Apps for iPad - Children's Books

Here are some books that seem to be pretty cool. They are for younger kiddos.
One that is really cool is the Story Kit. This lets you build your own stories, and you can personalize and put your children into the story.

I will be making a "Potty Story" for Daniel.

Children's Books

• ABC Dinos A dino name is read and shown on each alphabetical page

• Brave Monkey Cute story that is automatically read to you. Does not highlight
  

• Binky A story about an elephant

• Buddy #1 Story about Buddy the Bus and where he takes people.
  

• Bugs Real photos of bugs with the text that is read by touching

• Cat in the Hat Interactive book that you can read or it reads to you

• Curious George B-day Interactive book discover George's b-day surprise as you listen to the story

• Dr. Seuss's ABC's Interactive book

• Goldilocks Each word is highlighted as it is read to you

• iLook High Contrast, white on black picture book w/5 caregories (animals, food..) for young children

• Miss Spider Animated story that reads to you

• Sesame Street Playground Allows you to change some settings and record your voice

• Story Kit Easy program to create your own stories by adding in photos, text & speech. Could use for social stories and schedules.

• Trucks Simple story book that names and shows the text of the truck as they are touched.

Let me know if you know of any other cool stories to use on the iPad.

One thing I have noticed with Daniel. He is vocalizing more when using the iPad. He "answers" and touches at the same time. Pretty cool if you ask me!

Apps for iPad

Here are some of the apps that Daniel is using on his iPad.
Some were free or we are using the "lite" version and some obviously were more, but not horribly bad.

Early Academics

• ABC & Me Works on learning ABC's and basic words through various games
• Dad's Gift Colors, shapes, numbers and early math
• In The Zoo Alphabet learning using sing a long and flashcards
• PreK Safari Letters, numbers, colors & shapes with flashcards or touching the items asked
• Preschool Adventure Includes 8 simple activities you can do with young toddlers and preschoolers
• 123 Animals Counting Touch 40 different animals with sounds to see and hear numbers counted
• Five Little Monkeys Musical Counting game with toys that react to touch. Can sing in rock, country or pop modes
• 300+ Sight Words Sight words for Level 1 to 5 and Nouns 1 & 2 with text only that can be read to you
• ABC Animals Interactive animal flashcards with audio that provide the letter name, associated animal name and the phonetics
• Alphabet Animals All 26 letters in interactive flashcards that make sounds and animations when touched

Mind you all apps are right for all kids. I find the ones that Daniel can see cause and effect with are good. Anything with music and such. So these are just some suggestions...

I will post more as I find some. Let me know if there are any cool ones you like too! And Free ones are sometimes better that the purchased ones!

There are also a ton of YouTube videos out there for children's read along stories and songs. I suggest you watch the whole thing before you download it for the child...sometimes some buttmunches like to throw something in the middle that isn't appropriate!

Enjoy!

iPad for Special Needs

Hey there!

I'm sure you guys are probably sick of hearing about the iPad but I gotta do this.
We got one for Daniel. The minute I heard about it way back when I said I wanted one. Daniel has limited movement of his hands and arms, so has difficulty with the iTouch. So we needed something with the bigger screen. He has his PRC augmentative device which is very nice, but I wanted something smaller and lighter for him to be able to use quickly and on the go. Plus, I like to give him as many options for speech as possibly.

So for Mother's Day I asked for the iPad for Daniel. :)
Let me tell you, the kid is amazing me every chance he gets.See that pointer finger popping out? We've had Daniel using it in many different positions. In his stander, sitting on the sofa, while in his walker. He LOVES this thing. It gives him a voice, it gives him a feeling of success. He is able to make his choices ALONE.

He is able to change between the apps. He knows what "games" he likes and which ones aren't his favorite. He has even set up a play list in i-tunes (I don't know how he did it but he did!)

Here's a little snippet of a video - we had to stop because he realized I was taping him and then well....he started to ham it up! Now mind you he doesn't do alot in the video but the fact that his pointer finger is out and that he put the first three letters in the correct spot to spell CANOE is BIG BIG BIG to me.



If anyone is thinking that they might possibly want one of these who has a child with special needs...or not...I recommend it. (there is my free advertising for Apple - not that they need it!)

In the next couple days I will be putting up a list of Educational Apps that I have. We have only purchased a couple apps and the rest have been free ones.

Talk about overwhelming

Ever have a few weeks where things just seem to be spiraling out of control?
Feels like a tornado hit your life?Yeah? Me too! And I just got smacked upside the head with flying debris


Sometimes it feels more like a roller coaster ride. Has its ups and downs
Just a brief recap for you and then we'll move on and hopefully pick up the pieces

Read the following quickly, without stopping and as you'll notice its a complete run on of a sentence(so Lonnie don't edit it, its meant to be like that!)....you get my drift.

