What's Been Happening?

• Parent's Evening - Was a complete success and such a relief and confidence boost. He is doing great and has done some really good work since he started a short while ago. BUT we was told by his class teacher that he is struggling to settle into the class room. When I told her the reason for that will be because in theory it's the first time he's ever been in a classroom, she was speechless! 

The whole 2yrs Taylor was at Woodnook, he was never in the classroom at all, except for registration and one or two other things, but only for short periods of times. He had his own workstation outside the classroom, isolated and secluded from the rest of his class and classmates outside the classroom up a corner in the Infant Hall. Then when they decided to move his workstation into the classroom itself, 6 months before he left. They wondered why he didn't like it and wouldn't settle and join in with everyone else and would have a complete meltdown withing 10mins of entering the room.

When I explained that to Taylor's new class teacher she was utterly appalled by it, and said "that explains an awful lot of his behaviour in the classroom, and we'll work on that now with that in mind and see what we can do". The rest of the meeting went great and I am very pleased with the progress he's made so far.

• Pontin's - Last one this year!! A great time was had by all, as per usual. The weather was dreadful and cold, but we made the most of it as usual. This time around we even managed to get Taylor into the club 2 nights on the run and join in with the entertainments that was going on. We also managed to get him to go on the Waltzers 3 nights on the run too! He loved it and kept asking to go on them again as soon as we got off them!! The last night was a nightmare, as we decided to go to the on-camp restaurant (The Queen Vic!) for our tea as a treat, and went on the Waltzers straight afterwards and I felt like I was going to fetch back everything I'd eaten!! They seemed to go on forever haha.

Nothing much else has happened really. Christmas is fast approaching and for once I have been really struggling for ideas for Taylor this year, but thanks to the Argos, it's all been sorted!! Here's a list of what he's getting:

1. Dora the Explorer PC Games - Bought a while back from a local Charity Shop
2. Haynes Combustion Engine - £14.99 from Argos (was £19.99) 
3. Blast Lab Live Wire - £12.99 from Argos (was £14.99)
4. National Geographic Water Pump - £9.99 from Argos
5. Pop To The Shops - £7.99 from Argos 
6. Buzz Off Game - £5.99 from Argos
7. Pirate Adventure Playset Large - £20 from Wilkinson's (was £30)

I am also looking into getting him a Gameboy Advanced Micro and some Pokemon games to go with it too cheap off eBay. I know you can play Gameboy Games on the Nintendo DS but he has a tendency to want to hold it instead of doing it flat on the table and it's too big and bulky for him. He spent a good 2hrs on and off this morning playing Pokemon on my Gameboy Micro and was managing to hold it properly and play the game fine too. So just as a top-up present, I'm going to see about one of them for him and the other Pokemon games as I only have the one!!

I have a million and one ideas for other stuff, but a lot of them have been put on hold until his Birthday next July, otherwise he would be one spoiled little monster this year! I try to keep his presents BIG and to a minimum of 6 and max of 10 otherwise he gets over-excited and has a complete meltdown because of all his senses working overtime at once!! Plus we go to my Mum's for Christmas Dinner and he has a whole load more to open there too!! It's not the first time we've spread his presents over 2/3 days so he doesn't get too overwhelmed, seems cruel I know but needs must I'm afraid!! Christmas with an Autistic child is NOTHING like Christmas with any other child that age. For one, they are a lot more appreciative of what they get. They look after their presents a lot better and get a whole load more enjoyment out of them too!!

Feel free to pinch my Christmas Present ideas for your own children if you'd like. Taylor is very mechanically minded and very creative, hence the more mechanical presents in that list!!

*Click on the black writing on the Christmas Presents list and it will take you to that item on their website*

School Update

Okay, so it's been a little longer than a week since my last update as said, but I wanted to see how things were going to pan out over a longer period first. And as I suspected. They turned out great.

They have had their teething problems with him since the last time I blogged about it. And they have been fairly large teething issues, but, still nowhere near as big as the issues he had at Woodnook. I am still living on the edge everyday he's at school, expecting the worse, but it never comes. Okay as mentioned, he's had bad days, some more than good lately, but they haven't been a pacth on what I'm used too.

