Category: special needs parenting

RicStar Music Camp!

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn day in the life, special needs child, special needs parenting17 Comments

Monday morning we headed to Lansing for Wyatt’s second year at the RicStar Music Therapy Camp. Last year Wyatt had mixed feelings about the experience, but there were some challenges thrown in our path last year as well. Wyatt was being weaned off of a medication that was making him a bit grumpier and more lethargic, he was away from his home, and with just me, since Billy had to stay home due to a kidney stone hospitalization. Then Wyatt was thrown into an experience he had never encountered before. It was a lot for him. He had a good time and made some really good gains from his time at camp last summer, but it was a struggle. I remember at the end of camp last year, Billy was free of the hospital and was able to make the final concert and when I saw him in the parking lot I just sobbed. It was relief and also exhaustion from a very emotional week for me, and for Wyatt. This year though, Billy was able to go, and Wyatt’s new medicine is a much better one for him (despite his occasional barf from nausea…)

When we walked in, Wyatt was met with smiles and warm welcoming greetings of “Hello Wyatt!” from the staff. We were whisked right into the ensemble room where Wyatt was assigned to green group, and just like that, music therapy camp was in full swing! I’m not going to lie, entry was rough for Wyatt. He cried the first two hours, threw up at lunch, but then rallied in the afternoon. He is the toughest kid, I swear. I think all of us were a little done in that first day (although I have to admit, the therapy dogs helped me through the day..) After the long drive, the early hour, Wyatt being so upset, the throwing up… we were ready to crash in our hotel room by the time camp ended that day and just veg out. And the heat! Did I mention Michigan is having a heat wave with excessive temps? We walked outside and were blasted by the flames of the sun, I am pretty sure. Lol. So we were more than ready to grab some food and just chill. Which we did.

Day two we were able to relax a bit and have a good breakfast before heading the short distance to camp. And day two was awesome. Wyatt had a blast. I cannot say this loud enough, because my momma heart was so happy. He was just so excited to be there, he was participating, he was having fun and exploring and playing and just was a part of the entire thing. Up until day two, I wasn’t sure if I had made the right choice in enrolling him again after such a rollercoaster of a time last year. I went for it anyway, since circumstances were different this year, and I am so glad that I did because this experience was so good for him, in so many ways. I saw such progress in Wyatt, how he has matured, in his interactions with other people, with being there and trying new things. He showed everyone there his personality which is huge and full of joy. I always say I call him my sunshine boy because he brings the sun wherever he goes, and this year he was full of that sun. He really liked the keyboard this year, and also surprisingly, the triangle. It was super cute that he liked the triangle, and I actually had to order one since he wanted to take the one home that he was playing.

I would like to say that we spent our last day exploring Lansing, but that was not the case. Our tired little family headed back to the hotel, where Wyatt and his dad went to the little hotel store and bought a bunch of goodies, including ice cream – Ben and Jerry’s Phish Food, which the three of us split while watching YouTube.

Day three was just as fun. Wyatt was so happy to be there. I loved that he was trying new things, unafraid, and just going for it. However, we did have to stop for a little disco nap. The entire time we were there the medicine nausea was bothering him again, right on schedule, around lunchtime. I don’t know if it was just because he was off schedule, off his routine, or what, but we would just work around it because that is what this camp does. It normalizes everything that makes our kids feel different and other in typical situations. Where in some settings Wyatt would maybe be stared at or questioned, here it was just part of another day. The camp provides everything you can think of you might need to accommodate every camper, and it just feels natural and makes me wish all situations and settings were like this. It felt freeing for me and for Billy, and if we felt that way, Wyatt must have felt it a hundred times over. It was just…acceptance. A perfect cocoon of acceptance.

The last day, Day 3, is also the big showcase where the campers all perform with their groups and parents and friends and family are invited to attend. This year Wyatt’s group was performing the Pink Panther Theme song, and Wyatt got to kick things off, with a solo on the triangle. He was adorable! Every kid did so well and you could see the pride and the joy on all of their faces.

This week was full of music. It was also full of ear to ear grins, laughter, joy, that good kind of tired, learning, exploration, and fun. We returned home exhausted (except Wyatt who took a loooonnggg nap in the car on the way home) but all ready to do it again next year. We can’t wait!

If you want to read about our adventures from last year, click here and here!

Camp RicStar – Part Two

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn special needs child, special needs parenting15 Comments

Yesterday I left off with the end of Day One at Camp – however, our day was hardly over and we (me really) still had far to go.

