Monday, April 12, 2010

Soccer



Kit played his first soccer game. I think the grown ups were more excited than he was - until we got there. He had a ball. Hannah just wanted to have a go - she kept saying 'Hannah's turn' and tried running onto the field a couple of times - I was so relieved when her best friend (R aged 12) arrived to play with her and distract her. I think she has enough on her plate at the moment - and I really don't think she'd be able to cope for more than a few weeks in a mainstream soccer team. In some ways it breaks my heart - but in others while I HATE seeing her upset - it didn't worry me as much as I might have thought - she has lots of opportunities in mainstream settings. She also has Rainbow Club - a swimming programme for people with disabilities which she loves. This is Kit's activity. Everyone was there to cheer him on - his grandparents and our close friends who live around the corner (parents of the gorgeous R girl). Still one day - if Hannah is old enough, still interested and it is local enough - a mixed or special needs soccer club/team would be fantastic!
All of which depends on the interpretation of todays spine xrays - I haven't talked with Hannah's paed about the results yet - but when I said I wanted them because her school does gymnastics this term - and I made a comment like 'she is very flexible' (as a positive for gym) the person doing the xray said something like 'well her neck is certainly flexible' - I'm pretty sure that isn't a good thing. Will have to post her xrays to the paed and see what he makes of it all.

If I wan't so tired - I'd have taken photoes of my house - to go with this next bit... It looks great! I spent ALL day Sunday organising the twins room - organising their toys into some semblance of useable tidy play area is no mean feat. They have 2 small IKEA hanging wardrobes - they need a 2m X 2m cube affair which they don't have. Then today I cleaned the back deck and mowed the grass. R came over so together we all made chocolate muffins with chocolate grenache icing - delicious - and thent he kids played together. I also mopped the floors and moved Hannah's magnificant dollhouse out into the living area. I feel so nervous! Tomorrow is Hannah's first 'playdate' with a regular little girl from school (not saying that her other 'playdates' weren't worthy - but they weren't/aren't nervewracking - cos we all know each other quite well and I know where their parents are coming from too). This little girl is a bright one who likes Kit too. She is a 'mama bear' about Hannah and so I am hoping that this will give the two girls an opportunity to get into a 'groove' of playing together. Her mum seems really nice - well obviously she is - cos she has clearly supported her daughter's interest in befriending Han. I mentioned towards the end of term how I thought it would be good for Hannah to play with other kids - in her own home - as there she has 'girly toys' etc while at shcool from what i have seen she tends to mimic her brother's 'boy superhero' flapping arms thing which is a bit offputting for most other girls. I said it would be nice to have a playdate in the holidays - and she texted about it - so here i am hoping I don't wake up through the night like some gawky teenager before her first date - even though that is a bit like how I feel!! Besides feeling a bit ridiculous for feeling that way in the first place.

Sigh - I just don't know how Han will respond. I hope she enjoys the opportunity.
Then I am taking the twins to lunch with some people I worked with years ago - lovely conservative women who are very caring and fabulous Soc Sc teachers. There is a little part of me that feels like I am putting Hannah under the mircroscope - in their well meaning but cluelsess state I think they'll be 'watching' Han - not really understanding that she is not a 'poor little thing' and that I am in no way to be pitied because she is my daughter - in fact the opposite - I think they should envy me the opportunities she brings. Still - as I said they are nice women and I am probably being oversensative - cos they ahven't seen Hannah for years - it will be a day outside of my comfort zone. More cod liver oil Aunty Pat - hopefully this dose will be beneficial to everyone.

2 comments:

Sharon said...

Love the soccer pictures.
Hope Hannah's play date and your lunch went well.
Was the AAI x-ray easy to do? I keep putting it off till after the school holidays. Not sure if Maia will stay still enough.

Adelaide Dupont said...

Did you know that the man who manages the Newcastle United Jets (Gary van Egmond) has an intellectually impaired sister? (She may have a specific learning difficulty or borderline IQ). We saw her picture from 1960 in our church magazine.

She is now an awesome photographer. Look for Sophie van Egmond's Polish festival pictures.

Sophie van Egmond's Polish Festival 2009 pictures

Do get Kit to write to him and he might send his picture.

(I hear there is a new Sydney team in the A-League: I don't know how they connect with the juniors. It's called the Rovers).

Here's the Special Olympics Football Initiative:

Special Olympics Global Football Initative