Monday, December 26, 2011

Merry Christmas

Well thats another Christmas gone.
Corbin (with a little help from us all) is busy making up 4 large Starwars Lego sets that he got from the big fat man, mum, dad and the grandparents. He loves his lego but we just about need to add another room to our house to house it all now!
Another present that has proven to be a hit this year is his "swing bike" which is propelled forward with your arm power (rather than your legs) by turning the steering wheel from side to side. I wasn't sure how this was going to go but it turns out its perfect for a young fella with diplegia. Its nice to finally have something Corbin can use when other kids and friends are playing outside on the bikes, scooters and rollerblades.
Belated Merry Christmas everyone.....

Monday, December 19, 2011

My Bright kids

I have 3 very talented and bright children, annd I'm just the proudest Mum in the world right now.

Master Corb had another good year at school. He is still well ahead of his peers in reading, spelling and maths. He apparantly reads at the level expected of a 10.5 year old (He turned 8 in September). So he is a clever little cookie.

Master Jay got a prize at prize giving for achievement in Science and a glowing school report for his academic achievement with wonderful comments from all his teachers. Although he doesn't particularly like school at least he trys hard and is a well behaved and likeable student.

And Miss Livee - 2011 was her last year at primary school. Next year she is off to Junior High. I am so proud of her achievements this year. She has done so well academically, in hockey, netball and golf and in her personal development (ie her confidence). She too has a glowing school report and she got the cup/trophy for Year 6 Girl "All Round" Excellence.

Wow - My kids may lack physical ability but they make up for it in brains and personality!!!

Saturday, December 10, 2011

"CAN YOU IMAGINE" by Miss Livee

This is a poem Miss Livee wrote at school a month ago and I've been meaning to post it.

CAN YOU IMAGINE

"Can you imagine a perfect world where the sun would always shine,
A world where the trees would talk and guide you,
A world where the birds were like angels,
A world where miracles actually exist,
A world where you do count,
A world where peace came to stay,
A world where you don't have to be afraid to be yourself,
A world where no criminal roams,
A world where you can still talk to your lost ones,
A world where people don't judge you on your looks,
A world where personality is the key,
A world where anything is possible,
A world where dreams are reality,
A world where you can have any super power like invincibility or time travel,
A world where I can't is I can,
A world where crying is laughing,
A world where your future is in your hands!"

Quite thoughtful and deep and meaningful for an 11 year old girl isn't it?

She doesn't really like speaking in front of her class (or anyone other than her family and closest friends) - but she asked to share this with her class. When she did she cried at the end. She told me she didn't think she would cry, but obviously the emotion and feeling that inspired her to write the words overwhelmed her.........
She said that this poem was inspired by Corbin .............

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Happy Birthday Corbin

Corbin is 8 years old today. Happy Birthday my darling little guy!!! I can't believe it was 8 years ago you decided to arrive so early.

Lego was the main theme of his presents this year but wouldnt you know it his favourite present was a little "All Black" penguin holding a little rugby ball that his dad got free as some promotion through a building supplier. If I had of know that I wouldnt have bothered with the expense of the lego!

Corbin, who is currently rugby mad, given the Rugby World Cup is currently being played in New Zealand, was also totally stoked with the All Blacks rug that his teacher aide (lovely, lovely, kindhearted Mrs MacPherson)gave him. Albeit he asked her to get it for him!!! He is definately not backward about coming forward.

Tonight we had a birthday tea with his grandparents. He is having a few friends over for a wee party on Sunday so I will post photos then.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

90 years old today!!!

Happy Birthday to my grandmother, and Corbins great grandmother, who is 90 years old today.

She had a birthday party on Saturday. Her 6 children were there, 12 of her 15 grandchildren were there, and 14 of her 16 great grandchildren were there.

She is a loving, caring and very kind hearted lady who would give you the shirt off her back and she knows how to "live" a life too. I hope that one day I too can say I have lived a great life and that I have the loving family (with the odd nut here and there of course) and amazing friends and extended family that my Nannie has.

Happy Birthday Nannie Reta. You are amazing for your 90 years and we all love you very much.
xxxooxxx

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

How Do you know if your CP Child has damaged a tendon?

For months now I have been wondering about Master Corbins right ankle. Over the past 18 months it has got increasingly "deformed" if you like and his ability to put weight on it without pain has all but vanished. Initially I thought the inward placement of his right foot was due to the changes in his pelvis as a result of ABR, but then the pain factor started becoming more regular and now I'm wondering whether something more is going on.

That leads to my question, how do you know if your CP child has done some damage to tendons or muscles?

What if the pain Corbin says he has is due to a torn tendon or ligament? Maybe it is it due to lack of use of the muscles, tendons etc. Or is it the "wrong place - wrong movement" scenario that we hear from our ABR legend Leonid Blyum. ie, The stress created on everything by using that limb (and foot) the wrong way when he does put weight on it.

I think I need to probe this thought a little further. What if there is some damage and I have been putting it down to Cerebral Palsy??? What if ..... 2 little words that cause us so much stress.

That leads me to another thought - I guess I'm at an advantage to some parents of CP children. Corbin at least can communicate his pain. What of the CP child that can't communicate and is in severe pain when they are forced by their parents and therapists who follow traditional therapies to weight bare on legs that are no where near capable of comfortably supporting the child. Does your non verbal CP child cry and complain when forced to stand in a standing frame for hours each day? Its probably because its extremely uncomfortable and is doing the child no good what so ever....