We left camp exhausted and ready to get to the house I had rented on VRBO and just relax. I had picked this house because it’s main selling point that they advertised was that it was CLEAN, and the yard looked fantastic – big and grass neatly mowed perfect for playing in, and bonus, was handicap accessible. However, when I arrived, I was instantly taken aback. It looked abandoned and sad and uncared for. I pulled into the driveway, left Wyatt in the locked car, and surveyed the yard, which was like overgrown field. I went up the uneven wheelchair ramp, and the door we were supposed to use was covered in some indeterminate substance and looked absolutely filthy. I just could not deal at this point in time because…. Billy had also called me and had been to urgent care and was probably heading to the hospital. I was literally at my emotional edge. I looked at my child in the car, decided I didn’t want to even go into the house at all, because either I left him alone in an unknown neighborhood in the car (and for some reason I kept thinking about Cujo), or went through the whole process of getting him and his wheelchair into the house to maybe just have to leave anyway. So I went back to car and immediately made hotel reservations. We ended up 2 minutes from the music hall, at the Towneplace Suites by Marriot. I am such a rental house person that it has been forever since I was in a hotel, and this one was like a godsend. It was sparkling clean in our room, spacious, quiet, and even had a kitchen. I think it is probably a business traveler hotel but Wyatt and I were there too, and it was perfect. Comfortable, safe, clean. I could not recommend that hotel more.

Later that night I did get a call from Billy – he was going to the ER. Hours and hours later, we finally learned what was going on with him. A kidney stone! I had been a ball of nerves because I was so far away, so his mom was checking in on him, which made me feel better. However, this also meant he would not be making it up to Lansing to meet us the next night as planned. As long as he was feeling better, we could all deal- well the adults at least. Wyatt really missed his dad which is understandable, and was just another part of Wyatt’s emotional state while we were there.

The morning of Day Two arrived and I felt like I had been through the wars already. But we packed up and headed out, although luckily we got to spend more time sitting around first, and I could have coffee.

Day Two was much like Day One. Wyatt had his good moments, and not as good feeling moments. But he was growing and stretching and that was good. We were both out of our comfort zones and it does you good sometimes to step outside those. I ended up leaving with Wyatt an hour early, he was just so fatigued I couldn’t bear to ask him to go much longer. I talked to the director, and we decided that Wyatt and I would arrive the next day in the afternoon, for rehearsal for the big performance and then the performance.

Wyatt and I spent some quality time playing and reading in the hotel, and then we both went to bed early. I was asleep by 9:15! The next morning we had a leisurely breakfast, got ready slowly, and after a fake nap from Wyatt which I had been hoping for a real one, we headed to the music hall.

Wyatt rocked rehearsal. Like nailed it. He did awesome and amazing. However, once Billy and his parents arrived, that was over. He was done. He didn’t want to participate in camp, and didn’t want to sing in the concert. He ended up going up for his group’s turn but halfway through the song, just sobbed. Yep, my kid was the crier in the concert. After his group was done, I walked straight outside and sobbed myself. It was a long three days, stressful at times, fun at times, highly emotional for us both. But we did it, we made it, and we grew from it, because Wyatt has been a nonstop chatter machine since we got home. Music stimulates all areas of the brain, and I can see how this intensive therapy really seemed to light a fire in him that I haven’t seen for a while. He is curious, mischievous, exploring, and is just using so many words!! I really do attribute this to our time at camp!

As for Billy, he is doing better. He is not back to normal yet and won’t be until that kidney stone is gone, but at least we know the issue and have a plan and things are feeling less painful for him.

And today, it is Friday, thank goodness. Pizza, movies, and then some relaxing family time this weekend as well.

I would definitely recommend this camp or music therapy to anyone thinking about either. Despite our struggles, it was a growing experience for Wyatt, that pushed him in good ways, and I feel that I have seen some very positive gains even from our short stint!

Camp RicStar!

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn special needs child, special needs parenting18 Comments

I don’t even know where to start talking about this! Our last three days have been just so much, so full of everything – laughter, singing, dancing, learning, growing, challenges, and tears.

Let me start by telling you what it is. Jeanie from The Marmalade Gypsy told me a few years ago about this camp, and I knew as soon as she told me about it that it was something I wanted Wyatt to do. He has always loved music and singing and playing instruments but then Covid hit, and we all know what that did. It was created by Judy Winters, to honor her son Eric. Judy sounds like an amazing woman and mother, and I had the honor of meeting her yesterday very briefly before the performance.

