My Camera Never Lies

Had planned to post a video of Babs in action helping out his ould ma in the kitchen...but it didn't happen...will keep trying

We have just finished our second video for the Earlybird course...one of me playing with Babs and a 'toy'...we did not prepare earlier...

To think I thought playing without a toy was gonna be the tuff one...it was easier.

Could not think of what to play to 'show off' if you like his strengths and communication skills.. so we used a wee opposites jigsaw and practiced 5 minutes before the camera came (15 mins early - thanks girls).. think it worked better unrehearsed...it's done now so next thursday will show how good or bad we performed...they were quite happy with it.

I just love this photo of Babs with his sister...not a clear one but shows how well they get on..he will do anything for her...which is great when it comes to his colouring homework..he does not like it...can't concentrate on the smaller objects to be coloured and trees have so many leaves...but once she says come on let's colour he will happily sit with her and do it...she uses the same lingo I do to get him motivated just her way seems to work better...can learn a lot from my kids...

These Are A Few Of My Favourite Things

Yeaah av been tagged again...Hammie must know I'm struggling these days and this is the perfect excuse for a lazy blogger...the 11 little things about me under the "My Favourite" headings are:



1. Clothes Shop: without doubt New Look - the only shop I go into where I always leave with loads..


2. Furniture Shop: Land of Furniture - locally made and sold.


3. Sweet: Bounty - the taste of paradise indeed..milk chocolate not a fan of dark choccie.

4. City: Galway..oh Galway.. oh the stories I could tell you bout my times in Galway..they would curl your hair....the skeff - location of the best eVer week end with a girlfriend.


5. Drink: (Smirnoff) Vodka & Coke with NO ice and Cosmopolitans..deelish!



6. Music: Am digging the R n B scene at the moment but am true to my roots am a Trad Irish girl to the core..nothing I enjoy more than singing rebel songs at 4 a.m. at friends house (no kids and no close neighbours) as loud as we like..so if ever you pass by and hear really bad singing about evictions round the lovely lough sheelin you can bet I'm in there. Nick I'm feelin the connection.


7. TV Series: Dont even have to think about this one definitely The Bill - Smithy makes me melt just wish it was on 7 nights a week.


8. Film: Titanic - love it so much saw it 6 times in cinema, bought CD, Video & DVD and know it pretty much word for word..





9. Workout: Swimming - my only form of excercise apart from the..u know..don't make me spell it out.....learned how to a couple of years ago..swim that is...in Kells Swimming Pool - the best instructors you'll find anywhere.


10. Pastries: My Ma's apple tart with lashings of cream..if only I had a picture!


11. Coffee: Sorry to let the side down but gonna have to pass on this - not a coffee drinker - my only MUST have caffeine kick comes from Coca Cola...diet, zero get away from me!!!

I am only going to tag 1 person for this and its a new blog discovery with a lot of reading so if you please lynanne, by way of introduction feel free to give it a lash...

Take A Bow

Have you noticed my award...can you see it??? I got it from Hammie you know!



It has made my day..have been out of sorts last 2 days...vomiting bug hit the house on Friday night..wee boy threw up no less than 7 times and Babs 3..their room smells horrid..dettol and febreeze reeks. So got little to no sleep. Then Saturday night Sunday morning girl number 2 had her turn..lots of false starts then bingo she filled the appropriately placed basin sparing me the change of bedclothes as was well and truly running low on supplies. Seems to last the 24hrs and thats it..so 3 kids down and 1 to go and go she did at 4am this morning and at 4.30, 4.45, 5.10, 7am and finally 11am. Her Dad joined her at 7 am. The rumblings in my tummy let me know I wasn't going unscathed..and head down loo at 2pm and finally the biggie earlier tonight..feel a lot better..



House has not been cleaned all day and due a visit from the Earlybird video cameras tomorrow..lets hope the zoom is not working..


Anyway back to my award..I am to bestow it on some other deserving bloggers most of which have already received it...but that is irrelevant it seems so take your seats and enjoy the 2008 Sesame Blog Award ceremony. First up, in the category of

• Best Entertainment - the award goes to Jazzy - just look at her step it out!

• Breast Female Role Model - this was tough competition but the clear winner is Cathal's Mammy for 'supporting' (couldn't resist) the breast is best campaign, getting carrots into Cathal and telling it like it is...oh and drinking the most cups of tea in a week!

• Best Supporting Parent - without doubt goes to Cathal's Mammy's Mammy - NanP.

• Best Mini Series - goes to Jacob for his role in "Caca in my Pants" and although no fan of award ceremonies I hope Nick will pick up this award on Jacob's behalf...(dirty trick I know, so sue me)

• Keeping It Real Award goes to Danielle for her lovely family blog..and she has sunshine!

My last award of the evening is a special award, most award ceremonies have their lifetime achievement award at the end and the Sesames are no different...the recipient is a mum to 2 wonderful children Boo & Bratty, has put up with neighbours from hell, has successfully managed to get her children into fabulous school where they are doing well, has helped/advised so many parents on the rollercoaster website..myself included...then entered the blogworld and in no time clocked up thousands of hits...she is a wonderful mother, wife, writer, friend, advocate..she has recently crossed over to the fashion side of blogging proving she is definitely not a 'one trick pony'...this woman can do no wrong...so please be upstanding and welcome to the stage to collect her award the amazing Hammie....

