HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAGEN AND TIARNA 8 years OLD!

Sunday snapshot Tiarna

Tiarna Grace was the 2nd born of the twins... Came out crying and hasn't stopped since! Hence the nickname "Drama Queen"





Tiarna has a smile that will melt your heart and a heart as big as her smile!



Tiarna has always had a knack for GETTING in to everything and making a MESS!

My baby girl is growing too fast! She is 7 years old going on 26!


I have seen the way Tiarna cares for her brother and sister it makes me so very proud of her!

I can see that Tiarna will always have that sweetness in her and I hope she never forgets how much I adore her.



Tiarna is fantastic at Basketball and I love to watch her play! She does well at school and always seems to have an answer to everything! :P


Of all my kids Tiarna has to be the blondest! Some of the comments just leave us all in tears of laughter!

Tiarna came home from school in a rotten mood... I ask her "Are you like this at school?" She says "no way I have to be nice and good at school!!!!" ?!?!?!?!?!?!? hmmm What about at home?!!?!?

OR this one.....

Tiarna says to me this morning "Mum did I use to be blonde?" To which I say to her "yes honey and you still are!" Her answer to that was... "Oh wow I didn't know that!"

Tough week

Al went away for work this past week and boy was it tough! Home alone with 4 kids 2 dogs 2 rats and 2 fish... Not that the pets were much trouble but you know what I mean....

I have to say that I take my hat off to the single parents of the world!!! How you do it just blows my mind!


We had a rough start..

I had to take Flower to the hospital because she got a nasty lump under her eye. After a 3 hour wait at the hospital we found out that she had a blocked tear duct. They were able to open it up and all this gunk came out!

The next day I lost Tiarna.
She went to a friends house and I was to pick her up 2 hours later! I got the address. When I left to pick her up (putting dinner in the oven to warm) Well I went up and down this street that I was told to.. Could not find the house ( the street is split in two by a huge water treatment plant)

After driving up and down the street for 20mins getting out and asking if anyone knew the house number. The numbers ended at 170 and then started again 279 the house I was looking for was 234...
So I rang 3 different friends who didnt know where this house was. After more calls and now 50 mins of going nutz I found the house!! it was two blocks from where I was looking... I was beside my self with fear and kicking myself that I didnt get a phone number! Flower was crying and Arliah was car sick!

Talk about earning the Worst Mother of the year award! And burning dinner!

That night Flower was up every hour so I was as well! I think her eye was really bothering her..

Feeling worn out and on the end of my rope Kagen was up most of the next night with Asthma...

And to top everything off because it wasnt a big enough week I drooped a boiling hot water kettle over my foot.... Can we get an OUCH!

Priceless

First week of new school DONE

Extra fuel driving to new school $20

Counseling sessions $80 per week x 8 weeks

New school uniforms $300

Hearing your son say he loves you and thanks mum for the first time in 3 months

PRICELESS

I really wish that I had done this 6 months ago! My heart so struggled with making this decision and now that we have done it! And the kids have been going to the new school for a week! They have settled in so much better than I had even dreamed they would!

Tiarna's teacher told me that she really has relaxed into the class asking lots of questions and socialzation really well! When I asked Tiarna how her class was she said it was 100 times better.

Kagen well were do I start? First it was seen this smile on my son that I really have missed! That was the first day of new school! When we asked how his day was he said it was and I quote from Kagen here "It was FANTABLOUS!"

Kagen is making friends and has already been invited to a birthday party and been over to visit a new friend!

For me one of the biggest changes is seen that "spark" back in Kagen! The last 2 days Kagen for no reason at all has come to be and hugged me and told me he loves me! For the past few months he hasn't done that, he has been so withdrawn that even when I told him that I loved him he wouldn't answer back.

It was hard not hearing that from him and then this week to turn around out of the blue... Oh how my heart skipped a beat and I had to hold back those tears until he went away...

A weight has been lifted off his shoulders you can see Kagen standing that little bit taller!

Kagen has even seen that at his new school they will deal with kids straight away! There will be no bullying at all!

I know this has only been the first week but I also know that if in one week we can seen this much change then it was well worth all the pain and sleepless nights to see my son


smile again....

Wordless Wednesday almost

Ch CH ch CH changes!

I am going to pack a lot into this post! Because well a lot happened in the last few days!!

If you remember I had thought about changing the kids school!


Well its done! They start this Tuesday!

