Paralympics

The Paralympics started yesterday.
It is getting extensive media coverage on CBC, and I have my PVR all set up!

I have been thinking about how to approach the Paralympics. Do I say, "ooh lets watch all these athletes with disabilities and see how great they are". Or do I say "wow, lets watch the olympics"

I really don't want it to be about the differences. I want it to be about what we are watching.

We talked about the Olympics and favorite sports, all kinds of things that Katheryn could do.
Because no matter how much Nickolas cries and wants to put on ice skates, it is not an appropriate sport. And it breaks my heart to tell Nick that he can't do something. I hate the word can't.

So we look at how he can do what he wants to do.

And the Paralympics show us all of the things that Nickolas has open to him. Every single athlete has a story to share in which they were told they could do anything they wanted, they could show that their different ability did not hold them back.

So we are going to be cheering for our sledge-hockey team. Watch it as a hockey game. Not as an adapted sport, not as a sport to do instead of regular-hockey. Just hockey, with a puck, a net and some ice.

http://www.paralympic.ca/sledge-hockey

And in my head I want Nick to start sledge hockey when he's old enough. But as a sport that is available for him. Not a different sport, not a special sport, just a sport that is available to do.

Go Canada Go!

Olympics

It's time for the Winter Olympics again.
I have been very excited. But I missed being able to watch it 24-7 like four years ago. But work has been getting in the way.
Four years ago Nickolas was just 3 months old, and there was so much I worried about, that I didn't know I didn't need to worry about. And whenever I think about
I will always, always think about Alex Bilodeau and his brother. Putting things into perspective. Having a role model: his brother.

So here we are four years later and cheering on our Canadian Olympians again.
We had a medal count down on our wall. We talked about the sports we were going to watch and cheered them on!

Katheryn's favorite sport is the skeleton and curling. So we decided to practice...

Skeleton (she's smiling on the inside...)

Curling (she's pretending to hold the broom, and the ice is the curling stone.

I asked about hockey, and she says that hockey is just 'ok'.
But Nickolas really likes hockey. And he wants to go skating too.

 

Nickolas has been wanting to go skating. On skates. Like Katheryn (who hasn't actually skated on skates yet either). So we've been staying away from the skating ring for now.

Right now it's just enjoying the snow (which Nick likes for about 5 minutes anyways)

 

Olympics!

The olympics are over - I've had alot of fun watching them. And of course dressing up the kids to help cheer. Watching the gold men's hockey game (dear to my heart) we had to scale down our cheering because we finally had the kids napping. In fact, Kyle couldn't move at all for the final winning-overtime goal!

But we did get some cheering in before hand.

I also enjoyed information about the upcoming paralympics. It was interesting to see all the different sports. And to see how CRAZY the athletes are! Downhill skiing! Do I think they are crazy because they are people who are disabled? No way! I think its crazy what these athletes put their bodies through.

Some other non-olympic postings - Katheryn's favorite word - mine. Everything is mine, mine, mine! and Nickolas' newest acheivement - Laughing! Yay! My favorite sound ever!! Listening to Katheryn (and now Nickolas laugh). What was he laughing at? His jungle mobile. In the morning now he wakes up and just lays in his crib looking at his mobile and talking and talking and some little giggles.

This week with Katheryn and Nickolas...

There isn't that much to say this week.

The kids have been sick (thanks Kyle) but somehow I was spared the cough and cold. Nickolas has been feeding every 2 hours while he's been sick, and 4-6 hours at night (we had been 3-4 during the day and 12 [yay!] at night). But he getting better. The poor guy would cough and cough and then throw up, so I wouldn't 'fill' him that much.

Of course this makes me exhausted! AND I'm trying to get my MRP [research project for my masters] done so I can graduate in June. Hopefully next week will be better - prob not - I look at the calender for next week and it's pretty full...

 

We got the pictures of our Canadian Baby Photographers Photoshoot - so cute!!! (http://www.canadianbaby.com/) I love them - they are expensive but we were an easy sell, when the guy came to the house we had Katheryn's photos when they did her pictures all over! It is great , they come right to the house, set everything up, and you get a free 5x7 even if you don't buy anything. Of course we always buy something. They have been in business for a long time - my parents have my baby pictures above their bed, from the same people. - OK free advertising over.

Of course we have been watching the Olympics non-stop. Pretty much we put on CTV in the morning and leave it on until we go to bed. I don't remember getting this into the Olympics before (except of course for hockey) but we've been watching ALL the sports!

I also want to watch some of the paraolympics next month - get a glimpse of things that Nickolas can do. Get out of the can't-do mindset. Geez I hope I don't have can't-do mindset. All I really know about is wheelchair basketball and sledge hockey, oh and murderball (wheelchair rugby?) But there must be lots of other things he could do (if he wanted). We've already decided Katheryn will be a hockey player.

Katheryn's new favorite things are to pull Nickolas in his rocking chair (which can't be easy because he is 17 lbs!), but also to feed him. I caught her shoving a goldfish (cracker) in his mouth, and when he wouldn't take it, she was shoving it in!

Last thing. I just found out about something called conductive education. It was through a post at the BabyCenter Spinabifida Kids group - I hadn't joined it before, but it has alot of the same moms as the spinabifida support forum. Anyways, two of the moms posted about their kids being involved in a conductive education center. They were on the news here is the link: http://www.wzzm13.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=68575678001 I looked into it and the March of Dimes in Toronto has a program. I have NO idea what it will cost (the Center in Michigan the news report is about has a 4 week program that costs $1200). But I thought it would be interesting to check out. And if it helps great! I'll talk to the SB clinic about it. They should have some more info.
 

OK apparently I had alot to say about this week...

Oh Yeah GO CANADA!!! The women athletes have been amazing! Now it's Men's Hockey going for Gold!!

Perspective

I was watching the Olympics yesterday – like everyone else and saw an interview with Alex Bilodeau, who won the gold medal for men’s freestyle moguls. He says that his brother, born with cerebral palsy was his inspiration. That his brother put everything into perspective. It made me tear up.

Sometimes I worry about the impact Nickolas’ spina bifida will have on Katheryn’s life. But then it got me thinking, the spina bifida isn’t holding us (any of us) back, it’s pushing us forward.