Where Merryn Is Up To

The past few months have been very busy and very stressful. I have finally been working my way through the process of getting Merryn into the 'system'.

She loves hats.

Paperwork has been submitted for Centrelink assistance (the biggest benefit of which is getting a Health Care Card to help with medication expenses), ECDP was applied for (the same special playgroup Connor goes to), the Disability Services - FECs application was made (to get therapy), I put Merryn's name down for the SDU (where Connor's Developmental Pediatrician is and they also do developmental assessments) and I'm about to do the phone call for Better Start (to get funding for ongoing private therapy). It adds up to hours and hours of forms and phone calls and interviews, not to mention lots of waiting as things get processed and we get put on the end of huge waiting lists. Thankfully it's going pretty well so far, although that's mostly because I've got some help from the Social Worker at FECs who has taken pity on me and my addled brain.

Merryn has now been accepted into ECDP so she officially has playgroup every Wednesday. FECs are doing her intake assessment in a few weeks time to see what services they think she needs right now. They'll do a cognitive assessment at that time as well which will be interesting. We're still waiting for word back from the others, but that is to be expected, you usually have to wait 6 to 8 months to even get an acknowledgement from any of these services.

In the meantime Merryn is doing well. She now waves and says bye at every opportunity; if she's leaving a room, if you're leaving the room, if someone stands up. :) It's very cute. Other than that she's doesn't have words, but she certainly makes a lot of noise. She's also walking around, climbing up on things and generally into EVERYTHING, I have to keep an eye on the little monkey. She's has a very mischievous streak and will often pout at you when told she can't do or have something. Overall she seems to be developing at a quicker rate than Connor did at that age, so I'm hopeful she will not be as impacted as he is.