Friday, November 17, 2006

Birthdays, feet and snow...

I'm making time for a little catch up post. So much has been going on but I haven't had time really to sit and write about it. Time goes past, and more stuff happens, and then I never get around to blogging about the things I was going to blog about.


On Tuesday Luke finally got the specially made orthopedic insoles. Remember he had his feet cast for them on 1st October? The children's hospital told me that they needed to be cast, made and fitted within two weeks so that he would be able to wear them before his feet grew too big. 6 weeks later, after hearing nothing about getting the insoles fitted, I phoned the hospital and was told their next free appointment was on 20th December! When I pointed out that his feet probably would not fit the insoles by then, they agreed, and arranged for me to visit the private clinic where they had been made, and were sitting in storage. So, that's what we did, and the private clinic have agreed to see Luke from now on, at no cost to us, on behalf of the Children's Hospital. The insoles are very strange looking, not at all what I was expecting. So I took a photo (of course!)





The good thing is that the orthotist told us only to buy Luke cheep shoes from now on. He says that the insoles will do the job, and expensive Clarke's shoes will get in the way, so we are to go for cheepy Dunnes shoes instead. Woo hoo. I was tempted to ask him to kit the whole family out with them! LOL.

Anyway, today is was snowing! Yes! Snowing! Never has a little boy been so excited, as little Luke was when he woke up at 7am this morning and discovered the roof windows were covered in snow! Sam and his friend had a snowball fight in their school uniforms, before school this morning. And Luke donned his welly boots for a walk through the snowy lawn. Steve went out to the back garden to take some snowy shots for his photography course, and slipped, fell flat on his back, soaking through three layers of clothes and breaking his camera (its muddy, wet and might work properly when it's dried out).


Our back garden this morning...












Jude's birthday was a lovely day. In the morning she opened her presents before Sam went to school. Her main present was her own digital camera. She also got a knitting set (make your own leg warmers), a beano comic writing set, a box of chocolates, Nanny McPhee DVD, amongst other things.





Luke helped me wrap up the presents the night before. He was also emptying my handbag at the time, and unknown to us had taken a £5 note from my purse and wrapped it up with with some new clothes that I'd bought Jude! We didn't discover it until she opened them, and of course she was delighted with the money and the clothes.

Luke helped Jude unwrap all the presents, and she was very good to let him. He was more excited than her I think! We bought her a big chocolate cake, and Luke had to put the 10 candles on himself. He couldn't wait to eat it.

In the evening Jude and I went out for a girlie evening together. We drove to Lisburn and watched Click at the cinema. It was a good film, and Jude enjoyed it as much as me. It was much sadder than we had expected, and really could have done with more comedy at the start before getting sad. It's a story about a man whose life is really busy, with work and family commitments. He becomes the owner of a Universal Remote Control, which controls his universe. He can skip scenes, fast forward, pause, etc through his life.

After the film I let Jude choose from any of the restaurants in the area. She chose pizza hut. By now it was 9.30pm so we both felt really grown up having a meal so late at night (and on a school night too!) We had pizza, garlic bread, deserts, we were totally stuffed and took plenty home for Daddy's midnight feast. When we got home we discovered that Steve had started painting the hallway (Shock!)

I asked Jude how she enjoyed her birthday. She said "it was cool, but the best bit was talking to you in the restaurant". Isn't that cute? She really enjoyed some quality time without her brothers.

10 comments:

G.G.Dad Peter said...

Gosh, what a lot of exitement going on over there.
Snow too , I saw the forcast, so I knew you would be getting it.Brrr the pics made me feel cold.

Those shoe inserts will make Luke a couple of inches taller, now he'll be able to see more, and reach things you thought were safe, lol.

Anonymous said...

Glad Jude enjoyed her birthday. In Belfast it was trying to snow but nowhere near what you up there in Banbridge had. It is so Christmasy now - dont you think? Both you and Steve are extremely lucky parents to have such lovely children

Sandra

Anonymous said...

I'll be furious if it snoqws while I'm locked away! Judes birthday sounds great, its so cute that luke was so into it and just be glad he didnt take a £20 note!
How's steves camera now? Poor thing.
Hans

Classroomfree said...

had to chuckle at Lukes money offering :-) Birthday sound great, and what an extra special time with her brothers in the restaurant. Priceless.

Tammy said...

Wow snow, how beautiful! Being here in sunny CA, I do miss the snow so much, especially at xmas time. I'm glad that Jude had a great birthday. I always ask my kids at the end of the day, if they enjoyed thier day.

Thanks for being such a good friend Hazel!! Just wish you weren't thousands of miles away. Your words really do help though, and blogging has really done wonders for me too.

Anonymous said...

Snow? Wow, lucky things, we've had gale force winds trying to rip the roof off but no snow in sight.

Jude's birthday sounds idyllic. Very grown up to go to the cinema and have pizza together.

Tammy said...

Just wondering, if you dont' mind me asking, what the insoles will do for Luke?

Anonymous said...

oooh! SNOW! We don't get near as much snow here as my boys would like. About 6 years ago we had lots of snow that actually stayed around for a while. We bought them a sled....and they haven't used it since. They keep hoping though

dawniy. said...

wow they all look so happy and rosie :-) lovely!

Hazel said...

Hi Tammy
Lukes ankles have no strength in them. When he walks his ankles turn inwards towards each other, which make his knees turn aswell. he has no arches in his feet, which is not uncommon, but his tendons are so stretchy and flexible that his legs just will bend all over the place. This insoles were moulded to his feet and made to fit exactly. They lift his feet up and outwards, make him an inch taller, lol, and straighten up his legs. They are hoping that his feet will grow to the new shape of the insoles so that he can walk without them one day. He didn't walk until just before his 2nd birthday.