Yeah... that didn't last long!

So yeah... NaBloPoMo and NaNoJouMo? Total fail.

Let me elaborate as to *why* it got brushed to the sidelines so early on.

On Saturday, Max started wheezing.

Out come his meds, and it was kept under control.

However by Sunday night/Monday morning he was still wheezing, had kept Zack (who is also v snuffly by this point) and I up from about 2.45am till 7.30am. 

Not. Fun.

Then came the realisation that Max's asthma has only really come about since we got Alfie the pup.

So Alfie the pup went to a new home on Wednesday evening. 

By this point, the boys hadn't been to school since before the weekend, and I was getting tired.

I also decided that if I had to give up Alfie for Max, then I damn well have to give up smoking for him, and me, too.

So on Wednesday night, I smoked my last cigarette.

I've got rid of every smoking item in the house, and have gone through far too many mini packs of Haribo that no one came to claim on Halloween. 

Also, the house is slowly but surely starting to get cleaner as I do what I can to keep busy.

Turns out I'm a fidget!

Who knew smoking was making me lazier, eh? >_<

So... not a chance in hell of me keeping what little sanity I have left, and blogging every day, AND arting every day - something had to give. I will try to keep up the pace with both more than I have been in recent months, though. 

It seems that I'm much more inclined to blog during the winter months. 

Something about wanting to stay inside and cosy probably...

Oooh... and Skyrim is out! So I may kind of disappear for a while as I fell asleep dreaming about it last night.

Swapping one addiction for another... typical eh? At least this one isn't as detrimental for my health, right? ;)

Day 7: Random Vlog from Zack!

Ohhh the adorableness! <3 

I was looking through my Photobooth photos and videos, and found this little bit of cuteness from Zack, done in January of this year. 

Total geek in training!

Obviously, Zack is my first work of art. One that I've helped to shape over these last six years... by far one of my two (Max as well, naturally!) biggest and best accomplishments!

I realised that I tend to blog a lot more about Max than I do about Zack, and I guess that's normal in a way. His difficulties (and triumphs) are at the forefront of my mind, much of the time. 

But that doesn't mean that my young man Zack isn't also there.

Every day he shows me how much more independent he's becoming. 

When he's excited about something he's done, it's all "that was totally awesome, man! Eh Mum??"

Though he still does call me Mummy occasionally, that's mostly gone from his vocab though.

He says by when we get to the bottom of the road so he can walk run the rest of the way to school. With a stop to chat to the lollipop man on the way, of course. He's a right chatterbox - just like his mum. :)

It wouldn't even occur to him to *not* go into school as that's where all his friends are, and he adores it so much.

He's become much calmer since eradicating the Wii from his gaming... I refuse to have one more broken tv!!

He's also a very empathetic, and caring little boy. Beyond his years, really.

I guess that's what having a little brother on the spectrum, and being the son of a single mum does?

Last week (or the week before?), when I was suffering the most horrendous migraine, he led Max out of my room first thing, so that "you can get some more rest, Mum.", and then later on in the day, as I was laying on the sofa attempting to have a wee doze while the boys were watching Spongebob, he brought over the blanket and put it round me, and started gently stroking my cheeks. 

Honestly, it was the best feeling ever. 

My wee man Zack isn't such a wee man anymore sometimes, but he'll always be my baby boy.

I'm so lucky to have such beautiful and sweet boys. 

How did I get so lucky??

Day 6: One of my favourite quotes...

... though I have *no* idea where it's from, other than pinterest!

Nearly Monday again... yay! Hope everyone had a great weekend. :) 

Day 5: Same doodle, different medium

So, as I'm taking Effy and Jeanette's mixed media Boot Camp, and the first week is about substrates and mediums, trying out different art supplies basically, I thought I'd do a few of the same doodle, in different mediums. 

Yesterday's was in pigma micron brushes, and today's is in koi watercolours. 

I think I'm starting to enjoy watercolours... but I've got a long way to go before I'm anywhere near a similar league as the likes of Dion Dior - one of my favourite watercolour-ists! :) 

Practice makes perfect... right? 

Day 4: The Ick Factor

I've not been feeling well today... this may be a TMI (too much information) post, so if you're not into that, go and google "do a barrel roll" for something to amuse you!

I've had the most horrendous wind-type pains in my upper abdomen most of the day.

Started as soon as I tried to drink anything this morning, and carried on pretty much all day.

I'm talking about doubling over and crying out in pain kind of wind pains. 

If they had been in my lower abdo I'd have thought I had appendicitis it was that sore.

However, after gingerly eating something (a waffle... nommm) verrryyyyy slowly, it seemed to calm down. 

I still can't lie down comfortably on my right side without it setting off though.

So yes... today has very much had The Ick Factor. 

I don't reccommend it to anyone. 

URGH!

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I almost forgot! Here's a little doodle I did earlier... 

Only four days in and I'm already forgetting... whoops!