Whoa Nathan!

April 24, 2011

Parents often joke that they wait for months for their kids to start walking, but once they do the parents struggle to keep up. Surprisingly enough, Annette and I sometime think we’ve reached that same stage.

Nathan is still in his Rifton Pacer, and will be for a while longer, but over the last couple of weeks he’s seemed to build greater leg strength and is learning to take advantage of his environment. He seems to know and find the downhill areas, and knows which surfaces he can move faster than others. At times he’s treating his walker more like a scooter or skateboard, ramping up speed, pulling his legs up and coasting wherever and however fast the wheels will guide him.

We’re getting close to more consistently putting resistance on the wheels. Not so much as a punishment, but to make sure he’s still putting in the honest work, and for the safety of both him and those around him. It seems he ultimate goal is to get out in front of whatever pack he’s in. We feel it’s partially to take away the limits on where he can go, and part thinking he’s getting into trouble, getting even more attention than he usually does.

This past Saturday was one of our favorite days of the year, the annual special-needs Easter egg hunt. I think if there was an award for inviting/recruiting the most families, we’d win the accumulative award. The event is run as best I think possible, with opportunities for all, whatever the hindrance, and showing a good time for all. Since Nathan doesn’t have the ability to bend over and pick objects up while in his walker, we take him out, give him support to move around and help lead him to eggs and help him pick them up.

The countdown to the start hit zero and Nathan and I headed to the far side, allowing him access to eggs it would take others more time to reach. He started off strong, grabbing three eggs and getting them in the basket, then he saw the other kids, decided they were more fun to watch and was no longer in hunting for the day. Other parents moved eggs toward him, but he had enough and was quite content with his take.

I moved him back to the walker, as he’s getting to the point where he’s heavy to lug around for long periods of time. Plus, he’s enjoying his ability to roam when given the chance. After the hunt is over, they have baskets for all the registered kids and a raffle for a small table worth of prizes for a few lucky ones. Of course, at a time when we’re looking to condense the number of toys, items, and just…stuff, Nathan was the second number called.

After the raffle Nathan saw the gym floor, no longer cluttered with eggs, but open with others walking and wheeling around. Taking a quick and dramatic 90-degree turn to the left, he found himself out with the other kids and free to walk, and play with the others. He saw one his classmates and partners-in-crime and they had a fun time with parents watching, but not busting. Occasionally, their paths would collide, Nathan would giggle and the other boy would declare “Crash!”

It’s a weird feeling thinking about putting restrictions on skills we were told he’d never have. It then adds fuel to the fire of what other hurdles Nathan can overcome in the future. The important thing is to celebrate all of the victories, and keep moving forward. And if one day we’re building skills so fast, we have to put the brakes on, what a great day that will be.

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