I Will Skate!: Beaver Camp Watch out!!! Take 3

Well, this should be called take 3, and well I wrote about Beaver Camp on Saturday, it was in the side bar and published and then it vanished from the side bar, went to edit the post and then the post is blank? but it's still online on Oatie's home page... so I then copied it to a new post and then that one was blank...so I've done a link to the post??? and well that went strange...  so here it is, below this post!

Please find our Beaver Camp post by clicking this link

Beaver Camp Watch out!!! Take 2

Oatie did something cool today, look he's standing and holding his ipad, while steering his car racing game!

Oatie Standing holding his ipad

Well we had a usual Saturday, Older two had figure skating with a special surprise.  The coach who took my older two for their first experience ice skating ever, her daughter who was training to be a coach (she was a teenager) came to watch them today!  The Coaches daughter is at University and using her coaching to support herself so for a few weeks she is coaching on the other ice surface so in between another venue where she does lessons for the city in the morning the pm session is at our kids location, she came to watch them skate.  I have to say I was a bit choked, she is only 20, and she's teaching little guys how to skate, and for her other job she is respite care for a family with 3 special needs children twice a week.  Like WOW what a fine and lovely person.  (I know she is getting paid, but I saw her last week teaching and well when she taught mine 3 years ago, that she is just that type of person and it isn't about money for her.)  Her mum, is just the same... my little guy he was 6 at the time and at a skating seminar and my son was a bit shy/reserved and she was there for one of her own skaters a higher level skaters on opposite ice sessions to my son, and instead of taking her skates off and having a cup of tea.. she saw my son and asked if he wouldn't mind if she skated with him during the seminar and coached him for free and wouldn't have it any other way.  So all in all, she had her skates on for 6 hours that day.  This same woman supported Oatie's ice walker on the ice at our rec centre and when I showed her some photos of Oatie skating last week she was all choked up.


Just when you encounter unpleasantness over and over in your day to day life, to have people like that in your life, restores you faith in humanity... what a lovely family and we're really lucky to have them in our life.  I've noticed that whether you enjoy ice skating can often come from your first experience on the ice and this lady gave ours a positive one and now they have a sport/skill they can enjoy for life.


For my eldest, he came away relatively unscathed from being a premature 32weeker... but his gait and gross motor skills were his weakness, he reminded me of Maggie from the Simpsons...  I did put him in Ballet since he was two as I used to have pidgeon feet and my mum put me in ballet to correct my posture...Figure skating has been almost therapeutic for him, he is still awkward on land, like today he fell up the stairs and grazed his elbow... but on the ice he's solid and fluid and at home.  When he was 2 our doctor was concerned about his gait etc... and you can imagine what the conversation was like... well, just through ballet and figure skating he's a different kid, he's amazing he's working on his axel.


My little girl is at Beaver Scout Camp with her dad tonight.  Enjoying the company of another girl beaver, so tomorrow I'm doing the insane get your kid on the ice for the crack of dawn, but I'm taking Oatie along too.  I did swap our volunteer duties (playing music etc) so I can just sit there with Oatie... so hopefully I'll survive!

Winter LOL!  At least it's warm today, only -4oC  Not bad for a camp!

I posted this on Saturday night, but it appears on the web, but not in the sidebar... and then when you go to edit it online... it's BLANK! eh?

Everyone Outdoors: Adaptive Ice Skating Techniques

Everyone Outdoors: Adaptive Ice Skating Techniques

Have a look at our Friends Marcy's Blog, It's a brilliant blog!

It inspired me to get Oatie out on Skis and Skates for sure!

Jumping Thursday...

Today we got a really good session of ABR in, I was really pleased!  I ran 5 miles with my friend and had a skating lesson while my kids were having theirs... and I did a botched job of a Salchow but I did it and I have to say, I LOVE ice skating and I have two little coaches who skate past and give me some tips and show me how it's really done... lol!  I used to be really scared when I first started but since Oatie started to skate and I saw his sheer Bravery and sheer determination, I'm not scared anymore,... if someone who can't walk more than 30feet on land on the best day, is going to put some knifes on the feet and get on the slippery stuff, surely I can leave the air for a second or two!!!  I was jumping for an hour... (how on earth does my 8&6 year old do it for 2 hours?!?!?) they must have buns of steel!  They had a go at ice dancing today and went splat lol! but they got up and kept going.  Children are amazing they truly are!


