Tomorrow (Oct 6th) is our first Parent-Teacher conference. Since he started school in January of this year, we did not get to have a PTC last year. This semester he is at a new school with three new teachers. According to his daily folder, he is doing well...a green mark everyday!! As a result of his new school and teachers, he has been talking A LOT more lately. He still will get frustrated when he has trouble expressing himself and will say, "Can't say it," when he gets stuck or 'thinks' he is stuck. We just tell him to start talking and we will help him. That usually gets him talking again.
Have we mentioned that Nicholas really likes bugs? Well he does. He loves to look for them, touch them and play with them regardless of their vital sign levels. He recently pointed out a squashed cricket at the entrance of our local supermarket and even tried to pick it up! Through his fascination with bugs, he is learning many important concepts....Here are a few: Some bugs are good and some bugs are bad and can hurt you. Some bugs are alive and some bugs are dead. If you 'play with' a bug too roughly it will stop moving. Mommy is unable to reanimate bugs that have gone on to meet their makers.
Last weekend we attended the 3rd birthday party of our neighbor Jack. It was at a nearby park and was thankfully not too hot to be outside. There was a large playground and even a small pond with ducks! Fun was had by all...
This past summer Lisa filled out an application (a giant one that needed signatures from Doctors and Teachers) for Nicholas to attend a wonderful local place for kids with special needs called Spirit Horse.
www.spirithorsetherapy.com
After a few months went by we did not think we would hear from them...but then they called last week and said Nicholas had been accepted and his first day would be Tuesday, October 5th...which was actually today! That's right, today Nicholas got to ride a horse for the first time. Some pictures are below...
But before the pictures...one more update!
Even though he didn't ask for permission, Nicholas has been growing a lot lately....so much so, we thought it was time for a new bed. His toddler bed served him well for the past year and half, but we felt it was time for an upgrade. We then went to Rooms To Go Kids in Grapevine, TX to find a new bed. The moment we walked in, the salesman who greeted us noticed Nicholas was wearing braces on his legs. He immediately tapped his left leg with his cane and showed us that he too was wearing a brace on his leg....quite a coincidence eh?? Just like the time last summer when we went to buy our mini-van and our salesman was named Sergei and was from Ukraine.....or the time we went to Best Buy before our trip to Ukraine to buy a new camera and the saleswoman was from, you guessed it.....Ukraine!
All part of the "Big Guy's" plan....
Anyhow, about an hour later we picked out a bed and started to leave to go have lunch. Well somebody was very upset that we were not able to bring the bed home with us at that very moment....he cried and cried and cried....."Want big bed" "Miss big bed" "Take it home" "Bed, bed, bed, bed, bed, bed" This is what we heard from the back seat all the way to Jersey Mike's.
The bed was going to be delivered on Monday, but it was only Saturday! We tried to explain having to wait a couple of days and how he had to be patient.....hard concepts for a 4 year old....but he made it and Monday night got to sleep in his big new bed....
And now for the pictures!
The ducks at the birthday party have finally spotted the potato chip crumbs that we have been throwing in their general direction.
Slowly they make their way towards the buffet of chips!
Our wacky crazy super zoom feature!!
These ducks have obviously done this before...
Nicholas sat with Mommy and watched them chow down on Classic Lays potato chips...
Moments after this shot was taken, Nicholas tried to grab a duck to take it home with us.....but the ducks were just too fast.....this time....
Before arriving at the party, Nicholas could be heard from the back seat saying, "Go party, eat cake....cake in tummy, mmmmmmmmmm."
Our neighbors with their birthday boy who decided to start on the cupcakes before anyone else...notice his frosting covered lips!
Nicholas getting cleaned up after cupcake number one....well actually he only ate half of it...the half with the frosting, of course.
The second cupcake half is nearly gone!
Eating cupcakes can make a guy thirsty!
After cupcakes it was time to play! Here he is on the swings...
These photos were taken today! Besides getting to ride a horse, this program is also going to teach Nicholas how to get things ready before the ride, how to brush and feed the horse and how to put things away after the ride is over....Here he is getting his saddle with his instructor, Kelly.
Learning how to brush the horse just right....
Ready to go for his first ride!!
Taking his horse back to the stable. By the way his horse is named Eyore. They believe he is a combination Appaloosa and Zebra...
On the top level of his new bed! 
Checking out where he will be sleeping each night. Right now our agreement is that he may only be on the top bed during the daytime and must sleep on the bottom at night....so far so good!
We really liked this bed because it has a staircase instead of a ladder. Nicholas had no trouble getting up the ladder, but coming down was a different story! These steps not only allow him to get up and down easily, but each step also has a drawer....totally cool....