But I will back up a little!

I mentioned that in last weeks counseling session Kagen had named the bully's! Well I took the information to the school and did not get the answer I was hoping to hear! But hoped that they would at the least do what they said! THEY didn't!
Monday Kagen got hurt in front of the teacher!

The teacher told Kagen that he knows what this "CHILD" is like and well put up with it! HMMMMMMMMM NO NOT the answer I was hoping for here!

So back to the school talk to them again! Still fed the same life of BULL!

I also decided to ask for Kagen to be retested for his reading level as its been 6 months! I was sadden to find out that he has not moved up one level since the start of the school year! Again I question as to why nothing has been offered to help him?
Their answer "he is not at a bad enough level to require and extra help! If you want to get him a tutor"

Well I am so sorry but that was the straw to brake the dam!

I was on the phone calling other school that have been given a good report by others... I leave a msg with one! (who doesn't call back!)

The other school I call and talk to the principle who tells me all about his school! All about the anti bullying policy they have! How they help kids if they are struggling at ANY level! (almost sounds too good to be true)

I arrange for a meeting so that Allan and I can talk some more at the school! Again everything sounds really good!

We (Allan, me and the new principle) decide that if Kagens counselor thinks it a good idea then we will move the kids to the "new" school!

I talk to Kagens councilor and explain whats happening asking her what were her thoughts on moving Kagan to a new school! She said DO IT!!! Don't think twice about it! It will be the best thing you can do! And even offered to tell Kagen in session so she can help with any worries he has from it!

So from there it was rush like mad time to get everything set in place to transfer the kids to the new school!

On top of all that I had my last day at BIG W! And the next day I started my new job!!

I really hope that the kids go well at the NEW school!!

Never give up!

Tiarna taught me a very important lesson today. No matter how hard or how tough the odds are against you don't ever give up!

I really wish I had the photos to show you this!

Tiarna was entered in to the ALL Schools Cross Country after placing 3rd at her school event!

Tiarna was so excited and really wasn't sure what she was getting her self in to but went in it with a smile on her face!

They grouped the girls in bigger age groups so instead of Under 7s, Under 8s, Under 9s by themselves they placed all of them together!

Tiarna was the youngest of about 30 girls and when the race started Tiarna was off like a bullet! Leading for at least 50sec of the race!

But then the length of the race hit her! It was 2kms long (1.2 miles) and the race she ran at her school was only half that!

A two lap race and when Tiarna passed us the first time she was about middle of the pack. On the second pass she was running last.

She didnt stop she kept going! When Tiarna rounded the bend for the finish line I had tears running down my face...

I could see that she was spent and upset! Then AL ran out to her and ran the last 100 meters with her! SHE finished the race with Daddy running along side her! As she came over the line the announcer cheered for her and congratulate Tiarna for her effort! The other kids clapped and cheered for her as well!!

I am so proud of Tiarna and of Allan (who said that he was spent running the 100 meters hehehe)

Teasing

Tiarna last weekend was been so painful about eating!! And every meal was a struggle which all came to a head last Sunday night at dinner... Tiarna fessed up that she didn't want to eat because she was FAT!

I just about fell of my chair is no way does this child have even a ounce of FAT on her! If anything she is TOO skinny for my liking!

So we had a chat later that night and she was pretty upset over this... I explained to her that if you are fat, skinny, tall, short, long hair, no hair, black, pink or purple it didn't matter as long as you did the rights things and you were happy and healthy!

Tiarna seemed to understand....

until Monday at breakfast we were back at the no eating! So I pulled her aside and asked her where this was coming from? She told me that they were teasing her at school that she was fat... I once again told her wasn't..

As soon as I could after the the twins went to school I called and talked to the principle and told him about Tiarna... Then I also talked with Tiarnas teacher..

They are going to have a IN class chat and also get a dietitian to come and talk to the class and I think Tiarna but I am yet to conformation on the details.

I really want to talk to my doctor about this and see that I can do on the home front! Now please don't think that I am jumping in the deep end! But I REALLY want to get on top of this! I think that a 6 year old not wanting to eat is REALLY something to worry about!

Tiarnas Christmas wish list

Parent Teacher interviews!

