The Asher Chronicles - Part 9

Diary Entry - 10th January 2008

The new year has been okay so far. Indie started crawling on the 1st of the new year which was exciting!!. Asher has been fitted for his AFO's, which are his leg splints. In a couple of weeks they will be completed and they will be fitted to make sure they fit and take them home. Ash will be getting ones with cars and trucks on them. Im hoping he likes them and takes to them well. Next week I also have an appointment with his pediatrician, I dont know that he'll have much to say though.

The kids are driving me insane at the moment, they wont stop fighting. Its unbelievable, you wouldnt think that at this age they would fight so much. They havent stopped in the last 3 days!!

Diary Entry - 17th February 2008 - Sunday Night

Asher has his orthotics now which has been really promising as he stands up a lot more and actually wants to. In the past week and a half Indie has also learnt to stand up against things and take a couple of side steps whilst holding on. Its really exciting seeing them both progress, but the frustration Ash feels at his 'slowness' is evident. It really does bother him to see other kids 'walking all over him' or doing things he cant or really struggles with.

Ashy in his new orthotics

This week he will start playgroup through Novita and hopefully met other kids like him. As its through Novita its likely he will and I can only hope that Ash and I fit in. These days it feels like everyone is staring at us and it makes me really anxious about going out. It makes me wonder what the world is coming to and why people feel they have to be so rude. Im nervous about playgroup, I really hope the other mothers actually speak to me. For Ashers sake to, because this is meant to help him get along with other children.

Diary Entry - 17th March 2008 - Monday Night

Well Indie and I have just had our birthdays. I cant believe she is one already, and I cant believe I am closer to thirty than I am twenty. We had a really good party for Indie, the kids really had a great time.

The kids have been really good lately. Ash is growing up so fast. He is making loads of progress especially with his language. He amazes me all the time. I have a really strong connection with Ashy and I think he trusts me a lot. He's my best little guy and I love the way he wraps his little arms around my neck and plants a kiss on my lips and says 'I love you mummy'.
Indie is a real sweetheart to. She smiles so much, she is such a happy little girl.

Ashy with a chocolate freckle in his mouth and Indie staring at her butterfly cake

Birthday Girl

Diary Entry - 8th April 2008 - Tuesday

Indie has started walking around these last couple of weeks. At first it was just a couple of steps and now she can go from one side of the room to the other and turn around. She is still falling on her butt quite a bit but shes getting there.

The first few days Ashy was quite distant and seeming like he didnt care and he was ignoring all of us, but now its really hard to know what hes feeling. He is a little sick at the moment to so hes a bit tired and grumpy actually - the poor little guy.

Diary Entry - 17th April 2008 - Thursday Night

Lately Asher has been saying 'Thats not (insert word here)...NOT funny!!' as if im trying to trick him on purpose. Today he wanted to draw so I would ask him what color he wanted - he'd choose one and i'd give it to him. Anyway he changed colors a few times and each time he drew with a new color he would say 'Thats not (insert word here)...NOT funny!!. At first I thought he was saying 'frozen', I really actually couldnt understand what he was saying. It turns out though he was saying 'orange'. It was so confusing - especially considering he never asked me for 'orange'. I think he was trying to be silly and joke around.

Indie is walking really well by herself now. Her and Ash play so nicely together sometimes it melts my heart. Then at other times they drive each other completely batty and fight so rough.

Diary Entry - 20th May 2008 - Tuesday Night

Asher saw the Ophthalmologist today to see why his eyes bother him so much. He was such a nice Dr and really thorough too. Anyway it turns out his eyes are really dry because he cant close them properly. Its called 'Lagophthalmos' or 'Lag eye' for short, and apparently is pretty common. He needs to have eye gel for during the day and a stronger eye gel at night, everyday and night.

I find in particularly frustrating that the responsibility is solely left to me to do this as Greg still struggles to cope with Ashers disability still. Its exhausting when I am the one doing all of his treatment and therapy. I just dont feel like I can keep doing this by myself.

