Good evening everyone, are you all well?
We're doing ok, kids tucked up in bed, so it's now my time with the laptop =)

Kids have done well since last blog, no more teeth lost, one happy boy going to Nursery, and Cerys' teacher is also happy with the way she's settled back in school, so normality is within reach!! We've not got up to much, weather has been lovely this weekend on Anglesey, so we had an afternoon of bubbles in the garden yesterday, and I took them both to Llandudno for an ice cream today =)
Need to get ready for tomorrow, as we have quite a big day ahead. Cerys is having her lines out!!

I've complete mixed feelings to be honest. Don't get me wrong, it's a fabulous step, and I am bursting to be able to give her a cuddle and to just hold her, wthout worrying about squeezing her too tight, or catching her lines, the thought makes me quite teary actually! It's an anxious feeling, probably just about tomorrow, I hate seeing her go into theatre, but she's also having a bone marrow biopsy done whilst she's there, maybe I'm expecting the rug to be pulled from under my feet again, when lightning doesn't strike twice right? ;) So it's going to be a good day, but I'm going to be clinging on to that cuddle........can't imagine there'd be a much better feeling =)

Yikes, it's nearly March!!

Don't the weeks fly by when you have the school run and all the housework to do?! Can't believe it's nearly March already!
Anyhow, hope the children and I find everyone well, we're still doing well here, settled in to a school routine quite nicely. Initially Cerys was very keen to do full days back in school, but she did find it a bit too much to begin with, so we've settled on half days now, but she eats her lunch with her friends, to try and get a bit of socialising in too =) The word from her teacher is that educationally, we have nothing to worry about, and her reading seems to be coming on leaps and bounds at the moment, and she's trying to read EVERYTHING!! Have to start being careful what I write ;)

Iwan settled into Nursery well too, after a few anxious days. But he's happy to go and play with all his friends now, although it does seem to tire him too, I suppose i underestimated the effect it would have on him as he was quite a bit older.

So all in all, our morning school runs are smooth and seamless....and I'm getting used to the going back and forth three times a day too!

Right what have we done since last post????
Happy birthday Matthew......these kids don't half adore him!

Cerys taking Iwan for his first morning at Nursery......

and his first star!!!! *is proud*



We've been able to get out and about a little bit more too, Cerys and I went to the cinema to see The Princess and the Frog, which we both enjoyed!! We were also invited to a film premier, which was a first!! It was part of a project Cerys participated in whilst in hospital, making short animated films using models. The staff that came round weekly were fab, and Cerys thoroughly enjoyed it, so it was nice to round it off by going and seeing the collection of everyone's films. It was a very emotional day actually, it was nice to get together with all our friends from the hospital, and do something positive together, and all the children who took part got an Oscar =D I had a lump in my throat quite a few times, we saw one friend walk up to collect her award, when she wasn't able to when we left, and of course there was the silence when some children weren't there to collect theirs. It was also really interesting to see all the nursing staff all glammed up - Alder Hey scrubs up beautifully!! Here's Cerys with Abbi and Debbie....

and here are the children in Liverpool's Cavern Quarter, where we had some lunch before the Ceremony, Cerys playing air guitar with the Beatles, and Iwan on drums ;)



and here they are in their finery *is proud again*


We've also been to see their favourite television characters in the Little Big Show in Llandudno thanks to Nain, but we weren't allowed to take any pictures.
And last lot of pics, Cerys lost her first baby tooth!! To say she was excited was a complete understatement, and we're trying to get used to seeing her smile with an additional gap to the one she had anyway!

So I think you're all up to date now.....I have parents evening for Cerys next week =) and she's having her lines out on the 8th of March all being well *GULP* I am off to Chester for a little birthday meal tonight thanks to my good friend Natalie, and the kids are off to the Sealife centre tomorrow, so will see if Cerys will take some pictures for me. If I was to blog more regularly then i woulnd't have the dilemma of which pictures to upload, as I have loads, most can be found on Facebook anyhow.

Thanks to everyone for their messages and continued support, we really do appreciate it xx

She did it =)

Just a quick Friday night blog to let you all know that Cerys has just managed a full two days in school (and I survived too ;) ) She did have a little bit of sickness last night, but woke up fine this morning, so off she went, she had a blast, and thoroughly enjoyed catching up with her friends. I'm constantly thinking to myself that I cannot be prouder of this little girl, but then she goes and does it again.... Well done Cerys, long may it continue baby xx


PS Iwan starts nursery on Tuesday, what am I going to do?!!!!!!!

Happy New Year!!!

Welcome to 2010 everybody, hope everone had a lovely NYE and this year is kind to us all.

