Study Period 2 & Life

Study period 2 has now begun.

I had my exam last night for SSK12. I think I have passed it, I felt fairly confident walking out of that exam. Also came to the conclusion that I don't like writing an essay under pressure! Time management wise I did ok. I think I could have used another 10mins easily for the essay but I had to try and stick to a breakdown of time between each section of the exam. Results for the unit overall should be available in 4-6 weeks. Possibly sooner if my tutor marks exams as quick as he marked and returned our assessment pieces!!

So now I'm venturing into 2 new subjects and let me just say that I am feeling more confident this study period than the first, and I think I'll be alright with both subjects. The units this period are Creative and Professional Writing as well as Images of Australia 1A (two part subject that spans across two level 1 units).

I also decided to apply for UNE's double degree of B.Arts/B.Teaching for 2009. I have read and re-read the course structure and I feel that it would be best if I was able to take on that degree and know that I am choosing and studying the right units. That's the only downside to OUA I suppose, ensuring you are studying the right things to get you where you want to be. Of course if I am unsuccessful with UNE for semester 1 then I can continue with OUA without a problem. So either way I will end up where I want to be and with the degree that I want.

That's the study side of things updated, now for life.

Where to start?? I suppose with the positives first would be good. Ethan is now crawling and pulling himself up to stand. He is 9 1/2 months old and is a whopping 11.2kg!! Who would think that at 2mths of age he was hovering on that 10th percentile for weight almost dropping below it to well and truly above it now! He is doing really well. He still only says 'mum' and 'bub' but he's making other sounds. He's just started with the "l" sound and he pokes his tongue out and whips his tongue from side to side making "l" sounds, almost sounds like "lol lol lol lol" (no not laughing out loud! ha ha!). He also has a hilarious Beavis laugh! Anyone who is familiar with Beavis and Butthead will understand this. I am yet to record it on my phone because everytime I try, Ethan would rather eat the phone!!

Both Rhiannah and Tayla are doing well also. They're both playing netball this season and Tayla's team has won the last 4 games in a row!! Not sure where they are sitting in the competition but they have won 4 of 6 games so far. Rhiannah's team has won 2 of their games but they are not in the competition as of yet. The u7's - u9's are not considered competitive as they're really just teaching them the concepts of the game, rules and positions etc. It's so cute seeing all these little tiny girls in their netball uniforms trying to shoot goals though!! (Posts aren't lowered for them in our comp.)

Chipmunk and Turtle are still with us, though some days I really wonder why!! Yes things are still stressful and chaotic. Although I do have to admit we seem to get a flow of good days without much indicident at all, and then rolls on the second wave! Some days it seems like they both store up all the naughtiness to come out in one huge wave over a day or two. Frustrating isn't close enough to describe how it feels. Today we're off to have a full paediatric assessment done on them both, something that should've been done when they FIRST were put in care, not 2yrs later!! So that will hopefully cover some of the behavioural issues we have to deal with.

Family support is still very minimal. I'm not even going to start venting about that, I'll be here all day! Let's just sum it up by saying that improvements in support have been made with one family member with more help being given in the past 2 months than in the past 2yrs however with one other family member, well they may as well not exist considering the effort they put in - which is ZERO!!

Saving the best news to last, our QLD holiday is only a month away!! The unit is booked, paid for, and awaiting our arrival!!! I CANNOT WAIT!!!!!

Long Overdue

So it would seem the blog is neglected already, didn't take long did it? Although I must admit I really haven't made the time to come and write much.

Uni is going well, for one subject at least. SSK12 is fantastic. I have now finished all my assessments for this unit and only have the exam to go on June 3rd. I am really confident with this subject and have no doubt I'll have a good grade overall. Apparently the final exam result won't be made available to us but rather the overall grade will be around 4-6weeks after the exam. So that would mean early-mid July I'll know!

Wish I could say the same for SGY110. This I have put down to a bad choice for a first subject and I'm choosing to not complete the unit. It is far better for me to do that than try and play catch up now! The other reason is that even if I withdrew from the unit, I'd still receive a 'fail' grade so as I said, bad choice for a first unit.

Lots of changes going on at the moment. I'll have to come back and update properly at a later stage.

Where does the time go?

Week 9 of the study period and I have an essay due this Friday but thankfully have had an extension granted until Wednesday of week 10, so that gives me an extra 5 days. Trust me I wouldn't have asked for it if it weren't absolutely necessary!! And I most certainly will not be making a habit out of requesting them.

