Hello to you all!

Hope winter isn't too cold for you. We are progressing along. Jemma is doing much better off the dairy products but still struggling with waking at night and not settling easily so mummy still has to get to the bottom of that one. So don't be fooled by the smiley photo of her in the cot. It is just that she is such a placid wee girl with a lovely temperament... from her mother of course!

She has worked out to smile for the camera as well and gets very excited when you show her the photos or videos we have taken.

Riley is pouting because I was blocking the tv and Spot was on. He is also making good progress on reading and spelling- not that we are actually encouraging that but he cracked us up with the poster in the photo. Started spelling the words out and he was so proud of himself. We videod it but it is too big to upload. He has gotten much better at the echolalia- doesn't repeat as much but he has gotten into the habit of saying darling- . So it is 'hi darling' 'cuddle please darling'..... etc... very cute - though Dad doesn't find it as cute as mum does! I hadn't realised I called him darling that often-- but of course he is one!

Mum is sick at the moment so she hopes that the kids don't come down with it cos then her life gets more miserable ....... Holidays soon! Yay!

Jemma wanted to post her news...

My mummy is sooooo clever. She has made me better and now I sleep for longer and I don't stay awake crying and I have stopped coughing my guts out. More sleep makes me happier during the day as well and I love clapping and playing peekaboo. I lift the teatowel up myself and pull it down. What a great game!

I don't even miss yoghurt and my new custard made out of flavoured soy milk is much nice and my poos are orange because mum gives me lots more vegetables....

I am back to being the wonderful baby I used to be. (There's no praise like self praise!)

Riley is having a tough week. He seems quite tired and is tantruming more. He doesn't like failing so prefers not to try and some of the therapy is a bit challenging so he is getting frustrated. It could just be a plateau after such amazing progress but it is a bit worrying about his lack of energy. He wouldn't even walk the other day and he normally insists on walking some of the way when we take Paddy for a walk.

Now that Mum has figured out my problem, she can start working out Riley's problem. It is good to keep her brain working hard.

Bye everyone- peeka............BOO!

Winter is here

Well, our trip to ChCh for Nana's birthday has been and gone. It was so nice to catch up with family and wish Nana a happy birthday.

While we were away, Dad taught Riley how to use the computer mouse and now we have our very own computer geek...oops mean whizz! He loves to play games and read books on the computer.

Both kids were sick last week. Riley tends to take illness in his stride so it is a bit of a shock to see Jemma so grizzly. She has been coughing for 3 weeks and I am no longer convinced she is sick but instead, (for a long boring list of reasons), I believe she is lactose intolerant. So we are now dairy free as of today. We hope this helps Jemma to sleep a bit better because Mum and Dad are very grumpy people now that it has been 3 weeks of continuous bad nights of hours at a time..... feel free to send sympathy vibes :-)

We feel that we have had enough dramas with our children and we would like to settle into having nothing new crop up and our children to be perfect angels for awhile until the next 'phase'.

Jemma is modelling her new 'longies' that Mum knitted and they are nice and warm for winter days, even if Dad laughs at them! Riley isn't modelling his new jersey from Great Aunty Jane cos it is a little big but next year.... watch out!!