Swallowfield Village Hall

General

Elliott was good today. However he did get really upset at the end of the day before bed time about having spent his pocket money and wanting not to have. I started off by being quite assertive with him over this and saying it was his choice and decision making, but as he wound himself up more and more I focused more on cuddling and trying to get him to calm down. He did calm down after a while and once he had we had a constructive conversation about money not mattering as much as other things (Like spending time with you and me and Libby and grand parents and his friends, etc) and also about making choices. I'm not sure if the pocket money issue was really the driver for how upset he got, I suspect it's also to do with tiredness and school being back soon, etc.

Activities

After I'd picked him up we went food shopping in ASDA where he was really well behaved. He spent his pocket money on some Match Attax and a Micro Machine Star Wars blind bag. After we got home he had a croissant for lunch with bear fruit.

After lunch we did some cycling before we went to Swallowfield Village Hall for a friend's 40th birthday party. There were lots of other children at the party and Elliott got on particularly well with Josh (6 years old) and Hugo (7 years old). There were playgrounds outside and also an all weather football pitch where quite a lot of Dads and sons had a kickabout including us. Then it was time for a sit down meal (Pork) before it was time to go. After we got home he had a quick bath and then got upset about having spent his pocket money. After he'd calmed down we watched a Dangermouse to try and help distance him from how he was feeling and then it was bed time.

Dragon making

General

Elliott was really good today.

Activities

In the morning we had a lazy time at Granny's watching the iPad and Elliott also made a Ghost Rider poster and coloured in some Star Wars pictures. We headed to Salisbury for lunch and had ham sandwiches from Tescos.

After lunch we met up with Peter, Charlie and Alice Sladen and went to Salisbury Cathedral where they were running a afternoon of craft to make a dragon's head. Charlie and Elliott had a lot of fun and made some good dargon's heads:

After the heads had been made we went to Boston Tea Party in Salisbury for some tea and met up with Carla and Poppy Sladen as well. Then we headed back to Wokingham via MacDonalds where Elliott had a chicken nuggets happy meal and enjoyed reading is free Roald Dahl mini book. After we got home it was straight in to the bath and then he finished reading his Wolverine book before bed time.

All The Cool Stuff

General

Elliott was very good today and also didn't get up until 7am.

Activities

In the morning we went back to the skate park in Fordingbridge with Granny to show her Elliott's new moves on his bike. After the skate park we headed to Ringwood where he had a ham and cheese toastie for lunch in the Boston Tea Party there.

After lunch he had a look around the toy shop in Ringwood before we went back to the skate park in Fordingbridge where we did some filming of Elliott's circuit around the park on his bike:

After the skate park we went to a shop in Fordingbridge called All The Cool Stuff which specialises in Star Wars, Avengers, Transformers, etc and we both enjoyed looking around there. We bought a Wedge Antilles figure and the man in the shop gave Elliott a new Star Wars Lego poster. We got back to Downton in time for tea and Elliott played his toys for a while before we had sausages and mash for tea with some broccoli. After tea he had his bath and then read more of his Wolverine book before watching 10 minutes of iPad and bed time.

Moors Valley Country Park

General

Elliott was really good today. He did fall off his bike 3 times, but each time after initial upset, he got up, dusted himself off quickly and carried on. Also on the way out of Moors Valley Country Park I accidentally drove through the barrier (which fortunately it was designed for so no damage to it or the car) and Elliott was very upset and worried I'd get in to trouble with the police, but we told the people running the park and they were very understanding and I told him it was an example of where it's good to be honest (as we could have driven straight off and they seemed quite surprised we hadn't).

