Price Checks and Bloopers!

Gratitude to Tanta, Virginia, Nanny and Babu!!! Many thanks to Glen too!  They helped us get LJ's first, new (to us) wheelchair- lift van.  It is a total game changer- to just roll right into the van and cruise.  It's meant major relief to my back for not having to lift all his heavy equipment into the back of my crossover.  The only thing Lewis has been talking about is driving his power chair and taking out his other new wheels.  We got it Sunday night...so Monday morning we went for a ride around the block before his summer school bus came, just so he could see the view from his new perspective.

Today we mounted up and headed for the grocery store after speech therapy. We asked LJ to find us the juice that started with a "V", and he drove his wheels to the right spot on the shelf.  Then as soon as we weren't concentrating he wheeled himself to the apple granola and insisted we were all out of it.  He also said we needed the house brand fish marinade (that was not on our list either).  He also proceeded to tell us that we needed to go upstairs to get more shampoo.  All a big plot so he could get to push the elevator button and take his power chair on it's first elevator ride.

The last video on this post illustrates his mad cross-walk driving skills.  He was clearly hamming it up for my camera!  Definitely keeps us on our toes.  Enjoy these two videos of Lew's adventures.
Price Check in Aisle 4 from Jenn S on Vimeo.

Power Chair Bloopers_LJ ( 4months of Learner's Permit) from Jenn S on Vimeo.

Home Sweet (Accessible) Home

On July 3rd, we moved into a new (to us) house.  We picked it mostly because it was a good fit for LJ, though it is lovely in its own right. It is within a mile of our old house.  There are bedrooms and bathrooms all on the first floor.  The lot is flat and there is a an exterior door in what is now LJ's bedroom.  Soon, we will have a ramp and a widened door that leads from his room to the the driveway.  LJ already enjoys leading tours around the upstairs in his power chair - something he couldn't do in our old house.  Very soon, and with minimal work, LJ will be able to come in and out on his own (well, sort of - as much as any 4 year old can).

There's lots of other great (and challenging) stuff too, as with any move.  Annie (our dog) loves the big fenced yard.  We have faced flooding, plumbing issues and faulty appliances since the move in (much like any new house).

Within the first few days living here though, we discovered how truly lucky we were with our choice.  Our neighbors and neighborhood are fantastic.  Nate has quickly integrated into the "posse" of neighborhood kids - they are forever coming here, or playing at one of the other houses on the block or playing kickball down the way, where there's no traffic.  Better yet, everyone we've met, especially our next door neighbors, are wonderful.  The folks next door have already helped me through a lock out situation with utmost kindness.  There's a retired Gallaudet University sign language professor (I'm enrolled in the adult ed class being taught thru the county starting in September), a pediatric occupational therapist and an adult physical therapist all neighboring our house.  How lucky are we?

The new house is keeping Josh and I extremely busy, so luckily both boys are enjoying camp and coming home tired during the week.  Nate is back at Camp Greenway, which is always a joy for him (lots of fun) and for us (organizationally brilliant).  LJ had a ball at an Arlington County tot camp a few weeks ago - it was an integrated camp that reserved several spots for special needs kiddos.  How excellent is that?  Now LJ's at Arlington county summer school.  Unfortunately, it seems like they've gotten in over their heads with summer school - buses don't come, classrooms fluctuate, it just seems off.  Still LJ is having great fun.

Josh and I are plugging away to make the new house a home.  We look forward to you visiting.