Blog Archives - Love Dexter

Big Boy Parties!

11/30/2015

Something pretty cool happened today.
I went to my first big boy preschool birthday party!
It was a party that I didn't have to go to with my noisy sisters!
It was so much fun!
The venue was picked so it would be easier for me to join in. I had lots of fun and even tried my first fairy bread and chocolate crackles!
After that party finished, I went to another birthday party that my noisy sisters weren't invited to! Two parties in one day!
Atthat party, I was on the floor in the room, with the kids. Lots of my preschool friends were there, again. They sat with me and stayed a while, then went off to play. Thanks for including me!
Today, going to the parties and being invited, just like the other kids, made Mum and Dad smile. It meant a lot to them - more than anyone might realise.
Thanks for inviting me! xx

Who is Dexter?
Celebrating Courage
When Wheelchair Stops Being a Dirty Word
But, You Don’t Look Disabled
Would You Like Some Cake, Dexter?
Physical Toll of Cerebral Palsy
Dexter's 2013
Dexter's First Month
Dexter's Vision
Dexter's Cerebral Palsy
Dexter's Cancer
Who is Dexter?
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New Deck!

11/30/2015

I love my new deck!
I can sit on it, in my cool chair. I can lie on it and I can play on it.
It's easy to get to and it helps me be a part of everything, no matter what is happening
(We wrote more and shared more photos on the doing it for Dexter page here.)

What a Dollar means to Dexter
When Wheelchair Stops Being a Dirty Word
Dexter's 2013
Dexter's First Month
Dexter's Vision
Dexter's Cerebral Palsy
Dexter's Cancer
Who is Dexter?
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Bed Crashing

11/29/2015

My girls.
I was enjoying a quiet sleep in...
(I've been having some very late nights because of my cerebral palsy).
Mum decided I looked too cute and cosy, so she climbed back in bed with me.
So, of course, the Noisy Two had to join us!

What a Dollar means to Dexter
When Wheelchair Stops Being a Dirty Word
Dexter's 2013
Dexter's First Month
Dexter's Vision
Dexter's Cerebral Palsy
Dexter's Cancer
Who is Dexter?
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KidzWish Foundation Party for 2015

11/29/2015

Last week, we went to the KidzWish Christmas party!
It was my second one. Last year, my noisy sister went, but I didn't. I was in hospital.
This year, we all went! We danced and smiled and laughed.
We were right up the front, so the Noisy One danced at the edge of the stage.
The performers were excellent and they high fived me. Santa did, too! That was so cool.
I had a great day! Thank you so much KidzWish!

(Photo credit: KidzWish Foundation)
Find them on facebook, twitter, instagram and their website.)

This is an amazing event. Thank you to everyone involved.
"About 4,300 children and carers were invited. The party was two months in the making, involved more than 400 volunteers and involved five days of setting up at WIN Entertainment Centre. TIGS played a major role in making our kid's event happen." KidzWish Foundation

I'm pulling a funny face in this one!

What a Dollar means to Dexter
When Wheelchair Stops Being a Dirty Word
Dexter's 2013
Dexter's First Month
Dexter's Vision
Dexter's Cerebral Palsy
Dexter's Cancer
Who is Dexter?
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Meet... Caroline Harris Photography

11/21/2015

Not long ago, we went for a photo shoot!
It was fun, and noisy and crazy... what with my two sisters!
Caroline Harris took photos of us. We dressed up.. I was in my spunky clothes and had gel in my hair, to make it spiky. My sisters wore red dresses and had fancy hair, too.
Caroline was very patient with us. She had lots of little tricks, to help us all stay happy and watching the camera.
Taking photos with me and my cerebral palsy is not easy.
Thank you Caroline! We will pick some photos and hang them up in the main room of the new house. They will look awesome!
What do you think?
(All photos taken by Caroline Harris)

You can find Caroline Harris Photography on facebook here.
Her website can be found here.
Call her on 042 934 2121.