Activities

In the morning we went to Moors Valley Country Park to meet up with Matt, Harry and Bertie Higgins. We started the day off in the adventure playground which was a lot of fun:

Then we had packed lunch of honey sandwiches and bear fruit:

After lunch Elliott and Harry got their bikes out and rode around the lake there while Bertie followed the Superworm trail on the same route. After the trail finished Elliott and Harry did a lot of cycling in the open spaces there and Elliott fell off his bike a couple of times and has a scratch on his chest. However he was absolutely fine and very much enjoying himself:

After we left Moors Valley and we'd sorted out the accident with the barrier we stopped at the park in Fordingbridge with the Higgins boys where we played some football and Elliott and Harry rode their bikes around a skate park. Elliott was quite cautious and sensible on his bike in the skate park, but by the end he had mastered riding up and down the gentler ramps and was rightly pleased with himself. After we'd said goodbye to Matt, Harry and Bertie we went back to Granny's house where, due to how muddy he'd got cycling around, Elliott had his bath before tea time and we also trimmed his nails. Once he was clean and had put on some clean clothes he had spaghetti bolognese for tea before he read some of his Wolverine book before bed time.

Wolverine

General 

Elliott was really good on the car journey to Downton and after we arrived at Granny and Grandpas house.

Activities

After we arrived in Downton Elliott had a quick bath and then we ready his Wolverine library book together before bed time.

Food shopping

General 

Elliott was good after I picked him up. However he did get upset at one point because he'd traded his Luke Skywalker Land Speeder micro machine for a Vincent Kompany Match Attax card and although he started by saying it was a really good trade about half an hour later he decided it wasn't. So we talked about how if he trades things with his friends it's his decision to make and stand by and he did cheer up and before bed he did say he'd been too upset about it and it wasn't as important as all that.

Activities

After I picked him up we stopped at Sainsburys on the way home to do some food shopping and he was really good. When we got home he had a quick ham and cheese toastie for tea and then played with his Spiderman motorbike toy before brushing his teeth and going to bed.

The Force Awakens

General 

Elliott was really good after school again today.

Activities

After school we went straight to swimming where Elliott listened nicely and did well. After swimming we headed home and he watched the film trailers for Transylvania 2 and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, both of which went down well and he giggled a lot during the Transylvania 2 trailer. Then he went to see Amelia for a while before tea time. After tea he read some of his library book about Wolverine and then it was time to brush teeth and go to bed.

Football training

General 

Elliott was very good after school today. We were about half an hour late getting to school in the morning because of some emergency road works that had sprung up on Barkham Road and we got stuck in the middle of traffic. But I phoned ahead and they were fine and he wasn't upset when he arrived and said later it had all been fine. He had macroni cheese for lunch.

Activities

After school we went straight home for some toast before getting ready for football training. Football training went well and Sally had her husband and Finn's Dad helping out. They practiced shooting with their left feet and then dribbling and passing before playing a quick game between themselves. Sally also said that she had Elliott's Woodley Wanderers anorak so will bring that on Saturday as I left it on the side of the pitch after Saturday's game. After we got home he had a quick bath and then went to bed.

Car booty

General

Elliott was really good for most of today. Unfortunately he got upset at Andrea's Dad's house at the end of dinner because, after he hadn't finished his ice lolly and was taking a long time to eat the last part (over 5 minutes) I warned him and then gave it to Jack instead. He then got upset and started to wind himself up and we had to leave. I explained to him why Jack had got the end of his ice lolly and we talked about whether it was worth being so upset, but he had wound himself up quite a lot and it took about 20 minutes for him to calm down. I turned down the lights and left him in a more relaxed environment and he eventually was fine and said he understood what had happened.

Activities

In the morning we went to the Hawkedon parent's association car boot sale to help out for an hour or so. I was helping make bacon rolls and Elliott enjoyed looking around the stores and snaffling up a few bargains - two new light sabers and an Iron Man mask. Adam was also there as his Mum and Dad were selling things from their car boot and him and Elliott played together for quite a while. I kept half an eye on them and Adam was being totally fine so that was great to see. We even had bacon rolls for lunch there.

After lunch he played with his new toys and then it was off to meet Harry and Jack Jenkins in the park for some fun before roast dinner of chicken and beef at their house. Elliott also had roast potatos and some broccoli and most of his ice lolly for pudding, before it got a bit fraught and we had to go. After we'd got home and he'd calmed down it was bath time before we read some of his school book "Go Astronaut" and he recorded this in his reading record. Then it was time for bed.

