Blog #55~School Days

Blog #55~ School Days

I can’t believe tomorrow is Nick’s last day of school.  He graduates from high school on Sunday.  Recently after our basement flooded, I was going through some wet boxes and found my old “school days” book. I flipped through the yellow pages looking at pictures and my vital statistics (height, weight, activities, awards and achievements.)

Nice handwriting there, T…… 🙂

This prompted me to share some school day pictures of Nick.  I pulled out his box of memorabilia from his closet.  Nestled inside I found his old baby blanket, christening candle, artwork, an autographed baseball and  his book.

There’s just one problem.  I only filled out first grade, the rest well……crickets….chirp…

Here are some of Nick’s school Portraits  over the years 🙂

 Nick’s 2^nd Grade picture.  I love this toothless grin, one of my favs!

3rd Grade…..

 4th Grade, this is my Mom’s favorite……….

In many pictures, Nick smiles with his eyes…… As Tyra Banks calls it “smizing” 😉

The awkward early pre-teen years… Don’t we all have one we’d rather  leave stuffed in the drawer?

Speaking of awkward, check out this mug shot from freshman year.  None of my family has seen this one. This photo package remains fully in tact stuffed in a shoe box. 

It’s never easy to get a good photograph of Nick.  Trying to get him to look into the camera, smile, keep his hands from flapping is a daunting task. Having Down syndrome and autism makes for some interesting stories.  If you haven’t read Blog #5~Ready, Set, Action- Check it out ( June 2012 archives). It’s a classic Nick story 🙂

High School ……He’s getting bigger, and it looks like I should have run the Norelco over his stubble…..

Junior year of high School…..

Hope you enjoyed a look back at Nick.  My how he has grown. If you want to see Nick’s senior portrait you’ll have to wait until next week.  I think this blog just became Nick’s school days book.  That’s what is in my noggin this week!

~Teresa 🙂

 

Blog #13~Take 1, Take 2, Take 3…. oh just keep snapping!

Over the years, the process of getting a clean shot of Nick in a photo has never been easy.  Three things have to happen.  First you have to get him to look into the camera with eyes fixed and not flat.  Then, catch his smile.  Oh and while along try to keep his hands from flapping around his ears.  Nick when excited about something can do some serious flapping…..

Yes I can…

“It’s my brother’s birthday I’m gonna flap if I want to… Happy Birthday Hank!

Most of the family photos appear angelic as we have our arms coiled around him lovingly.  Actually this is a desperate attempt to control the hands flapping!

Unnerstall Family photo….

I love getting the Christmas cards from our fellow dual diagnosis friends and their families.  It is always a mirror image of those wrapped arms that appear to be peaceful and in control. Oh wait there are more……….

Mom and I trying to get Nick to look at the camera for a Rodger’s Family photo…

Oh what a sweet picture of Jim and Theresa with the grandchildren… note the gentle holding of Nick’s hands while calmly looking into the camera….

Mount Diablo in Nothern California… Their faces say it all…

“I know that all my cousins are looking straight ahead at the camera, but  I am look away Nick!”….

Poor Hank, I can’t tell you how many pictures he and  our family have endured  patiently sitting and smiling while waiting for Nick to maybe look into the camera and smile.

Nick says…”Who needs Santa, this hand flap is way better.”   Gotta love Santa’s gaze at him.  

How many school pictures of Nick have been re takes?  Uh ya… all of them!

We call this one “Off-Centered Nick” but it’s a rather cute shot (2nd grade)

Which brings us to senior portrait time, oh my.  A lot has changed since my high school days back in La Porte, Texas.

Back then, they only offered two shots. (That sounded like an old person speaking didn’t it?)  I remember being bummed that we didn’t get to do the pose like Mom had.  Even the graduating classes two years before me did.  You know the one with the fluffy white feathers that hit just above the bare shoulders.  I couldn’t wait to see myself  like this….

Mom rocking the feathers…

My ’79 graduating class got stuck with the casual street clothes look,  fake green ficus creeping over the background  and a lame tree trunk covered with lichen. Not quite the same is it?

The second shot was the with the conservative gray background and traditional cap and gown.  These days it is a complete photo shoot with multiple backgrounds and wardrobe changes including props such as a band instrument or sporting equipment. Which leads this story to the present tense and Nick who had his senior portraits taken last Friday.

Several things need to happen to pull such a feat off.  First besides the top three items that I listed above is timing.   I made sure to block an hour shoot rather than 30 minutes to allow for Nick to transition and in case he needed a break.  With Nick’s hair that grows like Samson……  timing is everything. Oh and the stars need to be in alignment.

This would be too late…..

So, we arrive at the studio complete with my bag full of things to try to get Nick to look at the camera. And the task strip that had icon pictures of camera, smile, wait, smile, all done and then of course the big reward at the end…. ta da!

Double thumbs up.. yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I told the photographer that he had a limited number of money shots.  Just keep snapping… and he did. Between the photographer, Hank and I engaging in countless sound effects, silly toys like whoopie coushins, fake burps sounds, slap stick humor and yes…..two wardrobe changes and five different backdrops we might just have a few keepers.   We’ll see how the film rolls in a few weeks.  Funny how such a simple thing like having your photo taken can be such a process and wear on you and your whole family.  These things are never easy with Nick.  But somehow in the midst, there usually is a nugget you take with you.  It’s a tiny bit that stays in your memory bank that brings a snicker and smile…..

That’s what is in my noggin this week. Until next week may you find those little nuggets of happiness and say cheese…..  and don’t forget to flap your hands!

~Teresa