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Sunday, October 23, 2016
I didn't used to 'get' Instagram. I use Facebook for all my more personal stuff (like family photos), so IG sometimes seemed like stopping to take pics just for the sake of showing off. But today, I'm grateful: because I realized how rare and special a moment like this is. The #LightningKid was exhausted from being a ringbearer (and a wicked dancer) at a wedding last night. He's on the verge of being too big for the Chariot, but today, I got to run. Fall weather is awesome, and I even got to see 2 hawks have an airborne fight. #fitfluential #ffcheckin #ffoutside #runchat #IronRogue #getoutthere #getouthere #citytrail #expandyourplayground #fitfam #fitparents #livelifeproof
Sunday, September 18, 2016
Saturday, August 6, 2016
Individuals with #downsyndrome don't grow in the long bones as much as typical peers, so I know the #LightningKid won't grow to be tall, and sometimes thar bums me out. The silver lining, is being able to push him in the Chariot even though he's four years old. Still, I reckon it as an extra 50 lbs to push around; quite a #workout in the heat! #fitfluential #ffcheckin #ffoutside #runchat #IronRogue #getoutthere #getouthere #everlastnutrition #fitfam
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Monday, June 27, 2016
Saturday, June 25, 2016
Saturday, June 11, 2016
Unfortunately the #LightningKid was too under the weather to participate in the Kids of Steel. He spent the day at home. I wanted to get him out of the house and I was trying to decide between a #beer run and an actual #run with the #chariotcarrier. I ended up combining the two options.
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Sunday, May 29, 2016
The #LightningKid models his body marking. #multisport #kidsofsteel #triathlon
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Saturday, May 28, 2016
Tried to #workout while the #LightningKid played at the park. Then he wanted to be pushed on the swings. I had the idea of doing #burpees between pushes and I learned: 1) don't do this if you're pushing from the front or you will get kicked in the face if you're not quick 2) Doing them too fast means spraying yourself in the face with sand.
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Sunday, May 8, 2016
#fitdad pro tip for #MothersDay: have a plan for the morning. I laid out my #running gear the night before and made sure the #chariotcarrier was accessible. When the #LightningKid woke up, I reminded him of the plan, but #SharkBoy woke up and wanted to tag along (better than watching TV, I suppose). Sometimes you have to improvise; though he raced 3k last week, he struggled a little this morning - I guess even 6 year-olds need to pre-fuel. We turned our slow run into walk-sprint intervals. Their mother is still in bed as I post this. #MissionAccomplished
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Saturday, May 7, 2016
#yoga warmup before the #DSAT #buddywalk #LightningKid #SharkBoy #downsyndrome #fitkids
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Saturday, April 30, 2016
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Monday, March 21, 2016
Happy #worlddownsyndromeday everyone! #WDSD #downsyndrome #lightningkid #lovehim
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Sunday, March 20, 2016
The Lightning Kid's New Ability
While the Lightning Kid's condition would generally be seen as a potential limitation, and any abilities he might acquire might be in spite of it, there were exceptions to that so-called "rule".
When the Royal Family were in a hurry in the morning (which was often) the King would often help the Lightning Kid dress more than he ought to - if he was to learn to dress himself independently, having a parent do all the work was not the way forward. Similarly in the evening, tired parents, royal or not, try to expedite the bedtime routine so that the children are down sooner, and a peaceful evening can be enjoyed.
For the Lightning Kid that meant stripping him of his clothes to change into pajamas, of course. When the King realized how much he was interfering with the Prince's independence, he backed his assistance off. He was a King, not a servant, after all.
Sure enough, the Lightning Kid was often able to put on and take off many of his shirts and trousers on his own, though his methodology was unorthodox to say the least.
It was then the King observed a trick he had not seen since he had watched acrobatic dancers on the Southern Isle - the Lightning Kid could rotate his arms in a complete circle that was aligned in a vertical plane! His arms stayed parallel to the walls all the way around.
While the King marveled at the phenomenon (watching it made the Queen a little queasy), Shark Boy demanded to know why he couldn't do it, and what it meant to be "double-jointed". The King's explanation that some people were simply made differently didn't really satisfy Shark Boy, and he tried to convince himself that he was also double-jointed, and tried to fake his way through it. A powerful imagination, it turns out, was a special ability endowed upon the elder Prince, as it turns out.
