Screw Juni - where is Jennifer???

I havent blogged in SUCH a long time.
I think it's just a combination of life being hectic. energy being low and not knowing what to say.
Regardless of that, this morning for some reason I thought of my blog and here I am.


Much has been happening. I've finished a year of a Bachelor of Education. Tomorrow I begin year 2.
I have been loving it. It's put a lot of pressure on me - particularly time pressure but I am so glad I have the opportunity to do it. I know last year towards the end of semester I was constantly fantasising about time to myself to finish homework.


Which brings me to my next topic of course - the kids. Bugs has been doing really well he is becoming more and more interested in watching various YouTube videos. His main interest being Toy Story, Mister Maker and Win Television nightly news clips???. It is quite good because through this he is learning a few more words that he can spell. The other day he brought the IPOD touch over, that he watches them on, and in the search bar he had typed 'Toy Story End' he needed me to help him change 'end' to 'ending'. He can type lots of words now, and often Googles those words - which is exciting. The only downfall is that his growing dictionary in his head is mostly made up of shop and fast food restaurant names. He types: Coles, Woolworths, Target, Officeworks, Red Rooster, McDonalds, Stockland, Kmart, Chicken feed, etc etc etc. Sometimes when he is trying to type a word for the first time he closes his eyes really tight and scrunches up his face. I can see that he is trying to picture in his mind a sign he had seen while out and about and once he can see it he types the name one letter at a time, scrunching his face in between. What I want to know is how can I use his ability to remember and type words to help him communicate. I know it might seem like an obvious question, but I can see these words are not communication - they are objects or places that he is interested in. He can already request places and things with his communication device - but that is where we are stuck. Naming things is not the same as saying how your day was, or what you did, or how you are feeling etc. etc. If anyone has any ideas, I would love to hear them.


Ellie is doing well too. She's just started Ballet, loves going to 'school' (daycare) 2 days a week and is constantly asking me the HARDEST questions. She is definitely a new soul. Everything needs to be asked about, discovered and understood. It's all a mystery.


Well thats me for now. I know it's just a catch up blog, but I'm hoping with that out the way I feel the urge to write more.


J.