Photographing CP
The Many Faces of Dexter
Cerebral Palsy Doesn’t Stop Me Understanding Stuff
What a Dollar means to Dexter
When Wheelchair Stops Being a Dirty Word
Dexter's 2013
Dexter's First Month
Dexter's Vision
Dexter's Cerebral Palsy
Dexter's Cancer
Who is Dexter?
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Find me on: facebook twitter instagram pinterest youtube

Beach Fun

11/19/2015

The benefit of having friends from overseas visit us, is that we get to spend lots of time with Dad! He made me a special beach chair, out of sand, that looked like a race car (until the waves got to it!). It meant I could sit up, in the sand and I didn't have to lie down.
We didn't have my beach wheelchair, because this wasn't our usual beach and the chair is too big to put in the car.
I liked the beach!

What a Dollar means to Dexter
When Wheelchair Stops Being a Dirty Word
Dexter's 2013
Dexter's First Month
Dexter's Vision
Dexter's Cerebral Palsy
Dexter's Cancer
Who is Dexter?
Return to Home page
Find me on: facebook twitter instagram pinterest youtube

Riding the Audi!

11/16/2015

Convoy is over and done with for another year.
This is a day that evokes many feelings for our family, more than anyone will ever fully understand. We used to stand by the road and cheer. Then, I was born. I was in hospital for four months and came home, ready and strong enough, to go to my first convoy. I was on my breathing alarm and slept the whole time. The next year, I was having chemotherapy treatments and spent Convoy night in hospital. The next year, I had had my femor cut and repositioned in my hip. I was in my leg cast and brace.
This time of year brings up many scary memories, for us.
And now that I'm four... This kind of day is a reminder of my cerebral palsy... A reminder of how I can't tell Mum Dad that I want to ride in a truck.. A reminder that I can't even climb up in a truck for a look around... A reminder of the limits people put on me - which is a slap in the face for us, as we have a 'no limits' attitude, when it comes to me.
So for these reasons, Mum and Dad don't really like convoy.
But, this year was different.

This year we missed seeing our northern Convoy family of Lenny and Melissa. We've seen them over the last few years and we really have become family.
We did get to catch up with Yogi and PJ and were honoured he kept his word and carried my name banner flag (a secret we had been keeping for a week). We asked him to carry my banner down the mountain. We'd thought Lenny might be riding in the truck, with Yogi. Yogi is our western family and we look forward to him being joined by Amanda and the kids next time around!
We loved seeing Yogi and his truck carrying my sign. And, Yogi is such a lovely guy. He had a lot of people he could have been talking to, but he stayed with his truck and met everyone who came over to say hi. He posed for photos, wrote out signatures and let kids climb in PJ. And, all with a smile.

We are thankful for the McMahons ( Nicole and Derek) for all that they do with the peoples truck and for their offer a couple of convoys ago to put me in a truck. I was still very small, and having chemotherapy treatments. And also to Aaron and Christie who offered last year. I was in my brace and sitting for a long time would not have been possible.
Logistically, it was too hard both years.

But this year was different and Cath and her amazing Cops for Convoy team thought outside the box, and made it possible for me to ride in my first convoy. They put my modified car seat in the back of the car and made sure I was comfortable. Mum came with me. Dad had the noisy sisters.

I had such a great time! When the bikes went past, Mum held me forward and turned my head, so I could watch and listen. I can't tell them how much I can see the bikes. After a break in the bikes, Mum sat back with me. When the next lot of bikes came by, I heard them and I wanted to watch them. I leaned myself forward, and turned my own head. Mum was so proud! When Mum helped me raise my hand to wave, the muscles in my arm were a bit tight. That's the cerebral palsy... I want to wave, but it's a bit tricky! By the end of the day, I was raising my arm myself, to wave, whenever I heard a truck. Even when I was very sleepy at Croome Road, I heard the bop bops and my hand went up, to wave.
I fell asleep that afternoon, with a smile on my face. People are great.
I had a fantastic time and loved hearing the horns and the engines. I gave big smiles when I heard people on the side of the road call my name. Thanks for calling out to my. My police friends were amazed by how many people knew me.
This year, convoy was fun.

Surprise! We asked if we could get a truck name banner this year. We love it!
Thanks Camp Quality.
I told my police friends to leave Mum in here... but they let her out.
Thank you so much for looking after us! Cops For Convoy

They say this audi can hit 340km/hr! They wouldn't let me drive!
Thanks so much Cops For Convoy

Look what followed us!