Man of the match

General

Elliott was really good today and did his homework without any fuss.

Activities

Before football this morning Elliott did his English homework (writing 9 sentences based on some cartoon action scenes) and we agreed he could wait to do his Maths homework with Granny in the afternoon. Then it was off to football where he did brilliantly in both halves both in defence and right midfield and I thought deserved his man of the math award. Afterwards he told me that he'd told Sally he was a better midfielder than defender but we also talked about how he was good at playing defence as well so it was good that he got to play both. I'm also really happy that Sally has now seem him play well as I suspect she didn't realise how good he was before.

When we got home Granny and Grandpa were waiting for us and we went to The Three Frogs for lunch where Elliott had chicken nuggest, beans and rice and eat all his meal. he also had chocolate popcorn for desert. He was really good during the meal and showed off his Match Attax binder and played Granny at Match Attax. After lunch we walked back home and he did his maths homework with Granny (plotting some bar graphs) before it was time for Granny and Grandpa to go. After they'd left we went to Sainsburys to do food shopping and again he was really well behaved. When we got home from shopping we had crumpets for tea before bath time, 10 minutes with the iPad and then bed time.

School disco

General 

Elliott was good after school today and he waited during the first disco in a waiting area very nicely.

Activities

After school we went home for some toast and to get changed before the disco. Then we went to the disco and during the Year 1 and 2 disco he sat and played with the iPad very nicely while I helped in the hall. Then it was time for his disco and he had a good time dancing and having fun, mainly with Kian. Andrea came to pick him up after the disco and take him home so I could stay and help out for the Year 5 and 6 disco and he went to bed quickly and without any problems.

Grimlock

General 

Elliott was really good after school today. He was in good spirits again and said he they had taken his school photo today. We combed his hair quite a bit this morning so hopefully it was in a good state for the photo.

Activities

After school we went straight to swimming and Elliott said he'd enjoyed the lesson and during his post swimming lesson shower he seemed totally comfortable with the water falling on him. After we got home he went out in to the garden and played with his Stomp and Chomp Grimlock with Amelia and Heidi. Then during tea (toast and a sandwich) he invited Amelia in and they watched Dangermouse together and he showed her his loom band making equipment after tea. After Amelia had left for her tea he read his school book about gold and wrote in his reading record. This he got ready for bed and brushed his teeth before reading a Star Wars book in bed before it was time to go to sleep. 

Frere Jacques

General 

Elliott was really good after school today. He was in a really good mood after school and said Adam and Charlie had really liked his Star Wars Micro Machine Naboo Starfighter and Tie Fighter. He also said he'd enjoyed learning Frere Jacques to sing in French and that Maths had been the trickiest subject. He said the school photo wasn't today although we combed his hair more than usual before school.

Activities

After school we went home and Elliott watched some Dangermouse before he got changed for football training and had toast for tea. Martin was the only coach at football training but it actually worked out quite well and they did a good passing drill that Elliott did well in. After we got home he had a quick bath and then read some of his school book before recording it in his reading record. Then it was time for bed. 

Bagels cooked on an open fire

General

Elliott was really good today. His vocal tic was noticeable again today, particularly when he was watching television or the iPad or reading.

Activities

He woke up around 7am in the tent and had a decent nights sleep. After he woke up all the boys played together for a while in their pyjamas, dressing gowns and wellies for a while before we cooked breakfast for them over the fire - bagels, bacon and toast. After breakfast they all played together while we packed up the tents and the cars and again there was a lot of playing with light sabers and pretending to be in Jurassic Park. We left at about midday and after we got home had a bath and then pasta with tomato and ham sauce for lunch.

After lunch he had a lazy time watching the iPad and re-organising his Match Attax and Bear Fruit cards in his new binders. He also played a lot with his new Star Wars micro machine vehicles and played rugby in the garden for a while. Then we had cheese on toast for tea while we watched Dangermouse together before he read some of his Star Wars library book and an old favourite Batman book. Then it was time to brush his teeth and time for bed.

