Another story...

Abigail wrote another story yesterday. Here it is - exactly as she wrote it:

the vet by Abigail Hutton

once apone a time there was a cat and her name was bonny and she had a saw back so Mr and mrs Hutton toock her to the vet.
but they had to what (wait) for a while until the vet laddy calld them.
bonny was a little scad. but we mannigd to karm her down and then the vet laddy came to call us.
bonny got panncy (panicky!) but the vet laddy was verry cinde (kind) and so we toock bonny out of the basket. and the vet toock a look of bonny's back and sead her back is full of scabs and gave us meddsin and sead what time we mus giv it to her.
and so when we got home we had to struggl to get the medsin in her mouth. but we got it in. and it put bonny to sleep. and when she woke up she was very grunpy so we had to stay away from bonny for a little while. but it didn't last long.
bonny was soon feeling better agen. but her back was still very saw and she couldnt run are play. all she wanted to do was liye down so we left her to liye down in peace.
She slept untel the next morning. and then after brekfist the telphon rang it was the vet She asked how bonny's back was and we sead it was fine but the vet sead she must still take the medsin in the afternoon. so we had a long convsavon and then we put down the phone. and gave her the medsin.
and then after her sleep she was feeling much better
THe END

This past week....

...has been busy - what's new?!!
So what have we been up to? Well school keeps us busy and the afternoons are often filled with errands and extra-murals and just "things" but in between all that we had some time for bike riding seeing as it's been pretty good weather all week.

Niave's new favourite thing is climbing trees and she's pretty good - sometimes I can't bare to watch because I'm sure she's going to fall but she negotiates her way up and down with ease - most of the time!

Somewhere in this tree is a little girl!!

Oh! There she is!!

Kitty-face!!

While Niave was busy tree-climbing, Abigail was trying to get an "action-shot" - a picture of herself with both feet off the ground! Here are some of her attempts - it was more the photographer that couldn't get the timing right!!

Biker-girl!

On Saturday morning Abigail went to her friend Kiera's birthday party. It was a "mystery adventure" party. Lots of searching for clues in all sorts of places and eventually discovering the hidden treasure (the treasure chest birthday cake) - you can read more about it and see the pictures on their blog: http://www.hayesfamily.co.za/.

While we were there Niave went to Kirstenbosch for an ice cream with Ouma and Oupa and found every drop of water in the place!!

Grant had gone to watch the rugby with his friend Alan and came back with new water colour paints for both girls so there was much painting in the evening. Abigail was putting some of her newly acquired art skills to work by doing shading instead of just straight lines.

Lastly, last Sunday Niave's Sunday school group (2-4's) sang on the stage in church. Niave stood very quietly watching all the people watching her and didn't utter a word or even crack a smile!!

1 year old!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUTTONS.BLOG!!

1 Year and 195 posts old today!!

Hip Hip Hooray!!!!

A year ago.

While scanning through some pictures earlier I was struck by the difference in Niave from a year ago and now.

The picture on the left was taken on the 20th of August 2008, the one on the right is from the 8th of July 2009 ( a bit out of focus) - both taken at Kirstenbosch.

Quite amazing, isn't it? Just look at those cheeks!!

Saturday.

One of the decisions Grant made after his near-death experience was to work less. Now if you know Grant you will know that that is something he finds very difficult so 1 way to help him not ending up working all weekend is to have plans for those days - if he is at home then he will inevitably end up at the computer. So today's outing was two-fold: get him out of the house and check out the "wheelchair friendliness" of the campsite venue that our church plans to have a family camp next month.

So we bundled into the car and headed for Simons Town. The Rocklands campsite/conference centre turned out to be very pleasant and fairly wheelchair friendly.

Then we popped into The Salty Sea Dog for fish and chips and went up to a lookout spot on a hill above the harbour. We got to appreciate the view and Grant got to look at the Corvettes (no, not cars, boats - apparently!!)

