Silver linings and all that

So yeah, last week kicked my butt big time. One of those weeks I’ll look back on with a shake of the head and a loud exhale of air.

But there was good in there too. The phone call from a Sydney Children’s Hospital social worker who is going to action some things for me.

The most ridiculous care package of magazines, a DVD of the first episode of the Australian Grand Designs, a card of kind words and another CD tackling something else I’m dealing with from the lovely Leisl.

I won a magazine subscription over at Woogsworld.

I joined the crew of Boombahs over at The Fatty Boombah Club and decided enough self-loathing is enough and if I am that fucking miserable about my weight to go and do something about it. I lost 4.5kgs in one week.  I posted about that here. I have never lost that much weight in one week ever. I don’t expect to ever repeat it either, but it was the start I needed. 

You know that first big meeting at the Pain Clinic and how something had unsettled me? I had the follow-up meeting today. It went for over an hour, talking about Oscar, things that we find challenging, changes I have seen (this was really interesting because there have been loads) and some ideas to help us as well as talking about other agencies who might be able to assist. I had walked away from the first meeting feeling judged, that we didn’t fit their criteria or something, that there’d be a big red flag on our file as a family in crisis or failing to cope.

So, at the end of our meeting today, when the psychologist and physiotherapist said to me that what they see is an incredibly capable mother who adores her children and is very skilled at identifying problems and in-turn problem solving I was, well, I was really touched. The psychologist said that after the initial meeting their view was that we were doing such a great job and that their role would be to simply provide some icing on an already well-baked cake.

Bloody typical. I walk away from a meeting feeling judged and inadequate and meanwhile the real situation is the complete opposite.

These guys are there as another resource for us and that is so bloody refreshing.

Sunday saw us finally return to some level of business-as-usual with Jasper having an extra dance practice for the upcoming end-of-year concert and Felix having his best mate’s birthday party to attend.

Jasper and dance. He loves it. Sunday’s extra session was unique in that parents were allowed to stay in the room. It seems a strange quirk of dance school etiquette that parents are not allowed to stay in the room for the whole lesson. Weirdos. Anyway, I’ve kinda got a total girl crush on his teacher, Miss Jen. She can totally wear those weird not-quite-harem pants with her metallic multi-coloured hightop Adidas sneakers, kicky singlet top and incredibly good haircut. She is awesome with the boys (can you even imagine getting 25 5-7 year old boys to all face the same way let alone do dance moves in unison?), seems to be having fun and well yes, girl crush.

So it stands to reason I totally embarrassed myself on Sunday, going up to her following the lesson and telling her how amazing she was and how much I appreciated her energy and effort. Yep. Creepy.

Felix’s best mate was going to have a pool party for his 11th birthday. Of course if it had been on Saturday it would have been sensational w/ high 20s and crystal clear skies (until the thunderstorms). But it was on Sunday. When it was about 12 and rainy. So they had a change of venue and held it at the gymnastics centre they are heavily involved with. It now appears Jasper and Grover will be starting gymnastics lessons. And also – Oscar and Felix did a gym program at another centre from when they were wee until around Year 3. Oscar hated the foam pits, freaking out if he ended up in one, paralysed in fear as to the sensation of it and how the hell he’d get out. So you can imagine Chef and my shock when there he was on Sunday, bounding down the trampoline and into the foam pit, AND climbing out over and over again. Progress comes in the strangest of forms. 
These delightful images are evidence of my foray into the world of hooking. Also known as crochet. I’m rather enjoying it as I can now produce a square in a couple of hours tops. And you know me – always in need of instant gratification.
***** 
It appears that despite a week of antibiotics Grover and Jasper have been hit with some cold/flu/croup bug and indeed my tonsilitis returned with a vengeance today. We’re all back at the GP tomorrow. This will be my fourth round of antibiotics in about five weeks. Wicked.
*****
Onward!