Visiting Santa



We decided to pick the kids up early from school one day and visit Santa.

Which turned out to be a really good idea, because there were 2 families in front of us!

 



The kids talked about what they were going to ask for.
Nick asked for a big Leo play set (all he has asked for) and Katheryn wanted the gold ring Shopkins (??)
They said they were going to sit with Santa by themselves and they each practiced their smiles

Even though we didn't have much of a wait the kids still got to play with some of the touch-pad games they had set up (this is different from how Oshawa was set up other years).

 

And then it was time to meet the big guy!

 

Perfect!

All I want for Christmas

Christmas is coming and it's time for the kids to write their wish list for Santa

Katheryn got to practice her writing

And we decided to try something new with Nickolas.
After Nick's report this month I decided that instead of making Nick spend all of his time writing out what he wants, we would type it out.

So he had to type every single word on his wish list
We spent time sounding out and looking at what was written in the flyers and then he had to find the right key on the keyboard.

 

Katheryn wanted to type out her list as well, so after she wrote it she got to type it as well.



Once that 'work' was done, it was time for play!

 

That ran around the house like this for about an hour!

Hearing the giggles and laughter from these 2 made my wishes come true!

Christmas in August

Merry Christmas in July!

During our last week of summer vacation we went up to the cottage and visited Santa's Village in Bracebridge. It was all kid friendly and completely accessible. My parents came with us.

There was some carnival games, winner every time

A jumping castle (I let Nick go in only when there weren't any other kids in.. it got crazy with lots of kids in it)
Katheryn loved doing flips

They had an ornament ferris wheel, so we all went up on that.
I wasn't sure how the kids would be with the height, but they were good!

There was an area to take some Nick Christmas pictures on a sleigh with presents around.
The kids weren't that interested in smiling, so we did some funny faces instead

We got to meet Santa Claus and tell him when they wanted for Christmas. They got elf hats at the same time! Nick was very excited to meet St Nick ("just like me!"), but once we got up, Katheryn didn't want to go near him and hid behind me.
They were very interested to meet Mrs Claus too!

Katheryn's favorite part was getting her face painted. She is Hello Kitty, and Nick is ... of course... Michaelangelo

We got to play some mini-putt. Nick really wanted to do this.
The course was not accessible at all, but we made it work. We tried all kinds of different ways to help Nick hit the ball. The wheelchair was too bulky, the canes were too flimsy. What worked in the end was me standing behind him, holding his hips so he could move himself around and had the space to swing the golf club.
We did all 9 holes

We also rode a train through the whole park. I think we did it 5 or 6 times. This was my mom's favorite part. We rode in the front, in the back, in the middle. The guy even let both kids sit in the drivers seat (he only let Nick do it first, and then I think realized that it wasn't fair to Katheryn and let her do it.)

While Katheryn was off doing something, Nick and I snuck away and did some gingerbread men.

Finally at the end of the day the kids wanted to go on some rides. This was Nick's favorite thing to do, the plane when up and down and around the track.

It was a fantastic day!

Santa Baby

Writing, writing, writing!

After we visited Santa Katheryn wanted to write a letter to tell him what she wanted.

Her lists wasn't very long (she only says she wants one thing).
So we worked on an actual letter and not a wish list

 

She was so proud of her first ever letter!

 



 

She wrote every single word (no spaces), and just asked us about spelling (and sounding it out).

 

I think Katheryn tried to soften him up a little bit first (Santa-dear)

Santa Dear. My name is Katheryn. I like Tinkerbell for Christmas please.
I have been good all year.
From Katheryn.

Her letter (after I scanned it to save it forever) is already in the mail for Santa.

Santa Claus is coming to Town

All dressed up, and we need to see a man with a reindeer!

 

The kids distracted themselves in the line up.

 

And there was a play area with colouring and movies

Or played with the Leap Pad (which goes everywhere with us!)

And got a family picture with the big man!

