Long absences

So I've been MIA from my blog for quite some time! Unfortunately the begining of my summer has been plagued with illness! 

First me with food poisoning and a bout of tonsilitis, Poppy had a stomach bug for a few days and then worst off was my youngest Eve.  She started the summer with what the doctor said was a viral throat infection, swollen glands etc.  A week of that and then just when we thought she was getting better she started to complain of a sore tongue. 

I thought maybe she'd bitten it in her sleep but after a couple of days she started to get little blisters covering her tongue.  Every meal time was filled with her screams as she was hungry and wanting to eat but every mouthful was excruciatingly painful for her. 

A quick trip to the out of hours doctor and she was diagnosed with Hand, Foot and Mouth.  Not an illness I've ever experienced before and not one i want to come across again!! Thankfully Poppy escaped catching it as it may have been a little tricky with trache!

Its only now that we're finally returning to normality and I'm finally catching up on all that laundry!!

Rotary Kids Out Day...

Today Poppy and some of her class mates went to W5 (local science museum) with Rotary Kids Out.

Kids Out Day is an event that's carried out by large Rotary Clubs in the UK all on the same day. The charity takes disadvantaged kids out some place fun for the day. It's a great idea and the charity has been working with Poppy's school for the last 5 years.

Because of Poppy's tracheotomy I have to attend all school trips as the staff, although trained, are not 'insured' for any mishaps (mainly her trache coming out) outside of school. It's frustrating to say the least. I want Poppy to gain a sense of self and independence and I personally feel that this is difficult for her when she knows that Mummy is gonna be there all the time. She has issues with trying new things and meeting new people and knowing that I'm constantly going to be there doesn't allow her to build up her own confidence. Needless to say this is something that I've decided that I'm gonna bring up and discuss with our local Education board. (It's their health and safety rules apparently, not the schools.)

So I trailed along with Eve in tow. (Paying our own way of course!). Eve and I did our own thing while in the museum. I trust the teaching assistants who look after Poppy implicitly and I was happy to let them look after her while I stayed around. Close enough that they could get me should they need me but far enough away so that Poppy couldn't hang on to my apron strings for grim death!!

Eve and I had fun and it was lovely to spend sometime just the two of us. Something we don't get to do often and that I continuously feel guilty about! All in all it was a great day out and Friday I get to play follow the leader with the school bus again!

Digital Graffiti Wall

View from W5 of Belfast Titanic Building in the Titanic Quarter

Hey! Its okay Tuesday!

I got his idea from the blog Airing my dirty laundry, one sock at a time.. Its a Glamour magazine regular as far as I'm aware and I thought it'd be fun to give it a go!

Its okay....

To fantasise about about putting the kids in a padded room for a couple of hours as long as I don't actually do it!

That when I buy a new CD I flick through all the songs at least once to get a 'feel' of the album.

That I cry at almost anything remotely sad on the television. (DIY SOS ?!!)

To have a crush on Liam Hemsworth after watching The Hunger Games (Cougar alert!)

To have watched and loved The Hunger Games even though I'm not 16!!

To let my kids watch movie after movie on Netflix when I'm not feeling well and need a couple hours to relax.

That I think the term 'making love' is just.. Euuchhhhhh!

Feel free to share your own 'Hey! Its okay' ideas!

Silly Sausages and adult nappies!

Due to Poppy's neuropathic bladder she still has to wear nappies at aged 5. Nappies are usually supplied by the NHS once children reach the age of 3, if I remember rightly. Well she's getting rather big now as you'd imagine and a size 6 just wasn't cutting it anymore! So I put in the call to my local CCN, as all nappy prescriptions must go through her. A couple of days later and the new nappies arrived. Adult nappies! They were dreadful looking and Poppy took one look at them, screwed her nose up and said "they're not mine you silly sausage!". (Silly sausage is a fairly new phrase that she's picked up from her teacher and it never fails to put a smile on my face!)

Back to the nappies.. They were the most awful clinical looking things I've ever seen! Yes I know that they are just a nappy and needs must blah blah blah.. But she's 5... And opinionated! There was no way I was gonna get her to wear these! I mean she is still not impressed that she can't wear 'big girl panties' (which incidentally breaks my heart when she cries about it). Anyway, during a recent coffee morning with a close friend, whose daughter is a year older and has the same conditions as Poppy, I discovered that Poppy didn't need to switch to adult nappies. Pull ups for aged 5-8 were available. And princess ones at that! Much more suitable! Maybe it's just me but surely this should have been the next logical step before an adult nappy? Am I alone in thinking this?

After a brief and curt phone call to the CCN (curt on her part) she finally agreed to order the pull ups. I now have a much happier 5 year old when it comes to nappy changing time! Which makes for a happy mummy!

To sleep perchance to dream...

It's been a pretty exhausting week or so what with diamond jubilee celebrations and the kids being off school for a variety of reasons. Bank holidays, exceptional closure days, teacher training days (?!) and illnesses. I got a sneak peek of what my summer is going to be like and quite frankly I'm terrified! I never understood why summer holidays in Northern Ireland are so long? I mean 9 weeks is a touch excessive no? Needless to say I am relieved that all three of my girls will be going back to school in the morning.. Hopefully! A friend suggested that once I do my school runs that I should come home and go back to bed. I don't know about any of you but I can't quite seem to 'do' the daytime napping thing. Don't get me wrong.. I try.. God do I try! Nevertheless I usually end up just lying there awake thinking of all the things I should be doing. So I just give up. I should also be having an early night right now in preparation for the hell that is my mornings of getting three GIRLS ready and out to school in time. Alas I lie in in bed updating my blog via this very useful but distracting blogger app on my iPhone! On that note I think I should bid you all a good night!

Introductions!

So these are my three girls.. From left to right Poppy, Mya and Eve (or Evie as we call her). Poppy was born in April 2007 with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus.  I found out at my 20 week scan that she had spina bifida.  I can't even put into words how I felt at that time.. I was drowned by technical terms and life expectancy predictions and worse case scenarios.  My husband however seemed to take it all in his stride. Taking on that strong supportive role that I guess was expected of him.  I was plagued throughout my pregnancy with self doubt, fear and depression.  It was only towards the end of my pregnancy that the fog started to clear and I realised that I had to snap out of it.  I was about to give birth to a very special baby and she needed her mummy.  So going into theatre on the 24 April I'm relieved to say I'd finally put on my big girl panties! For a little background info on Poppy have a look at the 'Poppy.. A brief history' tab. Thanks!

Lost in a sea of blogging tips!

Ok.. So I am completely new to this whole blogging scene.. It's a little daunting to say the least! However I'm determined to give it a go and try my very best to stick at it. I guess I want to use it as an outlet for my life as a mum to three girls. In particular a mum of a special needs child (I'll do an introduction post soon to introduce you all to my family)  At this moment in time my girls are aged 9, 5 and 4. Mya, Poppy and Eve.  Being a mum is challenging full stop.  My challenges are just a little different. Not worse nor easier than any other mum.. just different.  I thought that by starting a blog that maybe my experience could be put to good use! Anyway thats a little of why I'm here! Please bear with me as I try to find my feet with this whole blogging thing!