Ready, steady ... cook!

All set for a bake-off, our kids proudly hold-up a stash of new cookware very kindly sent by Sheila Beelam and her family, who sponsor our elder David - David Karisa.

Sheila's parcel is the first to arrive in response to our blog appeal for bakeware for Mama Sue to use with the children at their weekly Kidz Kookery Club.

As well as silicone bakeware (great because it won't rust in our conditions of extreme heat, salt air and high humidity), Sheila sent bun cases, hundreds and thousands, chocolate chips and jelly diamonds.

What fun the kids are going to have, what sweet treats, too!

Thank you Sheila for all your kindness.

That's our boy!

Sitting pretty, and looking very cute, our David's development is speeding ahead.

In the few months since Mama Sue was told he has Down's Syndrome, David has come on leaps and bounds, thanks to the programme of daily exercises devised for him from information and advice supplied by the Down's Syndrome Association in the UK.

From being like a floppy newborn in October, David is now able to sit up on his own and is making progress all the time.

Mama tells me he is displaying some beautiful teeth. "They're popping through ten to the dozen!" she says.

The exercise programme, which mums' take David through at least twice a day, was put together by Hemadi, a trainee social worker, who was on work experience with us at the time.

We are now looking ahead to the next step for our beautiful little boy to ensure that he reaches his full potential, whatever that may be.

The second picture shows him modelling his smart new surfwear, sent by Lesley Pidcock who is in his sponsor family with her Entry Level Childcare students at Doncaster College.

I'm still standing (if you are) .... and driving force!

Identical twins Peter and Paul are perfectly in tune ... whatever one does the other does too.

They are now able to pull themselves on to their feet and stand, if a little shakily, for a few moments and there's always a mum close at hand to stop them from taking a tumble.

It won't be long before they're firm on their feet and the next thing they'll soon be up and off.

Meanwhile little Linus is a driving force.

He's Mama's little shadow, and as soon as he's out of school he makes a beeline for her office. And at the end of every day he provides her with a escort to the gate - climbing up on to Papa Dave's knee to "drive" the tiny distance to the gate.

Mama Sue says: "As soon as we get to the gate he jumps out as good as gold, pushes the askari out of the way so that HE can open the gate!"

Thank you LOFA

The smiles on the children's faces say it all : "Thank you LOFA for lighting up our lives!"

A donation of £5,000 from LOFA ( Leisure and Outdoor Furniture Association) will make a world of difference to our family 

The Happy House nomination's support was made by Ed Wray of BarbeSkew, Brighton, who heard about our work from friends Marc and Thalia Ventura, who have been visiting Watamu for seeveral years and followed, and supported, Sue's work by fundraising.

"We can say, hand on heart, that we are not just transforming children's lives, we are saving children's lives. Thank you LOFA  for your generous donation."

Mr Eric Hopper, chairman of LOFA, said that in reintroducing the association's charity support scheme, members had been invited to put forward their nominations to its governing council. The Happy House was one of two charities chosen by the council to receive £5,000.  Greenfingers, which provides gardens in children's hospices, also received £5,000.

Mr Hopper added that it was very important to LOFA members that they should be socially and environmentally aware, not only by supporting charity, but also through it's Made Aware initiative which focuses members' attention , and encourages  improvements where needed, on both the environmental and ethical aspects of how materials are sourced, where, and by whom, products made and of their long term effect on the environment.

Thanking Lofa on behalf of Sue and the family, Elizabeth says: ""We can say, hand on heart, that we are not just transforming children's lives, we are saving children's lives. Thank you LOFA  for your generous donation."

Flying the flag!

The flags are flying in the baby banda, thanks to Blackpool's Mrs Marmalade!

A regular stallholder at local craft fairs selling her beautiful handcrafted items made from vintage fabrics, Mrs Marmalade (aka Claire Bursnoll) made strings of colourful bunting displaying the letters of the alphabet.

There was great excitement when they arrived, with the older children checking them out first, before Uncle Lanson put them up around the banda.

There they'll blow gently in the breeze, giving our tiny babies something pretty to look up at, while the mums will use them to help teach the toddlers their letters!

Thank for all the effort you put in to make this Mrs Marmalade ... we love them and send you lots of Happy House smiles!

Speaking up

Children have a voice, and it should be heard. Mama Sue has always been insistent that her Happy house kids should never be afraid to air their views.

And to ensure that when they do speak, those around them, be they children or adults, will listen.

That was one of the reasons she set up a Kidz Klub, which is when the entire family gets together to talk over and celebrate the week past, and to look forward to what is ahead. It's are real success and everyone looks forward to it.

More recently she has introduced a Kidz Council, which members elected by the children, which holds weekly meetings to discuss any issues taken to members by other children.

It's working really well, intervening effectively where necessary, and in reporting on its action to Mama and Uncle Billy, who provide guidance and advice when needed.

Mama Sue tells me the children are taking it very seriously indeed, and that the council, chaired by Evans, is reporting to her just as if they were adults and in a very responsible manner.

"I am just so proud of them," she says.

This week the council - Sifa, Evans, Fakiri, Samson, Janet, Mercy and Jane - received the Star of the Week Award to mark their success.

Well done kids, keep it up! 

Bye, bye Auntie Coral

It's always hard to say goodbye, and it was an emotional time for volunteer Coral Blackhurst when the kids were queuing up to give her a farewell hug.

Auntie Coral, who spent first three months at the Happy House at the end of 2010 and start of 2011, has now come to the end of her second visit.

Coral, from the Isle of Man, has been at the Happy House since October and has worked so hard helping in school and using her own skills, as a trained teacher, to work alongside our  teachers.

Coral has gone straight on to the British Virgin Islands to visit her daughter and celebrate her grandson's birthday, before heading back to the UK in time to be at the charity night in Blackpool on March 16.

Taking pride of place in her luggage is the beautiful card from our family, and, we know, her head and her heart will be full to the brim of wonderful memories of our children.

Thank you Auntie Coral and safe travelling!