Katheryn was very excited - but still told us she wanted to sit on Daddy's knee - not Santa. Nickolas took one look at him and grabbed me. But no tears or crying.
Katheryn even talked to Santa and told her what she wanted for Christmas!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

We are getting excited for Christmas we pulled out all of our decorations and toys a couple of weeks ago. We decorated the house outside – Katheryn says it is beautiful! We pulled out all of our Christmas movies.

We had our annual family Christmas parties. I think there was 40 members of the Ridding family there, all of the kids (all 2nd cousins) loved playing together and running around.

The dancing Santa is always a hit with the kids – I did have Nick out, but for these pictures he was too busy eating. I actually had the chair and Nick's walker out - but he didn't want anything to do with walking.

 (This was before the CE party where he was much more comfortable walking in his walker with a group of people.)

Getting ready for Christmas also means getting our Christmas tree. Every year we go and chop one down. This year is was too wet and rainy and warm to go out and cut one down on the weekend we had available.

But we still got a pretty good one.

And Nick thought it was great riding in the cart above his head!

Yes I'm aware that I look a little crazy taking pictures in Home Depot. But I don't care. Look at that look! It's just asking to snapped in a photograph!

It took us about a week to decorate the tree.

Katheryn really liked these snowmen and kept bunching them together.

Nick liked playing peek-a-boo with his! He’ll pull the hat down over the eyes, then back up and say ‘boo’.

 

When daddy came home from work it was time to put the star up. Katheryn tried to help but got scared.

But it was up!

Now that the tree is up, and we are feeling suitably Christmassy, it was time to bring on Santa.
We talked about Santa and that we were going to go and visit Santa. We had it all planned with my in laws to have the 4 cousins all go to the mall and visit Santa. Both kids were excited. Santa is one of Nick's new words. (As well as tree)

Katheryn was very excited, waiting in line and waiting because she’s going to see Santa.

Nick kept saying ‘Santa, Santa!’ He might not look very excited - but he was.

We got up to him. Nothing.
Katheryn would have nothing to do with him.
We did get a family picture of the cousins – with my leg in the picture. I kept trying to move farther out of the frame and move Katheryn closer and she stops and looks at me “Mommy! Stop pushing me”

She has her model pose!

Katheryn and Nick are actually supposed to be matchingish, with their sweaters - but do you know how hard it is to find cute boy sweaters?!!!

When it was time for Nick and Katheryn and Santa, she just ran.

But I was getting a Santa picture for 2011 – and if Katheryn doesn’t want to be in it, that is fine. So my picture is just with Nick.

Both of them still get excited to see pictures of Santa – just not ready for the real version yet.
Katheryn has told me that she wants a hippopotamus for Christmas, so maybe next year she can ask Santa for one.

The next couple of weeks are going to be a little less busy. So we'll finish up our shopping and spend more time a home as a family, instead of on-the-run as a family. Maybe get some cookies baking or some of the fun homemade things I've been reading about. Have Christmas music on

And some snow wouldn't hurt either!

Party, Party, Party with our Conductors

We got to go to our first Christmas party at March of Dimes.



Nick even had a date!

Yes, Nick and Alejandra had better get used to all of these cameras! Do you remember the picture of the 2 of them back in June? And of course we've spent the last 3 months every week working together.

The party was a great opportunity for Nick to be in a room of people and see how he moves with his walker. The perfect safe environment, with other kids and adults with similar abilities and assistance. And he did great!

We were even able to catch up with some old friends. Zachary and his mom were with us in August and Nick and Zach were paired off. They worked really well together and Barb and I were able to connect together. (She's the mom that runs Zach's List)

Nick had the opportunity to play,

and draw some Santa pictures.

Nick was not too sure about Frosty. He wanted to go and see him, but once we got close - he wanted to go away again!

But this guy!
As soon as Santa came in, all Nick could say was Santa, Santa, Santa!

It's too bad Katheryn missed it. She was upset that we went to a party without her. But we had our last conductive education class before the party, and there wasn't enough time or purpose to drive home and pick her up.

We did so much this semester of conductive education. I'm definitely going to miss it, and can't wait to start up again in April!