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Thursday, September 20, 2012

Halloween Costumes With Wheelchairs

I randomly came across a picture today of a fantastic Halloween costume that includes a wheelchair.  I was so excited about the find (I’m kind of a Star Wars geek), that I immediately posted it to a parents group I belong to on Facebook.  Meanwhile, I got to thinking about other possibilities for costumes that include wheelchairs.  

 With Halloween just about a month away, it’s a good time to start working on costumes, especially if they’re going to be complicated or require a little construction (last year I waited waaaaaay too late to create a Paper Mache Yoda mask for my son who told me he wanted to be Yoda way back in August).  I’m determined to get an early start on the costumes this year so I’m not scrambling at the list minute or spending a lot more money than I had planned on.

While my kids don’t utilize a wheelchair regularly, I know a lot of families who do.  I thought it would be fun to go through pictures of wheelchair costumes and post as many as I could find in one spot.  Maybe the pictures will inspire you.  I’ve tried to include links to the websites where I found them, especially if they included instructions on how they created them.  I love this time of year!  I’m excited to get started on our own family’s costumes.

(SUPER)HEROES



 Batman in his bat-mobile




Buzz Lightyear in the "Claw" Game
























Optimus Prime
















Superman - Flying through the clouds!

















PIRATES & VIKINGS


Viking and Ship


Pirate Aboard a Ship





Pirate in a Tower - This could totally be Rapunzel in a Tower, too!














VEHICLES




Backhoe 







 


                         Tank 












Flintsone Car 














                      

                         ??? 













 Ice Cream Truck









Ice Cream Truck








 


Police Car











        Thomas the Train










 



John Deere Tractor 













             Kayak 
















GIRLS' COSTUMES 



Ballgown











 



Princess Coach

















 Kissing Booth



















MISCELLANEOUS



Medieval Knight 














Peewee Herman 
















                                 D.J.









 




WALL-E







 





              Drummer















Mr. Burns 












                 
  Snoopy 









 

Monday, September 3, 2012

A Self Advocate Emerges

Tomorrow the boys start a new school year.  They are excited and they are anxious.

Tomorrow also marks the first transition Cainan has had to make since entering Kindergarten.  Since he started school, three years ago, he's been in the same Special Education class, with the same teachers and, essentially, the same kids (only 12 total).  This year, he is embarking on a journey of complete community belonging, in a regular 2nd grade class, at our neighborhood school, with a new teacher and all new kids (over 20 in this class).  He will have some supports, but not the hand-holding and individualized pace he's been used to.  He's a smart boy--I we know he can do this.  He's looking forward to the new experience.

As I've journeyed this last year toward becoming a better advocate for my kids, I've also tried to impart my knowledge and skills to my boys, in the hope that they will learn to be advocates for themselves.  One of the biggest steps in this direction is occurring for Cainan tomorrow.  As he starts his first day of class with these new kids and a new teacher, he's going to stand before them all and explain the medical diagnosis he lives with.  He's going to help them understand why he may seem different in some ways to the kids and how in many ways, he's just like them--a regular kid.  

We worked on the speech together and I wrote it out for him on index cards.  He's been practicing and he's ready to get up tomorrow and share his narrative.  I am so proud of him, that he agreed to speak without hesitation and that he's looking forward to helping the kids in his class get to know him better.  He's expecting to make lots of new friends and learn all the things a second grader is supposed to learn.  He has high hopes for this year, as do we.