Not all work, some play...

My mom really wanted to see some of the Toronto sights. At first I was like, we're not here on vacation, this is therapy for Maggie. As I thought about it and prayed, I realized that if I had traveled a long way to another country and a place I've never been, I would still want to see more than an apartment and health clinic while I was there. I mean, I did drive to another country, but you know what I mean. Problem is, we arrived Sunday evening and mom had to arrive at the airport around 1pm Saturday. This didn't allow many windows for sightseeing. I did want to make Lake Ontario happen for her since we were too far from the other Lakes and Niagra Falls (at least for a weekday in the evening).

One day Maggie finished up at 4:00 so we left right away but sat in loads of traffic. I also may have tried to get directions from OnStar and got disconnected two or three times then found out later I went an hour out of the way. When we finally arrived, it was past dinner time and we were all hungry. We hung out by the lake for awhile then walked to a nearby restaurant off the recommendation of some locals. The weather was nice and we were able to follow a path along the lake the whole way, which made for a very nice evening. At the restaurant, a nearby table bought the kids ice cream- probably because they're so cute:). Turned out to be a fun little trip.

downtown Toronto- the CN Tower soaring above the rest

walk to the restaurant

We also visited a nearby park and enjoyed a little picnic lunch during Maggie's break one day...

A few things I've learned about Canada:

• they have the squeakiest chairs ever
• traffic is a force to be reckoned with...allow plenty of time to move around town
• the grocery store near us is apparently the only one in Toronto. 'Cause everyone and their brother shops there and good luck with parking
• most DQ's only have cool treats...no hot eats (we found one downtown that served hot dogs)
• people are so nice yet not at all. They're helpful at the grocery store and other public places but won't say hi as you pass by on a walk, even if they look right at you and only sometimes reply to your hello
• parking is crazy- you can tell it's a hot commodity, folks will park anywhere there's not a sign, largely blocking residential streets
• Chinese buffets are expensive! Like, hey we could've bought a timeshare in the Poconos expensive
• Signs on the interstate or cans at the store are labeled in English and French, opposed to our Spanish in the states (not very surprising)
• OnRoute is a super convenient interstate exit. Instead of exiting to multiple restaurants and gas stations like we do, they have this OnRoute with a gas station, little convenience store then several eatery choices with a huge eating area- like a mall food court. One stop, done.
• very few drive-thru's...I think I saw one
• Walmart is closed on Thanksgiving...which falls on the second Monday in October- our Columbus Day
• speed limit is low when you convert kilometers/hour to mph and no one seems to follow it

So there's your education on Canada.

Seriously though,  I realize people/places differ from region to region in Canada as they do the states, but it was fun to note some differences.

Health in Motion- week 1

I'm normally nervous about starting new things. But I felt really comfortable with the drive here and Maggie starting her first day. As I mentioned in my previous post, I was at peace with this decision. I still didn't fully know what to expect from the program and next four weeks, the first day included. But it brought about some great things. We started with Maggie's story from the beginning. I'm very well versed in this explanation, not just because I lived it, but also because I've retold it to doctors and therapists and social workers and school personnel multiple times at various meetings. Natan, the program director, listened, responded with some information and got to work. No paperwork, no explanations, no setting up goals and addressing my main concerns and how we will reach them and by when. Just work. He just started working with her.

And she cried. A lot. Because it was work. Hard work.

In fact the first week was filled with lots of tears, many sessions she cried the whole time. And yes, this was difficult to watch. Not only because I knew she was working so hard and it was tiring but also because she had to work so hard. Who can really stand to hear their child cry for nearly two hours straight? At her second session she cried the minute Natan walked in the room. Why is it such hard work? She's been in therapy since she was 8 months old...almost 2 1/2 years, right? Simply said, Natan's approach is different. He teaches these kids how to use their bodies in a functional way; Maggie has never had to move her body like this before, she's built up a lot of compensations over the years and he was working to break her out of those. Plus, we did a lot of stuff for Maggie. He is requiring she do it herself and not taking no for an answer. Offering more guidance when necessary but nothing will get her off the hook. By the end of the first week, she was crying less and not only accepting that Natan wasn't going to be bought by tears or pouty lips, but also realizing that she really could do it. I remember the first day she smiled because she rolled perfectly on her own. Rolling up and down the mat has been her favorite since.

