Choosing Thankfulness

Sometimes having a child with special needs can make day-to-day life a bit overwhelming. However, with Thanksgiving just around the corner, I thought it would be nice to focus on the things that I am thankful for:

• Instead of being sad that Emmett can't do what other kids do, I am thankful for everything he CAN DO.

• Instead of being disappointed that he is still very much like a one-year-old, I am thankful that I get to ENJOY THE BABY PHASE LONGER!

•  Even though Emmett wakes up by 5:30am almost every morning, I am thankful that HE SLEEPS THROUGH THE NIGHT.

• Although having several therapy appointments every week can be exhausting, I am thankful that HE HAS HEALTH INSURANCE, which makes these appointments possible.

• Instead of thinking that my older son is missing out on a "normal" childhood, I am thankful that having Emmett as his brother will make him A MORE COMPASSIONATE PERSON.

• Even though Emmett can't tell me with words, I am thankful that he has A BEAUTIFUL SMILE AND AN AMAZING LAUGH that tell me that he's happy.

• Even though it took him over three years to learn how to walk, I am thankful for EVERY BEAUTIFUL STEP.

• Even though Emmett often cries when we leave the room, I am thankful that HE LOVES TO BE CLOSE TO US AND GIVES GREAT HUGS.

• Instead of being bitter that I have a child with special needs, I am thankful for ALL OF THE AMAZING PEOPLE that we have connected with because of his special needs.

• Even though our days can be challenging, I am thankful that GOD CHOSE US to be Emmett's parents.

• Even though he may not be like other children, I am thankful that EMMETT IS FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE, just the way God intended.

School Days

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when Emmett started preschool. For the first few days, I almost forgot that he wasn't home with me. I halfway expected to feel him pull at my leg or to hear him crying for me in the next room. I've been without him before, but I'm rarely home, when he isn't. It definitely took some getting used to.
Thankfully, Emmett is adjusting well to school and likes being there. His teacher writes little notes to let me know what he has been doing and she sends home a daily behavior sheet. He has gotten a "green light" every day, but that is no surprise because he is normally a happy boy, as long as he has food in his tummy and a grown-up friend nearby. His big brother, Corbin, even gets to be a peer student in Emmett's class once a week. Even though Emmett's teacher keeps us informed, it is nice when Corbin can tell me about their day.
Emmett receives PT, OT, and speech therapy at school. He rides the bus and is home before noon every day. When I first learned that he could ride the bus, it sounded a little strange, but with two different preschool schedules in two different towns, it has worked out well.
So, you may be wondering what I do with all of my "spare time", now that Emmett is in preschool. One thing I get to do is spend extra time with Corbin, which has been good for both of us. He even works out with me sometimes. I'm not sure which is funnier, me trying to do Zumba or Corbin trying to follow along! 
The rest of my time is spent doing household chores, making phone calls, doing research online, and taking Corbin to preschool. I have also been able to tackle a few deep cleaning projects, but my personal favorite is running errands ALL BY MYSELF! It's amazing how many stores I can run in and out of, when I'm not buckling and unbuckling car seats at every stop.
Although it's still a little strange not having Emmett with me all of the time, it has been a good change for all of us. He's learning how to do things without me by his side and I'm learning that it's okay to let someone else take care of him for a while.

The chalkboard should say, "I'm going to be EVEN MORE AWESOME!"

Corbin's first day going to school with Emmett.

The Perfect Patient

Sometimes when I watch other children Emmett's age, it's hard not to feel a little sad that he isn't doing the things that they can do. This is partially because I feel like he's missing out on things, but today I experienced something that actually made me a little thankful that he's not like a "typical" 3-year-old.

Emmett had to go in for a fasting blood draw this morning, to check for micronutrient deficiencies. Thankfully, when we arrived at the doctor's office, he didn't seem overly hungry and was in pretty good spirits. However, he has tiny veins and it is sometimes hard to find a good one. The nurse was very sweet and spent a long time trying to find a vein before actually sticking him, but she was having no luck, so she asked another nurse from a pediatric office in the building to come down and try. They were all amazed at how calm and still Emmett was. One advantage of low muscle tone is a high pain tolerance. Emmett barely even flinched when they were looking for a suitable vein. A typical 3-year-old would have been squirming and crying at the sheer sight of a needle! In this moment, I was thankful that he didn't completely understand what was happening and that he didn't seem to have much pain. He did get a little restless while they were filling the vials, so the nurses started singing to him and he just kind of looked at them like they were crazy.

Emmett's big brother, Corbin, was also along for the appointment and he was really good too. It probably helps that he gets to raid the prize drawer every time he comes with us. I think he was just thankful that the needle was for Emmett and not for him!

Emmett might not be able to do what most 3-year-olds do, but he sure is a good patient and for that, I am truly thankful!

A Funny Thing Happened...

Although Emmett's schedule varies a bit, on most days he has preschool in the morning and therapy in the afternoon. Today was like most days, except a funny thing happened on our way home from therapy: we got stuck in the elevator!

Emmett had finished his OT session, so we got in the elevator and Corbin pushed the button for the first floor. (We were only on the second floor) The doors closed and I felt the elevator move, but the doors didn't open. I waited for a minute, then I tried pushing the open door button and the other floors...nothing! Then, I pushed the alarm button a few times and finally decided to call the front desk.