When the Royal Family were in a hurry in the morning (which was often) the King would often help the Lightning Kid dress more than he ought to - if he was to learn to dress himself independently, having a parent do all the work was not the way forward. Similarly in the evening, tired parents, royal or not, try to expedite the bedtime routine so that the children are down sooner, and a peaceful evening can be enjoyed.
For the Lightning Kid that meant stripping him of his clothes to change into pajamas, of course. When the King realized how much he was interfering with the Prince's independence, he backed his assistance off. He was a King, not a servant, after all.
Sure enough, the Lightning Kid was often able to put on and take off many of his shirts and trousers on his own, though his methodology was unorthodox to say the least.
It was then the King observed a trick he had not seen since he had watched acrobatic dancers on the Southern Isle - the Lightning Kid could rotate his arms in a complete circle that was aligned in a vertical plane! His arms stayed parallel to the walls all the way around.
While the King marveled at the phenomenon (watching it made the Queen a little queasy), Shark Boy demanded to know why he couldn't do it, and what it meant to be "double-jointed". The King's explanation that some people were simply made differently didn't really satisfy Shark Boy, and he tried to convince himself that he was also double-jointed, and tried to fake his way through it. A powerful imagination, it turns out, was a special ability endowed upon the elder Prince, as it turns out.
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Sunday, March 13, 2016
The #LightningKid and I share a #maplemoment at @conservationhalton Mountsberg!
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Thursday, March 3, 2016
The #LightningKid is headed for ear tube surgery number 4 today. Still smiling and making friends, of course. #downsyndrome #lovehim
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Thursday, February 25, 2016
Yah Mon!
The time had come once again for the Royal Family to leave the frozen wastes of their homeland for warmer climes. Although this winter season had been less frigid than prior ones, the week before departure had provided enough cold to make the holiday eagerly anticipated.
It wasn't only jumping into the water that the Lightning Kid improved on - it was all of his swimming skills and confidence. He went from not wanting to be in the water unless it was in his mother or father's arms to being able to swim on his own, provided he was wearing his magical water wings.
He even got so confident with diving underwater, that he'd swim with the same abandon even without the water wings, and the important aspect of coming up to the surface for air became the King's responsibility! He would be removed from the water once lips were blue or shivering was visible, but only under extreme protest. The ocean water proved warmer than the swimming pool, and depending on the tide was often shallower. Still, there was a bit of a current that children tended to not take notice of, so that they would drift away from where they were expected to be.
The beach and adjacent island occasionally provided fun out of the water - even Shark Boy needs to dry off in the sun from time to time! He would make castles, with moats and other fortifications, while the Lightning Kid would draw patterns in the sand that probably held some secret magical meaning for him, and no-one else.
All this exposure to the water emboldened the Royal Family to make voyages on ships. The first took them to a reef, where they all tried on devices known as snorkels.
It would be their first snorkeling expedition as a whole family. The King and Queen had enjoyed the activity on their honeymoon, and the King had high hopes that Shark Boy would get the hang of it, but being able to take the Lightning Kid into the water made the outing extra magical.
The other ship was to be boarded at night. It cruised through a magical lagoon filled with tiny, tiny creatures that would glow when the water was disturbed. As magical as this adventure sounded, it was a little difficult for the King and Queen as the lack of life preserving vests was vexing, and they were told not to touch the bottom which was impossible if you wanted to tread water and support your children who might be struggling.
Still, the glow of the creatures did not disappoint.
Overall, the Southern Isle gave the Royal Family and their friends some much needed time to relax, smile and enjoy each others company. They even picked up a few expressions native to that land, and the Lightning Kid was encouraged to say "Yah mon!" to everyone's delight.
The trip had been suggested by good friends of the Queen and King, and their own two little princesses (who happened to be mermaids) would make for great playmates for the Lightning Kid and Shark Boy, even if the mermaids were a little older.
Upon arriving, the members of the family were to be awarded magical bracelets that would could be used to procure food and drink at will, but collecting them proved to be a challenge - the bracelets were closely guarded, and so the Queen could not collect bracelets on behalf of the others while the King kept the princes busy, no, they all had to stand in line to collect their own magical bracelets. Trying to keep the princes still while waiting in line proved challenging, as they were extremely restless from a long voyage there, and in trying to catch the Lightning Kid from running way, he got a scratch on his face. Though he was looked at by a nurse to treat the bleeding, he would wear the mark for the rest of their week on the Southern Isle.