It's been a relatively quiet one for us over here, just plodding along, playing, getting on with things, eating, baking, and drawing. We do however, have one bit of news....... Cerys is going back to school tomorrow!!!!!! Yikes!!!!! I nearly fell off my chair when the doc said so on Monday, and she's so excited. They have taken her off the anti-rejection completely now, which means her immune system should kick in, and all being well and the transplant has done it's job, be able to protect her. She's gained a nice bit of weight now, and our consultant says she's at a normal weight for her size,extra good news!!

So, tomorrow is back to school!!! She may not be able to do a full day yet, but we'll see how she gets on. It's a very, very, VERY strange feeling, it's one of the milestones we've been aiming for, yet I still have a knot of fear in my tummy, it kinda follows me around like those nasty looking creatures on the stop smoking adverts on the tellybox, anyone know what i'm on about?! It's kinda there now, and gets ever so slightly more intense when I'm not with her, but I'm fully aware that she can't be with me forever!! Chances are she'll be absolutely fine, just difficult to accept when she's been the 1 in a 100 before.........SLAP ME!!!! Right, she has her new uniform ready, new lunchbox and is a proper eager beaver...will be sure to take pics, and post them tomorrow too =)

Apart from that, we're pleased to say it's been a quiet January so far. We had some snow, not as much as many parts though, but we made the most of it over the course of several days.








It was Iona's birthday too, made a cake of course......





Grandad had some good news on Monday too, it looks as if his wrist is healing and he won't be needing surgery. Thats pretty much it, just wanted to keep everyone up to speed! So wish us luck for tomorrow, and I'll bring you the precious pics of first day at school take 2!
Much love,
Melanie
x

Well hello people!!! Did the Big Fella bring you all you wanted? He did here in the main I’m happy to say, just to have spent it with the kids was enough this year, and to top it all off I got a chocolate orange ;) I did find it very emotional though, might not come as a surprise to some! Doesn’t take much these days I suppose.

Right, to pick up from where I left off last time.......check up at Alder Hey went well. Cerys has lost some weight though, so we’re trying to build her up even more by pushing the food ever so gently, and giving her more than the usual bagful overnight, feels like I’ve got a newborn to get up and feed when I’m stumbling to put up a new bag of milk at 1am!! Apart from that, she’s still doing well, and they’ve reduced her anti-rejection even more. At this rate, we’ll be off it completely in another 5 weeks, and they talked about having her lines removed then, however, I’m not convinced she’ll be ready for the gastro peg to come out, as at the moment, we’re supplementing her with nearly a thousand calories daily. I cannot wait for that time she comes out of theatre though, and I can give her a big huge squeezy hug, without fear of hurting her or catching a line in over 8 months =) =) =) They’re also going to do another bone marrow biopsy that day too, whilst she’s under, so they’ll have a better idea of what’s going on, would be good to get some positive signs of nice healthy bone marrow for 2010 please!! She has done well over the holidays though, little bit of dry skin and dodgy tummy, but it’s certainly not stopped her. We’re back again on the 4th January.

I am so so so pleased with the pictures from the photographer, he’s done a really good job. Here’s my favourite. Apologies for the poor quality, but I don’t have a scanner, will have to ask Mam if she could give it a try for me.


And some pics from Santa at the Buckley.....



Right, the main event!!!! Kids got themselves in a crackin tizz, and I don’t think Iwan’s eyes have ever shut so tightly as they did when I put him in bed on Christmas Eve! They slept until gone eight in the morning however, but that meant they had super energy for the day!!!! Both were spoilt rotten, thanks to all for the gifts, cards and best wishes for them both xx
New PJ's for Christmas Eve....


The kids go some new coats from Matthew and Liza, and Cerys looked so pretty and healthy in hers, couldn't help but shed a tear, but a happy one.

We went to Grandma's for Boxing day, think the kids were a bit tired and overwhelmed though, and wanted to keep themselves to themselves, so we tried figuring out Iwan's new DS game....well the kids did!!!

The three sisters made light work of Grandma's trifle......wonder how much they'll shout at me for this!!

And a very grown up looking Cerys in her new Hannah Montana clothes =)

Loads more pics but won't bore with you them all!! We're having a lazy day today, kids playing shop at the moment with the new Cherry Blossom Store Nain and Taid bought them, although I'm tempted to kick them out into the garden in a mo and watch the Dr Who special I still havent seen *cackles* Anyone want the last Quality Street????

