SHAMPTONS

 Soft rainy day here. Yr 2 of Covid. The delta strain has Sydney in its grip. I got my second AZ jab yesterday. Now half our household is fully vaccinated. Hannah is in the ‘vulnerable’ grou...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2021/08/lockdown-living.html

Parenting a child with special needs can be so lonely. Even when acceptance is high the difference that excludes arises to catch us off guard. Blindsides us with grief.  We've been here before ...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2016/11/sadness.html

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2016/03/renovation.html

But wait, we've made progress  Last year we were finally able to call an architect. When she came back with 2 ideas we were thrilled. I thought we'd have to add a story cos our block is small ...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2016/03/renovate-me.html

Below is the link to an earlier post. I wrote it when the twins were little and the trauma of their early ill health is still fresh and raw. I wrote it as a form of therapy - to carthetise the wo...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/10/down-syndrome-awareness-post-2-fragility.html

October is "Down Syndrome Awareness Month" and once again the optimist in me thinks I'll give it a crack - raising awareness, promoting inclusion - for diversity generally and Down Syndrome in pa...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/10/october-1-awareness-fear.html

We have listened to the presentation regarding the new 'special school' opening next year. No it isn't for us. We have now had 2 meetings at my preferred High School for Hannah - and I still pref...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/08/one-step-closer.html

We are thinking about it about high school in the Dock. Yup.  High school!  Do i need to say more?  Surely you're already planning to provide some comfort and destressing stratgies for me beca...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/06/looking-for-checklists-and-answers.html

Hannah's first taste of bowling was on school camp this year. She loved it - so today the spy family hired some fancy shoes and went ten pin bowling. It was loads of fun although I think I'd have...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/06/bowling.html

Play is Children’s Work In 2004 I gave birth to two beautiful babies. They had been in my dreams for years but like all our children eventually do – one surprised me from the very beginnin...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-joy-play-brings.html

I enjoyed putting myself into the shoes of new parents to a baby with Down Syndrome yesterday. I didn't enjoy the fear and pain that I know they must be feeling.... but I passed on details of Sha...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/05/top-5-books-for-new-parentsand-oldies.html

If you are new to this journey, maybe you have a prenatal diagnosis, maybe a 'birth surprise' diagnosis... 10 years into this journey it's hard to know what is the most important information to...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/05/a-welcome-post.html

I LOVE this: Please be patient with her mom.  Please remember I've trusted others to stop her beating heart and bring her back again and somehow this feels not so different even though the hea...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/04/hearts-and-schools.html

Camp was awesome. Hmmm - let me repeat that - camp was awesome!!! YAYYYYYY!!! I am so relieved. After a rocky planning session I was very worried - cos although I thought she could get a lot out ...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/03/its-win.html

Well the time has come. First school camp. P and I are excited for the twins but were also feeling anxious. To be fair it's probably the combo of Ps brother having brain surgery today as well...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/03/camp.html

"But Mr Dent, the plans have been available in the local planning office for the last nine months." "Oh yes, well as soon as I heard I went straight round to see them, yesterday afternoon. You ...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/03/beware-leopard.html

One of the first lessons I learned on this journey of a 'special needs parent' was that I was not alone. It was an invaluable lesson. The other came from my children - both of them, but espe...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/02/cancer.html

So it isn't a week since last week's meltdown but I am pleased to report that we are getting back on track. It's early days but the yellow brick road is gleaming postdownpour and I can see rainbo...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/02/tomorrow-istoday.html

This is the only army I'm interested in belonging to: special needs army It's a great read - and a clear sign given I shared it on fb - thenight before the day I just had....

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/02/our-army.html

7.45 pm Unpicking the hem of a school uniform 7.15 eating dinner 6.45 cooking dinner 6.15 arrive home, clearing up the stuff left out on the bench so there was room to prepare dinner and pu...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/02/bust.html

As the holidays draw to a close and the new school year looms large I am feeling a bit sad - all this free time and I still haven't ..... And ..... Oh my how will I ever cope with the return to t...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/01/family-holidays.html

for some reason an old friendship has been playing on my mind these holidays. This person was my best friend from grade 4 through until we both finished teacher's college. It must be almost 25 ye...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/01/missing.html

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/01/beautiful.html

It was worth It's been a quiet week in the Dock so far. Took the kids to the nsw art gallery to see Pop to Popism. It was really good - not a lot that I like (I'm very fussy about what modern art...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/01/cruising.html

Yesterday was spent fruitfully reclaiming the house - today I think it is the garden's turn..... So while I painted some pine furniture for the kids room P dug out a couple of shrubs that were dy...

http://shamptons.blogspot.com/2015/01/cleaning-up.html