Leaping Milestones!

There are times when as a special needs parent you get so sue to doing things for the child that you forget to push them to do it themselves.  Or at other times you're too tired with the struggle and so you don't bother because another battle seems too much.   And then out of the blue they do something you had know idea they were capable of and you begin questioning how much you've coddled him the last while.   It's been very much that way for us.  We finally got Bubby to learn to pee on the potty.  It was a combined Palovian method of cueing him to urinate when he got into the shower to shifting to turning on the shower and getting him to do it in the potty.  When he realized he got to flush the potty he was highly motivated do so at every opportunity, even at unfamiliar locations.  Dry diapers are seriously the best!

This has been the catalyst for all sorts of things as we've seen him grow by leaps just in the past few weeks.  It started with small things like deliberate eye contact and more attempts at gentle affection.  Or when we went to a park and his willingness to climb a structure that would have had him in a fit in the past.    New surfaces at the park that feel 'unstable' to him that tentatively trys out over and over while we're there.  One evening Keila was reading a book to Pumpkin and he crawled up on the bed to join in, looking carefully at all the pictures as she read.  These were all wonderful to see but he had more in store for us.

We attened our annual Special Kids day at McCormick Railroad Park.  Usually the other kids have a blast with the carnival style games and the bounce houses.  Bubby will watch, try a game or two and sit happily in the stroller munching on popcorn and ice cream.  He doesn't venture out too much.  Last year I took him up a huge bouncy slide and came down with him to his utter terror.  I thought I'd push him to do it again this year but Bug love offered to take him.   He was scared and struggling to climb up so a volunteer helped to carry him.  Then he was cautiously looking down and sat at the top for some time until Keila dragged him to one side and slide down with him.  He squealed with laughter and surprise.  His response was positive enought that I tried it again with him.  He was self motivated enough to climb on his one with minimal support at his rear.  Once I was with him he was eager to slide and we'd say 'Ready, Set' and he'd shout his 'Go' .  We did this 5-6 times.

Then we took our train ride which usually has him snuggling in close watching apprehensively as everything passes.  This time he was laughing, waving his arms in the air and squealing.  We tried the carousel where he usually clings to us in fear and again he was laughing and giggling, screaming with joy.  We asked him if he wanted to do it again and he said a clear 'Yes!"  It was a thrilling day for all of us and we were all quite exhausted when we came home




The week later we went to a similar event that was much smaller in scale.  He watched Pumpkin play with different sensory bins and  It usually takes some trickry to get him to stick his hands into new materials, but not this time.  Obviously some were tolerated more than others but he was trying new things!

While we were there he was great at listening to instructions, sitting and waiting patiently while Leora got her balloon, or while I grabbed a snack.  These gave me the courage to try the petting zoo with him.  He's fairly shy of animals, especially when they're larger than himself.  We had never attempted the pony rides but watching Leora on it I decided it was time to try.  I asked him if he wanted to ride the horsey and he said yes. (his automatic reply to everything is a no until it registers that we're offering him food he likes then he changes it to a yes)  The reply had me pretty surprised but he was watching everything carefully so I figured it wasn't a mistake.  When it was our turn he walked up to the pony, put a gentle hand on it.  I could see the size of the animal was making him change his mind so I told him I was going to pick him up and put him on.  With a little help he sat up and smiled.  We did high fives and petted 'Sugar'.  Then things started moving.  With one hand on me and one on the saddle horn he was curious, then aware, anxious and finally he was done.  He slide off into my arms and proudly gave high fives to Pumpkin aware that he did something a little scary but he did it well.  There was no screaming, no hitting or kicking, no fits of any sorts.  He was tired though and after another snack he clearly wanted to go home and i honored that wish.

We attempted to get him into a harness at AZ on the Rocks.  He did it so nicely that I thought I might as well hook him up to see if he'd climb.  Apparently he'd been watching us, he threw down his paper he was flipping and began climbing.  Although he didn't get too far I was pretty darn impressed that he did it.  These skills have paid off as he's gone hiking to harder areas.

This impromptu hike at Papago Park really had him working hard to get to all the caves the others were going to.

I am so incredibly proud of this little man.  I love his zest for life and I love to see him grow.  His triumphs will never make any world records but they make my world turn.  His birthday is this month as well as the World Down Syndrome celebration.  I'm so grateful for the unexpected gift you are.  You are moving mountains!