Merry Christmas!

Where has the second part of this year gone?! I can't quite believe it was July the last time I posted...I also can't believe I didn't manage to get any Christmas cards posted this year - so sorry everyone!
Thought it was therefore important to give a quick update to let you know how we're all getting on.
The boys are all doing great:Bren and I are well, if not tired most of the time but that's what you get with raising 3 young kids.
Jacob began a new therapy centre in July where he has a new physio and a new hearing therapist. They are both amazing and we cannot get over the improvement Jacob has made during the last few months. He's now ready to begin walking in a walking frame which all the doctors told us wouldn't happen! His physio truly believes that some day Jacob will walk totally unaided. He is also beginning to speak and understands so much of what we say to him. His cochlear's are a very powerful tool for him as not only can he hear everything with them on but he can also take them off when he doesn't want to hear anything (particularly if he's getting told off!). He's a clever little fella, just like his brother, Samuel. I often have to remind myself that Samuel is only the older brother by 2minutes as his maturity really astounds me at times. He's a rather serious little boy who never wants to leave my side but certainly enjoys having a laugh and joke around. He loves his cuddles and I can't keep up with how much reading he likes to do.
Alex is really something else...I just don't know where to begin!! He is a bundle of energy who is the biggest mischief maker you could possibly meet. I thought I had it easy with S&J but this little guy has me running rings round myself. He's into and onto everything and I have to keep an eye on him ALL the time otherwise there's trouble. If only I could get him to stop eating the sand out the sandpit and everything else he can find in the garden!
All the boys are adorable and Bren and I love spending every minute with them and sharing these good times.
They're still too young to know what Christmas is all about this year but they certainly like opening presents so they're gonna have a lot of fun tomorrow.
Right, I'd best get back to watching over them (Alex is having a nap!).
We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a fabulous 2009. You are in our thoughts and hearts and we miss all our family and friends greatly.
Have fun!
xx

Art and Craft

Yes, been braving art and craft INDOORS with S&J lately. Made our own playdoh, nice bright green. Any bits that were dropped on the floor had to be picked up quickly so cheeky chops Alex didn't get it. S&J both adore painting and we've used various objects to paint with other than hands and paint brushes...vegetables feature regularly and painting on bubble-wrap is fun for them too.

Can't wait for the warmer months when we can really get messy and be outdoors so there is much less clearing up to do!

And just HOW alike are they?!

OK, so I'm talking about the first photo! Bren and I both got a shock at just how alike S&J when we saw this photo we took of them the other night after bath and hair-wash. To us, they don't like that identical but I know my folks often tell me how alike they think the boys are when I email them photos. They must study them in great detail cos they've said even their ear-lobes look the same! I just think this photo of them is beautiful, particularly with Jacob's arms round Samuel. I tell you, it's not often we get them both to stay still long enough to get a photo...and of them both together.

and of course I couldn't not put one on of this cheeky monkey! He really does make me laugh and I'm sure you can see why. Oh and that's J on the potty in the background...

I feel like I've been in hibernation over the last 6-8 weeks. Here is a very quick update on the boys...
We keep asking ourselves where our little baby has gone as Alex is so grown up now. He's starting to walk and is managing to take 4 or 5steps on his own. He's been crawling for months, which is very different from Samuel who didn't start moving until he was about 14months. Alex is very adventurous and is into everything! He seems to have no fear and has a go at trying to do everything Samuel is. We had them at the local park the other day and he very much enjoyed going down the slide with me sitting him at the top of it and letting him do the sliding and then catching him at the bottom. All the boys are very affectionate and Alex certainly likes his cuddles. He also loves being chased, particularly when I'm in the middle of changing his nappy and he manages to escape!! He loves his food, isn't a fussy eater at all which you can probably see for yourselves. He's a little chubba but I know the weight will drop off him once he's running round and chasing his brothers.
Jacob never ceases to amaze us; he is doing incredible things. He's independently mobile these days as he gets around by shuffling on his bottom. He is trying to find a way of getting up and down one or two steps on his own and his balance is getting so good that he can now sit unaided on a little chair all on his own. He has recently been fitted with ankle-foot orthotics which hold his ankles and feet in a position allowing him to bear weight properly when sitting and standing. The difference these have made is unbelievable and Jacob is now wanting walk and is showing us he certainly has the potential to do so but it will take time. He already has a standing frame which we put him in a couple of times daily (to help him strengthen his whole body muscles) and his physio is now looking at helping us choose a walking frame for him so he can begin practising his walking. I know he will be very happy when he gets one as it will help him more and more to interact with his brothers and friends. We know and see that Jacob is totally unaffected mentally with the cerebral palsy and he is a very clever little boy. He loves reading, doing puzzles and is now beginning to talk as his hearing is so good these days. All in all, we're very excited about how Jacob is doing and love seeing him so happy.
I just can't seem to keep up with Samuel these days! He is incredibly intelligent, a very fast learner and such a mischief maker. He too is very affectionate and is always asking for a cuddle from his mummy – or course I'm making the most of this as I know in a few years time he won't be wanting cuddles! His talking and vocabulary is exceptional and people are always commenting what a good speaker he is. He adores reading books and now likes to read stories to himself. We always make sure the boys have stories read to them before they go to bed though. Samuel is not as much of an adventurer as Alex but certainly likes trying things out and loves going to the park and playing on all the equipment there. He's becoming more independent and leaving my side more often which is great to see as he was quite clingy for a while. He loves his brother Jacob and most of the time looks out for him. He's not as keen on Alex(!) but they do have some beautiful sharing, interactive moments these days.
I am getting glimpses of what it's going to be like as the boys grow older as the three of them love a good wrestle!! These days I always seem to be pulling one off the other so it's never a dull moment in the Carroll household.
Oh, and Brendan and I...well, we're just fine and dandy!!