From the website:

The Eric ‘RicStar’ Winter Music Therapy Camp was created to honor Eric Winter, a 12-year old CMS music therapy client with cerebral palsy who had a passion for music and a dream of starting a music therapy camp. Shortly after his passing in 2003, Eric’s parents, Dick and Judy Winter, along with Cindy Edgerton, CMS’ Director of Music Therapy Clinical Services, made the dream a reality and founded RicStar’s Camp. Eric’s parents continue to honor their son as advocates for individuals with special needs, with his mother, Judy Winter, leading the way as an author, speaker, and nationally recognized voice on special needs parenting issues.

Also: [This] is a one-of-a-kind, inclusive day camp that provides opportunities for musical expression, enjoyment, and interaction for all persons with special needs and their siblings.

This was the year, I decided. I signed Wyatt up, exchanged a few emails with the Camp Director Cindy, who is also the Director of the Music Therapy Department at MSU, where this camp is held, made plans, and made some reservations to stay in Lansing. And I just realized this post may get long and become a two parter!

I knew going into this that Wyatt would love it but that it would also be tough for him, but I thought, we are doing this anyway, and we will just play everything by ear and be flexible and follow Wyatt’s lead which is just what we did.

So. Monday morning Wyatt and I drove up to Lansing in the wee hours of the morning (7 am), directly to the MSU Community Performance Hall where camp is held every year. We got there, tired but excited, and slightly nervous if I must be honest. Or at least I was. Wyatt was fine. We got all checked in and waited for everyone to get there. Wyatt was green group, and it was a small group of kids ranging in age, with his age being maybe the oldest in that group (there were a few other kids around his age, and a few younger).

The days are divided into five sessions, with a half hour lunch. Each session focuses on something different, and this year they had sessions such as Play a Song, where the kids got to play instruments and sing, percussion, blues and beats, guitar jam, a parachute, music and movement session, and musical theater. I knew this was going to be a long day for Wyatt, and stretch him and challenge him, but we were going to give it our all, along with the support of the many understanding therapists and counselors and volunteers, all of whom were simply amazing.

I say this was going to be a challenge, because for Wyatt, this is like all of his therapies, occupational, physical, and speech all rolled into one in every session, for five hours. It was going to be fun for Wyatt, but also WORK. It was going to be hard, it was going to be tiring, but also in a playful fun way. Wyatt has a motor planning disorder, which means that for him the signal between his brain and his body sometimes gets confused or lost altogether, which can create frustration for him. And even when they connect, it is due to work on his part to make it all fit together. For example, in percussion one afternoon, the kids sat in a circle with a paddle drum (which has made our Wyatt wish list!) and sang The Ants Go Marching while passing drum mallets around. For every ant added (1 by 1, 2 by 2, etc) another mallet was added. So Wyatt had to watch for a mallet to be passed to him, hit his drum once, then pass it on, while singing and watching for another mallet. For Wyatt to do all of this processing at once and make his body respond the way it should was huge, and kiddo knocked it out of the park. All of our days were like this, with struggles and gains, but this one, this one was a huge win. We are going to do similar things here at home, because attending with Wyatt, I was able to learn as well, about music therapy, how much it affects the entire brain, his body, and learn as well different things I could do with him at home.

Wyatt ended up needing a nap at lunch time. He was just worn out. He took a little disco nap in the car with me, then we rejoined his group. He was still tired out but was able to participate.

We had musical theater the first day, where Wyatt volunteered to be Lord Farquaad, the villainous king. We also had guitar jam, which Wyatt never ever ended up liking. The only reason I can think of is that it was a) difficult and frustrating, and b) the music was sort of slow and bluesy, and slow saddish sounding music makes him cry, no matter where we are, even when they are in cartoons.

It was the one session everyday that Wyatt just didn’t even try much, and would just cry instead. It broke my heart so we usually ended up taking a break once the tears started. (if any special needs educators or therapists out there read this and have an idea about this, I would love to hear! It happened no matter what time of day)

In the afternoon we had Play a Song, which Wyatt LOVED! He sang his little heart out. In the application we had to list songs our children like and the very first song they did was one of Wyatt’s favorites, Howl by the Okee Dokee Brothers. Play a Song was a mix of these songs so sometimes they were songs we didn’t know, but that was ok, Wyatt enjoyed it anyway. Then they sang Let It Go from Frozen and Wyatt really let it go! He was singing with all his might, and doing the arm motions and was so loud (they decided my child did not need a microphone, he was loud enough without it). The therapist in charge was like, Wyatt you are the perfect embodiment of Elsa! Listening to him sing and just be so filled with joy brought on the first moment of happy mama tears, let me tell you.

