Summer holidays

We're over half way through the summer break and looking back over the past few weeks there's so much that has happened that I could be here all day and bore you so I'll try and keep it brief!

The first week was as expected; we were prepared and knew what to expect with the change of routine - no school run, Esther at home and no nursery or portage. Reuben was very unsettled, frustrated and vented his frustration on the doors, furniture and throwing himself around the floor screaming quite a lot and trying to escape the house at the usual times when he knew we should be going out to collect Esther or when portage usually arrive. It was difficult to explain to him the changes but as each day went on he gradually became less anxious and frustrated.

We have now seen the speech and language therapist who has drawn up for us a plan and a 6 week course to begin in September after the multi-disciplinary assessment meeting with the other teams who are involved in Reuben's care - paediatrician, portage, occupation therapist, physiotherapist, nursery workers, slt and educational psychology. So we'll see what happens, we have already begun to use the materials she has given us and read through the books and things so we can help him understand more.

We managed with a bit of jiggling around with appointments to enjoy our first ever full week away in 9 years! We went to Devon and we were apprehensive that Reuben would be unsettled at the change, and although he did have a couple of minor wobblies, all in all he managed very well with all the changes and we were quite relieved! He loved that we stayed on a farm and he was able to go and feed the pigs and chickens in the morning and run around in the space outside. We visited lots of places and he enjoyed the dinosaur museum, steam train ride, ice creams and lots of other days out - here are some photos!