Lockdown…

Wow! It has been a long time since my last post, life has just got in the way! I can only imagine how it has been for everyone else….surviving the past year!

I am exhausted, as I am sure you all are. Has anyone got any tips to survive the remaining time stuck indoors with nothing to do?

I have been following lots of posts on Facebook and glad to see that everyone has kept busy and mainly positive. Hats off to people who have been shielding their children for the past year, I really admire you. We decided that Grace would go back to school in the summer and has recently returned again. It has been such hard work having her home, she loves school and she is such a social bunny she really missed the interaction with other people. School have lots of precautions in place and we felt that it was safe for her to return and she has remained well.

During lockdown I began to notice how much harder having Grace home has been on the other two siblings. They have really struggled, maybe it is because Grace is getting older and is more demanding or may be it is because they are seeing the round the clock I provide for Grace. Has anybody else experienced this? Grace has also figured out how to annoy the other two and throws a lot of stuff at them, just for attention mainly but I can not say that it is pleasant for them. I see their struggles and lockdown has made it so much worse as no one is getting a time out.

Grace will be 10 this year! I am not sure where the time has gone, she has really grown up the past year. Grace has put on a good amount of weight, the biggest increase so far which is a bonus. I can feel her weight now when I carry her about up and down the stairs and she is finally in age 8 clothes. I have waited years for some real weight gain although she is of course still very petite.

We have spent a lot of time singing and signing and she can now say quite a few words, or at least has a go at them. Signing is still quite tricky as her hands are still tiny. Do you find Makton helps? Do the children sign a lot or more speech? I think one of the major problems with lack of speech is the fact that Grace does not chew, she still swallows food whole and we have to make sure it is small enough so she does not choke. How many of these children chew?. Is it common for them to just swallow? We have never had much luck with speech and language, they have suggested some things, like chewy tubes …has anyone tried these? I find grace does enjoy food and will try most things, she loves spicy food and lots of cake!

We will keep trying to encourage her as best we can and hope that one day she just gets the hang of everything, but her progress since being home as been amazing, I can only praise her siblings with being patient, kind and caring and letting her have nursery rhymes on repeat for hours. Hope you are all well and staying safe.

x