From there we moved on to percussion and then more percussion with beats booms and blues. Wyatt really enjoyed playing the drums.

And that was the end of Day One!

I will post more tomorrow – I still have so much to share, and I want to share it all for anyone out there who is considering this camp or even music therapy!

Thursday Morning Coffee Catch Up

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn special needs child, special needs parenting7 Comments

Hey all! I am soo happy to be writing this from home! I mentioned in my Sunday post that Wyatt was having a 24 hour EEG, overnight at the hospital this time rather than ambulatory here at home. For being so short of a time, really, it felt like an eternity! Probably because this hospital stay Wyatt was healthy and not wanting to stay confined to the room, and wanted to be a lot more mobile than he could be due to all his wires and cords.

However, lets back up! Alllll the way to Monday, Memorial Day. We spent the day with family, with Wyatt playing with his cousin Mermaid Girl and just having a fun holiday.

There was also a lot of sitting around on this blanket, chilling out in the shade. Tiny Bebe was giving her parents a run for the money, and not napping – she totally has FOMO. She slept maybe 10 minutes before she was up and wanting to sit up and look around.

I was glad that Wyatt had such a fun day since the next day we were up and at ’em early to head to the hospital. I packed our bag full of toys, books, drawing paper, crayons (thanks Cindy for this idea!), his favorite snacks, and his tablet – plus my own headphones for me.

Once we got there it was a never ending stream of doctors and nurses, and finally the EEG study team was in to hook little man up. He is actually really awesome at this part. They said a lot of kids fight it, but Wyatt doesn’t mind hook up. He was busy entertaining the nurses/techs with Peppa Pig which he was watching on my phone. Then after 15 minutes (I think) he was all ready. I was so happy that the woman who cuts his hair was able to fit him in last week because he still had a ton of hair for them to work around, despite having a ton cut off last week. He just has the thickest hair. That little ponytail cracked me up.

Billy was at work by this point, he pretty much dropped us off and left, and Wyatt and I just played and snacked and read all day. Well, he did. I did mostly his bidding. I did put him in his wheelchair for awhile to let him wheel around the room for some physical activity which was a bit challenging as I had to move the cord around as he went, but it wasn’t too bad and he got to get out of bed at least. We sat on the bed, we sat on the couch, back and forth, back and forth. I was pretty exhausted by the time Billy got there! Wyatt was doing great though, and was as happy as he could be!

Billy got there in time for dinner, and I took a little walk around the tower building, of course shopping in the gift shop, while he played with Wyatt for a bit. Neither Billy nor I really slept; I slept all curled and contorted with Wyatt upon his request, and I was glad that I did. He woke up at 2 am and didn’t know where we were and it scared him. At least I was right there, because the pull out couch/chair bed thing was actually pretty far away from his bed. It was big enough for two parents I think which is a change from most hospitals we have stayed at. Anyway, I feel like I have really gone on about the sleeping situation!

The next morning Wyatt got up pretty early, 6 am, but the staff started coming in not long afterwards and he was unhooked by 8:30 am. That was the hardest part and the first time he cried while we were there. That glue they use to attach the leads just really sticks in his hair and they had to pull pretty hard, which of course pulled his hair too. My poor kiddo. Soon though he was back to smiles and I took him for a walk around the floor a few times while Billy waited in the room for the discharge papers, and then we were free! Home, we bathed that kid good with Dawn soap to get the goop from his hair and then he promptly took a nap. I actually did too. Lol. Poor Billy had to get back to work but at least this time he worked from home.

We will know the interpretation of the results soon. We got them already in his online med chart but we do not understand all that neurological jargon speak so it makes zero sense to us. I did catch three confirmed seizures as push button events (when I think I see a seizure or seizure activity, I push a button and report what I see). Wyatt has very brief focal seizures – a lot of people would miss them. Sometimes his eyes just shift right for about five seconds and that is it. Sometimes it involves his eyes and his arm jerking up, and is longer, about 10-15 seconds. These breakthrough seizures are so frustrating. He usually has about 2-3 a day at home, and that is what he had at the hospital so we were glad to see what we see at home is pretty much right on.

