We had Christmas in the Bush this year. We visited family in Nathalia, which is about a three hour drive from Melbourne. They have a dairy farm, with about 60 cows – no break from the milking so it suits them better to stay at home have family visit them. We loved getting out of Melbourne, and the Bush was great for mountain-biking, although the flies were disgusting.
Sheena had a wonderful Christmas. She got her first tooth on Christmas Eve. Bottom left, and thankfully she hasn’t seemed too fussed with it breaking through. She was very excited on Christmas day, and was all chat, and all smiles. She liked being rolled around, and liked being helped to sit up and watch everything. She was delighted to have all the extra company. She skipped puree for Christmas lunch and instead had roast pumpkin, and cooked turkey sitting on my knee at the table.
The family we were visiting had a son who passed away a couple of years ago in his early twenties. He had a genetic condition called Fredrick’s Ataxia. Not noticeable until he was about 8 when he all of a sudden started having trouble with reading, and with co-ordination. It took them 18 months to get a diagnosis. Before we had Sheena I had no idea about the emotional turmoil that having a kid with extra needs can place on parents. I would think of the practicalities, like the extra time it would take to get him in and out of the wheel chair, or how restricting it might be for holidays. I did not at all understand how difficult it would be to see your child’s abilities regress. They saw it slowly, and while Sheena had her epilepsy we saw the process happen rapidly. I feel a lot more equipped to be able to talk to people about life’s hurdles these days. I would have dodged the subject previously, but now I know how nice it is for people to show genuine interest. Live and learn.
Sheena had a wonderful Christmas. She got her first tooth on Christmas Eve. Bottom left, and thankfully she hasn’t seemed too fussed with it breaking through. She was very excited on Christmas day, and was all chat, and all smiles. She liked being rolled around, and liked being helped to sit up and watch everything. She was delighted to have all the extra company. She skipped puree for Christmas lunch and instead had roast pumpkin, and cooked turkey sitting on my knee at the table.
The family we were visiting had a son who passed away a couple of years ago in his early twenties. He had a genetic condition called Fredrick’s Ataxia. Not noticeable until he was about 8 when he all of a sudden started having trouble with reading, and with co-ordination. It took them 18 months to get a diagnosis. Before we had Sheena I had no idea about the emotional turmoil that having a kid with extra needs can place on parents. I would think of the practicalities, like the extra time it would take to get him in and out of the wheel chair, or how restricting it might be for holidays. I did not at all understand how difficult it would be to see your child’s abilities regress. They saw it slowly, and while Sheena had her epilepsy we saw the process happen rapidly. I feel a lot more equipped to be able to talk to people about life’s hurdles these days. I would have dodged the subject previously, but now I know how nice it is for people to show genuine interest. Live and learn.
4 comments:
Sometimes nothing but esperience teaches you that only experience will do!! I am missing those photoes of the gorgeous Sheena! I bet that tooth came in hadny for hte turkey - hope you had a lovely CHristmas.
Yay for the first tooth! Joey has lumps, but his teeth are taking forever to come in!
woo hoo.. a first tooth!! that is great! Mayson still has NO teeth. She has been teething forever!!
sounds like it was a great Christmas and glad the first tooth didn't give her too much trouble!
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