My daughter was jumping for joy when she has a PD day (teacher training) on Tuesday as my other two get to come and See Oatie in his Ice Skating lesson.  Oatie is going to get spoiled rotten, they'll be putting on his harness and taking of his skate guards and fighting to dry his ice skates... they absolutely ADORE their baby brother and I'm really happy as they could have become indifferent to him, instead of being ashamed of him they burst with pride with his achievements... (and then they fight lol!)


Well I'm going to go and try some Scotch with honey on the rocks...

Had a Much Better Day...

Oatie at Story time with his story cape!

Today we had a much better day, I had a morning adult skate which is always great fun.  Then a friend came over for a coffee and Oatie wanted to get down off his bench (the cheeky monkey), but we did get one hour of ABR in.  Oatie really wanted to be social and got really excited showing her all his things and telling her all about everything as it was the first time she'd been over for a coffee, he enjoyed playing host, he even offered her a drink!  The choice he gave her was "Tea, Coffee or Juice... or you can share my juice, I'll share with you" I know what a sweetie, he's such a happy beautiful soul.  Although we've been friends for years, but we usually chat during the week while our kids skate on the benches and (funny enough...she is also my skating instructor and for this Sessions Oatie's Skating instructor too.)

Then my mother in law (super lady, I love her to bits) phoned and we haven't chatted for AGES so that was lovely too. 

I have put the episode yesterday behind me.   I suppose it's funny when you know you've grown up.  10-20 years ago I would have fought tooth and nail to get the person to see that they had incorrect facts and were wrong.  But Now, particularly since Oatie, I can't be bothered to argue back with someone who I can't have a rational debate etc. with and I'm happy to walk away from the conflict, as nothing you do or say will make any difference instead they just get worse!  The problem is that they want to keep at it and I don't see the point of arguing with people who demonstrate a lack of logical reasoning, I don't mind a good old fashioned healthy debate, but there is no point doing that with people who don't and refuse to see the facts as facts and get all steamed up about nothing or get the wrong end of the stick and then go on the war path.  The problem is, when you walk away from the conflict, it seems that they don't like it and keep on going! 

I remember this quote from one of my dad's desk calendars the paper ones which have a proverb or saying of the day under the date...from when I was a teen... funny enough he used to say it to me when I was a kid “Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.” by Mark Twain.

Life is way too short for all that and I can't be done with all that negative energy, what a waste of energy and for those who carry around grudges for years, how pointless is that?  What a total waste!  I actually almost pity them for being like that.

I, like Oatie, is fascinated with the Sun, I like warm, positive vibrant energy, I can't bear grudges, I never have and I don't think I ever will.

Oatie loves the Sun, he says sunshine is beautiful and I couldn't agree more.

To finish our nice day, we had a lovely pasta meal that had a slow cooked sauce and for pudding we home-made coconut milk ice cream with chocolate sauce on top.

Terrible Tuesday

Well the day actually started off great. We had a minor blip in the morning when we were going to be really early for skating and then cut it fine. Well today we managed to get both our skates on within 20 minutes! Which I have to say is unbelievably amazing usually it takes us about 40 minutes. It all depends on how Oatie's Feet are on the day. I found giving him the plastic squeaky burger a great help to distract him and get him to "not help" put his skates on as when the poor loves tries to help his feet get totally rigid...

Anyway! we had a brilliant session, not so much standing around and he learned a new skill by having a hoop on the ice, everyone else had to stand in their hoop and walk along inside, and Oatie had his infront and had to push it around so he had to steer and skate and for 2 few second moments he glided on 2 feet. He's doing so good that I'm hardly holding him up and he even had a go letting go of the walker and bending down. It was one of his best sessions EVER.

After that we had to get some supplies for my daughters upcoming beaver Scout camp, my husband is running one of the camp crafts... and so we swung via costco enroute and I treated Oatie to some Chips (french fries) which he wasn't expecting and he was so very happy about the treat. I tend to shop at the weekend only as during the week it just eats at my ABR hours so it was a one off and now I remember why lol!

