School Daze

It is November, Halloween is done and the costumes are put back away (until our pirate party for Nick's birthday). It is time to think about school.

The idea of sending Nickolas to school has been a bit stressful for me. With all of the excitement with Katheryn starting kindergarten I tried to stifle the little voice that worried about Nick's journey next year. And when we visited the school for the September BBQ I could see how well Katheryn has adjusted, but also how there will be challenges for Nick. Everything from a single fully accessible door into the school (and a back door that has a ramp, but challenges actually fully accessing the ramp), space to move a chair or walker or crutches around the classroom, and that the back indoor play room is down 3 steps. It has me worried about how it will work for Nickolas next year.

Over the last month I have been trying to find resources online to tell  me what steps to take to make sure that Nickolas will get everything he needs in the school year. It started to really bog down this post - so I'm going to post all of the resources as a separate post.

When I'm stressing out about things I want to collect as much information as I can, and make it accessible when I have more questions!

Starting school feels like when I found out that Nickolas had spina bifida! The waiting and the wondering and the stress and the wait and see. I am really hoping, that like when I was pregnant, the waiting was the worse part; and once we actually get started into school I'll find out that all this worry and stress was for nothing (other than try to be super-prepared).

For the last week, since I've been trying to become more proactive getting ready for school I have felt like I am on the edge of tears! I just want it to be easier, and make the right decisions!
I spent last week calling around and sending out emails.
I talked to the secretary at our school which did not help to make me feel better. I was told

1. We do not have to register earlier than January (even thought all of the sites say the Fall prior to school). In fact she said a lot can happen in a year and what is the point of taking his name?! -yes that made me feel very good about sending my kid to this school
2.  Kids in kindergarten don't need an IEP and was told what is the point it's just kindergarten - my head nearly blew off at this
3. What about a school nurse (or someone to help with cathing), that it doesn't need to be set up that much ahead of time.

I did get a chance to talk to the Principal later in the week and plan to have some meetings in January and have been reassured that 9 months is enough time to get things ready for Nickolas. They do have a couple of kids with special needs in the school, including a girl who uses a wheelchair full time. So I imagine they have experience.

 

We have been very, very adamant that we want Nickolas to go to this school with Katheryn. Our local children's centre, Grandview actually has a school attached to it. Campbell Children's School. And every time someone mentions that we are eligible for it we declined.

 

Nick had a reassessment by our developmental pediatrician in October. I wasn't able to be there, but Kyle was and we received a letter outlining the assessment. I think I just read the letter at a time when all I could think of was how are we going to make a smooth transition to school. Because it didn't say anything that I didn't know. But it got me thinking.

 

If Nickolas was able to attend this school he would be able to get physiotherapy, and occupational therapy 2-3 times a week. It finally hit me that maybe we are compromising the potential for Nick to receive more therapy because we want him to be with Katheryn.

I don't want Nick to go to a special school, I want him to be in the same school as Katheryn, make friends in the school he will grow up in. I don't want him to be different, to be segregated. But just because this isn't what I want doesn't mean that isn't what he might need for now.

 

Nick is already going to be facing challenges starting school in September. He will be one of the youngest kids in the class, the only kid in a wheelchair/walker/crutches?, he will have his own special bus (which he is excited about - he tells everyone I'm going to have my own bus when I go to school), we will have to readjust his therapies around his school hours. So now I'm wondering if we are pushing Nick to be in our regular school because of beliefs that we have about kids with a disability, instead of looking at what Nickolas' needs actually are.

 

So Kyle and I are taking a step  back. We are going to go through all of our options. Apply to the Campbell's school, apply to our local school, and if Nick gets accepted (they have a limited number of spots for the kids with the most need) then we will see what the best choice is.

 

I'm not sure if I'm happy about this. What I really wish is that Nick was a January baby and I had another year to think about it. But I know that Nickolas is excited to start school and whatever school he starts in on Sept 3, 2013 it will be the right one.

