School Bus Days

The twins had the privelage of bus service for the first time yesterday. This is significant, because it means they can finally take their wheelchairs to preschool instead of a stroller. I'll let the photos speak for themselves.




























































































Being self-mobile at school was a little overwhelming. There were some tears. Their teachers and classmates are getting accustomed to life with wheels in the classroom. Overall, we are pleased to see another milestone reached.

After school as the sun began to set, some neighbors came out to play--and here we demonstrate one reason why these high-tech wheelchairs are so great:

First Day of School 2010

Yesterday was pretty exciting--Jenna started the first grade and the twins started preschool.

Here's Jenna. She claimed it was too bright outside to open her eyes. I took 8 photos and this was the best one. She does this to me every year. Hm, perhaps I need to take the hint and snap her pic while she is in her classroom rather than outside? Brilliant!

The twins also started school. Now that they're three years old, the school district is required to offer them preschool services for free, based on their developmental delays. The preschool located at Jenna's school was full, so they are enrolled at the next school over. We haven't had time to arrange bus service, and since we don't have an accessible van yet I have to transport them in their car seats and the school has regular umbrella strollers to manage them for now. So, in the mornings they'll play, have circle time, sing songs, and get physical and occupational therapy at school, and then I pick them up at lunch time. Here is the big boy and big girl on their first day of school--again, hard to get decent photos of smiling children when it's so hot and humid and bright outside!




It was an exhausting day. We're still moving out of the old house. Our new house is filled with boxes. We hope to have the old house up for rent before the end of August--wish us luck!

What I Wish I Wouldn't Have Said.

I was at Walmart the other day, and I had the twins in their usual spots in the shopping cart--Lauren up front/top, and Kyle in the lower big basket area sitting in his Bumbo.
A SUPER sweet lady with three of her own kids in tow stopped to ogle the twins, share her own story of her twins, and then comment on how good my twins were in the shopping cart. And then she kept on. She asked how old they were, how she couldn't believe how lucky I was to have three year olds who aren't running amok, how well-behaved they were in the shopping cart, etc. I didn't know whether to tell her or not. And so I did.

As it turns out, there's not much shittier than telling a totally well-intentioned fellow mother that the kids she thinks are so well-behaved are only sitting still because their bodies don't allow them to do otherwise. It blows chunks, even. She back pedaled and apologized and she felt so bad, and I tried to tell her it was okay, I understood and I don't feel bad and neither should she, but she had to go because her kids were dragging her and my cashier was ready for me but all I wanted to do was grab a coffee with her to swap fun twin-mom stories and make sure she knew that she didn't offend me.

So if she's reading this: you didn't offend me, my friend. I like it when adults talk to me. And I am always happy to talk about SMA and my twins, and my oldest is who is a model helper and will make an excellent babysitter one day. I never intended for you to feel bad at all, and I am always happy to hear of the fun stories and achievements of others' children. It makes me sadder to think that you felt sorry for choosing to talk to me. Please talk to me again, if you see me. You can't miss me--I travel with a talking circus (the children). I hope I see you again.

Peas and Bananas!

I happened upon an adorable children's book called Peas and Bananas: Outside with Lil Boo and I have to share it with you.

Lil Boo is a little boy whose outdoor adventure is illustrated so beautifully in this book. It's fun to read to the kids, with the rhyme and cadence that makes a children's book so appealing to little ones. As I read it to the twins last night, I couldn't help but think what a perfect, unique gift it would make for a baby shower or for a 1st or 2nd birthday--so if you invite me to an event like these, you can guess what gift I'm bringing with me. Really, I love coming up with off-the-beaten-path gift ideas that nobody else has seen, so that's why I'm so pleased with this one.

Even better the author, Cam, is local to Phoenix and he's a friend of mine. He really says, "Peas out!" in real life when he leaves, and he wears yellow and green shoes. Check out his book. You can buy it from Amazon, or directly from the publisher for the same price.