sara skates

Toby participated in a sled hockey clinic this weekend:

He had a total blast.  Though when he got off he exclaimed “Mom!  Those professionals make it look SOOO easy!”

He fell over a bunch of times (usually quickly followed by “I’m ok!” in his little voice) – but yanno?  Ice is slippery.  Afterwards the US National Paralympic team played Canada’s team – they are gearing up for the winter games this spring.  They’re awesome to watch – the captain of the team stopped to talk with Toby for a bit while Toby was getting his helmet on – he was awesome with Tobes.  The whole team is very inspiring – amazing athletes and way more ok with slamming into each other at high speeds than I would wanna subject myself to…

A local team is starting up for Nov and Dec – Toby is signing up.  The beauty of the sport is that it works for anyone who has arm control – folks with physical disabilities and folks without can all use the sleds and play together.  If they have a spare sled – I may get out there with them – although instead I may end up being the one to upright kids like Toby when needed.

was fun and candy filled –

Toby went to school Friday as Moaning Lisa:

which is actually pretty funny and it was a totally easy costume to make – black pants and shirt, “witch” long hair wig, and cardboard frame covered with paper and glitter. He also had a small picture frame with a printout of DaVinci’s Mona Lisa strapped onto his walker handle. He was hemming and hawing up until the last minute about what he wanted to be – this idea was from a whole list of them he came up with while getting on the bus on Thursday morning. I told him that of his list, I’d work on one of them – and I was able to whip this one up in about a half hour on Thurs evening with Toby’s help.

Hannah did a crazy hair day thing with her friends, though her crutches garnered quite the haul of candy. Both kids did well in that department – though Hannah has eaten way more of hers than Toby has of his. Speaking of which – I’m hoping that the end is in sight of her days with crutches – she still has a way to go on her feet/shins/knees healing but I’m not sure the crutches are helping her out much.

I finished a pair of “booties” for Toby (as he calls them) – thrummed slippers. He wanted a pair of shearling-lined ones – so I added baby camel (soooofffftttt) thrums every four stitches or so and every three rows and voila, sheepie-feeling soft slippers. I used some handspun that was sitting on a shelf in the living room – it was spun pretty tightly and thus created a rather firm fabric – these puppies will wear like iron. They stay on his feet though – even with his toe-pointing

For trick-or-treating, Toby insisted on a different costume – I was done with creating and he wanted a Star Wars character (with light saber – which I believe was the crucial component) – he ended up spending his own money on a light saber, and I bought him a Clone Warrior costume from a halloween store. (I know, apparently clone warriors don’t carry or use light sabers – but the Star Wars thing is a very new obsession for Toby and he has yet to see any of the movies). He greeted folks passing out candy saying “I am a clone warrior! I bring peace joy and happiness.” Hard to argue with that as a wish….