The nice lady on the other end said she would call maintenance right away. About ten minutes later, I heard a voice ask how many were in the elevator and she said that emergency personnel was on it's way.

I couldn't help, but laugh! I had seen this happen on sitcoms, but had never experienced it myself. Corbin and Emmett didn't mind at all. Corbin was taking videos on my phone and Emmett had the giggles. They were having fun. I had snacks and drinks in the diaper bag and there was a mirror on one wall, so that alone could entertain Corbin for hours!

On a side note, just before we got on the elevator I asked Corbin if he wanted to use the restroom on the 2nd floor or downstairs. He opted for downstairs. He was a bit concerned when I told him that the elevator was stuck, but he managed to wait and I had diapers in the bag if he couldn't! 

Seth always thinks I overpack for short trips, but this is a prime example of: "it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it!"

They managed to get the doors open about 40 minutes later, which was perfect timing because Emmett couldn't wait like Corbin did and that tiny space was becoming quite fragrant! We made a pit stop on our way out and told the receptionist that the next time we have an appointment, we will definitely use the restroom BEFORE we get on the elevator!

Having fun on our little adventure!

Walking on Sunshine

Something big happened this week that we have been waiting to see for a long time: Emmett started taking multiple unassisted steps! He has been transitioning between furniture or people for a while- just two or three unstable steps. However, this week, he has been taking 5-10 steps without lunging forward or holding on to anything! I actually missed the first time because he was in a separate therapy room, but I could tell by the sounds in the other room that he had done something impressive. Thankfully, he decided to show off more that evening and has continued to for the rest of the week.

Every time he accomplishes something big, it takes me a while to get used to it. I remember when he first started crawling, I would watch in amazement and almost disbelief for several weeks.

All of his doctors and therapists had assured me that Emmett would eventually walk, but we just didn't know when. It may be a while before he's able to walk very far or on uneven surfaces, but I don't mind waiting. I think I have watched the videos of him walking 50 times already! His steps are a bit awkward and calculated, but he is walking and it is beautiful.

Waiting for Words

We were on the road a lot this week. Even more than usual. For the most part, both boys do really well in the car, but there are times that Emmett does not do so well. One of the most difficult things for us right now is the fact that Emmett is nonverbal. I realize that there are many typical 3-year-olds who say very little, but most of those children can communicate there basic needs or at least show others what they need.

We are working on using pictures or sign language, but this is still difficult because Emmett has limited fine motor skills and cognitive delays. I can normally tell what Emmett wants by asking basic questions and waiting for a clap or giggle. However, when he gets really frustrated, he just fusses or lets out a very loud, throaty cry. Whether he is hungry, thirsty, tired, or mad... we hear the same cry and it is worse when he is confined and can't crawl to who or what he wants. As you can imagine, this is great fun when we are driving down the highway with almost 2 hours ahead of us! It is a guessing game and is especially fun if I'm the only parent in the car.

It is hard not to get frustrated and believe me I DO get frustrated, but then I have to remind myself how much more frustrated Emmett must be not being able to express his needs. I'm not completely sure how much Emmett understands, but I do know that he understands quite a bit, which is why I try to be very careful about what I say to him and about him. He may not be able to talk, but that doesn't make his opinion or his needs any less important.

As we prepare for Emmett to start preschool, I pray that his teachers and caregivers are understanding and take time to figure out what he needs. Many people think that once Emmett starts walking, talking won't be too far behind. I am hopeful that this is the case and look forward to hearing his first words. In the meantime, I will enjoy his babbles and giggles and will do my best to understand what he's trying to tell me, even if he's screaming as we drive down the highway!

I can't take credit for the quote,

but I can at least take partial credit for this handsome boy!

Mommy's New Adventure

A few weeks ago, I shared with you how Emmett aging out of the Early Intervention program will start a new adventure for us. This has proven to be true with at least 6 appointments a week, but this is only the beginning of our new adventures.

Many of you know that over the past 14 months, we have been taking Emmett to see an Anat Baniel Method (ABM) practitioner to receive "movement lessons." The closest ABM practitioners are at least two hours away and we can only afford to take him every 8 weeks or so, but we have seen incredible improvement in his movement, as well as his overall awareness and involvement with the world around him. These lessons are normally done in blocks of 2 lessons a day, for 3 days.

The results we are seeing are so profound that I have decided to take the training myself, not only to benefit Emmett, but also other children with special needs and adults with chronic pain.

This was not an easy decision to make! When I first saw the cost and the logistics of traveling for the training, I honestly thought it was unattainable. However, the more I watched these lessons and how Emmett responded to them, the more I felt like this is what I am supposed to do. Leaving my family for several days at a time will not be easy, but we are going to make this happen.

Please remember our family in your prayers, as we prepare for another big change. My training will start next March. I am both excited and terrified to start a whole new career at nearly 40 years of age, but I know that it will be awesome for our family and I hope to help many other families along the way. I will keep you posted as we get closer to start time and look forward to sharing our ABM journey with you.

Our little water bug... The reason I decided to "take the plunge!"