Dad's weekend

General

Elliott was good today. There were a few moments at the campsite after we arrived where different groups of the boys wanted to play different games to each other, but generally they all got on really well. His vocal tic was quite noticeable at times today, but fortunately no-one said anything, and interestingly when he was around the other boys it seemed to disappear, it was mainly around grown ups when it surfaced.

Activities

In the morning he did his homework straight after breakfast. He was a bit reticent to start the homework at first but after he had started it he got on with it well and even when he had to do a bit of it again because he hadn't quite followed the instructions he got on with it. After he'd done his homework and got ready for football we popped in to Wokingham Library on the way to football as they were having a Star Wars themed day. He coloured in some pictures of BB 8, C3PO and R2D2, and Poe's X-Wing Fighter. We also borrowed some books about Star Wars, Wolverine and dragons. Then it was off to football and it wasn't one of Panther's finest days. I thought Elliott played well but did look a little lost positionally when he was playing striker so hopefully they'll spend some time in training talking about where to be on the pitch when playing different positions. Then we had burgers for lunch on our way out of the football.

In the afternoon we headed off to go camping with the Dawson, Loft and Hyde boys and Henry Black's partners son Thomas (who Elliott met at Matt Hyde's 40th birthday party). The campsite was called the Chiltern Retreat and wasn't too far as it was near Marlow. When we got there it was a nice spot for all of us to camp in with toilets and a fire-pit area and clearings in a wood. After we'd unpacked an pitched our tents the boys started playing Star Wars, Jurassic Park and cricket together and Elliott got on especially well with Thomas and Lucas Dawson:

They all had spaghetti bolognese for tea cooked on Chas's two ring camping stove and meal time was good fun, if a little crazy:

After tea there was a bit more playing before bed time and Elliott was really good and went to sleep quickly and quietly in our tent.

Match Attax binder

General 

Elliott was really good after school today and said he;d had a good day. 

Activities

After school we went home via Sainsburys where we got an extra Match Attax pack to go with the new binder waiting at home. He was really pleased with the new binder and spent quite a long time organising his card (still not finished). Then he went to go and find Amelia and they spend some time playing in the garden and were joined by another girl called Heidi who lives in the flats (and is in Year 2). After he'd been playing for a while it was time for tea and he had some toast. He also told me about his Royal Albert Hall trip and said he'd like the rock star music at the end. Then it was time for his bath and afterwards he watched some iPad and then it was time for bed. 

Naboo Starfighter

General 

Elliott was good after school today and said he had a burger for lunch and had a good day. However he did get really upset when it was time to do his homework. At first I thought this was because he just didn't want to do it, but after a while it became clear that he was upset because he'd told some of his friends at school what his sentences were going to be for his homework and they'd laughed and he thought they couldn't be very good and that Mrs Davies would laugh to. In fact it turned out he had to write a sentence with a question mark and a sentence with an exclamation mark for 3 different pictures and his ideas were really good. So as he wrote them I told him how good his ideas were and we had a chat about how sometimes when people wish they'd thought of an idea first they pretend they don't think the idea is very good. We actually did his homework in Costa Coffee in Tescos after swimming so after he got home I asked Andrea to make a point of also saying how good she thought his sentences and ideas were.

Activities

After school it was straight to swimming and Elliott did well and tried doing some swimming without his goggles this week which he was very proud of. Then we went to Tescos to buy his packed lunch for tomorrow's Royal Albert Hall trip and this is when he started to get upset about his homework. However after he'd done his English sentences he also did some division Maths homework and he started by saying he couldn't remember the system Mrs Davies had shown him, but after he started he did which was brilliant. After he'd finished his homework he had a ham and cheese toastie for tea in Costa Coffee before we bought his packed lunch (cheese and ham crakers pack, hula hoops, bear fruit, some britvic biscuits and a carton of orange). After we got home he played with a Star Wars Micro Machine Naboo Starfigher he'd chosen instead of chocolate after swimming (it was a blind bag) and his toys. Then he read some more of his current school book before watching some iPad, getting ready for bed, brushing his teeth and then reading about Star Wars just before it was time to go to sleep.