As soon as we got in I was all set to Roll him with his ABR he was filled up with albeit junk food... lol! so we had lunch out the way so we had a good clean few hours to get his ABR in. When my friend who we've been meaning to meet up for ages with said that she was free, and she could pop by in a few minutes... so I put a fresh pot of coffee on and thought I'll just sit down for 5 minutes and then get up and do Oatie's ABR while we chat. Well I don't know how 2 hours just zipped by, it was nice to sit down and just enjoy my friends company and then I saw the time and I was like yikes....

Well I thought I can still get it (Oatie's ABR) in, as the older two are coming on the bus today.... just got started when I got a horrid unexpected message which just left me numb... (it was at that moment I hated my smart phone) or me, for looking. Instantly upon reading the content...it I felt like I was coming down with something, know when you get a sudden shock..., fortunately I had put dinner in the oven before my friend came to visit... and I helped the kids with their homework, we got the kids to the activities and I used that app to put them to bed and my daughter read everyone a bedtime story as now my throat has swelled up (from crying) and I can't hardly speak, I still don't know if I have the all clear with that, as I have to go for a follow up in Feb, days like this when it swells which makes me dreading Feb....

We got 15 minutes of ABR in today. (I wouldn't mind if it was a busy day but it just wasn't).

Anyway tomorrow is another day, it will be a better day... I think I'll go and find my cat.

Mel
x

Jan So far! ABR - Skating - Swimming and the government?

Well 2012 is going swimmingly well so far.

Well I'm not sure where I got to but I did have a nice lady come and tell us (government help) what they Can't do for us.  She was lovely... but as ABR isn't medically recognised they can't help pay towards transport or accommodation or anything.

Oatie can have some remedial help, but it's hours of being shown how to help him with his speech or whatever?  (OK I'm a bit puzzled at that bit). so once again, I'm the one doing it all with an onlooker???

Either way, we're unlikely to find someone as our province is anti alternatives... so they probably won't help anyway.  As ABR will contradict the therapists beliefs and hence they won't want to come over?


Well they will contribute towards clothes... maybe?  We do get some babysitting allowance... which is nice...

So all in all, not much help with anything really for our lifestyle... it's ok for those who are fully integrated with the medical professions viewpoint...I guess....

The last thing I fancy doing is going out. I don't mind once in a while, but I'd rather collapse snuggled on the sofa.

What I would like help with... maybe someone else help Oatie with an activity... or.... I would LOVE someone just to run through the house with a vacuum cleaner!!  Now that would be pure pleasure!!! That's what would be help!

Anyway we've picked up his Fall Kindergarten enrolment form. We've also started to save up for buying a bi-ski for him.  I still can't get over all the politics with borrowing one!


Last week for example, I was a bit late for my run before I skated so I ran up and down the stairs after 15 minutes of that, I felt like I had run a good few miles...  Can Oatie do something simple like that to get his heart pumping?  No!  The best I can find is Swimming at our leisure centre and skating and in time it will be Skiing too.  Our pool has reduced the swimming session times for "the Oaties!" great Huh!  They've knocked off an hour... then next year it will be another hour till it become a once a week event!

Did you know that Kidsport will only help WALKING kids!  (of course if you can't walk, you don't have a cardio vascular system did you know!!!)  gosh that makes me so cross.

Did you know that the special olympics is only for intellectual disability!  If you can't walk you can go and get stuffed too!  Where as.... CADS (canadian association for disabled skiiers encompasses both physically and intellecutally diverse people) as does the para olympics... they not only help people with limb loss, or paralysis.. but Cerebral Palsy and intellectual disabilities too!

I'm sorry but I have to say that unfair, why is the 'Special Olympics' excluding other amazing athletes out there just because they can't walk!  What happens in the scenario that you have a child with intellectual and physical disability?  I have emailed the Special olympics contact person several times posing this question with zero reply!  I guess you just get blocked out then!!!  What happens if you have mild CP and say you could walk... the para's don't have speed skating yet or figure skating as a recognised event... but the Special's do... or vice versa?

Why can't anyone who wants to do sport or exercise just be able to do it... why is there red tape and all this other stuff in the way... like you can walk so you get 'x' and you can't so you go that way... why can't everyone (all sports charities/groups) just work together and just get the whole community active rather than labouring on about who can and can't do what!

Aside from all of that, Oatie has been Swimming and Skating and thoroughly enjoying it.  We've been doing good ABR hours.