Wyatt has also been having some difficulties lately, physically, that he hasn’t had before. He has been “noodling” when he tries to stand or walk, just greater weakness than was there before. However, he had a med increase soon after his shunt revisions and it is hard to say at this point which is causing it. We are hoping his epileptologist will be able to shed some light on this for us and if it is his meds, help him out. I guess one of his meds, Onfi, can cause these side effects. So, even though we don’t have all the answers yet, I feel we got some good groundwork laid to find them out.

Today we are going to take it fairly easy. We are going to get some outside time, and I am going to clean but no school today. In fact, I think we are going to segue into a new summer school routine, especially since Wyatt has a ton of appointments and fun things happening this month. I am looking forward to putzing around outside today, and I am sure Wyatt is looking forward to playing in the backyard as well!

And that my friends is it for today. I feel like I wrote a novel today!

From Smiles to Stitches

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn mom life, special needs child, special needs parenting24 Comments

This week started off with Wyatt’s first day of kindergarten, homeschool style! We had laughs and learning, and my hope is to foster a school year full of wonder and curiosity.

Our week went awry midweek though – early Wednesday morning Wyatt started throwing up at about 3 a.m. I don’t talk much here about some of the medical things Wyatt deals with, but one thing he has is a shunt that regulates the fluid in his brain. He has had it since he was one month old, and has never had a revision, which apparently is pretty unusual for a child to go this long without needing one. Well, one sign that the shunt is malfunctioning is repeated vomiting with no discernible other reason. After he vomited three times, we gathered him up and packed a bag and headed to the ER, crossing our fingers it was nothing. It ended up being a shunt malfunction, which was discovered very quickly by the amazing staff at the hospital. Within hours, Wyatt was in surgery, then in recovery. Within 24 hours Wyatt was home recovering. It has been a whirlwind of emotion and this momma is tired. We both slept in today, and he is now watching Mickey Mouse and eating Fruit Loops while I sip coffee and type this up. Billy is taking today off and is on a little walk and we plan on taking it easy today, but the hospital expects Wyatt to be able to resume his normal life activities probably by Sunday, maybe just with more breaks.

The resilience of my child is amazing. His tenacity and strength of will, which can be a test on normal days, is his power during times like this. He is a little groggier than usual, but otherwise happy to watching his cartoons and singing along.

Puddles and Pinecones

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn book review, books and reading, day in the life, DIY craft, family, special needs parenting8 Comments

Over the weekend the weatherman predicted torrential rain storms, flooding, and then to top it all off, ice. Well, it did rain, a very drizzly cold rain that did do a little flooding, and raised the rivers and creeks a little bit higher. We had plans to stay inside and do fun things there for most of the day and night, but..we couldn’t resist a little splashing in puddles first!

Wyatt wears AFO’s – braces for his feet to help him stand stronger when he is working on walking and standing. We love his braces, they are great tools to help him. But they also make it hard to buy shoes and boots, boots especially, as we can’t really manipulate his foot into one with the stiff braces. But we found that Butler boots have enough give in them that they slide fairly easily right over the braces – so we ordered him a pair of bright cheery yellow boots, his favorite color, and perfect for adding some sunshine to a dreary day. Then it rained and we got our wish to go stomp around in the puddles!

The cutest little stomp and splash ever!

While we are all excited that we found boots that work with his needs, Wyatt is more excited about the fact that he now has gumboots like the character and kids on one of his favorite shows, Scout and the Gumboot Kids! This very morning while we were watching one before school (they are short and perfect for a moment like this!) Wyatt went and got his boots out and started putting them on, just like Scout and the Gumboot Kids. Gumboots are another name for rain boots, or wellies, whatever you want to call them, and this show is adorable, with nature mysteries presented by a felt mouse in his own little cardigan and gumboots. The episodes are short, with a quick mystery that includes clues, and a mindful moment, which I am hoping to incorporate more of into our lives. The talented Jessie Farrell also provides the music and song for these episodes, with lovely lilting tunes that are so catchy that kids don’t even realize they are learning as they are singing along. As a companion to the Scout series, there is also Daisy and the Gumboot Kids, and Daisy is a crafty little mouse full of ideas for nature crafts. We love these shows and I love the inspiration they provide, while teaching Wyatt about all sorts of things – caterpillars and butterflies, space, agates, trees, dinosaurs are some of our favorites!