Happy Birthday Alex

Yes, our youngest turned one today!!

I was going to say, 'our little man' but there's no way Alexander is little. He's a gorgeous chubby, cuddly boy who we reckon is going to be very tall cos he has absolutely massive feet!!!!!

Anyway, we have had a great day today and his brothers loved playing with all his birthday presents...luckily Alex liked the boxes they came in.

Hats!

Need I say more? The boys, particularly Samuel, love wearing hats so here is a selection for you to view...

So much news:so little time

Seems to be the story of our lives at the moment...just not enough time to get anything done! Can't believe it's been a month since my last post.

So what's been happening...well, the boys have pretty much been ill with colds, ear infections and asthma continually for over a month. Looks like the asthma is a family trait as it's taken hold of Alex too (so much for us just putting it down to S&J being premmy). We've had a couple of trips to hospital to get them checked all out but luckily they haven't been kept in. S&J are now on asthma preventer medication for the rest of winter. Hopefully it won't take long to get into their systems cos we all need a good nights sleep! Can't tell you the last time we had one night where all three kids slept through...Bren and I look like we've aged another ten years!

We finally got round to moving Alex out of our bedroom and in with S&J. All three are now in the bigger back bedroom where it's quieter and a little warmer. A&S have woken each other up a couple of times but J sleeps like a log; being deaf can have it's bonuses at times!

Took J to Randwick Children's Hospital last week to a CP clinic there. J had casts done for making his AFO's and will hopefully go for his first fitting in 4 weeks time. AFO's are basically open fronted ankle boots which you wear for standing or any feet weight-bearing. It should make such a difference to J cos he can't stand properly without them. He also had a hip x-ray as his hips are prone to dislocation due to the type of CP he has. Luckily at this young age hip dislocation isn't painful but you don't know if it's happened without an x-ray...I didn't get round to asking what happens if they are dislocated. He will need 6-monthly x-rays to monitor his hips. The CP Dr. said he can see J is doing well but the prognosis is that J won't walk and will be wheel-chair bound. You know, they have to give you the worst case scenario and this came as no shock to both Bren and I. Quite honestly, I believe that if Jacob wants to walk he will. I'm not saying that he'll be able to walk totally unaided (might need a walking frame) but he's such a patient and determined little boy that he will achieve anything he wants to. So if walking is a big deal to him then he'll do it. He has and will continue to set his own goals and only time will tell just what those additional goals might be. I look forward to seeing him reach his full potential; he's already made us so proud.

A&S have been attending the local occaisonal care on days when I need to take J to appt.'s that benefit one-on-one time with me. S has begun to settle in well and the centre now take him for upto 4 hours at a time. A continues to get upset throughout his stays and I have to remind myself that he's still only a baby (has just turned 10months). Have had all the boys weighed and measured during the last week. A is only 0.5kg lighter than J; S is about 2kg heavier than J. A is 77cm long, J is 90cm and S is 96cm. A's statistics are off the chart and have been for a while, J is average and S is slightly above average. Do I ever worry about A being such a big boy for his age?...have you seen his mum and dad?!!!! :-)

I'd best go and see what the boys are upto. They were watching Sesame Street on morning TV but there seems to be a bit of fighting going on...yep, we're now at the stage of mauling each other and wanting to play with everyone elses toys...at least they're all hitting those developmental milestone!!

"Honkey Donkey"

Tonight, Samuel was sitting on my knee, Jacob was sitting on Bren's knee and we were all singing songs together. We finished, "do your ears hang low" at which point Bren pointed out why Jacob was looking so shell-shocked was that we used to sing the song and do the actions with S&J all the time when they were little but today would have been the first time he'd actually heard the song!

Samuel then asked me for "honkey donkey"! Well, I couldn't work out what he meant. Bren and I just sat looking puzzled at each other and kept asking Samuel to repeat what he was saying..."honkey donkey, honkey donkey... and then we realised - Humpty Dumpty!!! but of course!