I have neglected Isla's blog for so long.

My sweet little princess is almost 7. She's now lost 5 teeth, and looks completely grown up. This photo was taken yesterday afternoon.

Isla's been doing so well at school. At the end of last term, she won the PBIS Award for her class, which she is super proud of. Last week she had to give a 2 minute speech on kangaroos and their environment and received another award for her public speaking. She was picked to give her speech in front of the school at assembly, and she could barely contain her excitement.

Isla's had 2 lots of Botox since I last updated, and will be having another round in December. Her left leg has responded brilliantly to the botox and casting regiment that her physio has her doing, but her right leg has really tightened up, to the point that we're now worrying about contractures, as she can't seem to get her foot to 0 degrees.

We have a review with the Botox Doctor on the 4th to see what's going on with it all. At the moment, Isla is wearing AFO's all day every day and padded AFO's during the night. She still has canvas wrap-arounds that she is also meant to wear of a night time, but I'm finding this really tough to enforce, given she needs to have some comfort when she's sleeping (already being in AFO's and all) but we're getting to the stage of needing to straighten her legs out to prevent hip injuries.

Isla's right leg is turning in at such an angle that her foot is almost completely sideways when she walks, hence the worry about hip injuries, but surprisingly, her 6 monthly hip xrays show amazingly good range considering her CP. So that's good news.

Tuesday will be a very exciting day in this house, because Isla will finally get her wheelchair! She is beyond excited about it. I've promised her a trip to the zoo asap because it's always been too far for her to walk in the past, so she's really looking forward to it, as we all are, it'll be great to be able to get out and do different things now that distance wont be an issue.

My sweet girl is obsessed with reading, singing and all things Littlest Pet Shop. It feels like only a few months ago she was sitting in her bumbo bouncing to the sounds of Hi 5, now she's a school girl with grown up teeth, reading books and using the computer properly. In fact, she now asks me questions, and if I don't know the answer she says, "don't worry Mum, I'll google it". Far out.

Was it really July when I last posted on here?

It's been forever since I posted.

Isla had an appointment with Dr L today to review her kidney ultrasound and abdo xrays from 2 weeks ago. Background to these tests, Isla had incontinence following Botox last November - cause unknown, but suspected Botox spreading from injection site. Dr L hadn't had any reported cases of this and was quite perplexed and concerned, hence the tests.

...why Isla has wobbly legs".

Back in December 2009 I got fed up with the lack of services etc available to Isla.

So, the Spastic Centre called me today, and asked me if Isla was going to go to the Gym group.

It's been so long since I've updated Isla's blog.

Isla was so excited to have 2 "days off" school. Bless her little socks.

Isla started school on Wednesday.

She'd been up since 6am...made me put her hair in long plaits last night so it's ready for the big day.

It was pouring! Absolutely bucketing down with rain. We had grand plans of walking to school and cutting through the park, but it was far too wet!

She was super excited, mainly at the prospect of TWO lunches {recess and lunch!} and playing in the playground was top of her list of priorities, but with the heavens opening the way they did, they were relegated to the benches under cover. To think how damn hot it has been in Sydney these past few weeks, and since Isla started school it's done nothing but rain, rain, rain.

Uniforms were hemmed and ironed with love, I slipped $2 in her pocket for a treat from the canteen. Her lunch box was full of goodies, we'd been practicing opening and eating from it for a few days before. Everything is labelled with her name.

She's was so excited.

When it came time for her to leave me and Harper and join her class she didn't cry at all.

We were sitting in the hall and she was saying "I'm so excited!". I told her about the money in her pocket and she almost wet her pants with glee! She's in group "Green" this week for the testing and we find out who her teacher is and what class she goes into on Monday morning.

They asked all the children to line up to walk to class and she ran off without saying goodbye and forgot her school bag, she was in so much of a hurry. I walked her to the end of the line and then she was gone!

A school girl.

I met up with her outside the classroom where the Kindy teacher said we could give them a final kiss and cuddle. She was standing in line waiting to go into class, she had already forgotten about us and was ready for school. She gave me a big kiss and cuddle then walked in proudly to her classroom.