Thank you and goodnight from the Sesames.

Dammit I forgot the rules for the winners:
1. The winners are allowed to put the picture on their blogs. (√)
2. Link to the person who awarded you. (√)
3. Nominate seven other people and link to them.
4. Leave a message on those people's blog to make them aware that they're nominated.

Sisters Are Doin It For Themselves

Am a couple of weeks into the Earlybird Programme and loving it...pity I couldn't have done it last year when Babs was newly diagnosed and I hadn't a clue..what I wouldn't have done to talk to some other parent in a similar position..

The group is a lovely mix of parents some newly diagnosed and others around same stage as us, a year further down the road..all our kids are of similar age and all boys...am learning something new each week..am amazed at how many autistic children there are in our area and yet we have no autism support group.

Met C, a girl I had worked with in Dunnes 13 years ago doing the Earlybird...We have a mutual friend E on the course too..From chatting to these 2 moms it seems we have an interest in meeting for a coffee and a chat..nothing heavy and def no fundraising involved...so watch this space..could be the start of something big..

You're The One That I Want

Figured it's about time I returned to this..got distracted...Jazzy's managing to get her 'slice' between rehearsals so there's no excuse for me..I haven't been any more busy than normal just not motivated...and my broadband man tells me to slow the pace on my addictions as I've used up my limit for the month so no uploading or downloading...bummer...thank the lord for great sisters with laptops who know how to share to prevent me getting the shakes...


I have been analysing my life lately, the effects of meeting up with people from the past in cyberspace...the girls decided to enquire how their Dad and I met and why we got married... didn't obviously go into the nitty gritty but told them we met in the hospital first and then in a nightclub and was love at first sight..not..

My first encounter with my beloved was when he told me to take my top off but to leave my bra on!!...I kid u not..Mr Sesame is a Radiographer and I had been sent for a chest x-ray following a TB scare on the ward I was working on..guess I must have impressed him!!...sorry couldn't resist...all the trainee nurses were mad about him, couldn't see the attraction myself, he would walk round with his head to the floor..not a very confident chap..


Anyway I stayed in my sister's gaff one Thursday night, in town and we hit the tiles...I was having a great evening with my sis and her mates in the pub when in walks this guy with a crowd of women...I sat up and took notice..(still remember what he was wearing and strangely enough he remembers what I was wearing..true love). I said to sis 'who's the hottie with elaine & co'..She said that's Mr Sesame from x-ray..says I, 'no way! gosh he's cute, wouldn't recognise him out of his uniform'...so himself and that crowd of women joined our table as they all work together in the hospital...I was getting lots of attention being B's sister and the drinks were gliding down...as we were leaving to move onto a karaoke bar Karl (a guy I had the hots for from college) came out after me and asked me to stay for a drink with him. Couldn't believe I hadn't seen him come in. I sooo wanted stay drinking with Karl but the girls were calling me on..'Please' he said 'have one with me, catch them up later if you want'... my heart ached as I kissed him on the cheek and said to meet me later in the nightclub. He didn't...


At the karaoke bar my sister's flatmate (the only one not on the hospitals payroll) was passing notes back and forth to my sis stating that she was gonna have Mr Sesame by the end of the night...Sis was telling me if I was interested to make a move before she got her claws into him..and so the challenge was set..I still hadn't even spoken to him and Michelle was rubbing his leg at every opportunity..this was gonna be tuff...few more drinks and off to the nightclub..met my now sis-in-law, just inside the door..'What are you doin here?' she asked..I pointed to mr sesame who was now sitting having a pint and said 'see him over there..thats why I'm here..he's mine'..we laughed then I headed in his direction, sat myself on his knee, totally uninvited, giggled, said something and we kissed...I know, I can hear you scream 'tart' at me..but hey from that minute he was mine..sorry Michelle..snooze u lose! She was happy to move on to her next victim..I was chatted up by another old flame that night and mr sesame got annoyed and went home..so my victory was short lived...Didn't see him till 3 weeks later and after apologising for being chatted up we picked up where we left off...and the rest is history..and the future..


Saw Karl at college the next week and apologised for not staying and hoping he would ask me out again. He understood the girl pressure thing and said I probably had a better night with them..I asked why he didn't come to the nightclub and he said he just went home after I'd gone...we agreed to go for drinks together but never said when...we never did get for drinks...less than a year later Karl took his own life..completely wrecked my head for a while...I think of Karl on occasion and wonder, as you do, what if? But what's for you won't pass you..

Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now

Hammie got me rattled a bit some time ago talking about macros and micros and where we fit in to that picture. Am convinced this woman is psychic..just at the time she challenged me I had to face up to the situation..

