Soccer!

Somewhat recently, we got a notice home in Colin's backpack about a town soccer league for 3-5 year olds on Saturday mornings.  Chris and I hemmed and hawed for a bit about whether or not we should sign Colin up because we were worried about his attention span for participation.  It didn't take long for us to decide to do it because we really feel that although we LOVE Colin's participation in the Special Olympics activities, we really wanted him to be involved in some activities with his typical peers as well.  

This past Saturday was day 1 and it was interesting to say the least!  We had been talking about soccer with Colin for a good amount of time leading up to Saturday so I *think* he was ready for the day.  

He was really excited when we got there but as soon as we got on the fields he was wanting to do his "own thing".  

We had a really hard time at first keeping him on his own field and following Coach Amanda's instructions.  The way soccer is set up is the first half hour is practice and then the second half hour is the game.  

When trying to get Colin involved, we got a lot of protests because he just wanted to do his own thing.  I felt really frustrated because I just wanted him to join the other kids and do what he was supposed to do.  There were glimmers of that when Chris or I would help him.  

I started to ease up a bit when I realized that he was interested IN soccer, he just didn't necessarily want to do it the way he was being told to do.  There were a few times he was actually "dribbling" and kicking the soccer ball on his own, following it up, and continuing to do this over and over so we didn't force him into the group, but let him do his own thing  

At 12, the game started he got so excited to join the group and run around with the cluster following the soccer ball.  I got so excited because he had the biggest smile on his face and he kept looking at us like "look at me!".  

However, every once in awhile he would continue running right onto the next field so we'd have to go and get him and bring him back.  

He protested this, of course, and we'd find him standing on the sideline just watching and observing what was going on.

He'd get back into it again but we'd always see Colin running in the opposite direction of the all of the action (which was really quite amusing).  I think he was just enjoying running up and down the field!

I really think he just enjoyed running past us on the sideline and having all of us wave and say hi to him (his OT and another buddy from school was there).  

He WAS having fun.  

He looked really good doing it too....

In the first half hour, all of my thoughts in my head were of frustration because I was just expecting that he would run right out there and do what he was supposed to.  Now, I know I wasn't the only parent who was frustrated because there were lots of kids who were crying and weren't really doing what they were supposed to either.  I know, I know....it was day 1...

His first ever touch on the ball in a game!

 I was reminded once more (I have a feeling I will be reminded a LOT in my journey with Colin) that I need to slow down and just have patience.  This WAS Colin's first time playing soccer on a team AND he IS only 4 years old.  He certainly wasn't the only one with an attention span that was lacking.  I was also reminded that Colin has always been an observer first and then with time, he picks things up and learns them in his own time.  By the end of the day, I was really proud of Colin for participating in his first EVER day of soccer (and a bit exasperated as well after chasing after him so much!).  He had short periods of time where he was involved and following directions so we'll just hope for longer periods next time!

It was also fun to find a buddy from Colin's school on his team as well!  They were such cuties together!

And then just a few clips of the day...

Haircuts!

Today we took the kids for haircuts to get all spiffy for their birthday party coming up on Saturday.  Kailey has been due for one because her hair has been looking rather scraggly lately and with time she had grown a little rat tail.  We've been going to Miss Lisa since Colin was about a year old and we absolutely love her.  Since she recently switched to a new location, we followed her there too!

This was Kailey's first ever haircut and I was actually expecting tears and some resistance.  However, she was the complete OPPOSITE of what I thought.  She absolutely loved it!  She sat there like a perfect little angel, following directions when appropriate and looking at herself in the mirror.  

Miss Lisa evened out the bottom and gave her a little bob and it looks so cute to be even across the bottom. It was fun to watch her sit there!

Colin's been getting haircuts for awhile too and although he's generally been pretty good, sometimes he isn't crazy about the buzzing part.  Considering the fact that Chris said he was pretty whiney this afternoon, he did pretty good as well!

They both look so handsome/beautiful with their new haircuts!  

And on a side note...

It's often hard to leave my family in the morning when I head to work, but lately, when everyone's been up, they wave goodbye to me as I drive away.  It puts a big smile on my face!

"He's Come a Long Way"

Today was a very busy day with Colin.  He had public school, day care preschool, OT, feeding therapy AND fitness night at school.  At both feeding therapy and fitness night, I was told that Colin has "come a long way" from where he was before.  Compliments like that feel really good as a parent!  

