Wagas - My Favourite Restaurant

I have just got back from lunch at Thumb Plaza which is our local centre about a 10 minute walk. My favourite restaurant there is Wagas which is actually run by Australians. The food is fresh and and yummy and they have toys set up for kids. I end up going out for lunch about two times a week with Lachy. It's nice to actually take Lachy out and have him sit there for about 20 minutes or so. It's only recently that I've been able to do this. Don't get me wrong it's not exactly a totally relaxing experience but it's nice to get out.

At Thumb Plaza they have about 20 great restuarants, shops, a carrefour as well as outdoor areas including a big pool that kids can go paddle boating in. The area is really well set up for kids. Lachy loves going in there although was getting a little rowdy today and started splashing another kid! I wasn't too pleased! He then bit me as I led him forcefully away. The biting is a concern. For the last 2 weeks Lachlan as well as a number of other kids have been bitten by a boy at school. Jase and I are going to the school on Monday to complain. I am worried his being bitten will make him start biting other kids or make any behaviour issues with him worse. Generally speaking Lachy's behaviour has really improved since coming to China and with effective use of time- out and rules for discipline he is really doing well. I don't need issues at his school regressing his behaviour.

On Monday we have a tour with the British International School. We are thinking of putting him in from Sep 2009 as he will need to go 5 days and I really want him at a school where they speak predominantly English - especially with his delayed language skills. The school has a great reputation. Only downside is the cost. Jase and I will have to chip in about $10,000 of our own money! And that's with 2/3 of tuition being paid already.Very expensive. But that's the way it is with any international school in Shanghai.

I need to start uploading some of my pics from local hangouts. I need to remember to take my camera!

On Monday we will really start testing our new driver as I will be taking him over to Puxi. We had to sack our last driver as he kept getting me lost and would pull over on the road and ask complete strangers where to go! On Monday I have to get a dress fitting in Puxi and its also where the Yu Yan Gradens are. I plan to do some siteseeing while over there! I am getting a strapless red silk dress made for the Australian Women's Group Melbourne Cup social function. The whole thing is costing me about $75 Aussie. I will remember upload some pics of me wearing it!!

Home Away From Home

Wow I can't believe I have been here 2 months already. I have been extremely slack in updating this. I have so much to say and just haven't got round to saying it. Between emails and Facebook I don't have time to update it. However, I will now make this more like a diary and make an effort to update it.

Jase is in Canton and the moment so Lachy and I have been on our own - although so far so good. I feel like I have been here for ever and so I guess I have settled in rather well. Lachy is in school 3 days although I have finally got him into speech therapy so I will pull him out for half a day on Fridays. We have also got him a behaviour therapist for attention issues and are looking at an Occupational Therapist too. I don't know if he needs all of this help when he still hasn't been formally diagnosed with anything yet but I would rather be safe than sorry. I will probably wait until I go back to Australia for more formal testing. I think he definitely has sensory processing, speech and attention issues but whether this will get a more formal diagnosis I don't know. His symptoms are fairly minor but still need addressing. Given it has been less than 6 months since I have found these things out, it has been a whirlwind of emotions. Amazingly I have met some great people here who have supplied a lot of resources and I'm lucky - in a way I feel less alone with Lachy's issues than maybe I would be at home.

I have just got back from a lovely lunch with my friend Teresa. Her daughter has an mild to moderate autism spectrum disorder and has been a wealth of information. It is so nice having time for myself. Although admittedly a lot of time is also spent finding and organising specialists for Lachy - so it hasn't been the lazy lifestyle a lot might think!

We are off to Jiuzhaigou next week, or the Valley of the Nine Villages and I can't wait! I will definitely write about it and I hope the weather is nice too. We had an awesome time at Sanya (a beach resort located south of Hong Kong) although it rained for a few days too! Like it always does on our beach holidays! I have uploaded some pics.

So we are busy trying to make another baby! Although Jase being away a bit makes it hard. I think I have to be patient about how long it will take as I'm now 35 and no spring chicken! Will keep you posted! Till next time...