Not only is this series on television, they are now a series of books published by Firefly Books! We were lucky enough to receive a set of four signed books before Christmas, and now that the holidays are over, we really have time to spend looking through them together and talking about what we read. These books are beautiful, with full page artwork that captures the eye and attention, as page-size photos of the characters that Wyatt loves, solving the mysteries on paper within a book! Each book also contains two pages of field notes that relate to the mystery, mindful moments, and a nature craft. There is so much within the pages to inspire creativity and learning! We have been having a lot of fun with them. We also received a cute little coloring and activity book, a signed CD of Jessie Farrell’s music for the show, and stickers!

Today we spent some time reading through the books a little after school – Wyatt likes to “read” them to me too.

After we read about bird feeders and butterflies, I had a book and craft set up in the other room waiting for us.

We read the book, The Wooden Timekeeper, and talked about conifer trees, pincones, and the rings on trees, and how when you count them you can find the age of the tree. Wyatt really liked playing with the pinecones and petrified wood the best.

I showed him the pictures in the book of the craft, and let him choose whether we made an owl, bear, or mouse. My sweet boy chose to make an owl, my favorite! It was a group effort, with him doing the gluing while I helped out with the placement and cutting. We had a great time reading and making this little owl together! And look how cute!

Scout and the Gumboot Kids and the series, both on television and the books by Firefly Books are such a great resource for kids to learn, and entertaining and cute to boot! (yeah, see what I did there..)

Thanks to Firefly Books for the wonderful gift of the books, CD and extra little fun things!

Taking Time

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn mom life, special needs parenting, Uncategorized7 Comments

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When I was in Texas, I attended a workshop led by Dr. Keri Riggs on the importance of creativity, play, and fun and it was pretty mind-blowing. Life today is so fast-paced – there are always errands to run, things to clean, chores to do, calls to make, emails to answer, appointments to go to – that it feels like we are on a never-ending conveyor belt of things to do. Billy and I have been trying to reshape our lifestyle into one that does allow more time for fun and play and creativity, but sometimes we are not successful. We can get mired in all the minutiae of the life just as quickly as not. Finding the balance is hard!

Dr. Riggs asked us all to think of a time that we had fun, just really let go and had fun. And to think about what play meant to us. For me, that means many different things, as I am sure it does to most of you as well. Reading and writing, being out in nature, being with my friends at book club, laughing with my family about something or other, practicing yoga. Then Dr. Riggs asked about what gets in the way – and I am sure my list is again, the same as many of you all, all of the things I mentioned above. I also realized that for me too, that I can “Chevy Chase” a moment, that I have really high expectations of how I want and expect something to be, that I have a hard time being in the moment 100%, as I try to manage it so that my family has a perfect outing or moment. And I need to realize it doesn’t need to be that way sometimes. I need to step outside of that idea, and just be.

We also talked about what we can do to try to help us make the time for ourselves – we all know and have heard how important “self-care” is for us by now. And self-care can be just a small little thing too – a piece of that special candy you love and don’t treat yourself to, for example.  For we also learned, a treat is self-care – if it is something you do all the time, it doesn’t count, because it doesn’t actually affect your brain the same way as treating yourself. So it is important to switch it up! If you buy a big box of Godiva and eat a piece of everyday, it is no longer special right? It is there and you can have it whenever you want. And it loses that magic. So we have to make sure we switch it up sometimes.

A few suggestions I took from the workshop that I feel I can actually use are very simple – make a list and put things on the calendar. My very organized brain loves these ideas. Have you ever had time to yourself where you were completely overwhelmed by the fact you had some time, and then didn’t know what to do? (This also sort of happens to me in a book store – too many options and I can’t choose!) Dr. Riggs suggested making a list of fun or self-care type things that you would enjoy, then when you get 30 minutes, etc look at your list and choose one! And the calendar thing – so important I think. It feels sort of like you shouldn’t need to schedule free time, but sometimes you do, at least until it becomes habit I think. I have to schedule in blogging or I wouldn’t get a chance. And when I don’t keep to my schedule, I never get to it! This is something I am urging my husband to do too – text his friends and set stuff up, put it on the calendar! I never miss a book club, and it is because it is scheduled. But this is just how things work for me, it might not be the thing for you, and if that is the case, find the way that works for you. Remember the things that make you smile, and restore your spirit and soul. Find the things that feel like play and fun, and do them.