Here's my Crazy Family! They were cheering and screaming and jumping up and down.
I love them.
Thanks to everyone in the trucks, who gave my family an extra horn blast, wave, thumbs up and cheer, when they saw my sign.
Thanks to Aaron, for creeping over to say a cheeky hello!

Mum gave me lots of kisses... and I love her, for letting me ride in the Police car.
We had our names on The Peoples Truck, again.

Mum cheered when she saw Yogi's truck!
Head over to the Kendall Trucking facebook page and give Yogi and PJ a cheer!

This one s growing up so fast! She was inside Mum, when I was having my chemotherapy treatments and surgeries, and was born just in time to hear that I was cancer clear. She still stresses and worries when I am not at home, or I'm sick. Love her.
The Lenny and Mel photo. They rode with Yogi last year, but couldn't get here this year. This is their flag. My sister loves Yogi! She called him Yoghurt and still remembers him, his bopbops and his purple PJ. Yogi called us Little Trucker! Kendall Trucking

With Glen in 2015 and last year, in 2014. Looking forward to 2016!

My sister loves Giggle! She loves it when we wear our Giggle shirts.
When she saw Giggle, she asked Giggle to come over and say hello to me. I love that she is only two, but already, she knows how to make sure I am included in the fun things.
I am so proud of her.

I couldn't climb up in the truck, but my sisters and my cousins said it was very cool!
I was very sleepy!
Check out these two... cheeky monkeys!
The littlest one cried when we took her off the bike!

Woohooo! Head over to the Cops for Convoy facebook page and give them a cheer!

So far, in my name, my family and friends have raised $11,595 for Camp Quality, through Convoy.
We've raised $20,967 for the NSW Cancer Council, though Relay for Life.
We've also raised money for a couple of other charities. In total, in my name, we have raised $33, 212 for charity. Thank you so much, for helping me do that!
We'll be doing lots more fundraising in 2016.

When Wheelchair Stops Being a Dirty Word
But, You Don’t Look Disabled
Would You Like Some Cake, Dexter?
Dexter’s Femoral Osteotomy
We Nearly Lost Him
What a Dollar means to Dexter
Dexter's 2013
Dexter's First Month
Dexter's Vision
Dexter's Cerebral Palsy
Dexter's Cancer
Who is Dexter?
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Seagulls, Chips and Picnics

11/14/2015

We had a happy day today!
I took my sisters, my Nanoo and Pokky and my Mum for a picnic lunch.
I thought the seagulls were funny!

What a Dollar means to Dexter
When Wheelchair Stops Being a Dirty Word
Dexter's 2013
Dexter's First Month
Dexter's Vision
Dexter's Cerebral Palsy
Dexter's Cancer
Who is Dexter?
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Lead Truck Bidding Day

11/13/2015

Today was the lead truck auction for the Camp Quality Convoy, which is this Sunday.
We stopped and said a quick hi to our friends Nicole and Derek at the Peoples Truck and then went and joined our friends the Starcic's and all of their family and friends at Coastal Windows and Doors. Rob is a huge supporter of the doing it for Dexter project.
This is Rob and I - just after he and Bianca won the lead truck for $220,000!!!!
Congratulations to the Peoples Truck for their $210,000 bid, putting them in second.
And thanks to all the other big and small trucks who placed a bid.
I'm excited for Sunday. We have a couple of little secrets we are keeping, until then!
Happy Convoy, everyone!

If you want to join us, email doingitfordexter@gmail.com
Message us through the Doing it for Dexter facebook page

Click here to see who offered support
What a Dollar means to Dexter
When Wheelchair Stops Being a Dirty Word
The Original Idea
Dexter's Fun Plans
Coastal Windows and Doors
Dexter's 2013
Dexter's First Month
Dexter's Vision
Dexter's Cerebral Palsy
Dexter's Cancer
Who is Dexter?
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A New Swing!

11/3/2015

We tried out one of the new parks in Kiama this afternoon - even though I was a bit tired from school, I had fun on this swing! I really like it when we can all swing together!
Thanks Kiama Council for being so inclusive!

What a Dollar means to Dexter
When Wheelchair Stops Being a Dirty Word
Dexter's 2013
Dexter's First Month
Dexter's Vision
Dexter's Cerebral Palsy
Dexter's Cancer
Who is Dexter?
Return to Home page
Find me on: facebook twitter instagram pinterest youtube