Faith's Adaptive Skiing Adventure

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I am usually all for Faith trying something new. Years ago, though, I drew the line at adaptive skiing. I knew that Dreams in Motion does an annual event at Huff Hills (North Dakota's largest ski area), but I was too afraid to let Faith try it. I just didn't know how she would do being strapped down so tightly, especially with her high tone and issues with her left hip.  At her day program, some of her friends had been going for years and Faith thought it sounded like so much fun. So, this year, I decided we should give it a try. Since there are only 20 spots available for this event, I got her registered the morning it opened up.  Lots of fresh powder at Huff Hills  As the event drew near, I knew I needed to get snow pants for her (since she had none) and make sure I had all the right winter apparel to keep her warm. That was also one of my biggest concerns is her getting too cold, which can cause her tone to increase even more.  As the day approached, she was...
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Pajama Wars

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Faith in her favorite pajamas
I can definitely tell that Faith is back in school. Last night we were putting a puzzle together and she began telling me a story. I glanced away for just a second and she said, "Mommy, are you being an active listener?"

She seems to be taking in a lot at school and every day she comes home with lots of stories including learning to play "Simon Says" and the new friends she is making. She really seems to like her teacher. She has had trouble with some of her feedings at school for which we are making adjustments. The only really tough part about her and school is getting her there.

Every morning, we have a major battle getting her out of her pajamas and getting dressed. She loves to wear her jammies! And she must like me to wear mine as well because as soon as she notices I've changed from my pajamas to my clothes, the battle begins. She knows it's soon time for her to get out of her pajamas and into her clothes. She cries and screams, "I want to wear my pajamas! I don't want to get dressed!"

This morning, because we actually had extra time, I gave her a five-minute time out for her antics. It didn't help. I tried sitting with her and explained that none of the other kids wear their pajamas to school. She continued to cry and scream about wanting her pajamas back on so as a last resort, I turned the TV on to Super Why and that did the trick. The music instantly distracted her, and she stopped crying and even smiled.

She looked at me and asked, "Mommy what are you wearing?" She likes it when I describe what I'm wearing and then describe what she's wearing. I told her we both had two white stripes down the sides of our pants, and she said excitedly, "Mommy, we match!" It was as if I turned on a switch that made Faith instantly forget all about her pajamas. When I told Rob about this, he said it sounded like she is just trying to give me a hard time. But why, why, why EVERY morning?

Hopefully she will get tired of fighting her pajama war and surrender each morning to getting dressed for school. And hopefully I will retain lots of patience and keep my sanity until that day comes!

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Faith's Adaptive Skiing Adventure

-
Image
I am usually all for Faith trying something new. Years ago, though, I drew the line at adaptive skiing. I knew that Dreams in Motion does an annual event at Huff Hills (North Dakota's largest ski area), but I was too afraid to let Faith try it. I just didn't know how she would do being strapped down so tightly, especially with her high tone and issues with her left hip.  At her day program, some of her friends had been going for years and Faith thought it sounded like so much fun. So, this year, I decided we should give it a try. Since there are only 20 spots available for this event, I got her registered the morning it opened up.  Lots of fresh powder at Huff Hills  As the event drew near, I knew I needed to get snow pants for her (since she had none) and make sure I had all the right winter apparel to keep her warm. That was also one of my biggest concerns is her getting too cold, which can cause her tone to increase even more.  As the day approached, she was...
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