Right before I left on my trip, I texted my husband that when he got home from work, we were going to go on a picnic, even though rain was in the forecast. We kept it extremely simple – we picked up pizza rolls and cookies from the bakery and headed to a local metropark. Due to the weather, we had the place to ourselves, and it was a wonderful way to spend an hour or two. We opened up the hatch of our SUV and piled into the back together, watching the rain roll in, as the wind blew our hair around. Wyatt absolutely loved it, I loved it, Billy loved it. We were safe and warm and cozy, eating our cookies while the weather was a little wild, just out of reach. We got to see deer and have a priceless moment together, really. It was after work and we had dishes in the sink and laundry to do and I needed to pack and it was probably later than Wyatt needed to be out by the time we got home, but..it was worth it. And Wyatt was fine and everything got done eventually.

What about you? What kinds of things restore you? What do you do to make time for them?

Spring Break Staycation

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn day in the life, family friendly, parenting, special needs parenting, Uncategorized3 Comments

Last week was my son’s spring break from preschool, and for the first time in a very long time, Wyatt and I found ourselves looking at a week that didn’t have any doctor’s appointments, therapy (usually three times a week), school, or even work for me, as my boss (and cousin lol) was on a family trip for their spring break. I had planned at first to work on some potty training for my little CP warrior since we had all week to do it, uninterrupted. But, this kid works so hard, you guys. So hard all the time. So, I changed my mind. I was taking advantage of this wonderful gift of time, and letting Wyatt just be a kid.

We spent a lot of time outside – the weather was amazing, spring making its way to the Mitten state, finally! We took lots of walks, had picnics in the yard, ate lots of ice cream, practiced pedaling on the tricycle, and just lots of “play momma, play”.

We also went on a “zoofari” together. We picked three animals to go find at the zoo and then went and found them! He picked the zebra and giraffe, I picked the otters, one of my favorites – although Wyatt picked my other favorite, the zebras! He loves the giraffes, and I found out last night that his cousin does too!

We planted a few seeds for our garden – moon and star watermelon, cinnamon basil, and lettuce. We were also really excited to find a new friend, a neighborhood groundhog that we have named Stan. He lives under these steps of a church, and is always just hanging out on his porch. We would go check on him everyday, of course hanging back to not disturb him or interfere with him.

I even managed to get some adult time in! I had book club with my buddies, and then Billy and I reconnected with a friend who we were so close with for years and years, and then kind of fell out of touch for a bit. We met for dinner and it was like time had never passed since our last visit together.

It was a very full and wonderful week, full of lots of good times, laughter, friends, and just all those moments that make up life, everyday.

 

A Flight to the North Pole

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn family friendly, Michigan, special needs child, special needs parenting, Uncategorized7 Comments

Last Friday, Wyatt was given an opportunity to “fly to the North Pole.” It was definitely an amazing experience, one that we will never forget. 

All week I had been telling him about how we were going to fly to the north pole and see Santa, so he was pretty excited when we arrived. And just like any other flight, we had to check in for our boarding pass. I loved that even the monitors said that we were checking in for the North Pole! And Wyatt looks cute and tiny sitting there waiting for his ticket. Lol. 

There was an orchestra playing, decorations everywhere, and Wyatt was grinning from ear to ear as we moved to the next phase of our day. We had to check in with the event, where they gave him a sweatshirt, and a name tag, which reminded me of Paddington Bear, that hung around his neck. There was more music being played here, with people in costumes greeting the kids and entertaining everyone until we moved to the security line. We did have to go through security, as we were getting on a real plane and would be in the terminal. This was the only part that gave me some anxiety – because Wyatt was in a wheelchair they moved him to the other side of the gate – without me! I was very nervous about my kiddo being left there without me, and I asked the TSA agent to please make sure he didn’t wheel away. Wyatt didn’t take off but he did try, that little monkey! 

Once we were through and I could breathe again, we were zoomed off by an elf to the terminal to wait for our plane. This area had clowns handing out balloons and playing games, and the flight crew was on hand to greet all the children. This, I think, was Wyatt’s favorite. He was in awe of the pilot and co-pilot. They gave him some little wings, which was pretty cool too. Finally, our plane arrived taxied up and we were ready to board our flight!