Then we set off for home and to Ouma and Oupa's house to play with cousins Willow and Marley. Abigail and Niaves bikes were left there about 2 months ago so we took another 2 wheeled toys along and did some riding in the driveway:
(Willow was getting some practice on 2 wheels as she's used to having side-wheels attached.)

"Let me out, let me out"!!


The signs of spring in the garden:

Funny faces!

Last weekend Abigail and my mom made some over sized glasses - I have no idea why or how it came to be but it did!

Earlier this evening I had to fit 4 little girls into my car for the Friday night kids club lift club! That meant Niave had to stay at home. Grant had arranged for his dad to pop round to look at a program they have been working on and he happened to arrive just as I was leaving, so left to her own devices this was the face that greeted me at the door on my return!

She had got into Abigail's make-up box that she had for her eisteddfod last year! "I want to be a kitty with whiskers." was her explanation...this is what she was aiming for:

(Of course minus the lipstick and spots of mascara!!)

Where is the tooth fairy??

On Thursday morning Abigail lost her 7th tooth. That night as usual she left it next to her bed for the Tooth Fairy's visit...however, on Friday morning we heard a little voice saying "Mom, the Tooth Fairy didn't come".
Well, of course the Tooth Fairy's memory must be fading!
She was not actually that upset, she was quite accepting of the "story" that she must have had a busy night!! Grant added that he had had a bad night and was up a lot so she probably didn't come because of him!

So, Friday night we followed the same procedure, I even asked Grant to remind me about the tooth, but Saturday morning arrived and a little voice called again "Mom, she didn't come".

What can I say, it's ridiculous!!

But she has now decided to leave it for the Tooth Mouse because "the tooth fairy is hopeless Mommy"!!
SO the tooth has been left in it's little container on the floor with a chunk of cheese and I was asked to write a letter on the computer. "What must I say?" I asked, "oh Mommy, just write stuff about teeth"!

Well, best I go and check if she is sleeping soundly so I can transform myself into a mouse, eat the cheese and leave the money and an explanatory note as to the fairy's absence.

Ambitions of a 3 year old...

Niave announced in the car this afternoon (while driving past a farm) "Daddy, when I grow up I want to be a cow"!
Oh well, at least we won't have to pay for university!!!

Abigail's story.

Abigail stayed home from school today as she had a sore throat and a blocked nose. While Niave and I were at school she stayed inside with Grant and finished her "book" that she had started on Wednesday. Here it is, transposed just as she has written it:

harry the noctirnle owl Looks for a friand. by Abigail Hutton

Once apone a time there was an owl and his name was harry. and his probblme was that he could not make enny freind's. he asked pach the Jrafe but all pach did was carry on eating. he asked Slowy the tortoise but all he did was carry on walking away from harry. now this was a probblme. harry was very sad by the end of the day. and he heard his mother calling. and when he got home he tolde his mum all about it and she sead I also could not make enny friean's when I was your age. becoos they thout I was to smalle. and now I still have no friean's. but it is your bed time now so harry whent up sterr's to his bed. and he had a good night sleep. and the next morning he got up bright and earlee. and put on his cloths and whent to see if he could finde enny freiands hoow would like to play with him and so he did. he asked Pinky the flimgo but he sead NO. so he askd flippers the peqne and he sead yes I will be your friend YAY he soutd. and ran to give him a big hug. and sead I have been looking for a friend for agees and everyone sead NO. but you have been very kind and have sead yes you can. and whent to tell his mum. the end.

Very sweet! If you need translation let me know!!!

Grant update.

Grant is much better and is home from the hospital. He slept most of the day - with one difference: he was conscious and wake-able! He does have quite a bad headache but hopefully by tomorrow he will be back to his normal self.
The doctor at Constantiaberg was able to find his usual medication (tablets) so he will have enough until he sees the doctor at 2Mil. and then they'll have to go from there. We left the liquid morphine at the hospital! They donate unwanted/unused leftovers to cancer patients at Hospice who cannot afford it.

