We Can Fly, Poolside Edition

The girls and I dragged JoyDad to the pool Saturday evening, lingering cough and all, so that we got at least one full-family swim into this waning summer.

Did we ever fly! Look at Joy jump:


... and jump...


... and jump with Rose...


... and jump with Rose some more!


I loved getting to take some photos, but even more I loved an interaction I had with another mom while I was having Joy jump to me, and climb out and jump again, and climb and jump again. No hand-holding needed, no running... Well, there was another little guy almost her height, doing the same thing at the poolside a few feet over. After a few rounds his mom turned to me and commented what a good example my daughter was for her son, what positive peer pressure, he's never been willing to jump like this before! Then she asked me how old my daughter was, I told her (5), and asked how old her son was (4 1/2), and we talked a bit about how tall he was for his age, and how tall his little 2-year-old brother was for his age, but little brother was having something of a fuss and they might have to cut the evening short. All the while our kiddos were doing the jump/climb cycle over and over.

My daughter was a good example! To her son!! Full stop, no qualifications, no watering down, just a good example!!!

With most interactions like this, something will happen that will lead to my feeling the need to do some gentle commenting or educating about Joy's developmental issues. Like, the other parent will ask Joy how old she is, or what's her name, and of course get no answer. And I'll say something like "She's a lady of few words but many jumps! I bet, though, she'd give you a high-five if you asked..." or something like that, which often leads to questions that circle around what's-up-with-the-lack-of-language. This time? No such detour. Just a short cheerful conversation about pool-jumping and positive peer pressure.

That felt almost as good as the fact that Joy did not even look like she was considering running the other direction instead of jumping in.

Oh, and I got to fly too. Down the huge long twisty waterslide, bullet-like, lying down with my arms crossed tight. Wheee! Thanks for coming to the pool, JoyDad -- I don't get to waterslide when it's just me on duty! What a lovely evening.

Here We Go!

Finally got the news late this afternoon -- I got into the program!


Starting in just 2 weeks, I'll be starting a one-year leadership-training and interdisciplinary study program, as a parent of a child with special needs, at a prestigious university center for developmental disabilities.


I even have preliminary arrangements in place for a babysitter to help shake free the hours that I'll need to get this extra set of spinning plates into motion.


WE. CAN. FLY!!!

Special Exposure Wednesday: Jump for Joy!

This is what happens when Joy pushes her button to ask for "Let's Jump!" (The taller the barista, the higher the flight!)

Like the Wind

With snow on the ground and wind chills hitting double-digits-below-zero this week, Joy isn't getting the opportunities for big long backyard sprints anymore. She sure can dash back and forth through the living room, though!

I continue to marvel at Joy's physical strength. As I mentioned in my very first Elvis Sightings post, she has been a powerhouse from the get-go. Her baby book contains a notation at the ripe old age of two weeks, amazed at how dang strong she was. At two weeks!

One of her favorite "heavy-work" games right now is a jumping game, one she requests by coming over and taking both your hands and beginning to bounce. She wants you to support her jumps by lifting her hands with yours, so that she gets more air with each jump. If you get a good rhythym going, all forty pounds of her are soon flying high with every leap, coming down with a satisfying "boom" on the carpet that must feel so good as it shocks through her frame.

She can even run and jump wearing weights! Her previous OT acquired ankle weights for her and made a weighted vest out of a floaty swim vest, replacing the removable floaty-foam blocks with door hinges (just the right size to fit in the pockets!) and heavy little beanbags. I don't know how much weight it is, but it's enough to make her notice -- and help her regulate, and focus, and lots of good stuff. But especially right after she puts it on, when she's still in run-and-jump mode, you should see how she motors, even with all that weight.

It brings an image to my mind...

I can imagine my girl, grown tall with her hair gone brown like mine did and in a pony-tail, wearing an adult-size weighted vest and ankle weights, jumping up and down beside the track in preparation for her race. Then she takes the weights off and joins the other runners in the starting blocks. "On your mark, get set, GO!" (oh, and haven't we practiced those words, over and over...) And Joy takes off, running like the wind.

Maybe someday we'll train together, and then she'll leave me in the dust.

Me, I don't run like the wind. Jog slow, like old pony. But I'm still working on my Couch to 5K training, and can now jog 25 minutes without stopping, at an 11-minute-mile pace. I've got my eye on a 5K in April that I might actually win! Yes, you heard that right. It's called the Poker Run. How I might win is, they deal you three cards at the start of the race. Then when you finish, you get two more. The best hand of 5-card stud "wins" the race, no matter the time!

Oh, and the race benefits Special Olympics.

Whether Joy eventually runs Special Olympics or with the neurotypicals or all on her own, I'll be cheering her every step of the way.