Something Worth Celebrating

The last few weeks has been a haze of cooking cakes, presents, cooking more cakes, party preparation and cooking even more cake. My eldest, Ella, turned 5 on the 20th March. She's come such a long way from even when I first started posting this blog. She's 100% different, yet in another way she's exactly the same. Fiercely independent, stubborn and opinionated....sounds oddly familiar... So she's turned 5, and a lot has happened in that 5 years. If you read back through these posts I mention her toe walking problem. Well toward the end of last year we finally got an official diagnosis. Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy. After an MRI and appointments with the mobility clinic we finally arrived at a reason as to why our little fairy likes to walk on her toes! So the diagnosis hasn't really changed much. Basically she still needs the constant physio and constant reinforcing to walk flat footed, her treatment plan will be the same and we don't qualify for any disability benefits (and rightly so) as her condition is so mild. Basically it only affects her lower limbs and that's about it. She's a happy, healthy little girl otherwise! She has taken on the role as big sister quite well. From the moment Kristin (my second) was born she has loved to 'baby' her. Kristin, now 2.5 has decided that she is now old enough to do the things Ella does so they clash a lot now. It reminds me so much of what my sister and I were like. It makes me swell with pride when they do get along, and shudder with familiarity when they dont! I must admit, they don't get along as often as I'd like but I know they will be lifelong friends the minute they realise how much they mean to each other - whether they drive each other batty or not! Colton (my son) was a bit of a surprise baby. We fell pregnant with him when Kristin was just 11 months old. I guess the time it took us to fall with her we felt safe that the next baby wouldn't just come along willy-nilly. But sure enough he did. He's now just about to turn 1 and the girls both dote on him. It's so lovely having a boy after 2 girls but I would've been just as happy to have another girl. I say that now, but ask me again in 10 years time - when I am the mother to 2 teenage girls!! Anyway, so that rounds out my little family. All children entirely unique and special in their own ways. Just how I like it. There is talk of adding to our brood one day, maybe in 2-3 years once Colton is a bit older and Kristin is in kindy. Despite feeling incredibly content with my family as it is, I do feel like we're missing someone. Even when I get Colton up from his sleep and have all 3 children playing noisily in the loungeroom I find myself thinking "shh you'll wake the baby" - like there is meant to be just one more around the house somewhere! But that journey lies a little while off, for now this is us. Duane, Paula, Ella, Kristin and Colton. The Beaver Family =)