How is school going?

School is going well. Nickolas is very social and talks about all of the kids that he played with a recess. (All girls). And Katheryn talks about all of the kids that she plays with  (all boys). But they have a lot of the same friends.

Nick doesn't talk as much about what he has actually learned at school.
But we work on reading at home. Reading his borrow-a-book every night (during bathroom routine). It takes a lot of coaching and Nick says that he can't do it, or doesn't know the words.
He is slowly improving. He started off the year reading at a level 1 and is now at a level 4.
Nick's writing is also improving. He is slow, but he is getting there.
Math (of course) is another area that he is improving on. We are working on simple addition and counting.

I am not sure where Nick fits in with the other kids in the class. But I can see how he is improving. We got his report card earlier in the month and there wasn't really any surprises.

Katheryn is doing great at school too. Her reading is phenomenal. She can read almost anything we put in front of her. She didn't get straight A's this report card, but came very close.
Her writing is one thing she needs to pay attention too. She is in such a hurry to get her ideas across that she scribbles all up and down the page. So we work on that with her.

But both of the kids are enjoying school. They come home and tell us what they played. Usually "Boys against Girls" which seems to be some kind of hiding game. And if they went to the gym and library or had any visitors.

One of the things they have learned is different emotions and colours. If they are mad they are in the red zone and if they are happy they are in the green zone. It is good that it helps them to identify where they are.
I have been trying to use the same concept at home, when they get upset or angry.

First steps!

The day finally came.

The day that I knew would come once Nick gained confidence in his ability.

With his higher braces and some parent coaching to take it one step at a time, he did it! Independent steps!

Of course I had to get a video and make him do it again

I knew that he could do it!
Nick is so proud of himself as well. As long as he stops and stabilizes himself I think that he can keep going. But of course he gets excited and just wants to get there and just goes.

Being able to take these 5 steps opens up new things for Nick.
He can do a lot by reaching and walking and holding onto things, but by taking independent steps and being stable enough to take those steps opens up possibilities!

I am so excited!
6 years and his first independent steps!

6 years old!

Someone turned 6 today!

On another lucky Friday the 13th

 

It's hard to believe that this little guy has grown up into the strong, brave, talkative, funny boy we have today.

I still remember driving into the hospital the morning he was born and everyone was talking about it being Friday the 13th. And being so nervous and so worried and just wanting him to be safe



 

 

And look at him now!

 

 

The kids knew that we had a surprise for them and they would miss the day of school. But they didn't know where we were going...

Until Kyle and I woke them up with Wolf ears on!

 

They were very excited to go to Great Wolf Lodge and the pool!

 

It was nice and small. Just the 4 of us. But we all sang and Nick had his own cake. And he got free ice cream every hour for the entire stay!

Nick says that he had a great birthday! The best one yet!

Karate Kid

Katheryn got to start some martial arts last month and is having a blast!

 

She is learning how to kick and roll and it is great exercise for her. (she does need to learn how to do proper push ups though).

 

Katheryn was very excited to do this hand move she learned on Kyle... Brought him to his knees. We all thought it was hilarious. But she knows not to do anything to hurt anyone.

It's funny because we know some of the words they say from Ninja Turtles

She is having so much fun, she is excited to go back every week!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is a big thing in our house.
Over the years we have put a lot of work into our costumes and start thinking about it in the summer (if not November 1st). And over the past 4 years we have made wheelchair costumes as well.

 Here is a review over the years:
2014, last year we had Elsa and Michaelangelo with his shellraiser

2013 we had a Superhero and Tyrone with his neighborhood

2012 we had Cinderella and her carriage, and a Pirate with his pirate ship (my first wheelchair/walker costume)

2011 was the year of a Princess and a Knight

2010 we had a whole family theme with Little Red Ridinghood and the Big Bad Wolf

2009 we even had halloween costumes before Nick was born! Lady from Lady and the Tramp and a Pumpkin

2008 Katheryn was Lady from Lady and the Tramp as well, but it was a hot Halloween and Katheryn didn't wear it except to get a couple of pictures

In the summer we started talking about Halloween. and Nick wanted  to be Captain America.
Alot of Nick's costume isn't really the costume, it is the matching wheelchair costume. I had bought a Captain America little boys costume online in the summer, but when it came it was the wrong size and it was also a one-peice costume. Which does not work for us.

Last year Nick's costume was a sweatshirt costume, and it worked very well. This year Nick's sweatshirt didn't have the mask, but that's ok. Thats why we have face paint

Katheryn was very specific that she wanted to be an angel.
I think I spent more time on her costume this year, finding all of the perfect pieces to come together.
Her wings are feathers (and she molted the whole walk). Katheryn has also liked wearing wigs, so I got her a fun blond one with ringlets

 The weather was beautiful so we didn't need to layer the costumes this year and had a very happy Captain and Angel

 Nick's costume looked FANTASTIC, if I do say so myself.
Everyone thought that it was great

Katheryn and Nick decided to do some play acting for us

Captain America running down an Angel!

I think that angel is full is mischievous!

We got a costume for Rory as well.
It is supposed to be a unicorn with a princess. I bought it a month ago, it doesn't fit now, so we got some velcro for it to fit on her back (the head piece we couldn't do anything about)

Soon it was time for some trick or treating!

 

Both kids had a great time trick or treating. All of our houses have stairs, so Katheryn went up with Nick's bag (unless the owners came down with candy... some people did). And Rory was very well behaved for the walk

The kids had a lot of fun trick or treating and both kids got lots of compliments on their costumes. It started raining right at the end of our night and their bags were full so everyone was happy to go back home.

Katheryn stayed out a little while longer to hand our some candy herself

I had to go into work Halloween night (thanks to a co-worker who stayed an extra hour so I could stay for the trick-or-treating).

Of course I don't like wearing plain old scrubs on any type of holiday. So I made up some fun Birthing Centre shirts for us all to wear. Halloween themed of course, I 'heart' Mummies

Another successful Halloween done.
Tomorrow we will start planning for next year!