On a comical note, I've just used a "work out app" with upbeat music and reprogrammed it... to get the kids into bed, instead of rep interval airhorn... it comes up with the the airhorn... with the next stage(s) of getting ready for bed.  I even put story time interval in it.... in it and a two minute bedroom tidy and get their clothes out for tomorrow... it was super!!  Highly recommend it!  it's called UltraTimer in the app store! worth every cent!

The Best Christmas Holiday ever

WOW! What a brilliant 3 weeks! We've had the best Christmas Holidays EVER! It was 3 weeks but 3 brilliant weeks!

School finished just before Christmas, so that was nice as it gave me more time to get things organised. I shook off the Flu just before Christmas.

With the illness we went to visit Santa a bit later than we planned so it was about 4 days before Christmas day so that was nice.

Then we did some Christmas Baking, we made a cake for a friend as a gift for pudding on Christmas day. We were planning on having Christmas just ourselves but one of my best friends Oatie is best friends with her dog. My eldest is 6 months younger than her eldest and same for my middle and Oatie....

So we went there for Christmas day, we had the best day, we were with my friends family and it was really lovely and Christmassy.

Then on boxing day we cooked up our Christmas dinner.

The Gingerbread house that we made, it was delicious as it was homemade, and so much fun, we went to Bulk Barn and stocked up on candy (chocolate) to decorate it with.

Oatie playing with one of his new DS games.....

My eldest's cat. She loved Christmas, she "rearranged" the tree over and over and in the end took a sitting vigil in the tree and lay on the last remaining branch as I put the tree away....

During the week before New Years my older two had 2 play dates, so that was really nice and we entertained a few times with our super friends and their kiddlets for dinner which was really nice.

Then we had a great new years too. We had a special dinner and movies with the kids, they went to bed and then we stayed up to the early hours watching a movie with a bottle of wine which was nice. It was the Adjustment Bureau and well i was surprised as the director pulled it off well.

The kids built dens, played games, went for an ice skate, just played and we had so much fun.

I cooked for our upcoming ski trip as I've decided to start to save up for an adaptive ski for Oatie. The Bi-Ski is $3000US. So what we did was pick a self catering hotel-condo.

Then a few days after New Years I picked my parents up from the airport and then last weekend we left for our Family Ski trip. It's the first time I have skiied really since my daughter was born. The last time I skiied with my parents we didn't have any kids.

My dad has a milestone birthday in 2012 so I thought what a better way of celebrating it than doing what we all love.... SKI!

So we all did fit in to my Dodge Grand Caravan.... It was unbelieveable... but my dad even squashed Oatie's wheels in the car too! We had 6 pairs of skis and poles... 6 ski boots, Breakfast and Dinners for 7 for 5 days... Oatie's wheels, and all of us and it's a 7 seater.... and a SLED too! My husband did relent and buy a ski rack for the ski's...

Santa's Elf Workshop

I'm not sure what's going on with Blogger! but some of my scheduled posts didn't post... and some that did post didn't update in the column like my previous post..Charity is the faliure of governments globally... .Well overall Oatie had a ball, a few of the ladies who were running it are my friends and Oatie's dad took him for the first hour while I joined them for the second hour (I was ice skating with blocked ears... very interesting experience ) it involved a lot of arhhhhhghghghhhghghghg!

Well in the past my older two have both been and loved it, and they could go unattended as they were both potty trained.  If you're not potty trained then you can't participate in ANYTHING as a preschooler regardless of your age or reason.  So we had to accompany him, not that we minded it was quite exciting to share it with him.

I don't know, sometime you get this really off feeling from other people, like vibes WHY is Oatie at the workshop?  Or some of the helpers were just watching Oatie (trying to be discrete) when I felt the staring I automatically looked and then they'd look away... kind of intrigued what he would get from the experience.

A person (was a friend) I knew from 2 years back her younger child was there who's about 1 year younger than Oatie and well that was a bit awkward too, not sure if it was pity or avoidance or what...

I think the thing I felt from most of the parents when they came to pick their kids up (the people I didn't know) was that they saw Oatie and they felt FEAR!  Like OMG my child is in a room with "him" for 2 hours.

Well this one was from a few days before Christmas Eve that never got published...