We have had many phone calls and sms's (from far and near) and visitors and lots of help in the form of lifts, suppers, a plate of freshly-made-still-warm doughnuts (Grants favourite) made by our expert baker neighbour and steaming hot bread pudding made by my mom - also one of Grant's favourites! He has many favourite puddings!! The lengths some people will go to to get people to bake for them!!

Thank you to all those who have shown concern and helped out, Grant has been very surprised by the number of people who have called. And thank you to all my school parents who have been very understanding about me having the day off today. One thing about working for yourself - it doesn't come with sick or compassionate leave!! I really am very fortunate to have such wonderful families at my little school.


Hopefully the rest of the week will be calm and uneventful!! (Ha ha!)

Art Club

Abigail recently gave up dancing and started "Art Club" instead. She loves it.

Today she brought home her first Art Club artwork!

It is a picture of the estuary at Sedgefield. Quite good, don't you think?!

"Netcare 911, what is your emergency?"

"I can't wake up my husband"

This was the conversation I had this morning after discovering that Grant had become unconscious in his sleep.

It had been a slow morning, being a public holiday, and when I tried to wake him to speak to his business partner who had arrived for their 10:00 a.m. meeting, he was not responding at all although still breathing.

After calling Grant's step mom, Poppie we decided to call the paramedics as we were not able to move him on our own.

The Netcare guys arrived swiftly (we could hear the sirens in the distance!) and were very calm and professional. They quickly established that it was either an allergic reaction to or an overdose of the liquid morphine he had recently been prescribed by the Military hospital who are responsible for the treatment of his back. They administered a morphine antidote shortly after which he woke up. He was very confused as to why there were 4 huge men sitting on his bed!!!

They stabilised his blood pressure and other vital signs before transferring him onto a stretcher (no mean feat) and into the ambulance.

The trip to the hospital was weird, I've never driven in an ambulance before and I found it rather claustrophobic. You can't see where you are going (apart from a narrow strip at the top of the windows) and because I was facing backwards I felt very disorientated and had no idea where I was going! Grant must of felt even more confused.

Anyway, he was taken into the Emergency Unit (EU) which was overflowing with people, most of them donning masks as they were exhibiting signs and symptoms of Swine Flu. But arriving in an ambulance has it's advantages and we went straight through - no queue's!!

The EU doctor confirmed that it was definitely the morphine but rather a build up of it in his system that caused his breathing to become supressed and therefore lose consciousness. (I was a bit freaked out when the sister said to him "oh no, we can't give you that, we don't want you to go into a coma again" I hadn't thought of it as a coma but I guess that is just a state of unconsiousness at many different levels...will have to Google that one.)

Another 2 hours in the EU until they finally transferred him to High Care as no beds were available in ICU.

He is fine now, although quite freaked out, he is spending the night there and if all is well he should come home tomorrow. They will have to sort out what kind of medication he can take before he is discharged though because he is definitely NOT taking the morphine again.

The girls spent the day with my parents and Grants step mom so I didn't have to worry about them which was a huge relief.

I have never had to call paramedics before so it's not something I had much experience in - in fact I didn't even know what number to dial and initially called 107 which is a huge general emergency call centre and they told me who to call. The Netcare guys were really great. So if you ever need an ambulance or paramedic dial 082911.

Thanks Clayton, Dewald, Michael and Rob of Netcare for your lifesaving assistance and care.

1st and 2nd...

This weekend Grant has been working long hours with a friend of his on a website that has been a bit troublesome and time-consuming.

Last night when we went to fetch him, he was tired, sore and had had a very long day.

As we were driving home I asked whether it was working better and how it was going.

Feeling very fed up with the whole thing he started off by saying : "The first thing that happened was......" and continued to tell us all the ins and outs of what had gone on.

When he finished there was a pause and then Niave asked: "What was the second thing Daddy?"!