Daniel went back to school, got sick, got better, sleep habits for him are horrible - up hours though the night- misses school, I get sick, go into the hospital, now I have weekly treatments, Daniel gets sick again, Lonnie hates work, keeping up on house is the last thing on the list - you can only imagine what it looks like, Daniel got an iPad - and he rocks at it, my little business is thriving, doing a huge craft show in September getting ready for that Therapies, doctor appointments, new therapy consultations, missing school (oh wait I said that already) but we just can't stay healthy, or awake Daniel saying a lot of new sounds and words Brittany home from college, Victoria prom going to be a senior next year, Caitlin new job and Alexandra new job two flat tires in one day dusting off resume and updating for September when Daniel does go to kindergarten full time and I will go to work (OUTSIDE) the house, cause I work in the house currently as a therapist, driver, nurse, scheduler,cook, bookkeeper and oh yeah housekeeper (which I think I might get fired from soon considering the state of my house currently)



Do you feel like you're caught up in a tornado too, been on a really big roller coaster? yes? Welcome to our life!
Duck, tuck, and roll with the punches and come along for the journey!

Crown Giveaway

Ellen, over at "LOVE THAT MAX", is doing a giveaway for a our custom crowns for (3) different winners. She is an awesome mom with an awesome son and she has a great blog that I LOVE reading.

If you have not had a chance to sign up for the giveaway, head on over to her blog and sign up! It ends on May 25th. Here is the link to the giveaway and good luck! Crown Giveaway

Here's a few examples of our latest creations....

Cares for Kids Radiothon

A couple years ago Daniel was one of the children that helped with the 96.3 Radiothon.
Well its going on right now - TODAY
and its still an awesome program.
So if you can bring yourself to make a donation please do.

Here is what the interview/song was that they played for Daniel. Listen to the song and it just makes you wanna blubber...at least it does me!

DONATE 1-866-963-GIVE

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Heres a photo of Daniel on bike day. Picking out which bike he wanted.!!

Stay At Home Mom

Someone recently asked me what line of work I did.
Well currently I am not working outside the home.
I am taking care of my son.

Oh so you're a stay at home mom!

Um....

I am very rarely home. I take Daniel to school and come home to work on my little business and make phone calls to insurance companies, providers, schedule doctors appointments. If I'm lucky I also take a shower during this time.
Then on good scheduled days I bring Daniel home to eat lunch and hopefully he gets in a 20-30 minute nap. While he's napping I'm trying to clean or continue with phone calls. Then we run and drive 30-45 minutes to therapy for an hour and drive another 30-45 minutes back home. Of course like I said on a good scheduled day that's how it goes. Most days are not well scheduled and we have no time in between school and therapy so we leave right from school get to therapy and eat in 15 minutes. Then its sometimes 2 or 3 therapies in a row, sometimes we have an hour to drive from one therapy facility to another one that is about 30 minutes away and he eats again. This is done 5 days a week.

Just to give you a look at Daniel's schedule-which by the way is also mine :)

Monday:
8:00-9:00 get ready for school, stretch legs and arms, eat breakfast, medicines
9:00- 11:00 school
11:00-12:00 drive to therapy and eat lunch in the lobby
12:00-1:15 speech therapy
1:15-2:00 drive home
2:00-2:30 eat snack
2:30-3:30 naps
3:30-4:00 Drive to therapy
4:00-5:00 Physical therapy
5:00 -5:45 drive home
5:45-6:00 helps get dinner ready
6:00-6:30 eat dinner
6:30-7:30 hangs with family
7:30-8:30 gets meds, stretches and ready for bed

This is a day with no doctors appointments and no other errands to run...get the idea?

Stay at home mom?
Um I don't think so....I wish! Us "stay at home mom's" aren't always so "lucky" as people tend to think. I'm not sitting in front of my TV eating bonbons, and NO I don't get to sleep in either!

Cinco de mayo

Cinco de mayo.
The most I know about this day is that it is a Mexican holiday, I received flowers one year from a good friend on this day AND my oldest daughters boyfriends birthday. Until then...I didn't have a clue.
SO....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSHUA!!!

Sneaky little booger!

Check out what Daniel is learning to do. Its a little "inchstone" for us.
If you can stand watching the video and don't puke from the movement of me trying to video tape him and also trying to keep my hands ready in case he should fall.

Ms. M (Prechool Teacher)

It is really sad, Daniel just starts back at school and his teachers' last day was on Friday.
I liked her a lot. Makes me very sad that she isn't going to be there anymore. She left for maternity leave. I'm happy she gets some time off to care for her daughter and be with her before the next baby comes. But sad because she understood Daniel so much, and I know she cared for him too.

She is the reason that I was comfortable sending him off to school. She works with children of different needs and is really awesome. You can tell she loves being around the kiddos.

What sucks even more is that next year Daniel will be moving up to full day kindergarten and he will have a new teacher.

So I'm all boo-boo lipped about the whole thing. Here is a picture that pretty much sums up how we feel about the whole situation!


But we do wish Ms. M has fun with her growing family!

My Child has Special Needs.....

My post today is going to be fairly simple.
Why you ask?
Because I'm stealing it from Ellen. Thanks Ellen!

Read this and then imagine me standing beside her and saying "Yeah! What she said!"

So very well written and oh so very true!