Farewell 2007

What a year it has been. I knew that 2006 would be hard (with a new baby, a 3 year old and a 6 year old, searching for house to buy, never-ending toilet training and all the other ups and downs), but I thought 2007 would be easier. I was wrong. The last 12 months have been so incredibly demanding that just thinking back over it makes me want to weep.

Not surprisingly, the main challenges have concerned my darling Willow (fighting the educational system, getting dismissed over and over again, searching for the right school, doing the testing, getting a possible diagnosis (yet to be formally diagnosed), keeping up with therapy sessions week after week after week, knowing that it will continue to be a battle every step of the way). However, it was also demanding getting settled in our new home and is still demanding to cope with three active children who now all talk and walk and fight and yell and make demands (Poppet is taking the terrible twos to new heights).

2007 was also emotionally exhausting as I pushed myself to new depths. I started seeing a therapist - once a week for a couple of hours each time - to really dig deep into myself and try to make sense of my world and what I want in my life and my relationships. This journey has presented some challenges for Mr. 3x3 and myself, as has the challenges of raising a special needs child, but we're doing okay for the most part (thank goodness) .

I am (perhaps naively) hopeful that 2008 will not so hard. After much thought and discussion, we've decided to keep Spinner at the same school but we'll be working with the school and the educational psychologist to develop a program that will keep him from being bored (as opposed to fast tracking his acquisition of knowledge). We want to extend him horizontally, not vertically. So he'll be continuing with piano and chess and swimming and cricket and soccer and drama.... and hopefully all of these activities, coupled with the new challenges of grade 3, will keep him stimulated and happy.

While I know that Willow will have her difficulties at school, I am glad that her starting will simplify our lives to some extent. She will be in the same place five days a week (as opposed to a combination of kindy, childcare and home). She is also going to have a 3-6 month break from therapy (on the advice of her therapists). I think I need the break more than she does. (We will keep doing her aquatic physiotherapy - but I regard this as a Saturday morning swim lesson rather than therapy session.)

Which leaves me with Poppet and her tantrums, but even those can't last forever, can they?

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I realise I have been a rather poor blogger this year, and an even poorer blogger friend. I appreciate your comments more than you can imagine and I'm sorry that I don't always manage to get back to you. I find less and less time in the day to spend on the internet. My time gets swallowed up with "real life". But I hope next year to chronicle more of my journey with Willow. We are hoping to get a formal diagnosis of dyspraxia within the next few months (because a formal diagnosis will help with funding and support). We will also be venturing into the big world of school, which is sure to be a challenging adventure for both of us. In the meantime, I want to wish my wonderful, loyal readers a wonderful holiday season. We are heading off to New Zealand for three weeks after Christmas, but I'll see you all in the new year.