Learning and Teaching

Today was one of the hardest days of my life. Today I started training The New Girl.

Training TNG has, and will at least for the rest of the week, meant having a person in my work truck with me all day, which means I can't listen to my podcasts or radio and I can't stop whenever I want. It means someone watching my every move and listening to every word. It means not being able to organize my deliveries and the parts the way I want in my work truck, because she's sitting in the other seat. Hardest of all, it means doing my damndest to be kind, friendly and helpful and not letting on that my brain is wired to automatically dislike and distrust anyone knew that comes into my life.

This past Friday was the last day that Mighty Mouse worked at my company. MM is the closest I've come to having a best friend in many many years. Add to it that I totally suck when it comes to things changing, and you've got the recipe for at least a week of miserableness for me.

I'm sure that starting a new job, having to meet a bunch of new people, and learning a crap-load of new things was scary and overwhelming for TNG too. I remember walking in the same door four years ago and going through the exact same thing. I don't envy her position at all.

For now, all I can do is keep on trying my hardest to be the trainer TNG needs and hope that she's a real quick learner so she doesn't have to stay with me for long!

Christmas at The Salvation Army

This past Saturday we went to the Corps Christmas Dinner at the Salvation Army Church.  We all had a good meal and the kids got to visit with Santa Claus.

Birthday Girl

This past Thursday was Mia's birthday. She turned 7.  I can't believe how fast time flies.  Seems like just yesterday I was snuggling her in our bed minutes after she was born.  She may be much bigger then that day 7 years ago, but she'll always be my little "pinky".

Mia decided that she wanted to have a bowling party this year, so we planned it for Saturday at the New Hamburg Riverside Lanes.  It's a really reasonable party and they provide the pizza, drinks and ice cream.  The kids bowl for an hour (it's 5-pin, so the balls are nice and small) and they they get to be in the party room for an hour.  Everyone had a great time, and the boys and Ryan stayed for a bit and bowled a game too.

I made her cake again this year.  She wanted chocolate with chocolate icing.  Turns out that all the kids were too full from the pizza and ice cream so nobody ate any of my cake.  Ethan was really happy with this though because now he gets to eat it at home.

Mia got some really cool presents, and everything was things that she loved and/or wanted.  I gave her my (very) old iPod Touch and she's quite happy with that. (And really, how can I NOT be happy since that means that I get a new iPhone at the end of the month!)

Help Support KidsAbility

KidsAbility is a very important part of our community and we are very lucky to have services like theirs!

My four kids have all been through KidsAbilities doors.  Cody, Mia and Sydney were all there for speech therapy.  The patience and kindness that those therapists show is just amazing.  Sydney was also there for Occupational Therapy and PhysioTherapy.  It was those therapists that figured out that she had severe reflux and that's why she couldn't (wouldn't) sit or crawl.  Once we got the reflux under control, the PhysioTherapists helped her catch up with her crawling and walking.

All of this happened within the Early Years programs.  Those kids are discharged once their kindergarten age.

Recently, a new set of programs has started.  The School Years Program is for those kids that are over kindergarten age who still need assistance.  Children and Youth up to 18 years of age.  This is the program that Ethan is in.

Three weeks ago Ethan was diagnosed with (mild) Cerebral Palsy.  He started PhysioTherapy on October 24 with a wonderful Therapist named Jennifer. (I have another post about her over HERE on my other blog too.)  It's programs like these that need help with funding.

That's a picture of Ethan at Therapy.  Core strengthening exercises on the "peanut ball" is one of his favorite exercises.
Just this week, we found out that his right arm is also affected by the CP, not just his legs.  Though his arm is not affected nearly as badly as his legs, he probably will need therapy for it too, so we're not sure how long we're going to be seeing Jennifer.

All this is to say that KidsAbility is a wonderful place.  My family and I would be lost without it.  This Saturday, November 5th, there are some fundraising initiatives going on to help out KidsAbility.

Swiss Chalet in Waterloo, ON on Weber St. will be donating $1 from every 1/4 Chilcken Dinner that is purchased, to KidsAbility.

DairyQueen at Laurelwood Plaza is donation 18% of all purchases to KidsAbility.

So go have a nice dinner and then a treat afterwards and help out a wonder cause.

Happy Halloween

Two ghouls, one skeleton and a little cow!

Ryan took them out while I was passing out candy to the 135 kids that came to our door.  Syd gave up first, so she helped me hand out candy too.  Ethan finished next...then finally Cody, Mia and Lewis came home for the night.  Everyone had fun and we have enough candy to last us until Easter!

Cody was thinking that this is his last year for Trick or Treating...but I guess we'll have to see what the next year brings.  If he's taller then me by next year, I think he'll have to be done...if not, I don't see what another year would hurt!