Miss Josie at feeding therapy was so excited to show me a video she took today of Colin.  As you know, Colin only eats 4 things: cottage cheese with berries, yogurt, vanilla pudding and vanilla ice cream.  Lately, he has shown interest in trying some other things here and there, but nothing consistent yet.  Occasionally, he will have some pizza, but that's not on a consistent basis either.  Miss Josie has been working on getting Colin to try some other things and simply get him Ok with touching, playing, licking, kissing, etc. new foods.  She recently tried chocolate pudding because essentially it was the same thing, but Colin refused.  However, today, he made a mess with it AND ate it!

Even small accomplishments like this one are REALLY big ones in our house!  He really seemed into it today!  Miss Josie told me from day one that she never forces kids to do anything they don't want to do, but certainly has methods for making progress.  She knows that Colin just needs a good motivator to make progress and she is right with that one! Yay for progress!

Later tonight, Colin had fitness night at the PLC, which is the school that houses the kindergartners in our district in combination with Colin's school (EEC).  We participated in this last year literally a week or two after Colin had started preschool.  The night was set up as 8 minute stations with different tasks like aerobics, obstacle course, yoga, running, ab workout, "rest" with fruit water, food identification and more activities.  I remembered that Colin had fun last year but I honestly didn't think too much about it.  

I am disappointed that I was only able to get these 2 pictures of Colin at his very first station (I participatd with him the rest of the time) because he did so well tonight following directions and completing tasks.  The only things that he did not want to do were the things that were really hard for him (like aerobics using the steppers).  4-5 teachers came up to me from the other school to tell me that they remembered Colin from last year and couldn't believe how far he had come. I was so proud of my little boy!  I realized at one point that I was beaming so big my cheeks hurt!

I am thankful for little reminders like this tonight in just how far he has come!

Grandparents

This weekend, the kids and I were in the southernmost county of NJ and the northernmost county in just 2 days.  Between the Special Olympics spring festival and visiting with grandparents, we had a busy weekend of driving. Thankfully, my kids have always been good sleepers in the car so I also got a lot of quiet time myself!  

I have been really lucky in my lifetime to still have 3 of my 4 grandparents.  My kids are extremely lucky that THEY have 4 grandparents that love them so AND 3 GREAT-grandparents.  This weekend we spent some time visiting with them.  

Grammy is my dad's mom and we had breakfast with her at my parent's house...

4 generations together....

It's amazing to me how SHY Kailey is when out in public...she is NOT like that at ALL at home!

This guy is such a shmoozer!  He says hi and gives out handshakes, hugs and smiles when appropriate.  

 My grandma, my mom's mom unfortunately broke her hip and needed surgery.  She has been in a rehab facility for a few weeks now and may need subsequent surgery to repair what's not healing.  It was nice to go and visit and the kids certainly helped to put a smile on her face!  Colin has an affinity for my Poppy...I think it's because he always sings to him when they are together!

The kids have now seen ALL of their 4 grandparents and 3 great grandparents in one week!  They are some lucky kids!

Special Olympics of NJ Spring Festival

Today was the Special Olympics of NJ spring sports festival and the kids and I made our way down to Wildwood so that Colin could participate.  He always has a lot of fun when we go to the Special Olympics complex, however, he didn't seem as interested in his activities because all he wanted to do was participate in the basketball tournament that was going on in the big gym.  

After we got there, we walked around a bit until his program started, but he saw the gym with the basketball games going on and that's where he wanted to be.  He even tried to run out on the court so that he could play too.  He was pretty good though considering and Kailey really enjoyed herself too! 

The volunteers that help with the young athlete program are great but unfortunately, he didn't seem too interested to play whatever activity they were trying to get him to do.  However, he really knows how to ham it up when appropriate.  These girls actually asked me to take a picture with Colin! My little celebrity...

My little grump...

It makes me laugh, and feel pretty proud too, to walk around a facility like the Wildwood Convention center and have lots of people (many of whom I don't know) go up and say "hi Colin" and give him high-fives.  There was even some teenage boys at the table in the lunch area who were excitedly pointing to Colin saying that they thought it was the little boy on the SONJ website (he's on the home page!).  How cool is that?  

I am really proud of Colin for how far he has come in just under 4 short years of life.  We are so happy for what the Special Olympics has provided to him and what it will continue to do for many years.  What a fun day!!