Tuesday 18 March 2014

Olive climbed up the chair and plonked herself on it, wrapping her blankie over her legs.
"No babe, hop into bed please". I told her.
"No", she said defiantly.
"Why not?" I asked (stupid me!).
"Coz, Mum. Just beee-coz. Ok?"

Good lord, this child has attitude! No idea of the consequences of her actions just yet, but quite determined to not do anything that doesn't suit her.

She has become almost obsessed with a lovely soft blanket that a good friend of mine gave her for her first birthday. Since she got it last year, I've always had it on her bed as it is so nice and soft, I thought it would feel lovely on her skin. Just the last few weeks, she has insisted it goes everywhere with her. She has to have her 'bankley' when she snuggles on the couch, or when she comes in our bed, or when we go in the car, and today she was dragging it around outside while she watched her Daddy mow the lawns.
She got grass clippings and dirt all over it, so I chucked it in the washing machine. She kept trying to get it out, crying "bankleeeey! bankleeeeey!" and when it was finally done, I hung it in the sun to dry. It would have only taken 15 minutes but she spent every second of it, trying to tug it off the clothes line.
So I cut it in half. Bearing in mind, it was the size of a single bed blanket, she now has 2 decent cot sized "bankleys", so she can leave one on her bed and one can go everywhere.
Ahhhh, genius!

So tonight she had her "bankley" and Taylor Teddy (a teddy she acquired from her Aunty last week and has also grown a fondness for) in my bed and her teeny toes were poking out from beneath her blankey.
"Mummy! Look! Dat toe is sneaky!"
Hahaha, I love this kid!

After her sneaky toe had been poked back in, I told her to turn over (she has also taken to removing her pyjama top so she can feel the blanket on her skin..so sweet!) and I would tickle her back. She obediently did so, and I started tickling. After a few minutes, her breathing slowed and got deeper and she was lying perfectly still so I figured she was almost asleep. Then suddenly she throws herself over, grins and says "tanks Mummy!".

I could record so many conversations with Olive. She surprises us every day. She speaks in full sentences and it is very rare that you would have to ask her to repeat herself. She is a very bright wee button, who is also very capable. She loves climbing and doing anything the big kids are doing. She can lift herself on the rings and takes herself down the slide. I love seeing how more and more confident she gets each day.

She turns 2 in 2 weeks. A whole 2 years since this little tornado came bursting into our lives. She has had a lot of attention since the article came out in the paper, and it is fantastic. We have managed to find 2 new people with CMN through the article which is just so great! We are planning a CMN get-together in Rotorua in April, for NZ families which we are super excited for. Another great step in linking us all together.
And so far, we have raised over $3000 towards our Olive's Chance fundraiser. This is incredible!! Absolutely astounding how generous everyone has been. Thank you all.



For more details or to donate, you can go to: https://www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/oliveschance

Thursday 13 March 2014

Love, love, love

This is just a short post for today, as I mainly wanted to post a link to the article we did. We are so overwhelmed right now. The support and encouragement from people is incredible. Absolutely amazing. We are over halfway to our goal of $5000 to help with the trip to Australia (we hope to save $5000 as well). Today has been such a high, with donations coming in thick and fast and messages from people sending their love and support. We have had a message from another AUCKLAND nevus Mum - hooray!! Just what we are wanting. To connect with others in the same boat as us.
I was so afraid of doing the fundraising, because of my own insecurities, but I am so glad we took that big step and threw ourselves into all of this. The positive attention coming our way is so humbling and we are so proud that there are such wonderful people not just in our lives, but in the world. All of this, for my wee angel girl, who has no idea....

Thank you, to everyone, from the bottom of our hearts for making this dream come true for our little family.

(You can read the article here: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/9820680/Family-seeks-help-for-tot).


If anyone wants to donate to Olive's Chance, you can do so at:

https://www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/oliveschance