Looking better

This is Ashlee's lip - post incident day 1 (so about 24 hours later)

Outside - a little swelling, not looking so bad

Inside - not so great.....

She is feeling a little better but still quite sore and I guess losing weight because she can't eat much at all. Even drinking is hard!

Here we have Zachary in his Theratogs

From the front....

And from the back....AFO's and all.

This was the initial try-on. These are normally worn under the clothes. Our Physio suggested taking these photos for reference as it can get a little confusing in the beginning apparently. Wearing these 4 hours a day is like doing 50 hours a week of hands on therapy. Zach is still tolerating them at the moment, he is pretty good with most things.

Not much else going here. A little grocery shopping today, I have also been doing a few 'photo shoots' for people too. All free of course and all to get up some more practice. Live near me and want to get a free shoot with a CD of all the photos to help me get up more practice? Email me.

Here a few from my shoot with my gorgeous little nephew Caleb....

He was such a darling little boy but eventually it had to come to an end....

I also did a small Christmas photo shoot for another friend of her two sweet little boys, making them into a holiday card for her.

A close friend of mine had a stunning little 6lb baby girl on the 26th and one of my gifts to them is a newborn shoot. Lots of fun playing around and of course snuggling with sweet little newborns!

That's all for now, here a few photos of my clan to finish with.....

(Favourites of the 'out takes')

All the pretty flowers

Saturday was the opening of 'Floriade' here in Canberra. It was a beautiful day so we packed up some food, put on our walking shoes and headed over. Although not all the flowers are out yet we still had a great time...

looking...

at...

all...

the...

pretty flowers...

and some pretty decorations around the place too!

We took time to smell the flowers... (in her 'princess dress')

and to spend time with each other...



And have lots of cuddles...



and run toddle around...

eat Salt n' Vinegar chips...



Got 'tattoo's'...



And just have some real good fun!

Sadly we were missing one very important member....Mitchell who was with his Dad.

I...



love...


(taken the other day)

my little...



happy family...



And the best thing we did all day?!



We laughed, enjoyed ourselves and put everything a side for the day.

Yippee!

Today I had a meeting with the lovely Daniel from our local counsel. He is the coordinator of the Disability Services and in turn organises the respite care. Now I must say Zachary is not a high need demanding child at the moment (well not more than any other 2 year old!) but he some special needs that do take up a lot of time as many readers of this blog would totally understand. So I have started Zach (and Anna of course) in daycare one day a week to take some pressure off. I can go and do the exciting things like grocery shopping in complete peace (and buy way to much stuff because I have time to just browse the isles - eek!). DADHC kindly contacted the counsel to inquire about respite and that was what today was all about. They will pay for his time in daycare - more than just one day if I feel the need - you can probably understand how happy I was to hear this! Daycare is sooooo not cheap and even after the Centrelink rebate it is still costing me a pretty penny to send the three there. Without going into detail lets just say it has three figures. I was able to get a day of Preschool for Mitchell on the same day so I'm like totally kid free! Anyway it was an awful amount of paper work but its done now.

********

Mitchell has gone with (D)ExP until Sunday. I miss him already and he has only been gone for a few hours! I still have another 4 days until he is home again. I must say that I do really appreciate the break as Mitchell has been very testing lately. I can totally understand, he has been through a lot recently and it must be hard for a 5 year old to understand. First in comes these two little babies into his life. They needs turn out to be much more than we expected. Just when he feels that things may have settled down his Mummy and Daddy stop living with each other. I'm kinda glad my parents split up before I was old enough to know any different. My poor little guy, it really breaks my heart!

********

Not much else going on here at the moment. Getting ready for the trip on Friday. Just normal things.....For now I'll leave you with these.....

Faith

Today I took the kids to church. I grew up like this, my Dad used to take us every Sunday and I did really enjoy it. The church we went to is the church I grow up in, there were some familiar faces and plenty of new ones.

The kids had a great time. Sunday School Mitchell and Creche for the twins. Mitchell even asked if we could go again tomorrow! It has been over 5 years since I went last. (D)ExP wouldn't allow it and we didn't live close enough anyway but today I decided it was time to return and see how it went. I really did feel a since of peace and comfort and wasn't at all worried about (D)ExP's reaction. He would whole heartedly be against the kids attending. I think I need this, faith and support from some lovely people.

Not much else going on. When we got home Mitchell laid in my bed and watched High 5 and rested. The Zachary and Anna went to bed, Mum and Ashlee went to the Fruit and Veg Market and I laid down on the couch with 2 Panadine to try and get rid of a lingering Migraine I have had for 3 days now. It seems to have worked, currently pain free!

Mum and Ashlee have gone to the evening service and I'm feeding, bathing and loving my other children. Off now to do a bit more of that.....

Please keep Baby Stellan in your prayers as he is not doing to well at the moment.

Lastly, here are a couple more photos of my loves.....

A new thing with Anna is hair......we turned this:

Into this:

Zachy loves his walker - and I love this face!



And his cute little chubby feet! (but not the biscuit on the carpet!)

That's my boy!

Mitchell and Scooter - birthday present!



This photo was actually taken by my talented daughter!

And this one too!



And lastly - The Girly Girl

P.S I've been 'playing' around in photoshop way to much! - these actions are all from The Pioneer Women!