It is all very choreographed and efficient, so things are kept moving, partly because small children are not usually super patient. So I didn’t get as many photos as I wanted, but I did capture a few moments. Wyatt was also obsessed with the seat belt. I ended up keeping him on my lap, seat belted in. And then, we “took off”! The plane in reality taxied around for about an hour, and even gathered some serious speed to mimic take off. We had to leave the window shades down though, to maintain the illusion for the kids- which was a battle between me and my son, who kept wanting to open it. Lol. On our flight we were served lunch, and the elves sang carols. It was a great time, and Wyatt loved the music, and the actual plane itself. Once we landed, we were whisked away through the North Pole’s airport to “Santa’s castle”, or the hotel. Everything was decked out in Christmas decorations, cookies and candy and most importantly, coffee, lined the tables for us to snack on. Here they also had a show for the kids, of characters dressed up like superheroes who put on a mock battle, and Anna and Elsa were there singing all their songs. The kids were called up one by one to see the big man himself, and then – we went home! But not before we were given, literally, a sack of presents for the kiddo. 

The generosity of the donors and volunteers that put this day on was immeasurable. The time, the planning, the gifts, the people from the hotel to the Silverliners who organized it, to Delta Airlines who flew the plane – it was an absolutely perfect, amazing, one of a kind day.

Here is a link to a local news story about it! See if you can spot us!

Dino-Might!

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Detroit, family friendly, mom life, parenting, special needs parenting, Uncategorized2 Comments

I love dinosaurs. I always have. I used to dream about being a paleontologist when I was a kid, but then realized I was better at words than math. I have a love for the sciences even though I am not great at them, and I want to pass this along early to my son. I started collecting dinosaur crafts and projects and coloring books and all sorts of fun things to do with him in July, which I deemed would now be known as Dino-month.

So I was super excited when I saw that a nearby indoor playscape/preschool/wellness center was having a drop in class for preschoolers and toddlers all about dinosaurs!! There would be songs and stories and sensory bins and a craft – all for $12! I was so excited to take Wyatt. I knew he would love it. Then I realized…I would have to socialize too! My biggest nightmare as an introvert super shy momma, is interacting with other parents. But, like we push our kids to move past their fears, so must we as parents push past ours. And it is good for us to get out of our comfort zones too – I need to grow and move forward as well. So, this was it for me. Wyatt needs to do this sort of thing, it is so good for all kids to interact with their peers and all that, and especially for Wyatt. As a kid with some developmental disabilities due to his CP, he picks up a lot of language and movement by being around other kids. So, it was time for this momma to toughen up and go talk to some strangers! Lol.

dino4

I had this super cute outfit laid out for him to wear – but then it got breakfast on it and had to be changed. Note to self: put cute outfit on preschooler after he eats..

We finally rolled up to the place, which was in the middle of an adorable neighborhood. I was feeling nervous, made worse when I walked right in to the end of the baby and mom yoga class that was before the Jurassic Wonders class. But the yogi (whom I actually knew, I met her when our husbands worked together years ago) is a sweet welcoming soul who made me feel less awkward and less like bolting back out the door. Wyatt and I took a seat and waited for the class to clear out then I put him down to explore. The place, Nature’s Playhouse, was super accessible and I totally loved its vibe. Natural materials, solid and sturdy wooden toys everywhere, tables scattered about, puzzles, a rocking board. I felt like I was in a kid’s secret fort. Wyatt dug it, and enjoyed that shoes weren’t supposed to be worn in that room, since he hates wearing shoes. He had a big grin on his face the whole time we were there.

As the rest of the parents and kids trooped in, we circled up with our kids for story time  and songs. Afterwards, there were two sensory areas, an area with dinosaur books to flip through, including a cool one with different textures to touch, and the craft, which was painting a dinosaur with sponges and paint. Wyatt and I started with the painting, getting the messiest out of the way first.

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I think he did a great job! After that we headed over to the sifting through the sand bin, where the kids used paintbrushes to brush away the sand to find the dinosaur stickers hidden under the sand. Wyatt seriously loved this the best. Most of the other kids liked the area where you dug through beans and did some pouring and jazz, but Wyatt liked the sand area. We happily played over there, I made awkward (on my end) conversation with another mother, then, it was time to go! The class passed by super quickly.

I am so glad that I went – Wyatt had a blast! I will have to watch for other classes that fit into our crazy life schedules, even if it is just to drop in and play. It is worth it for the big grin I saw on my son’s face the whole time we were there.

Walking back to the car, I noticed the sidewalk full of acorn hats, something I had missed on the way in. I stopped and picked one up. Acorns are special to our family, almost a talisman. My Wyatt is my acorn, my tiny boy – and like my grandma said, “From tiny acorns grow mighty oaks.”  Stumbling on these acorns was a reminder, I think, of how we all need to grow, to be strong and to be mighty..

I am looking forward to our next visit!