My new sign

We're gradually (actually that should read Paul is gradually) getting on with finishing touches to the house like curtains. Tonight for the first time we will not have to scuttle into bed to avoid being seen by passing motorists, instead we'll just draw our bedroom curtains.

Paul has also put up my new sign. It's a copy of an old war time poster that was found at the bottom of a box of second hand books at Barter books second hand bookshop - they now make quite a lot of their money by selling facsimiles of the poster

It suits our house well don't you think?

Hannah has arrived back from her two days with Beth in Auckland and was here last night (just for long enough for Paul and I to go to the supermarket without any children) this morning she went as a helper to a teenage camp and we have to do a real rush tomorrow to pick her up from the camp after church, drop Isaac off with some friends and then the rest of us will watch the production of The Sound of Music, starring Lily's school drama teacher as Maria and the girl who runs their High School Musical dance group as Liesl.

I have just realised too that we have invited all families who have a child with DS to a house warming party here on Monday. It will also be a party to wish one of the boys well as he goes for his FOURTH and very risky open heart surgery the week after.

Unfortunately the driveway is no where near finished - I wonder if we could end up with wet concrete when everyone comes? That would be very interesting! So we're in for a busy time preparing for that now!

Noah's sandwich

Noah is learning some independence so we should be grateful shouldn't we? Or maybe not when he uses at least four ounces of butter with a few hunks of cheese in it trying to make himself a cheese sandwich!

days at home

Suddenly it's quiet here (for us that is). Sam and Anika flew back to Auckland on Monday, Beth flew back last night and James drove up with his brother and sister-in-law and also Hannah who decided to hitch a ride and told Beth she will share her bed!
This means that any quietness here is counteracted by how busy their flat will be in Auckland with seven in it rather than the three they've grown used to.
This morning J's social worker and our social worker both visited and we only had the three youngest here. Still while I was talking with J and her social worker and the other one supervised the boys, Noah managed to unplug all of Lily's PlayStation and TV telling the social worker he wanted to do a dance and bring the equipment into her!
I tried to explain how difficult we are finding J's behaviour at the moment, but I think it just sounds like we're complaining. Somehow chaos and bad behaviour surrounds J but she isn't misbehaving herself.
Since then the man doing the driveway wanted to talk to me and in that short time Noah opened and closed the garage door and climbed out of Lily's bedroom window. - I knew I was tempting fate last week when I told his behaviour therapist that his behaviour was fine and got discharged from their service!

Easter pictures

We had a great Easter in our new home. Beth arrived on Thursday evening and was able to come with us to the High School musical dance group show. This group of around ten people with DS or other disabilities has practised hard each Saturday morning for the past term. it is run by the sister of Lily's friend who is about to turn professional and skate in Starlight express. Loads and loads of friends and relatives turned up to watch and it was sheer exuberance and joy seeing these kids give their all, dancing and singing to the best of their ability - sometimes not great ability but it didn't matter - everybody was celebrated!

We ended up with quite a stash of Easter eggs - this is how it looked altogether

we had a lovely family lunch with Sam and Anika and Beth all visiting from Auckland

On Easter Sunday afternoon we invited James and Anika's family round, our first true entertaining in the new house. The kids decided to put on a play and Noah was dressed as a king. At one point in the afternoon we couldn't find Noah, then noticed just a crown peeping out from the digger that has been out of bounds in our garden. When I got there Noah was totally engrossed and wearing his seat belt!

Miserable morning

Thanks so much for all the kind comments on our new home - I'm amazed how many people read this blog!
This morning proved however that even living in a purpose built child friendly house doesn't stop children's' misbehaviour. J seems to always be in the thick of things with chaos around her but never doing anything herself - she's like a catalyst and she gloats over others getting into trouble.
Anyway day started with me in bed waiting for a cup of coffee while Paul did the Wii fit downstairs. I could hear Lily and J arguing as Lily emptied the dishwasher, then a crashing noise as Isaac tried to help and broke a plate. Then Noah cried in a genuine sort of voice and said J had shut his hand in the toilet door, Paul went to sort this out and J refused to apologise giving her reason for doing it as 'At least I haven't drawn on the sofa' sure enough a blue crayon picture of Wall-e decorated two of our sofa cushions.
Paul called me downstairs to help clean up (he wasn't impressed when I said it was actually a really good picture that Noah had drawn!) then when we went back upstairs we discovered Isaac had been into the adults only lounge and emptied half a cup of coffee over the new carpet and our lovely coffee table book called 'Colonial houses of Palmerston North'
Noah threw his new lap top Wall-e as hard as he could onto the floor and refused to do anything I said from then on. He almost went to school in bare feet as he wouldn't get his shoes on, just spent the time looking for where I'd hidden his Wall-e.
I forgot I was the adult in the situation at this point, screamed at him and dragged him to school with very bad grace, feeling quite ashamed when we passed a friend of mine.
I had calmed down a bit by the time we got to school and poor Noah eventually apologised for drawing on the settee and I managed to apologised for being so cross.
I was pleased I had a long walk into town after dropping him at school, so I could expend some energy. I have to say though it wasn't much fun to realise it's school holidays in only three days time!

lots of house photos

OK some unashamed boasting about our new home. There are a few photos of the only time ever the house will have been totally tidy - at the handover from Diamond homes' builder and many of how it looks after our settling in for a week.

the hall way

our master bedroom
and our ensuite

dining room on handover

and lived inkitchen on handover - the aga just a very expensive ornament as nobody could light it

and once it's lived in using the aga for cheating at the ironing (you just leave folded clothes on the warm top and the creases drop out)

the living room looking through to the playroom - note our household rules which are in fabric letters on the walls - it is amazing how almost any misdemeanour fits with having a house that is not safe or calm

and the playroom decorated with bricks thrown by Isaac

looking the other way to the kitchen from the living room

Noah's bedroom with a little bed that Isaac will one day sleep in

Hannah's bedroom - I was worried that the yellow walls might be a bit overwhelming, but you can hardly see them now!

two views of our upstairs (adults only) lounge

and the major impact that building has had on our garden - maybe we were a little naive to think we wouldn't need any work there!

back on line in new home

Well we've done it - suddenly we know exactly what possessions we have as they've all been transferred from one house to the other.
The new house is great - still feels a little like living in a very posh hotel rather than our home, but we're getting there fast. Isaac has helped by already christening the carpet, weeing on it once I took his nappy off for a bath.
The phone was connected today and the Internet is working (it took 2 weeks to sort that out last move) the only thing still to do is get a satellite dish so we can watch TV. With it being a new house there isn't even a TV aerial on the roof. No one can come till April 17th, kids are finding this hard, Lily sat by the TV last night saying "House is actually on now and I can't watch it" I felt the same about Boston Legal but didn't complain so loudly!
The aga is now working and pumping out heat. We have so far used it to dry washing, make toast and very bravely tonight make roast chicken.