPad + Proloquo2Go = $1050........AAC speech device = $14 000.  Just a small difference!  I have to say that Proloquo2Go is an AMAZING app.  Fully programmable and customisable to Ayla's needs and completely user friendly......we'll see if Ayla's LSA (Learning Support Assistant) Joan agrees when her and the iPad meet for the first time next week ;).

This afternoon, I spent a couple of hours putting together just a couple of things that might come in handy at school.....and I can change them if they're not.  The most exciting part is that next week, for the first time this year, Ayla will be able to participate in her classroom's 'News' segment of the morning....kinda like the old 'Show and Tell' that you and I remember.  I've typed in Ayla's 'news' and next week we will present it to her class (seriously, it lasts all of 1 minute...LOL!) and I will also try to get a video of it to post for you all.  I'm feeling all choked up just thinking about it....let's see if I can avoid bawling on the day.

So, there you go....all shiny and new :)