Today was Parent Teacher interviews and I have to say I was very interested in how Kagen has come along and how his teacher has changed things! (After this post "Stars and Dragons)

I was giving Kagens mid year report card to which Mrs S said you can read that later and let me know if there are any issues you want to talk about because I already have another parent waiting! (Great Start to the interview)

Mrs S then showed me the tests that they had done to come up with the grades given. First the reading test which aged Kagen at his age level! But Mrs S said the second after showing me the test that she doesn't like the test and doesn't know why she bothered with it?!?!?!? (YEAH ok then)

Next was the Maths test which still aged Kagen at his age level and the next words out of Mrs S was "I don't like this test either!"

Hmm does she like anything?

I have to add here that Kagen and Tiarna are in separate classes and before going to Kagens interview I had been in Tiarna's and the feelings between the classes was so DIFFERENT!

Tiarna's teacher Mrs K has taken the time to read the report with me! Mrs K also has samples of Tiarnas work to show me from maths to reading to writing! Which Tiarna is doing really WELL with!

Mrs S had to bits of paper that were dated from last week to show me. Mrs S added that she did have other work --- Somewhere around the room but wasn't sure about that ---

When I questioned Mrs S about the stars-and-dragons she told me that after this term she wasn't going to do it anymore as the WHOLE class was below grade level! Mrs S also told me she wished she had another teacher in the room so that she would be able to work better maybe 2 teachers?? (I think if you feel like you need at least 2 more teachers helping then maybe you aren't coping?)

I asked how I could help Kagen catch up to his age level to which Mrs S looked at me then looked off into the distance and mumbles "hmmmm welll ummmm no!" I was feeling like I was hitting my head up against the wall and felt like I was getting the run around! Mrs S did say this just before I left~ Well if Kagen would stop talking in lessons then he may do better!

Look no training wheels!

This has been a big weekend for the twins with both of them taking the training wheels off and riding like big kids!!

Tiarna LOVED her Easter Hat

Well she didn't win a prize for best hat! But like Tiarna said "At least it didn't look like CRAP Mum"


She this gal with the happy face! (waiting for the kids at the Easter Parade )


And Kagen with the hat that Daddy DIDN'T make! (Al spent 3 nights making a hat that looked like the Easter bunny! But Kagen said it looked like a Beaver! And wasn't wearing it!

Would you let you child?

The kids are having a Easter Hat Day at school! They get to walk up the local mail street and show off their hats! So Al is maiking Kagens and I get to make Tiarnas! Well last night I set to work! I HAD a great vision in mind for what I wanted it to look like!

this is what happened



When Tiarna saw it she LOVED it!! Tiarna said "WoW Mum you did it better than I thought you would!"

But I have looked at it and looked at it!

Really I think it looks a bit scary!! LOL SO my question is WOULD YOU LET YOUR CHILD OUT IN IT!!!

What is Tongue-tie

Tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) is a condition in which the thin piece of skin under the baby's tongue (the lingual frenulum) is abnormally short and may restrict the movement of the tongue tip

Potential effects of tongue tie
1. Speech development
It is important to note that tongue tie does not necessarily impair speech. Many individuals compensate well and have normal sounding speech, even those with the fraenum attached very close to the tongue tip under the tongue. Some individuals may have imprecise articulation, especially at speed.
2. Dental health
Cavities ('dental caries') can occur due to food debris not being removed by the tongue’s action of sweeping the teeth and spreading saliva.
3. Periodontic health
Gingivitis (gum disease) can develop, for the reason stated above.
4. Oral hygiene
Halitosis (bad breath) may be present, due to caries and food debris.
5. Eating and digestion
Some children with tongue tie are messy eaters due to a restricted ability to tidy up inside and outside of their mouths while they are having a meal. Some are unable to circle their lips with their tongues in order to fully lick their lips. In extreme cases poor oral hygiene can lead to digestive complaints.
6. Sexual function
Restricted tongue movements may affect sexual expression.
7. Appearance
The tongue can be unduly obvious or unusual looking in some individuals, particularly when they are close up, or appear on video, film or TV.
8. Oral play
Children in particular may not be able to participate in play routines involving tongue movements and gestures.
9. Self esteem
It has been noted clinically that occasionally an older child or adult will be self-conscious, embarrassed or resentful about their tongue tie

Kagen and Tiarna's Birthday pics!

Two litlle ballerinas

Two little ballerinas all ready to dance!




And here is one of the littlest ballet girl! (she told me she goes to BABY Ballet)

Tiarna for her upcoming 6th Birthday!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Tiarna singin!

Tiarna is front row 4th from the right!