He has got 2 male teachers that he has (at different times, on different days) in the afternoons and all's going well, but he thinks it playtime when he's with them. He also keeps trying to strangle one of them with his tie. The poor fella!! Must be the colour or pattern or summat lol. Aww I shouldn't laugh, that's not nice is it. *serious face* Anyway, so his Outreach Worker from Hillside went in on Thursday and gave them some tips and advice. She also stayed behind with them after school till 5.15pm and gave them a crash course on Autism. On Friday, Mrs J told us that they had set new boundaries in place and the dinnertime transition with his male teaching assistand went really smoothly and it's working great. He has never had male teachers before, so I think he's somehow trying to push them to see how far he can get!! Not very far, if they have their way! They are brilliant at sticking to their guns with him and showing him whose boss!! I love them for that!! It's his first parents evening there this Thursday, so I will update again about school then.

What Do I REALLY Want!?

After much deliberation and careful consideration, I found myself wanting only 1 thing for my Birthday this year...£30 worth of donations from friends and family to send to The National Autistic Society.

In 2 weeks I will be turning 30yr old *winces* hence only wanting the small meesly sum of £30 in donations. I suspect on the quiet we will get a lot more, but that all of course depends on how generous people are! I had intended on having a big party, but funds for that came up short, so the idea got shoved to the side-lines. Then as time went on, I decided what I really wanted was a holiday. Okay, I know, I've never been off them lately. But all I actually want to do for my birthday is chill out, not have to do anything at all in means of housework and running around after anybody and spend time with my kids. I find I am getting rather sentimentle in my 'old' age!! My husband kindly offered to pay for my 'birthday holiday' and so it is booked. 5 nights at Pontin's in Suothport - YAY!

I then still found myself short of answers to give to everyone else who kept asking me what I want. What I want? What I want is peace and quiet for a change! But, (funnily enough) the answer came to me by way of an email. It was an email I received from The National Autistic Society saying they are having some more fun fundraisers in local areas and would I be interested in joining in or hosting one myself. THAT'S IT I thought to myself. THAT'S what I want. I want for anyone who so wishes to waste their money on presents for me, to instead give it to someone who truly needs it. So I have asked each and every one of them to send me a Cheque made payable to the NAS and on the 19th November (exactly 1 month after my birthday) I will gather them all up, see how much it comes too. Double whatever they come too and send them all off to the NAS along with a letter telling them what I have done.

And so it begins! I will update on my progress in 2 weeks time...my birthday! Keep your fingers crossed everyone, and wish us luck xXx

New School, New Start

8 school days have now passed since Taylor started his new journey into a better education. He started at St Anne's & St Joseph's on Sandy Lane in Accrington on Thursday the 2nd September and has been absolutely loving it. They have been brilliant, and though I know it's early days yet, they have shown already that they are more than equipped to deal with him and his many ever changing moods and personalities.

Out of a full 8 days they have only had 1 bad day with him and that was on Friday. His support worker said he wouldn't co-operate or do his tasks, so he didn't get any of his rewards which didn't go down well with Taylor. But he came home with a smile on his face and in a great mood. I am very hopeful that things will carry on as they are and that bad days will be very far and few between, but I am also skeptical and anticipating a few teething issues before the term is out!! I shall keep you up to date on his progress on a weekly basis

Statement Review & Reports

Well, yesterday's review went swimmingly. I can not believe that after 2yrs of fighting, tears and tantrums that Taylor is finally leaving Woodnook Primary and going to St Anne's & St Joseph's in September. All together, including myself and Tony there was 15 people present at that review yesterday! That's the biggest meeting we've ever had!

We went through all the reports (see below) then went through his Statement making amendments. I will receive the updated one in the next few weeks & will post that too. Everyone gave their advice and there was a few hard decisions to be made, but we all managed it amicably between us. That is the first review I have ever been too where I haven't wanted to scream and cry and wrip some body's head off in frustration. Anyway, it's been arranged for his new class teacher and TA from St ANJO's* to go into Woodnook this Friday afternoon and spend some time with him as he is going to ANJO's for the day on Thur 8th July for a chance to see his new school, classroom, friends and teachers etc before starting in September. I am so excited, I can not believe it's really happening! I know there will probably be teething issues at first but BRING IT ON!! xXx

*ANJO's - Abbreviated name used by parents for St Anne's & St Joseph's school