http://www.hallsplace.co.uk en-gb hallsplace.co.uk 2008-9-2T00:00:00Z hallsplace.co.uk http://www.hallsplace.co.uk/page13.htm#29048 What happened to the Sun I was not having a good morning late to bed up early lots of rain and a headache were all making it very hard to find the enthusiasm to do anything As we couldnt get out in the garden we decided to do some sticking. I am trying to teach Isla more about faces. She knows the names of each part but I want to see if she could place the eyes nose mouth etc in the correct places without my help. We made a spoon person and she even asked for buttons on his coat and stuck a pom pom at the bottom of the handle. When I asked her what it was she lifted up her t shirt and pointed to her belly button bless Her attention span is really improving although she is still very distracted when Niamh is around. This afternoon we have a ENT appointment to find out if her grommet op was successful I will let you know later. 2008-9-2T00:00:00Z http://www.hallsplace.co.uk/page13.htm#29086 Well the ENT appointment was fairly pointless. They couldnt see the grommets but couldnt say for sure that they have fallen out so we just have to see how things go. On a positive note Isla was a total star. She held my hand as we walked to the hospital entertained everyone in the waiting room and sat still whilst the Dr looked in her ears. She was so excited when Mummy gave her some sweeties for the journey home. Niamh loved her dinner of chicken casserole potatoes and yorkshire puddings. She rarely turns down food which is a total joy as Isla was so fussy for ages. After tea Isla was in a cooperative mood so we decided to do some homework. Islas OT had noticed that her eye hand coordination needs some work so I am trying to lots of activities to help with this. First we did some pouring using pasta. Isla was pretty good at this but of course the pasta finally ended up on the floor We then worked with cocktail sticks. Isla had to drop them through the holes in... 2008-9-2T00:00:00Z http://www.hallsplace.co.uk/page13.htm#28932 The girls have had a great time playing in the garden today. Niamh is now walking almost all of the time so Isla has decided that she will have to give in a share her toys. They both loved painting the playhouse with water. Niamh even managed to open the window and paint Isla by accident. The game lasted for ages until Niamh decided that more fun could be had by climbing into the pan of water We then decided to do one of Islas favourite activities washing baby. This time Niamh wanted to join in so we had to improvise and use a biscuit tin as bath tub. Hopefully there will be more sun tomorrow. 2008-8-30T00:00:00Z http://www.hallsplace.co.uk/page13.htm#28933 We have been singing lots of counting songs this week. Isla loves to sing and it is often the first thing she signs in the morning. She has lots of felt board pictures for songs but her favourite is Five Little Monkeys. She loves to bounce the monkeys on the bed and then throw them on the table so that they bump their heads She also loves Five Little Speckled Frogs and knows all the signs. We now sit the board on the breakfast table and sing whilst she eats her toast Isla was less impressed with the coloured water activity that we tried. I had seen this on a website and thought that she would really enjoy the pouring. She loved watching the food dye change the water but refused to do anything when she realised that I was trying to make her colour match Isla decided that she would make her own fun by dressing up in the washing it was clean 2008-8-29T00:00:00Z http://www.hallsplace.co.uk/page13.htm#28842 As we are trying to potty train Isla this week we have been trying to find things to do at home. On Tuesday we decided to make fairy cakes. The girls helped to mix together the marg and sugar and then stirred in the flour. Isla enjoyed putting out all the cake cases and watching them being filled. She then told us that the cakes needed to go in the hot which is her sign for the oven When they had cooled down we had a go at decorating them. This part was not quite as easy. Niamh just wanted to eat the deorations and as Isla has some sensory issues she was reluctant touch the icing but we got there in the end. Isla doesnt eat cake so Niamh has enjoyed tucking into them. 2008-8-28T00:00:00Z http://www.hallsplace.co.uk/page13.htm#18036 2007......what an interesting year First its been a while since I last did this blog. Main reason is two kids Amazing how time flies... Isla has fought pneumonia several times with a few short stays in hospital but like normal she comes through it and out the other end stronger then before. She is an amazing little girl who has grown in confidence in everything she does....and with added stubbornness. We sit and watch as she figures things out mimics everyone and everything they do and cheekily tries to nick the remote control she hasnt learnt that its mums. She signs really well now and knows plenty of signs that we are yet to learn. Her favourite thing is caring for her baby. She feeds her winds her washes her face changes her nappy and then puts her down to sleep. She even pats her until she thinks she has fallen asleep. Isla gets a baby sister....Niamh. After a long nine months with plenty of tests none which really filled us with confidence Niamh arrives in record time... 2008-1-1T00:00:00Z http://www.hallsplace.co.uk/page13.htm#10692 Amazing how time flies Already Isla is two and so much has happened in 12mths. Isla didnt have the best of starts to her 2nd year. 10days in hospital with another bout of pneumonia and a partial collapse right lung was how Isla celebrated her birthday. But in true Isla fashion she smiled and got on with it. However she did learn to flash her tummy at every unexpecting person particularly the men Something I might have to have a word on........ She is on the mend now eating well and back to her old smiley nosey laughing ways. If you go to the montage page you can see her 2nd year in pictures Em is 28wks pregnant and blooming Not long now until Hall Jr appears....... Until next time bye bye Dan Em Isla and Bump 2007-5-7T00:00:00Z http://www.hallsplace.co.uk/page13.htm#9036 As the title says it has been a while since we posted a blog on the page Well.....a great deal has happened since the last blog. Well start with the most exciting news..... Em and I are expecting child no 2 Little bump jr is due end of July well thats the plan. No doubt he or she will appear early eager to see the big wide world. Isla is excited although I am not sure she fully understands what we are saying. Although she does kiss Ems tummy when we say wheres the baby.....very cute Em has started as a consultant for Captain Tortue a childrens clothing range see the Captain Tortue page for more details. With all good news there is always some bad. Isla was taken into hospital early Jan 07 with pneumonia......4 days of pretty much hell but she showed her fighting spirit and as a result of her little visit Isla has come on laps and bounds. She is climbing the stairs pulling up to standing bear walk which is very amusing and eating like a true little girl. She has also been a nurs... 2007-3-6T00:00:00Z http://www.hallsplace.co.uk/page13.htm#6824 It amazes me how quickly 12 months disappears now that I am.......30.....and we have a kid. The weeks whizz by and I am not sure I see the weekends anymore and not due to hangovers. Christmas has come and Christmas has gone but what a great few days we have all had. I took Em to Dublin for the weekend for her birthday despite spending the best part of 5hrs looking for her passport We had a great time shopping walking and sight seeing. Christmas Eve we had Ems mum and fella round for a pre christmas christmas dinner and some early present opening Isla is being domesticated now as she was brought a washing machine how I wish she could REALLY to the washing and a tea set again how I wish she could make ME a cuppa......already she is putting her own socks in and watching them whizz round...... Em and I got a much needed king size duvet for our soon to be new look bedroom Christmas morning started at 6.30am.....and was over by 8am in the Hall house. I think I was slightly more excited a... 2006-12-28T00:00:00Z http://www.hallsplace.co.uk/page13.htm#6397 Another week and some new tricks Isla loves round amp round the garden in fact she is doing it to us and then points to herself at the one step two step waiting for the tickle...the anticipation on her face as Emma or I go to tickle her....a smile to die for I had Wednesday off to go down to Down Syndrome Educational Trust in Portsmouth with Emma and Isla to see how she is getting on. Very well I must say. Talking away wanting to play with everything touch everything and generally be centre of attention. The lady that takes her group was very positive about Islas progress and pointed out some new skills that we had missed. Imagine that we missed some new skills....... Isla is coming on well with her crawling and is pulling up on everything. She is almost pulling up to her feet....I really dont think it will be long before she is cruising. Emma and I put the Christmas tree up today finally putting it on the floor after a long discussion on whether we should put it up high to stop Is... 2006-12-9T00:00:00Z http://www.hallsplace.co.uk/page13.htm#6140 Our little girl is growing up....fast The end of this week saw us go to Nottingham for a speech and language conference which was very interesting very useful and confirmed we are doing the right things to help Isla. One of the problems Down Syndrome can cause is a delay in speech. Although Isla can understand us and babble answers we will need to monitor and help her with speech and communicating in full sentences. The thearpist was very positive about Islas progression. Recently we have struggled to get Isla to eat more then just puree but then she goes and show us all what a big girl she is. At the conference she was feeding herself chips chicken fruit and veg....and I mean proper food...grown up food We then went to TGIs and for the first time we brought her a meal....her very own smiley face potatoes chicken and sweetcorn followed by fruit salad As you know Isla can commando crawl quicker then anyone I know.....but this week she took her first real crawl on her hands and knees... 2006-11-26T00:00:00Z http://www.hallsplace.co.uk/page13.htm#5881 Last Wednesday we went to The Downsed for Islas Early Intervention group. Isla loves going there and is so exhausted when we leave that she sleeps all the way home. She is so noisy during the group and insists on sitting in the middle of the circle Big hugs to Islas friends Leonie Lily Tamara and Morgan. Last Friday Isla and I had a very busy day we decided to try out a local Gymbabes class. Isla loved it and actually crawled through a tunnel for the first time. She was filthy from commando crawling along the floor Her crawling is really coming along now. She commando crawls really quickly but has also started to crawl on her knees. I am hoping that she will demonstrate this to her physio tomorrow. This week has been fairly quiet Isla goes to her childminders on Monday and Tuesday as I work but we have been doing lots of work in the evenings. She is getting really good at her speech sounds and has a couple of new signs. She is refusing to let us feed her now and would... 2006-11-16T00:00:00Z http://www.hallsplace.co.uk/page13.htm#5637 What a week.........Stepping Stones support group has its first meeting I see Man Utd win 30 at Old Trafford and Isla says her first real word As you may or may not know Emma has started a local Down Syndrome support group with her friend Sharon. The first meeting was on Friday 3rd Nov and was a great success Two new mothers turned up with their adorable little girls the vice chairman for Hart council came to say hi and again Isla and Tanzie were photographed for the local paper again. The next meeting in Dec is looking even more positive with 3 more new mums coming along. Stepping Stones is a support group that meets on a monthly basis to allow parents to meet chat and share information about the wonderful world of Down Syndrome. The plan is to have guest speakers such as Speech Therapists come along. On Saturday my darling wife took to me Old Trafford as part of my 30th pressie. Not only was it Alex Fergusons 20th year in charge but is was a masterclass display in football. The ... 2006-11-6T00:00:00Z http://www.hallsplace.co.uk/page13.htm#5458 Isla hasnt been her usual sunny self this weekend. She is cutting a molar and obviously in quite alot of pain. It seems that all she can eat is ice cream and yoghurt It is a shame as she was doing so well with her eating this month. Hopefully she will be back on track soon. She is trying really hard with her crawling and is now pulling herself up onto her knees. She chases Dan around the house with her own personal style of speedy commando crawling. Debbie her physio has measured her for some support boots which should help with standing and stop her rolling her ankles. She loves playing with bubbles and has just started trying to ask for them. Other words that she is trying include duck that book baby bye and ball. If I tell her that Daddy is coming home she crawls over to door and sits waiting for him bless her We have been very busy with setting up Stepping Stones support group for children with Down syndrome. Last week Isla and I had our photo taken for the pap... 2006-10-30T00:00:00Z