And with hard work comes great reward and lots of progress. By the end of day one Maggie could roll (properly), sit (properly) and crawl (properly) by herself. I parenthesized 'properly' because she did these things before but not the way typical children do and not in a way that's functional for independence or in many aspects, good for her body...bones, joints and such. Her transitions into these positions required verbal and physical cueing but she was doing it. By the end of the first week, Maggie needed very little physical cues, mostly verbal (turn your head to the right, bring your left arm across your chest, roll your head, lean forward, etc.) We provided this guidance but she was doing it herself. Maggie was opening her hands more, even bearing some weight, much better trunk control, proper transitions, handing the ball to Natan with open hands and bearing weight through her feet. She was also standing with a ball for support (which isn't exactly stable) for nearly a minute. And walking in a walker. It was amazing. We were strongly encouraged to get a wheelchair before coming here and she's in a walker after only one week!

day 1- waiting for Natan to come in for Natan to come in for session 2. First
time in a long time she hasn't fought with me to sit on her bottom and not
only stayed seated, but played ball with me as well

out cold at the end of first day

I'll try not to get overly detailed about his methodology, but it's unique to Natan- he created it and it clearly works. He focuses on functional movements, not exercises. I never really thought we just exercised Maggie, but I can see the difference. It's not about strength, just movement. We'll use Jake, our 1 year old, as an example: when he learned how to sit up, crawl and take steps, he didn't exercise to get stronger so he could acquire the skill, he just learned to use his body. And the same goes for Maggie and how we need to approach her; she needs guidance to achieve these functions as she wasn't able to learn them on her own. And it's all about the transitions.

grandma and Jake get to visit

 Now, the way he works with her and requires her to transfer from one position to another is not typical in child development. This is not how Will and Jake learned to move. But it's necessary for Maggie because she hasn't learned the proper way and needs the guidance to get there. The transitions are integral to changing her internal pressure and to pump fluid properly through her body so her brain will get the nutrients necessary to learn. Also, these transitions aid in trunk control which is vital to controlling other parts of her body. The constant verbal cues are also integral to the learning process and over time it helps take the intense concentration involved with learning a new skill to one that is more precise and second nature. Also, we have not used her hand splints, AFO's or gait trainer since we've been here. We have used a walker as she learns to support and bear her weight properly, but she doesn't need the other equipment. So there's that.

When I told Daniel about Maggie using the walker and taking steps, he got so excited. He said, "I just want to call everyone and tell them! Wait, no, I don't. I want them to see for themselves." That's when we decided to wait on progress updates until Maggie came home and could show off. 

We have a lot of work to do at home- it doesn't stop at the clinic- it's not about exercises but function, LIFE function. We're so excited!

As the first week ended, we had to say goodbye to grandma, but not long after we welcomed daddy and Will! Maggie and Will decided to share a bed the first night- I think they missed each other. :)

Maggie's Big Trip

Toronto, Ontario. Maggie and I ventured up to Canada for 4 weeks for a LIFE/functional therapy program at Health in Motion. My mom stumbled upon this site probably a couple years ago but at the time the obstacles seemed insurmountable. We lived in Birmingham and Daniel couldn't take that much time from work. So, how could I go to Canada with two small children for 4 weeks? Or who would help Daniel watch Will if I left him there? I didn't think I could go 4 weeks without Daniel and that amount of time away from both of them seemed impossible. My thoughts were "I'd like to go but how could it really be any different from the therapy she's already receiving?" I went ahead and inquired about the program costs, which only put further doubt in my mind. So that's where I was- I marked it off as a possibility and not even sure it was necessary. Then I put it in the far recesses of my mind and didn't think about it again.

