Throw-back Friday

Arghhh how can it be throw-back Friday day again? This week has absolutely flown, probably something to do with it being the last week of term. Ahhhh, last week of term, how I have missed you! How it seemed you would never arrive!!
The last week of term is always extra busy for us because it means one thing in particular- Elin's birthday bash is approaching. Each year we have a bbq and garden party, it started when she was one and has just become a tradition we can't stop. I think this must be how Michael Eavis feels about Glastonbury-it started off as a fantastic little party pretty easy to organise and manage and then just got bigger, better and required a lot more planning !! Wouldn't change it though and hopefully there will be a lot less mud and rain than Glastonbury, though looking at the forecast I'm not so sure. Boo!
Anyway how could I fail to add some pics of Elin's first birthday for today's throwback?  Please ignore me, I hadn't lost the baby weight (ok, total lie, I had lost it but then I had an awesome time putting it back on whilst I was on maternity leave) and apparently I thought a white-blond bob would be a good look on me (it wasn't, see exhibit A). However, I think everyone will agree Elin looks amazing - in the days when her cheeks would cover her eyes if she smiled. I still remember buying her the dress from Next, I was so happy that she was celebrating her first birthday. Simple as that, couldn't have cared less what the weather was doing or what presents she had or even who could and couldn't come to be honest. My baby was turning one and we were giving her the best day ever- how could you not when it seemed unlikely  at birth that she would make one hour, even?? I was just celebrating the fact that she was having a birthday, another tick on the list and another one in the eye for the doctors. The tradition of a huge party stuck and now it is even more than Elin's birthday, it is friends and relatives gathering to celebrate her really, and another year of good health. So how lucky do we feel to be celebrating her sixth birthday?  I can hardly believe it, Elin is six. A six-year old survivor.  Every birthday is a blessing and we will never forget it. We love you Elin (birthday party pics will, of course, follow) and we love you all too, for understanding :-) xxxx

Exhibit A. Bad hair. Gorgeous baby though ;-)

Little Miss Serious.

With big sis

xxxxx

Shameless Plug

Ok so this doesn't really have an awful lot to do with Elin as such, it's just a shameless plug of her sister's talent :-) This is Caitlin singing solo during her school "Glee Choir" performance at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod on Thursday (yup, she's the awesome one with the microphone) I was there watching it live and they were amazing. They blew the competition out of the water and quite rightly won the whole thing!! Elin has watched this about five times already and grins like a maniac every time. I think I have said before there's nothing she likes better than listening to Caitlin. Maybe one day we'll be taking her to the West End to listen ;-) In the meantime, enjoy! xx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6mmDydEapM&feature=youtu.be

Throw back Friday

It's been a good week at Holly Cottage. Elin made a great recovery from her bug and has been fab. She even travelled to the distant lands of Mexico at school this week and enjoyed smashing a Piñata (with a little help!). She arrived home on the bus today (or the "Fun Bus"as we now call it)  with a massive grin on her face and her escorts said she had been brilliant. Apparently her favourite bus entertainment at the moment is listening to Tom Jones, which the escorts sing and play to her on repeat, to keep her happy :-) She is spoilt rotten even on public transport!! What a lucky girl!! Not only has Elin been great, but we have a new little addition to our family- the first boy in 19 years-and a little play pal for Elin, her newborn cousin little Eli Jac. We can't wait to meet him and when Elin gets to have snuggles I am sure there will be pictures-a-plenty for you to see blog fans ;-) .  Added to this great news there is only one week left until the School holidays, the sun is shining strongly and we are definitely feeling the Summer vibe! So for today's throw-back I have chosen a picture of Elin on the beach at Porth Madog on her first Summer holiday when she had just turned one. She is looking at her Nanny and Grampy (so cute!) As you can see from the second photo, which I have literally just taken, I think she is turning into something of a sun-worshipper. So happy Friday folks, have a lovely, relaxing sunny weekend! I know we intend to x

xxx

Baby Oleg is feeling better

Well, after a good few days with an exploding bottom and a very lethargic demeanour, Elin has rallied, started smiling and stopped filling her nappies at a rate of knots, yay!! She is much brighter again and stopped lying around like a sad little bunny rabbit. She had a great time today watching "Andy's Dinosaur Adventure" on Cbeebies on the iPad, I had put it on thinking she would enjoy listening to it just behind her head but not only did she turn to watch it she visibly laughed and enjoyed it too! Double yay!! She is still a little stiff and dystonic but hopefully that will diminish as she feels better and better. Back to school tomorrow for you my girl!

Throw-back Friday

Just because.

I will always, forever and a day be your Mummy. 

You will alway, forever and a day be my baby- however long your legs get :-)

We still have the blanket. You still have the cheeks.

We love you so much, Elin

Happy Friday folks

xx

Article

This is an article really worth reading for anyone interested in the education of disabled children in this country. This mother, who incidentally has her own website well worth a look-mamalewis.com- which includes a fantastic blog, was told that the places she approached with her daughter for Nursery provision were not willing to take her, due to her disabilities. Not only did some tell her that she was on a waiting list that did not exist, in order to avoid the issue of finding her daughter adequate support, but the L.E.A suggested that the mother should not expect Nursery care as it was her own 'lifestyle choice' to go back to work, thus needing care for her daughter!! I find this quite shocking in this day and age when all we hear about on the news is trying to get parents back to work after having kids. Perhaps just not if your child is disabled, then??


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/schools/are-disabled-children-being-refused-the-right-to-an-early-years-education-9580273.html

Bugs!

Elin hasn't had a good couple of days! She is suffering from a tummy bug again. It's almost identical to what she had just four weeks ago, so it's quite a surprise she caught one again so soon, unless she has something nasty lying dormant in her system! I think more investigations may be afoot. She is very lethargic and lets just say I think we are keeping Pampers in business :-( She just seems so fed up, it's awful seeing  her like this particularly since she has had a wonderful few weeks! Fingers crossed she gets better very soon. However, putting things in perspective, Elin's little friend Ellie is very poorly again and in ICU. Her parents were excited as June was the first full month she had spent without being hospitalised, but one day into July and she was being intubated again :-( Ellie's parents are amazingly strong but I just can't believe what they are having to deal with. Trying to maintain some sort of family normality for themselves and Ellie's older brother must seem like a pipe dream a lot of the time. Comparatively, we know how lucky we are with Elin who doesn't often need hospital treatment (argh I can't believe I just said that out loud) So once again blog fans please keep your fingers crossed for Ellie and if you've any spare wishes left say a little one for a speedy recovery for our  Elin-chops too, I miss her smile so much!

Poorly Elin having sleepy garden snuggles with Daddy.