My MIL and I watched through the window until the Principal told us to leave {the nerve!} but Isla didn't look back once. When we they were sitting on the floor reading a story, Isla was sitting on a chair, just smiling.

I'm so proud of her. I miss her so much during the day. The house seems so empty. Harper searches for her constantly.

I think this is my favourite photo so far. You can see her in the doorway. She's just spotted us. Look at that beautiful expression, mouth wide open with excitement. Bless.

Thursday was a bit of a crapper of a day though. I called the Principal to see whether Isla qualified for funding {which we were told she would} and I was told she'd receive 3 hours a week. That's it. 3 crummy hours a week.

When I picked her up that afternoon she said nobody wanted to play with her at recess and lunch. She said that she ate her lunch by herself. She said that the other kids didn't want to play with her because she got to sit on a chair during group time.

My poor little girl.

So, I spent the remainder of Thursday in tears. So did Ian.

We took her to school this morning and she was a bit clingy. She was a bit upset, but I couldn't really blame her. I told her to go sit on the floor with the other kids instead of the chair. She smiled a smile like a cheshire cat, and ran off to sit with the kids. I watched her try desperately to sit cross-legged, but couldn't.quite.get.there.

Ian called the Principal and told her we didn't care if she W sits on the carpet, we're more interested in her being included. She agreed that was a good idea. He told her we're unhappy with the funding. She agreed that they'd try to push for more and will sort out the paperwork for us. We asked if her new little friend would be in her class as of Monday, she's going to see what she can do.

When we picked her up today, she was brought out by her aide {who's name I've already forgotten, but I want to say it's Gail, so that's what I'm going to call her}. We had a quick chat with her. She said Isla played on her own for a while at lunch while Gail observed, then Gail went over and talked to her and children followed. There were several kids playing with her by the end of lunch. Same thing for recess {recess comes after lunch at this school!}. We talked about inclusion, we talked about extra funding. She listened, she offered advice, she understands. She said she's already fallen in love with Isla and that she's a wonderful little girl.

I couldn't agree more

.

My little possum went for her Botox follow up appointment with Dr L today.

Happy 5th Birthday Isla.

Two big things have happened this week.

So very slack.

I haven't been in here for ages, I've been so preoccupied with so much stuff.

Isla is doing really well. Just this last week she seems to have grown up so much - it's insane.

2 weeks ago we had "Big School" Orientation and she loved it. It was such a huge step for the both of us. It was a really emotional experience, more so for me than for Isla.

As we were walking in to the hall, she started crying and told me she was scared and wanted to go home. She clung to me like never before as we sat in the hall waiting for her and the other children to go off to the Kindergarten classes to play while we learnt the school rules.

I sat there wondering whether I was doing the right thing for her. Maybe I should home school her? Maybe she should wait another year? All the other kids were SO much bigger than her and more confident.

Then one of her pre-school classmates came up to her and told her she was coming to the school too. Isla was over the moon. Everything changed. She gladly walked off into a sea of kindy kids, confidence beaming from her. She was so excited.

We sat and listened to policies for what seemed to be an eternity before we could her chatter from the canteen behind us.

There they all were, our little almost "big schoolers", enjoying recess at big school.

She spotted me and came running up to me, telling me how much she loves big school and can't wait to go back. She told me they did colouring, and read a story and she made a new friend.

It turned out to be wonderful.

We put a calendar up on the fridge for Isla to mark off each morning when she wakes p, counting down to the next orientation at big school, which is this week. She is thrilled.

I received a call from the Botox Dr, Dr L today, Isla's botox was scheduled for December 21st, but she's been brought forward to the 30th of this month. Dr L seemed to think it would all be a bit to much leading up to Xmas, and I am very grateful to him for that. It may also mean that Isla will not be in plaster for the first few weeks of big school.

What a relief.

What else has been happening?

We're applying for funding for Isla to have an aide at school with her, mainly for recess and lunch times and for sports days. She'll need help navigating around the playground, and stand-by assistance going to the bathroom. Hopefully we'll be successful.

Isla refuses to have photo's taken, so unfortunately I have none to upload of her!