Just a Sunday night quickie.....

to tell you the pics turned out fabulous! I am so pleased with them, the photographer got some really good shots, and I pick up some of the ones i've chosen on Wednesday *woohoo!* Mam and Dad have also said they'd buy me a canvas print of the kids as a Christmas pressie too, but that won't be ready until after the new year. I adore my pics, and it feels like some sort of closure to the year (sorry to get all psychobabbly on people!) to have proper pictures of both children healthy (touch wood) and mainly, smiling, and happy =) probably doesn't make sense at all, but I know what I mean!! Don't know how I can manage it, but I'll try and post some on here when I get them on Wednesday.

Saturday also went well....one of the presenters from the local radio station here on Anglesey had arraged for Cerys to visit a Grotto and see Santa, and both her and Iwan loved it!! Any one local should definately try and go to the Buckley Hotel in Beaumaris, the staff were so good,the Elf in particular, and I think Santa shed a little tear...soppy old sausage he is!!!!! Anyhow, the pictures are on Mam's camera, so will try and get hold of them this week too. In the meantime, I have to do an interview on the radio tomorrow morning YIKES!!!! It'll be a challenge on a Monday morning anyhow!

Back to clinic in the morning, lots of cards to deliver, and best wishes for 2010 for many friends still there. Hopefully the snow will be kind and it won't take the three of us all day!!! Happy Sunday to everyone, much kisses x

Where does the time go?!!!

Hello world, just popping my head out of the bubble to update again =)

Hope the children and I find everyone happy and healthy, so many colds and bugs going around at the moment, I'm wondering if this isolation thing is the way forward ;) although I sure could do without the swine flu jab yearly!!
Freezing here too, think winter has well and truly set in, although we've had a few nice crisp days where we've been able to get out for a walk and some fresh air.

Health wise we're still doing well, Iwan seems to be growing and growing, and learning and learning. Need to seriously think about putting him back in school after Christmas I think. Cerys is still doing well, weight was down ever so slightly, not enough to be concerned about. They reduced her anti-rejection further, and this has meant some Graft - versus - Host, which they warned us about, but so far it's not overly bothering her, just some dry skin and few aches. The aches aren't stopping her really, she's still zooming around the place, and she was used to eczema before chemo, so a slight version now is a drop in the ocean to her, although chemo seems a bit drastic to cure it!! We're hoping the GVH is a good thing, and will hopefully see off any persistant cancer cells, not that they found any, but it'd be a double-double safety if you like, so we're more than happy to put with it for a few weeks.

Right, what have we been up to........OUR TREE IS UP!!!!!!!!!!! Although in true Bryn Ifor style, that was a drama in itself!!! Jon couldn't find our old one (no, of course he hasn't misplaced it!) so I had to make a last minute dash to buy one, whilst everyone else was disinfecting the baubles!! We finally made it anyhow, and it looks very nice even if i do say so myself =) however, a couple of weeks in, and all the chocolate decorations have vanished somewhere.....probably with the old tree somewhere ;)





Now as we're in isolation still, we've not been able to go and see any decorations anywhere, or even make a visit to any of the Santa's grottos around here. I was feeling a bit down in clinic the other week, and telling my good friend Liz this, but looking at the positive as always, it's only for a year, and well worth the sacrifice. You can then imagine the delight when she rang me to say she had arranged a day at a local (to them!) childrens centre, where they could make christmas crafts,play in the sports hall (it's been months since they were alowed in soft play!!) and she'd even arranged for Father Christmas himself to be there!!!So on Tuesday morning, I put two curious children in the car (hadn't told them where wewere going) and we headed off to www.chilrensadventurefarmtrust.org where the lovely Jenny was waiting for us. We visited some animals, made some christmas decorations(now some of my most treasured possessions) played in the ball pools, bouncy castle, danced in the party room, put on a show, and saw Santa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was pure magic, and I got extremely emotional seeing them both just being normal children, and having fun, running around and getting excited. I was expecting Iwan to be nervous of seeing Father Christmas, but he waltzed inand talked him to sleep I think!!! He didn't quite get the idea that the gift he received wasn't the only one he'dget, so was upset there wasn't a safripark in there, but think he gets it now! We really had the most magical day, the staff were amazing,and I can never thank them enough. The smiles on their faces say it all =)







This is our wonderful friend Liz who organised it all...

the man himself.....

and it left them both shattered,so they tried a snooze in the relaxing light therapy room...

Anyhow, that's basically it for now....we're having haircuts later as Nain has booked us a portrait session for tommorow, which I'm looking forwards to, although choosing the pictures will probably take me most of the afternoon!

A few friends are having a tough time at the moment, and I wish I could make it better for them. Sometimes life isn't fair, and I still haven't figured out why, but hugs to those who need them, and phone is always on.

Will be back before Christmas, as I hope to have nice pictures to share, and possibly some nice news about Saturday too ;)