Food for thought

Monday, July 18, 2011

School Holidays Again

I've been rather slack with blogging over the past 7 months - its time to pull finger so to speak. So no time like the present as I take 5 minutes break from school holidays in our house.

I have 6 children today. 2 of my own, Master Corbin and Miss Livee, my nieces Ella and Abby from Christchurch, who are taking a break from the earthquakes, and our dear friend Alex, also taking a break from the earthquakes, but perhaps more importantly giving her mums ears a rest, plus we have Flynn as well. 4 are 10 year olds, 1 seven year old, and a six year old.

I must say they have been really good at entertaining themselves despite the weather(with a great deal of thanks to technology, ie playstations and ipods) so all good really - unfortunately however it is yet another excuse to have a break from ABR. Never mind tomorrow is another day.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Mothers Day

Well today is Mothers Day in NZ. A day when we show thanks and appreciation to our mothers.

Corbin allowed me to sleep in until 7.30 am this morning before he called out for help with the loo. When I went to him to take his ABR machine off he told me I was the best mum in the universe. I love how children are so biased!!!

I was fortunate enough to get 50+ kisses and heaps of cuddles from Corbin and Miss Livee as they snuggled in bed with me this morning. They were both delighted when they gave me my gifts which consisted of homemade cards and a fridge magnet each that Miss Livee had made and they had painted themselves. They were so cute.

Olivia had gone shopping with her Dad yesterday to buy me a little something that she just knew I wanted - a New Rubber Scraper - how wonderful and thoughtful my beautiful daughter is! Unfortunately she couldnt keep it secret and she just had to tell me yesterday what they had got, and what it cost. Bless her.

My delightful teenage son informed me he didnt have time to make me a "Car wash" voucher (what he gave me last year) so he offered me breakfast in bed instead. This proved to be a bit of a problem because I asked for tomato on toast and Master Jay told me he didnt know how to make tomato on toast!!! Then when I explained the simplicity of it all to him he couldnt find the tomatoes in the fridge - they were hiding from him - much like everything that a teenage boy looks for hides from sight. The disaster was averted when his sister found them for him. Whew!!!!

I love mothers day purely for the hilarity of it.
I have 3 of the most gorgeous and comical children in the world and I love them to bits...........

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Shame Mum!

I watched Miss Livee and Corbin set up a blog for Corbin earlier this week. All the children at their school have been setting up a "Learning Blog". Miss Livee had already done hers so she helped Corbin do his.

They put me to shame when it comes to their blogging and computer knowledge. I'll have to get them to tweak this blog for me.

Anyway if you are interested I'm adding Corbins blog as a link to this one. No doubt he will have some very "interesting" and very "matter of fact" posts in the future for your joy and amusement.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

If only the world was covered in water!!!

I guess the residents of Japan aren't agreeing with the title of this blog but when you have a child that can only walk in water then you would understand where I'm coming from!!!

We have had school swimming for the past couple of weeks and Corbin has achieved some exciting things. Firstly walking confidently, unaided, in the water. His record is walking 5 times across the pool and back without falling and today he did it without his wetsuit on (his wetsuit gives him a little bit of bouyancy).

He can now also glide (of a fashion) on his tummy with his head in the water and then stand up and regain his footing without assistance. This is huge for Corbin. I attribute all this to the improvements in his balance thanks to ABR.

Yeah - Bring it on....................................................

I had a little video of him walking in the water but unfortunately after trying 3x to upload it I had to admit defeat and forget about it - sorry.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

School Athletics

Ah hello again.
I've been having a short break from blogging - not intentionally - time just seems to fly when you blink and wouldn't you know 7 weeks have shot by... it also has something to do with the fact that I've been running short of things to write about.

Anyway today I have something to say. Yesterday the 2 younger children, Miss Livee and Master Corbin, had the Southern Zone Athletics day. Quite uneventful for the Fraser children I must say. Olivia did well at high jump and shotput but the running was like watching "Chariots of Fire" in slow motion.

Corbin was able to participate in Shot put and Quoits and wanted to crawl the 60m running race and crawl through the long jump pit but I told him he would wear his knees off if he did so thankfully that put him off. Instead Corbin made up his own events at for the day.

Firstly there was the backward roll competition....

Then there was the up hill race (which I might add he did quite a few times)...

Then there was his favourite the downhill roll..

He certainly managed to fill in his day and he managed to tire himself out.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

A week of accomplishments

We have just returned from a few days of holidaying and boating in Central Otago, NZ and we have 3 exhausted, but proud, children.

Master Jay mastered waterskiing - he can now ski without the ropes on the trainer skis, and he can go backwards on the kneeboard (He was attempting to do a 360 degree turn on the kneeboard but couldnt quite get there, 180 was as far as he could go this time round).

The fearless Miss Livee had her first go on the kneeboard and totally mastered it by the second go.

And young Corbin had his first turn on the ski biscuit all by himself (when his Dad slid off the back of it without Corbins knowledge). I was driving the boat and circled back to pick up his Dad but when I slowed down Corbins biscuit nose dived into the water and Corbin rolled head first into the water. There was a moment of sheer panic as I contemplated diving to his rescue only to remember the boat was still going and I was the only one in the boat who knew how to drive it. But thankfully, with some super quick thinking our teenage friend, Courtney, jumped from the second biscuit that was being towed and in a matter of seconds was with Corbin as he uprighted himself with a big smile on his face, laughing and yelling "I'm alright, I'm alright"

Needless to say Corbins dad got growled out because of the heart failure I suffered!!!