Rewind...growing up I watched my Dad throw himself into organisations that benefitted probably everyone but himself..church gate collections, sponsorship cards for IWA, various walks and hill climbs in every country raising money for his favourite charities. Using Hammie's Little Red Hen analogy we witnessed him restore/renovate an old school house in his own time and at his own expense only to hand it over to the local area development..it is now used as a cultural arts centre, music rooms and offices and he has nothing to show for his hard work except that he is proud of what he has achieved..and we are doubly proud of him...

Since his adorable grandson (yes I mean Babs) was diagnosed with autism he was determined to 'do his bit' for him (well for the team that looks after him)..so he organised a very successful fundraising concert and gave the proceeds to Enable Ireland. He intends making this an annual event, although I might try to get him to divert the money to a different source...So all agreed my Dad is a 'Macroman' complete with leotard and tights.

So did I inherit these macrogenes..not too sure..think I am a doer not a thinker..my brain seems to run to standstill when asked for ideas and stuff..if someone has a definite plan and wants a hand to organise..that I can do.

Now back to how Hammie pricked my conscience...I got involved in a parent support group before we had Babs' diagnosis..via the EYECAN worker in his playschool. Majella was the Early Years Education for Children with Additional Needs worker. She came out to the playschool several times to see Babs and discuss what the playschool leaders could do to help him integrate and she then worked in tandem with the HSE & Enable after diagnosis. She invited me to a meeting where there was a talk on Entitlements. I met lots of parents who had children with a variety of additional needs. I enjoyed these outings once a month but in less than a year I was the only constant attendee and eventually the only surviving member of that initial group..New parents came on board and the group is still going, although, very poorly attended. The cost of the hotel rooms and tea/coffee for our meetings came out of Majella's EYECAN budget (funded by dormant accounts, pobal etc.). She decided we should give ourselves a name and set ourselves as a company/charity to apply for funding etc as her job would no longer be funded after August, and so SNAP Cavan was formed (parent branch in Louth).

A committee was formed and fell apart almost immediately, so just as Hammie brought this topic up I was about to attend a meeting to select new committee..Going to this meeting I had absolutely no intention of putting my name forward because I would rather just sit back and reap the benefits..so no Macro genes for me...however by default I got the secretary's job as no one else to take it..I have been stressed out about it ever since....You see if I am being totally honest, which I tend to be, I can see this group falling apart because there is no interest...personally I would rather invest my time in an autism only group (of which there is none locally). That is why we don't have numbers because each disability has their own support group and who would blame parents for not coming to the variety one...so we are flogging a dead horse..However, having signed up for this I will give it my all (and by my husband's reckoning it will probably take over my life)! Addictive personality again... so am I a macro or micro..I dunno where I fit in?

You're My Best Friend

Well I've officially diagnosed myself with addictive personality disorder, even though I scored only 40% on this. Since discovering the RC I used to prowl for ages before posting. I found lots of great advice there and spent ages on it, the fact I didn't have broadband at the time accounted for much of the time spent..I then moved over here to blogland to follow the progress of Hammie and discovered Nick and both Cathal's Mam and his Nan. Having branched away the odd time Danielle has come into my life and for a laugh Anne is always there. My most recent must have is choreographer extraordinare Jazzy. As a desperate housewife these 'friends' are vital for my sanity.


I sidelined to facebook to catch up on some old school friends..why? I know not! I have no real desire to compare lives. Got bored with that and went to Bebo and am now a junkie...nothing else gets a look in..I can't wait for my next hit..hubby is going demented with the amount of time I spend on it...I console myself that if we're paying X amount per month then I should be on it all the time...I try to distract myself by watching telly and 5 mins later I'm back on it. 2 a.m. will still find me there (and we don't have a laptop)..I need help! Have just realised now that my latest post is about Bebo. I need a life!

Hey Teachers Leave Them Kids Alone

D-day arrived, 1st September, 2008, sees Babs heading off to school with his 2 sisters. The little bro started playschool too, so at 9.10 we all headed off 1 mile down the road. The school's new extension was ready too so everyone was excited. To coincide with the opening the new uniform was introduced - jumper with the school crest and the red polo shirt was replacing the blue shirt and tie, there is a god! Don't think Babs would have tolerated top button on shirt tied and a tie. So everything was falling nicely into place. The only problem we had was getting him to wear black school shoes, he wanted his comfy old reliable brown ones, but once he realised I wasn't backing down and they were just for school bingo!

Went back to pick him up at 12 and as it was raining we (the parents) wait at the door for them to be called out one by one. Babs' name was called when teacher saw me and out he came with SNA. As soon as he saw me he shouted, "Hey Mammy, I don't wanna have to be quiet AAAH!". Did I mention my boy has good set of lungs. Those who know him smiled with their heads slightly tilted, the others, well who knows what they thought, they won't be long finding out, I'm sure. He was out of sorts for the rest of the day, crying for no reason, but he had enjoyed his first day. The little bro couldn't wait to get to playschool and once there couldn't wait to get rid of me, so good result there. Big sis seems more settled this year and the other sis well nothing fazes her. They all went off happy again the next day.

"All in all it's just another brick in the wall".