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Coraline & Us
Ways we have grown this month: Letting go
Ways we have grown this month: Letting go

After a few weeks of the sessions, I was asking people, “do you think we should keep going to Small Steps?” and half hoping they’d say, “no,” as that would have been easier.

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Lockdown, Development, Therapies, Attitude, AwarenessLizJune 23, 2021
Bulk up
Bulk up

Me: I mean what do you do when you can’t lift her anymore? What do parents do?

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Lockdown, Development, Monday question, Therapies, Attitude, AwarenessLizJune 22, 2021
Drafting Coraline's Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
Drafting Coraline's Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

Monday question: “What is the most difficult thing you have had to deal with related to Coraline lately?” Drafting her Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

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Lockdown, Development, Monday question, Therapies, Attitude, Awareness, Education, EHCPLizJune 21, 2021
Kevin's fourth Father's Day
Kevin's fourth Father's Day

Happy Father’s Day Kevin! You make everyday so much fun for Coraline.

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Lockdown, AttitudeLizJune 20, 2021
Sweetest thing
Sweetest thing

Monday question, “What is one of the sweetest things Coraline is currently doing?”

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Lockdown, Development, Monday question, SpeechLizJune 14, 2021
Stepping along
Stepping along

All of a sudden Coraline’s preferred way to move around is to take both our hands and step along with us holding them.

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Lockdown, DevelopmentLizJune 6, 2021
Noticing
Noticing

The way he said her name was infused with exhuberance, happiness, excitement to see her and an air of, “oh look Coraline’s here”.

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Lockdown, Attitude, Development, Speech, Awareness, EducationLizJune 5, 2021
BAPS SEND Blogging Awards nominations 2021
BAPS SEND Blogging Awards nominations 2021

I would be so grateful if you would consider nominating me in the category "The truth about SEND".

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Lockdown, Attitude, Development, Therapies, Awareness, AwardsLizMay 31, 2021
Relationship with Coraline's therapists
Relationship with Coraline's therapists

Monday question, “What is your relationship like with Coraline’s therapists?”

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Lockdown, Development, Monday question, TherapiesLizMay 24, 2021
Favourite possession
Favourite possession

Monday blogging question: “What is Coraline’s most treasured possession?”

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Lockdown, Development, Monday questionLizMay 17, 2021
Real sheep
Real sheep

Coraline’s favourite song is Old McDonald and she can do the sounds for the animals (though she does not yet have words).

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Lockdown, Attitude, Development, Therapies, SpeechLizMay 16, 2021
A game of two halves
A game of two halves

The point is being brave enough to keep going to Small Steps each week, with the belief she will settle, and trusting our instinct that it’s really good for her.

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Lockdown, Attitude, Development, TherapiesLizMay 11, 2021
Being a parent of a child with SEN
Being a parent of a child with SEN

Monday blogging question: “What does being a parent of a child with special educational needs feel like to you?”

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Lockdown, Development, Monday questionLizMay 10, 2021
Where did you grow up?
Where did you grow up?

Monday blogging question: “Where did you grow up? Where is Coraline growing up?”

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Lockdown, Development, Monday questionLizMay 3, 2021
Proposal anniversary
Proposal anniversary

Kevin proposed to me on this day four years ago at Spanish point in Ireland on the Atlantic coast.

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Lockdown, AttitudeLizMay 3, 2021
Podcast, Coffee with Christa
Podcast, Coffee with Christa

Kev and I talk about how we met internet dating later in life, and all about self talk!

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Lockdown, Attitude, Lifecoach, ValuesLizApril 29, 2021
Tears over Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) issues
Tears over Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) issues

Monday question: “When did you last cry over your child (tears of happiness or sadness)?” I last cried over EHCP issues.

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Lockdown, Development, Attitude, Education, Monday question, EHCPLizApril 27, 2021
Parallel bars
Parallel bars

Coraline was motivated to try the parallel bars by a musical book during her O.T. session which she has as part of the group.

