Our best ever Summer Holiday yet

I do feel inferior talking about our holidays even though it was the best yet for us. We did not travel within UK or abroad , nor did we visit any museums or amusement parks. We didn’t go camping or glamping and we didn’t go to any festivals.

Such things are expected of the “best ever holiday”, right?

Even though we did not proceed on doing mentioned activities, we still did have the best summer we have had yet as a family.

So what did we do?

Monkey World with the DCF

The Dorset Children’s Foundation “DCF” funded a fun day at the ape rescue centre called Monkey World at the very start of the holidays. We were ecstatic – well, I was at least as I’ve never been and Melody was all keen to see chimpanzees!

Notice sleeping Elisa on the background… She slept through the whole thing.

Melody enjoys travelling in the Tula toddler carrier, that I got from Finnish shop called “Ipanainen.fi“.

We had a lovely day, never mind that Elisa slept through the whole thing.
Maybe she dreamt of monkeys though?

Played Football with the DCF

These football sessions are such a safe place; there are footy related games for those who can and want to join in, but no-one is looked on badly if you decide to run around the hall playing chase with your Mum instead or have your very own game going on with a wheelchair football.

Neither are you judged if you happen to fall a victim to your emotions and have a temper tantrum.

There are only few opportunities where all parties of the family can join in the activity fully when one is physically disabled – it happens so easily that the disabled is on the sidelines or then the siblings.

These football sessions are for all; all of our three children love to join in the fun. Well, after all, this is “Accessible for All” Football arranged by the Dorset Children’s Foundation.

Colour sorting is very important for our 3-year-old.. So at one session she managed to gather all coloured practice plates and balls and sort them accordingly.

The DCF Fun Day

We only came for the afternoon part of the fun day – so we managed to get some lovely cake, then burned off those calories with playing indoor football and dancing to the beats of the amazing DJ Nose It !

Saying thank you after a nice game of football!

Launch party of the DCFFC

As we already had been enjoying the football sessions arranged by the DCF, we were excited to attend the Family Fun Day that celebrated the launch of the new football team.

Can you spot Elisa and Ruby in one of the photos from the Dorset Echo’s news article? You can check it out here.

Most importantly – we saw friends and Elisa got some lovely cuddles with a younger friend of ours!

We went swimming at BH Live Leisure Centres

Littledown

We do like the pool in Littledown. It is all wheelchair accessible and we go for a swim there every so often.

Pelhams

Our favourite Leisure Centre has to be the closest one to us though, but not because of it’s proximity. We love how the changing area for swimmers is an open area and so we can get changed as a family. The disabled changing facilities include an essential hoist, and there is a hoist to the warm pool too.

Mummy – Daughter – quality time with Elisa

It’s rare that I get to spend one on one time with Elisa. So on a day when Melody was in nursery, I took Elisa out. Just me and her.

Elisa needs an escort in a car in case she needs support with her breathing or dystonic episodes, which is why it’s not safe for me and her to drive anywhere alone – I need another adult with us. That naturally limits our options for quality one on one time, which is why we went for a walk.

We went through Slades Farm and the woods – Elisa loves a “bumby ride” and it’s good exercise for Mummy to push her along the naturally uneven sandy pathways.

We went shopping to the Julia’s house charity shop at Wallisdown. Elisa loved the guitar and I found some clothes for the kids too.

Attended Julias House event called “Housemates”

Julia’s house arranges these events called “Housemates” during holidays and half-terms that are designed for the whole family. The events are relaxed, offering parents a chance to enjoy a cuppa and a chat with other parents when their children take part in supervised play.

Melody was so independent and went off to play with the Julia’s house staff and other children. She enjoyed some arts and crafts (like in the photo) and decorating cupcakes.

That gave me an option to enjoy uninterrupted cuddle and play with Elisa..

We even managed to have a civilised cup of coffee together, me and the father of my children, while our offspring played happily with Julia’s house in the next room.

Not to forget who is the favourite here for Elisa.. Even as she does enjoy Mummy cuddles, she is such a Daddy’s girl!

Picnic at Moors Valley

Dan arranged to see a friend of ours at Moors Valley. We walked around the pond and then settled for a picnic.

It was my first time to travel on the Moors Valley Railway. I was so excited!

Elisa didn’t travel in her wheelchair but had Daddy cuddles the whole way through. She loved it!

Our labrador Freya was excited to be with us on the train ride.

Random moments

We had had a lovely swim session with other families with disabled children. We were hungry and it was raining – so we had a picnic in the car. Why not?

We enjoyed a lovely pub lunch with family in celebration of Ruby’s birthday.

We attended “Noahs Fun Day” that was organised to raise funds for essential housing works for our disabled friend. Here Melody is having a break from the bouncy castle and enjoying a lovely cupcake.

While Melody was in nursery, we had a shopping spree with Grandma at Castlepoint. Here we are about to enjoy some well deserved coffee and cake! Well, cinnamon swirl for me.

The DCF had organised a Sensory Disco, which we enjoyed. Here the sisters were having a breather in the sensory room – one chilling, other not.

Our friend Dani took Melody and Ruby out for an afternoon of minigolf. Here Melody is all ready to go!

Other day and walking hand in hand with a friend..

Icecream after Elisa’s appointment at Poole Hospital. Ruby, Daddy and Elisa had attended the appointment, and me and Melody had spent that time at the playpark.

Moments at home

Painting nails as a reward for letting Mum to trim them first…

How come was this the best summer holiday yet?

This is something any family with a child with complex medical needs will agree on.

This was best holiday yet, as we all stayed home. Elisa didn’t end up being admitted to hospital once. She was poorly with a tummy bug for couple of days, but that is so minor that is not even worth properly mentioning. Honestly – even as we lacked the confidence to book anything and make certain plans because of last years experiences, we ended up having the most active and loveliest time we’ve had during holidays. Happy, content time, as we were all healthy enough.

Isn’t that amazing?

Did you pay attention?

Most of the activities we enjoyed as a family were arranged and funded by charities like Julia’s house and the Dorset Children’s Foundation. Both of these charities are really close to my heart and our lives would be so much poorer in so many ways without them.

Which is why we are raising money for the Dorset Children’s Foundation.

Did you read about that here yet? Most importantly, if you could spare a quid or more, have you donated here?

Our new Facebook page is booming with new likes already – thank you so much for that! If you haven’t liked us yet, please do so here. If you are more of a Instagrammer, we do have an account there too here.