Diary Entry - 5th June 2008 - Thursday

Ash has been doing really well lately. If he has his orthotics on he makes the effort to walk with his walking frame. Its really encouraging to see him trying and its boosted his confidence ten-fold.

His speech is also coming along and he is at the stage where you can have little conversations with him. He can be so funny and is at the age where they say funny things all the time.

I went to buy Greg some bourbon yesterday and as I put the alcohol on the counter Ash said 'mum thats dads pepsi'. I smiled and said 'yes it is mate', and he said 'mum dads pepsi is gross!'. It was very cute and the guy behind the counter was smiling.

Indie has been really good to. Shes a stomper though. She stomps around the house like a little whirlwind destroying everything in her path.

Indie and Ash have heaps of fun together when they arnt fighting, and especially when they are making mischief together. It can be exhausting but still we troop on!

Mischief Makers

Diary Entry - 13th August 2008

Indie and Asher drove me nuts today. It was just a pretty full-on day really. I spent most of the day running after them, trying to stop them from destroying the house.

We went to see Justine Clarke today with their cousin Isabella and Aunty Kelly. It was heaps of fun, but when we got back the kids were all psyched up and crazy-fied.

Ash has been 'walking' for about a month now which is great! He is doing such a great job. We have been so busy with Kindergym, Playgroup, Hydrotherapy and toilet training - its such a hard job.

Diary Entry - 25th November 2008

In they last few weeks we have enrolled Asher into kindy which is exciting. He'll be going to The Briars Early Learning Centre (for children with disabilities) and Golden Grove Kindy.

Im really nervous but I know he's going to have heaps of fun. I dont know how he is going to react when I leave him there though. I hope he doesnt get too upset.

Diary Entry - 2nd February 2009 - Monday

It was Ashers first day of kindy today. Apparently he had heaps of fun. He did a painting of a dinosaur and he played with a turtle in the water. He was so exhausted when I picked him up, he fell asleep in the car on the way home. When we got home he woke up with glazy eyes and asked for lunch.

I've asked him a million questions since he has been home but he hasnt answered and wont part with any info!!. Its really frustrating. Im hoping that he's tired and just cant be bothered talking. Maybe he'll tell me tomorrow when he's had a big sleep.

I think Indie enjoyed being the centre of attention whilst she had the chance when ash was at Kindy, but when Ash got home they fought heaps. He was tired and she missed him and wanted to play. They've both had an early night tonight.

Diary Entry 23rd February 2009 - Monday Night

I have been so tired today, I think it must be from having such an exhausting weekend. I was painting at mums all weekend to earn some extra money. Indie was really naughty all weekend, full of attitude. Asy was my little policeman telling her off. Its really cute actually. They can fight like cats and dogs but they still love each other and give each other kisses and cuddles.

Diary Entry 3rd March 2009

This past week I bought Asher his first big bed. He loves it and he looks so grown up in it. He needs a step stool to get up on it though as he doesnt have the strength to pull himself up by himself.
Indie got Ashers toddler bed and she also loves it. The only problem being though that two days after shes in it she learns how to open doors, the cheeky monkey.

Bedtime hasnt been great the last two or so nights as one would imagine but thank goodness she went down tonight okay. Shes waking up a lot earlier also now that she can escape, so hopefully she sleeps in in the morning, although we do actually have playgroup.

Asher is a bit sick at the moment with croup and tonsillitis.

Diary Entry 26th March 2009 - Thursday Night

Indie and Asher have been a real handful lately but today they were really good. Indie has been learning to use the potty, and today she only had two accidents which was encouraging.
The fact that Indie has picked it up so well gives me more confidence in the way that I have been teaching Asher. It also makes me aware that he really doesnt know when he needs the toilet and cannot control it. At least I think thats what is happening anyway. If he's incontinent forever I can handle that, its not so bad. All the trying and failing is the worst thing.