Until I did. One day, I was packing boxes for our move to Nashville and out of the blue, God just laid it on my heart and told me to go. God does that you know. Like when he told Joseph and Mary to escape to Egypt or when he told the disciples to follow him (not that my circumstances are comparable to these at all). I knew it was God because it's not something I would've thought on my own- I already cataloged it as not possible and forgot, remember? But his imprint stayed there. Unfortunately, I wasn't as obedient as Joseph and I still wondered, how? But I felt the wall break down a little as other things started to fall in place. I knew Daniel had more vacation time at his new job, but when I opened the discussion about this trip, he told me they have an office in Toronto where he may be able to work during the four weeks. That was it- I was moving forward. Daniel was skeptical but I knew it needed to be done and I didn't care about the rest because I knew it would fall into place. I actually spoke with Natan, the program director/creator on the phone to ease some of Daniel's concerns. And mine a little, to be honest. Even though I knew God was leading us here, it was still scary and I wanted Daniel to be on board with me. He wasn't fighting me on it, he just felt it was a large investment "into an unknown quantity." Basically we didn't know about the program's efficacy aside from the testimonials on their website. We agreed to go in May but missed a slot due to a mis-communication about logistics. I felt a little defeated at this point. Maybe it wasn't God, just something I wanted? The next open date was Sept 30th- Oct 25th. Will would start Kindergarten by then so we couldn't go as a family and who would help Daniel watch the boys while I was gone? God kept pressing and I finally gave in, sending our deposit in February.

Well what do you know? I found out a couple months later that Will had two weeks for fall break that was to fall right in the middle of the program. That's God. So, only two weeks apart, split into one week increments (which we've done many times before). We began telling people and though we didn't have a whole lot of info. about the program, I was at peace with it; I'm a details person so not caring about holes in the plan is definitely unique for me. God . I searched for places to stay for months with no luck, but didn't stress because I felt at peace. God. I was unsure about how we would pay for it, especially when Daniel's 15 year old car will eventually need replacing, but I was at peace. God. Daniel was actually stressing more than me, which is uncharacteristic of us- I'm usually the worrier- another reason I knew it was the Spirit within me. I got confirmation about our apartment less than a month before our departure and it was in walking distance to the clinic. God. My mom got off work that first week so I had help with Jake making things easier. This means I would only spend the last week alone and would be acquainted with the area by then. God. I also found it no coincidence that the acronym for Health in Motion is HIM.

I had so much peace about this decision. Very few times in my life have I been so certain about a road God wanted me to take. but with this I was and didn't even know why. Until I got there. By the end of day one I wondered why I didn't come the first time and wished I had.

The Drive
My mom, Maggie, Jake and I left Saturday, September 28th around noon; I wanted to leave after Will's soccer game. The start of the drive went really well but after we stopped for dinner and gas things slowed down a bit. We made it outside Cincinatti, Ohio but not quite to Toledo, where I really wanted to stop. But Jake was really done with the car and Maggie was getting restless too. We stopped for dinner then set up in a hotel for the night.

We got a later start on Sunday than I expected but it was slow going, what can ya do? We got on the road a little after 9am and pulled into Canada right around noon, after a restroom break and our last fill up stateside- gas is pricey in Canada, so I wanted to purchase as little of that as possible. The wait for customs wasn't terrible but couldn't be better as well; we made it a short way before stopping for lunch. Once we got closer to Toronto, the traffic slowed down considerably so we didn't reach our destination until about 5:30pm on Sunday. We unloaded, got settled and attempted a grocery trip but it was dark, raining and on-star failed to locate the store right down the street, instead sending us to what looked like a convenience store that was closed. We just grabbed dinner and went back to the apartment to settle in for the night.

Mom and Maggie shared a room while Jake and I shared the room with the crib

We looked forward to what the next week- and four weeks for that matter- held in store for us and our sweet Maggie!

