Benjamin George Henry

Just got back from a week at the Craighalbert centre in Cumbernauld. It is the only conductive ed place in Scotland - and it was FAB! It is private - as Aberdeenshire council ill not fund, so about £700 in total a week. But it is well worth it - can’t wait to go back. Ben went for a wee twice in the toilet:) And we learnt a lot of new physio things and ideas for sitting independantly etc.

It is such a positive place, and the staff are great. We saw a neurologist too and that was very interesting. As the centre is just for CP kids its was great for us and Ben - as we got to talk to the parents and Ben was very intertested in kids like him:)

Since the last time i wrote on this we have - Had Ben’s MRI , all came back not too bad so thats good, been to Centre Parcs again  with mum, Phil and nanny scot. Had a great time and Ben loved it! Had Soph, Doug and Ava to stay, been to Sophs as Dad was over from France.

Ben is doing well at school and they now have his walker during the week - he has a better run of the corridors etc, as our house is so blooming small. If anyone wants to buy us a bungelow just shout:)

Well that is at last the school holidays nearly over:) Ben is supposed to go back on tuesday, but the hospital have given him his MRI appointment for then. He is having a GA for it so bit nervous as always. He should go back to school on Thursday though.

Had a nice time in Ireland with mum and Phil. Ben was a great boy on the flight, and BMI baby were very helpful. The weather was a bit like here - sunny and raining all day:) But Ben had a lot of fun swimming most days at a local hotel. We also ate out a lot and went for walks - Ben was a good boy the whole time, as he loves to be busy. But since we have been home and he has had to do boring appointments, etc, he has been a bit moany. Hopefully he will want to go back to school and do some new things.

We all went off to stay in Stirling for the weekend to go to Carol and Thomas’ wedding. It was really good fun and the boys looked great - gav in a full kilt outfit and Ben in a very smart get up:) Mum was the matron of honor and phil, soph, ava and doug were there too. Ben was a really good boy - sat quietly eating biscuits all the way through the service - until the end when everyone clapped - he jumped a mile and started crying. Then Gav took him out and the piper was out there and made him jump even more - so sharp exit to car and a watch of balamory on his dvd player:) He was great at the meal and evening bit. We all had a dance, but he loved the lights - a bit too much he could have caught flys with his open mouth!

Just wanted to update. We are all doing well, only one more week of nursery school and 6 weeks holidays. Ben now has his new computer and touch screen. He is so good on it, picked it up so fast. We were very very impressed! He can play the games and work them out all by himself.

His walker turned up wrong size wrong colour! Blooming idiots so we have another 4 week wait till we get the correct one, our lovely physio is trying to find one to borrow for the summer hols until it arrives.

Also booked in to visit the Craighalbert centre. www.craighalbert.org.uk. It is a therapy centre just for CP kids and we are very excited to try it out. Does have to be privately funded though and i believe it is about £600 a week (4 weeks a year). Ben has a new friend, Gregor , who goes and he has come on a lot - so we are hoping Ben learns some new things too.

We went to see Gregor last weekend and he is so cute. He looks a lot like Ben and is just a year older. He also started talking last year and its beautiful to hear. He sounds just like Ben’s voice, but with words. Made Gav cry:)

We have been so busy for the last few months. Been doing our fund-raising stuuf, Ben stuff and went on holiday for Ben’s 4 th birthday. We all went to centre parcs but Ben got a nasty bug and got really ill so we had to come home early. Really hope we can go back as it was a great place and Ben would have loved it if we got a proper go on things!

Next (last for awhile) fund-raiser is this Saturday - 14th june. 12-2PM. Ferryhill communtiy centre, Aberdeen. More info on www.fund4ben.co.uk.

Ben’s walker we had on loan had to go back today - so we need another asap. Have two events booked now - 10th May in Inverurie and 14 th June in Aberdeen. If you can come that would be great. Finding it hard and a bit disheartening trying to get raffle prizes etc. Put letters into most Inverurie shops - about 50 sent out too and have only had 5 replies of help:(

We have set up a fundraising web site for Ben - www.fund4ben.co.uk

The first fund raiser is on the 10th May in Inverurie - please come along if you can - and if you can help out thats even better!!

Just back from a few days on the west coast with nanny - visiting great nanny. The weather was really horrible for a few days, but we managed to go to the Oban sealife centre. Not a majorly exciting place, but the seals and jelly fish were cool. Nanny took some rather rubbish photos of the seals - or not - and will put them up:)

Ben hurt his leg some how at trampolining yesterday. He doesn’t seem sore but won’t weight bare on it - so had to go to A&E and get it checked over and xrayed today. All seems ok and the staff and hospital were great - and didn’t have to wait too long at all. Have to go back and get it checked out if stil sore in a few days.

Thanks to the Aberdeen Cerebral palsy Association we now have a very cool all terrain special needs buggy. We test drove it all weekend and it is great. Went on lots of walks to test its “all terrain”! Very comfy and cosy for Ben too. And as his wheel chair is rubbish it’s nice to be able to get out and about with it.

Just 1 of 4 we did, but this one is the best:

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Ben started trampolining today, and it was cool fun. It is a special needs group and the others are very nice too. After we ha throughly tired ourselves out we went to Linnie and Jamies. Rhianna and Finlay were there too, so nice to see everyone.

We had a bit of a poo Christmas and New Year - literally-  as we all got the Novovirus and were yucky ill. Ben got it too on Christmas night - with me, but he is a trooper and was a happy boy in no time. Still it took us nearly 2 weeks to start him eating a good amount again. He got lots of lovely presents - so”Thank you” everyone. We went to Gav’s mums for Christmas Eve - Paul , Jodie and baby Lucas were there too. Then had the rest of Christmas at home with mum, Phil, Soph, Doug And Ava the paver. She was very busy on the course of destructing the house - and even knocked the tree on her head. But she did entertain the ill by dancing etc.

I have some photos to put on later. x

We have had such a busy week already. Yesterday we went into Raeden to see Ben’s ladies and of course Jackie. He decided to cry through most of their christmas party songs - monkey that he is. But decided that if they didn’t stop singing he was ok. He then had school and the lovely flu jab after that.

Today he decided to get up at 5.30 am, which wasnt too bad as he had school this morning, as it was Christmas party time. So he got the bus with lots of other kids - which he thought was very cool. They all had a party with dancing etc. Then we went in - with the other nursery mums - to see Santa arrive. All the kids were very brave and liked Santa/ or the presents Was nice to meet some of the other mums - but didnt have long to chat which is a shame.

Ben has been very busy over the last 3 weekends visiting all his friends with their presents - and recieving lots too (Thank you everyone). Hope everyone has a great Christmas holiday and santa remembers where you all live - if you have been good!

We went to see baby Lucas on Sunday , has been a few weeks since i saw him and he has grown loads. He also has hair that is growing into a nice Elvis quiff! Will put some photos on the gallery - cant wait till it grows a bit and we can get the gel out:)

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Cerebra very kindly funded towards a special needs trike for ben - which arrived on friday. Ben had a go around the street and was very good. He could pedal it all by himself, but needs to work on his muscles as it is very tiring:) Will put a little video up we took - when i can work out how to!

Last weekend we all went to Glasgow for Ava’s 1st birthday party - and she has learnt to walk by herself a few days ago too, and is a moving monkey now.