I have 3 assessments due within days of each other but so far I'm going ok with them. My second log submission is almost completed. I have a rough plan of attack for one essay and the other (major!) essay I am tackling this weekend and researching for it over the next 2-3days.

After these assessments I have a smaller thematic to do, a take home exam and then a final exam (not all for the one subject) and that's the end of my first study period.

In news of family life, I am now the manager of Tayla's netball team. I'm helping Turtle's class on a Wednesday morning with their sight words. I went back to the gym yesterday (and I am so sore today!) after a month of not going. I am trying to become more organised. I am almost caught up on washing (wonders will never cease!) The countdown is on for our July QLD holiday. Stress levels change daily.

And that pretty much covers it all for now.

*meh*

Today has just been.....one of *those* days.

Half way point

I've reached the half way point of my first study period. There are 13weeks to a study period with OUA and we're nearing the end of week 7 now.

I received my essay back for SGY110 a bit over a week ago and I was graded a C (Credit) with a numerical mark of 72. It's at the high end of a C but not quite enough to be pushed up to being a D but I am still very happy with that mark, especially as I never have enough time for that subject!

I will be better prepared for SP2 that's for sure! I am hoping to have better organisation and time management. I'm not entirely sure how realistic that is but I can try! I've also chosen my subjects for the next period. I'll be studying COM14 - Creative & Professional Writing and AUS11 - Images of Australia (1A). I'm combining an english/literature subject with a history subject which I hear, is a good combination as some history units require a lot of time. Both of these units are through Griffith Uni.

One good thing about studying with OUA is I get to study different units with different universities, although a vast majority will be just with Macquarie which is where I'll be obtaining the degree.

Life in general is coasting along ok. School holidays are proving testing to study time! That mythical concept of time management is beyond me with the kids home! Every 5 minutes I'm hearing "Mum! S/he hit me! Mum! S/he took my book! Mum! Mum! Muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum!" I'm considering a name change!

Posting is being cut short by the demands of being a mother........

Achievements all round

Tayla played in a 'round robin' netball competition yesterday. It wasn't part of the competition for this season but more of something her coach wanted the team to participate in so they had 'extra practice' so to speak. The round robin was part of a celebration of 50 years for the club hosting the day. All the players received a medal for their participation.

Saturday just gone Ethan sat by himself!! I sat him down on the floor at a friends house and gave him a toy phone to play with and he happily sat up for a good 10minutes before starting to get the wobbles. He can't push himself up into a sitting position yet so we're not at that sitting ability. But this is a milestone nonetheless. He sat again yesterday when we were visiting my parents with a bowl full of his toys in front of him. He thought he was so clever too. You should've seen the cheeky smile on his face while he was sitting and playing.

I had 2 assessments due on Friday of last week. The learning log I submitted 2 days early as it was finished. My essay I submitted 1 day late without penalty. Both have been graded already! Our tutor is really on the ball with this subject. I still haven't received my grade for my first essay of my other subject and that was submitted at the end of week 3! (we have been told though that they'll be mailed out mid-April). Anyway back to the assessments from last week. For my learning log I recieved a Distinction (D), and for my essay I received a Distinction + (D+). I am more than happy!! Particularly with the essay seeing as I did struggle a bit with it and I will admit that I knocked it up in the space of a few hours. Besides a couple of small things, I did surprisingly well with it.

Note to self - don't leave things so late! Second note to self - don't assume because you think your work isn't 'good enough' that someone else will think that! Third note to self - confidence goes a long way!

Surgery

Surgery on Monday (31st) went well.

I was in theatre for just on an hour and the Dr didn't encounter any problems. The grommet was removed and when I woke up in recovery a nurse handed it to me inside a container! The worst thing about waking up in recovery was I was half awake when they took the tube out of my mouth *eww* Thankfully it's not a "clear" memory but rather a "fuzzy" one. Still *eww* though!!

I was very tired and off balance after surgery. I was sick twice on the way home (again *eww*). I couldn't hear properly out of my right ear because it was packed with a 'plug' (gauze coated in ointment and much like a wick).

Tuesday I felt like I had a hangover the entire day. I was still a little off balance, fuzzy and headachey. I went to see my specialist to have the plug removed (that didn't hurt being taken out) and he was happy with how everything went and how my ear looked.

Today I again went and saw him and again he's happy! My ear canal isn't "stenosing" and the ear drum (while it still has a hole in it from where the grommet was) looks good.

I go back a week from Monday for my next post-op check up.