Trick or Treat!

Today is the day! Halloween!

The kids were very excited to dress up and go to a Halloween party

 

Both of them LOVED their costumes and wanted to keep them on all day/night!

I even got out some makeup. It is supposed to be a stencil, but it didn't work so I tried free-handing it from the picture on the box (it's supposed to be a butterfly)

 

Katheryn had absolutely no desire to take her 'carriage' out trick or treating, but she did pose for a picture in costume.

It was damp but not really raining that much when we started out.

Took some time to pose for some pictures on the front line.
My niece Madison (who is lalaloopsie) came trick or treating with us
I have no idea why Katheryn is making such funny faces...
It probably had something to do with 3 camera's pointed at her (and saying we couldn't leave yet)

And a quick picture with me

And we were off!

They girls were very excited to shout trick or treat.
And we had to collect Nick's candy for him.
There wasn't a single house where Nick could actually go up to the door for candy himself. We got him to yell out trick or treat! Just one of those things you need to problem solve.

He didn't seem to mind. He liked carrying his bag that was getting heavier and heavier.
And they kids eventually started to lose their steam.
It never started to really rain, but it was misting/spitting and we all got very damp (again I was really glad all of Nick's ship was waterproof).

And then we were home again!
Bags were full, kids were tired and wet

 

The kids took stock of their goodies

 

Then Katheryn took over handing out the candy

 

When we asked her what she liked better, handing out candy or giving candy she said she liked handing it out better!

So did the kids she handed it out to! Each kid got gigantic handfuls of candy when they came to the door (and we still have a ton left over!)

Now to think of what we'll do next Halloween...

Pumpkin Masters!

Pirate Ship Makeover

I already posted about creating Nick's Halloween jolly wheeler/walker. But when I looked at the pictures (and of course showed them around) they just didn't pop the way I wanted them to.
I wasn't happy about how plain it looked.

So I went out and got a whole bunch of foam 'paper' from the dollar store (including a whole roll of yellow, orange and red) and tried to make things pop!

So I needed some new inspiration.

I started with some bright accessories

A captain's wheel

An anchor

 

A pirate flag

 

 

A treasure chest

With treasure of course! (jewels, gold coins and a king's crown)

 

These ones can all transfer back and forth between the wheeler and walker.

To the actual boats I updated the look too
A nice sparkly name!

I added a new deck (this is where the roll of foam came in)
And a 'figure head' sticker (I did quickly consider trying a lalaloopsy doll to the front, but thought it might traumatize Katheryn)

I put on some port holes

I updated the jolly walker too

Some chain, port holes and water

 

Trying out the telescope

Can't forget the pirate!

 

Oh Uh a Sneaky Thief!

 

Sorry, no sneak peak for the costumes until Halloween!

Bippity Boppity Boo!

A couple of weekends ago, we spent a lot of time making Nick's Halloween costume, the jolly walker and his jolly wheeler. Katheryn was very excited and wanted to help.
By the end of the day she said she had changed her mind about what she wanted to be for Halloween (and what she has wanted to be for months). She said instead of Cinderella, she wanted to be a pirate.

I realized that spending all the time making something for Nickolas made Katheryn feel left out. So we decided to make her a carriage.

Today all 4 of us were home sick, so it was the perfect time to start.

Again, I started with an idea in my head (and attempted to put it on paper)

 I collected what I thought I would need for supplies

And of course I had my model

I trialed a couple of ideas to get what I had in my mind.
To get the circle of Cinderella's carriage, I wanted it to be light, portable and use what we had without a lot of glue or anything.

Katheryn was excited to help and model as I worked (for about 20 minutes)

Once I got the shape, I could do the final decorating

And we were done!

It's not a pumpkin, but I think it's going to work well

 

I don't actually think she's going to carry to umbrella... I mean carriage ... around on Halloween night, but I hope it makes her happy that she has her very own Cinderella carriage.