Managed to be on the chat room at the same time as other parents last night was really strange, used to talking to myself...
One of the mums was talking about a programme I had missed on channel 4 'The countries stangest hotel' sounds lovely, if anyone knows if its being show again would you email me please. Found their website though www.foxesacademy.ac.uk is worth having a look.

Katy had a check up with a paediatrician today, the one thing that is wonderful is the way our children are looked after, Katy can have a specialist dentist, optitian, she has regular hearing tests and is going to see a heart specialist and an ear nose and throat specialist, think she will be ok after all that. She has struggled with lots of colds and chest infections and I have had to call an ambulance on a few occasions when she has been really struggling to breathe at night, so I hope that they will look after her.
Katy adores going to school, she has a best friend Chloe and loves all the teachers, it was a tough decision, which school to send her to, from being born I only wanted her to go to mainstream but when I saw this school for children with special needs I was overwhelmed, its exactly the enviroment I want for her, the patience and understanding of the teaching staff is exceptional, I have friends whos children have gone to mainstream and are thriving but every child is an individual and I know this was the right decision for Katy.

Not updated this for a while sorry.
Katy is still loving school, she tends to spend more time at home poorly than she does there which is such a shame I hate to see her ill, but she just picks up everything. Katy is suffering at the moment with virtually constant stomach upsets she is seeing a paedeatrician next week so hopefully we will sort it out. I am thinking it is a food allergy or intollerance.
Katy is doing very well with her signing but her speech therapist is going to add pecs as well just to help her a little more, but she tries so hard to make you understand her its just wonderful.
Little Sophie has had her own problems recently, a few weeks ago both girls were poorly but Sophie suddenly had a convulsion, I have never been so shocked. I was hopeless, just hysterical, luckily two of my sons were home and could help. We will now just have to wait and see if it was febrile convulsions or epilepsy, but at least if it happens again we will be more prepared.

17th Sep 06
Katy's grandparents have come to stay for a few days and the girls are thrilled to bits. Grandad is great at playing hide and sek and nana is just full of cuddles. Its Sunday morning and we are all geting our wellies on to watch the rugby, but I just wanted to qoute this lovely article we found in the Daily Mail (nothing to do with Down Syndrome, just one for all us mums):

Just loved this little story I found in a newspaper
Plans to make fish oil compulsory for children to boost brain power and memory are a great idea. Only one problem: who is going to remind mothers to give them to them?
After years of waiting for that post-natal brain fog to lift, I have come to a sad conclusion. Its not coming back. My memory, that is. I used to have a wonderful data-retrieval facility that swooped on a fact instantaneously and brought it back to me. These days I seem to have an elderly librarian in slippers inside my head. I think his name is Roy. When I try to remember something, Roy shuffles off to the relevent file. Sometimes he's gone for quite a while- pausing for a cup of tea, or perhaps a Twix. I appreciate Roy's efforts, but I wish he'd get a move-on when I'm in the supermarket trying to drag up the identity of the stranger who is talking to me.
My friend Miranda, a busy mother of four says she gets so forgetful she is scared she has Alzheimers. We agree ruefully that we have entered the age of  'The Thingy'. You know, The Thingy. The Thingy is hiding somewhere in the room you just entered. If you keep quiet and keep very still there is a possibility you will remember where you put The Thingy, of course, one option is to choose a safe place where you keep The Thingies you are afraid of losing. However; it is the First Law of Thingies that once The Thingy is in that special place, the exact location of the Thingy place will immediately slip your mind.
Thus, you may find yourself tearfully confiding in your life partner: 'I know I put The Thingy in the Thingy, but I cant remember where the Thingy is.'
So me, I'm off to get my fish oil patches. Apparently, they're called... Anyway, you can get them at this chemist called... You know, the one next to Marks and whatnot.

Mon 11th Sep
We had a great weekend, the weather was lovely, so Sunday morning I took the girls to watch their brother David (16) playing rugby, didnt think I would manage the whole match, as Katy doesnt really like rules such as  'Dont go on the pitch'  just seems to give her more reason to do it but with a cheeky smile, knowing she is being mischievious... but as luck would have it there was a pile of sand close to the ground so the girls had the best time and I could still see the game, although most of it I had to close my eyes, much too scary to watch..

Monday 4th Sep 06
First day at school, the mini bus picked up Katy at 8am and I was a nervous wreck, Katy as usual was perfectly happy, just smiling at everyone, until she actually sat in the seat and realised Sophie and I were not going with her, then she looked a little apprehensive, but what can you do? I was so tempted to say " Ok you dont have to go" but obviously I cant really do that, so I did what we all do and pretended everything was fine and just waved... then cried for an hour when she had gone

On phoning the school later that morning I found that Katy had laughed and sang songs with the carer all the way to school and was having a wonderful time playing with the other children