Thankful Thursday: Big Steps

Little Jakie-poo is officially a walkin' little boy!! Jakers took his first official steps in Canada. Before we left he took a couple falling steps- he would move a foot but fell instead of really stepping into it. A few days before Daniel's arrival, he took one or two tiny steps but waited for Daniel to really get going. Then a day or so after the big boys arrived, Jake took like 10 steps in a row and started walking down the hall and around the kitchen as the days went on. This was so sweet to watch! Our littlest boy is growing up so fast!! He still crawls plenty but it won't be long before he abandons that completely and is in full walking mode, then running...he's already climbing. We're soaking it all up. We love you sweet baby Jake and are so thankful for you and your newly acquired skill. :)

Those were Will's pj's by the way... :)

Fall Soccer

Is underway! I enjoyed watching Will play soccer last spring so I'm glad he asked to sign up again this year. Remember how I love soccer mom status? We don't plan to ever push sports or extra-curricular activities on our kids but if they want them and we're able to make it happen, then we probably will. I think soccer has been good for Will- it's taught him a lot about sportsmanship, working as a team, listening, following instructions, etc. plus it's great exercise. We promote these lessons at home as well, but it helps to see them unfold outside the home.
I forgot my camera for the first practice, but took a couple phone pics of my little man:

And a few game pictures

The BIG ONE!!

Happy 1st Birthday sweet baby Jacob! But you're not really a baby anymore, just the baby of the family and my baby. :) Our Jakie-poo, Jakers, Sweetums, Bo Baker, Budsy, Tum Tum, Jake. We love you so much. It's hard to imagine our family without you and to think I was so scared when I found out I was pregnant. I didn't know what I was going to do or how I would have enough hands. But God did. And I'm so glad His wisdom is far greater than mine because you have been such a blessing to our family and boy would we have been missing out!!
Your day of birth was pretty relaxed as far as welcoming children into the world goes. For many reasons, mommy and daddy decided to schedule your birth. We went to the hospital, got ready, answered some questions, waited and I enjoyed the last little bit of time having you in my tummy, so close to my heart, moving around yet safe from the world. Then we went back to the OR and you were born! Oh I remember hearing you cry then meeting your sweet little bundled up self. I missed you when Daddy took you to the nursery and it felt like such a long time before they brought you to see me in our room, especially 'cause everyone else was visiting you in the nursery. You stayed close to me after that, though, sleeping so good and eating like a champ. After getting fussy a few times, we tried the binky and you took to it immediately. You're still a little binky boy. When it was time to finally go home, you slept in a little crib by our bed and though you woke up a couple times a night, you were very efficient. Change, eat, back to sleep. You've always been a sweet, snuggly boy and a mommy so enjoys that. :) I love you so much, my son, happy birthday!
Some things about you at 12 months:

• You're so close to walking, but you aren't ready to let go yet. You will take steps while holding our hands, but not ready to do it on your own yet
• You still cruise all along the furniture and will turn from one thing to the next as long as you can still hold on. Otherwise you'll get down and crawl from place to place
• Stand alone for longer periods, sometimes letting go of a couch or table and other times pushing up from a sit/squat to a stand
• Making lots of noises and saying some words- uh oh (still sometimes uh uh), more, ball, mama, dada and we're pretty sure you're saying food and eat, which you love to do!
• You haven't played peek-a-boo with your hands, but you will do it with blankets or other objects and you think it's so funny
• Still sleep great! You go to bed between 7:30/8 and sleep 'til 6:30/7 plus you take 2-3 naps during the day, one really good one and one or two small ones
• Eating meals with us and being introduced to more and more table food- so far you haven't been very picky. You still get snacks in between meals
• Drinking almost solely from a sippy cup- you prefer almond milk. This morning was likely your last time to nurse- mixed feelings for a mommy
• Wearing size 3 diapers and while many of your 9 month outfits still fit, I'm working them out of your wardrobe and moving you up to 12 months
• Still have those two bottom teeth, but two of your uppers are so close! 
• I just love and cherish you crawling up to me and laying your head on me. It's so cute when you do this with pillows or blankets, but it's my favorite when you snuggle up to me :)