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Lockdown, Development, TherapiesLizApril 23, 2021
Out to dinner
Out to dinner

Very excited to be heading out to dinner for the first time in not sure how long.

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LockdownLizApril 22, 2021
Back at preschool
Back at preschool

Coraline went back to preschool today after two and a half weeks of Easter holidays.

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Lockdown, Attitude, Education, DevelopmentLizApril 19, 2021
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Useful Links

Baby Lemonade

Cedar's Story

Noah's Dad

That Dad Blog

John's Crazy Socks

Down's Syndrome Association

Canadian Down's Syndrome Society

Down's-syndrome.org.uk

 

Instagram

View fullsize I’ve joined a group of mums to answer a Monday question.
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Today’s is: “What is your child like personality-wise?”
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I have written before about when I asked my dad, “but why would people like me?” (at a time when
View fullsize I found these pictures yesterday by chance when looking for some photos of Coraline when she was younger, for a guest post I was writing.
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They are from mid November 2018 when we took Coraline back for a check-up after her open heart surgery earlier
View fullsize Kev has been taking some beautiful pictures of Coraline lately.
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We thought, as it’s Father’s Day tomorrow, that Kev could take the floor on here and answer any questions you have for him over the next couple of days. See our stories.
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View fullsize I thought I’d post this which I wrote a while back.
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A conversation yesterday (about the importance of accepting all emotions, and allowing and honouring them, as then they move through) reminded me of it.
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When Coraline was born I was in sho
View fullsize Post 2 of 2 on feeding:
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Coraline has sweet potatoes, sardines, kale, curry, scallops, prawns, this kind of thing.
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She vary rarely has pasta and has hardly ever had bread. Some parents of children with Down’s syndrome have told us that glute
View fullsize I’ve joined a group of mums to answer a Monday question. Today’s is:
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“Tell us about your feeding journey with your child with special educational needs. Did you have to take anything particular  into account?"
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I have loads
View fullsize I love this picture which Kevin took yesterday morning. Coraline is in her new giraffe T-shirt.
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I was singing nursery rhymes and Coraline was joining in on some of the actions to them which she loves to do.
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As Coraline is not yet talking we know
View fullsize I’ve joined a group of mums to answer a Monday question. This week’s is:
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“Do you take notes when your child has appointments? Do you do extra research too?”
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Yes! I take notes! They are almost verbatim notes! Those kind of
View fullsize After Coraline was born and thereafter, I was looking for books written by parents of children with Down’s syndrome. I suppose it’s a bit like an internet search, you keep looking until you find what you want to hear.
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I would think to m
View fullsize I have shoeboxes for each year since August 2017, the summer Coraline was born.
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I put in little treasured items, postcards from friends, or news clippings from that year.
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In 2017’s box there are all the amazing cards we received when Corali
View fullsize I’ve joined a group of mums to answer a question on a Monday. Today’s question is:
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“Are you taking any special precautions for your child with special educational needs during Covid 19?”
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We are doing the usual; staying hom
View fullsize I love how much passion, thought and care Kevin takes over Coraline’s food.
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Today’s al fresco lunch he prepared for her: Courgette ribbons with lemon, parmesan, truffle and pistachios.
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#toddlerlife #toddlerfood #downsyndrome #downsynd
View fullsize I’ve joined a group of mums to answer a Monday quesion. This week’s is:
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“When deciding on school, day care or a carer for your child with special needs, what type of things do you take into account?”
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For us, it’s abo
View fullsize I couldn’t choose my favourite picture, so here they all are. Hair transition by Kevin.
View fullsize I find that I am noticing more after 9 and a half weeks in lockdown. Are you noticing more?
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When I take Coraline for a walk I look out for the flowers, and the blossoms, and I stand close and marvel at their colour and design. They bring me wonder
View fullsize

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