The people of the Southern Isle made the Royal Family and their friends always feel welcome with smiles and jokes. One evening, they enjoyed a meal where the preparation of the food was performed in front of them, with feats of knife-juggling, drawing with the food, and song. One of the most amusing parts was for the guests to try and catch food in their mouths - the two princes were blindfolded and the food was tossed from very, very close range.
Some of the most fun of the holiday was to be had in the water. There was both a pool on land, that had shallow parts to wade in, as well as a beach and island that could easily be walked to - in fact, on their first day, the King and Lightning Kid saw a beast that resembled the one seen below, rest assured, it was harmless.
The people of the Southern Isle made the Royal Family and their friends always feel welcome with smiles and jokes. One evening, they enjoyed a meal where the preparation of the food was performed in front of them, with feats of knife-juggling, drawing with the food, and song. One of the most amusing parts was for the guests to try and catch food in their mouths - the two princes were blindfolded and the food was tossed from very, very close range.
Some of the most fun of the holiday was to be had in the water. There was both a pool on land, that had shallow parts to wade in, as well as a beach and island that could easily be walked to - in fact, on their first day, the King and Lightning Kid saw a beast that resembled the one seen below, rest assured, it was harmless.
The Lightning Kid's favourite thing to do in the swimming pool was to push his father in, and have the King make a big theatrical display of falling into the water. As the King grew tired of this, he tried many things to reduce the number of falls he had to take including sacrificing the mermaids or Shark Boy to the cause (i.e. having the Lightning Kid push them in instead). The best tactic, however, proved to alternate between being pushed in, and having the Lightning Kid practice jumps into the water - something he had been practising with much trepidation in his swimming lessons back home.
It wasn't only jumping into the water that the Lightning Kid improved on - it was all of his swimming skills and confidence. He went from not wanting to be in the water unless it was in his mother or father's arms to being able to swim on his own, provided he was wearing his magical water wings.
He even got so confident with diving underwater, that he'd swim with the same abandon even without the water wings, and the important aspect of coming up to the surface for air became the King's responsibility! He would be removed from the water once lips were blue or shivering was visible, but only under extreme protest. The ocean water proved warmer than the swimming pool, and depending on the tide was often shallower. Still, there was a bit of a current that children tended to not take notice of, so that they would drift away from where they were expected to be.
The beach and adjacent island occasionally provided fun out of the water - even Shark Boy needs to dry off in the sun from time to time! He would make castles, with moats and other fortifications, while the Lightning Kid would draw patterns in the sand that probably held some secret magical meaning for him, and no-one else.
All this exposure to the water emboldened the Royal Family to make voyages on ships. The first took them to a reef, where they all tried on devices known as snorkels.
It would be their first snorkeling expedition as a whole family. The King and Queen had enjoyed the activity on their honeymoon, and the King had high hopes that Shark Boy would get the hang of it, but being able to take the Lightning Kid into the water made the outing extra magical.
 |
| Shark Boy |
The other ship was to be boarded at night. It cruised through a magical lagoon filled with tiny, tiny creatures that would glow when the water was disturbed. As magical as this adventure sounded, it was a little difficult for the King and Queen as the lack of life preserving vests was vexing, and they were told not to touch the bottom which was impossible if you wanted to tread water and support your children who might be struggling.
Still, the glow of the creatures did not disappoint.
Overall, the Southern Isle gave the Royal Family and their friends some much needed time to relax, smile and enjoy each others company. They even picked up a few expressions native to that land, and the Lightning Kid was encouraged to say "Yah mon!" to everyone's delight.
Sunday, February 14, 2016
#SharkBoy has the heart of a warrior! We wanted to go xc skiing as a family, but the #LightningKid kept us up half the night with a stomach bug. So SB and I tried punting around behind the house with his skis and my snowshoes. #fitfluential #ffcheckin #ffoutside #snowshoeing #xcski #fitfam #fitkids #getoutthere
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Saturday, January 23, 2016
Father and son #yoga: #IronRogue , #lightningkid and @flexiblewarrior. #fitfluential #ffcheckin #fitfam #climbingoutofthehole #instayoga
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Saturday, January 9, 2016
The #lightningkid got to help out at @tortina321 ! Thanks so much, Mary! #seetheability #downsyndrome #cupcakes
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