So far, SO GREAT!!!

(No... I don't mean keeping up with my back-blogging! I have determined that uploading photos is still causing my laptop to crash, so it's going to be a very slow process in playing catch-up here, but I will do it, as this is the only form of journaling/scrapbooking I do to create memory keepsakes for our family.
Now... onto the photo-less GREAT...!!!)

Last year, the summer was kicked off with Gracie's first (of five) admissions to the hospital - - the start of what I call "the summer of horror."  In fact, Gracie missed the last two days of school.

THIS year, she attended the entire last week of school and... AND... to kick off the first week of vacation, she has been a busy girl! A great weekend with lots of self-initiated physical activity, including lots of random attempts to pull to a stand (when I'm not looking... scary) and take very unbalanced steps (also scary) between things (forgetting to use her hands... scarier) which peaked with her cruising the hallway all by herself.

And then there was Monday...
We have made some changes to her PT regimen and are giving her more of a boot-camp style session. Actual exercises, with repetitions and onto the next activity - - all of this to see if we can add strength and keep her interested and motivated.  So, on Monday, her PT jumped right in. Gracie used her walker and walked from OT over to PT, got on the Total Gym (yes... you read that right... think Chuck Norris and Christie Brinkley's infomerical!) and proceeded to do some inclined leg presses.  She needed some help remembering the muscle motion for the first five reps... then did 15 with no help at all!  She took a break and did another ten with some assistance toward the end.  Then she did reps of wall squats (with balance assistance and movement queues) with a squishy ball between her knees. Then she walked over to the tricycle. (Gracie has a trike at home that she "rides" and has had it for years. She can pedal, steer, etc., but often only does it in short spurts. School purchased one for her to use at recess, etc., but it has been reported that she doesn't really show any interest, which has always perplexed me.) Anyway, back to Monday. Gracie got onto the trike (with help, of course) and proceeded to pedal her little self all the way around the therapy unit!!!  She corrected her body position whenever necessary and kept those feet on the pedals the entire time. If she slipped, she got herself back into position and kept pedalling!  Then, after riding, she walked all the way out to her wheelchair.  Needless to say, I was squealing with delight! Laural had intended to add a goal about riding the trike... instead it's going to be the reward! My girl blew-up PT on Monday and I was so proud! (Might I add that all of this was following a lengthy Neurology appointment and a half-hour of OT!!!)

Not to be outdone... Tuesday was Preston's day! 
(Last year, because of the summer of horror, Preston's swim lessons were canceled.  With all that was going on with Gracie, we just couldn't make it happen logistically.  The summer before also had logistical challenges, so he just started last week for the very first time.)

Tuesday morning, Preston had his third swim lesson.  When he started last week (yes, there are pics... but sadly, I can't get them on here!), it went great.  John and I both got to watch and it was so much fun seeing our fearless little man step up to the challenge.  Monday was his second lesson and it was a small disaster, riddled with tears, clinginess and borderline hysterics... what we would have expected on the first lesson.  He rallied for the middle of the session, but I was fearful that our inability to get him started younger was going to cause permanent damage.  Tuesday, daddy took him and he rocked it!   He came running through the front door with his Level 1 bracelet and said, "Mommy, I passed Level 1 and got three rings off the stairs with my whole head in the water!"  Phew!!!  I was so proud of him!

Then, they took off for the park.  John was going to run there and Preston ride his scooter, or so I thought.  Preston rode his bike... all the way to the park and all the way home... without training wheels!!!  At the age of four years, one month and five days, he's officially without training wheels on a 14-inch bike.  Such a big day for him!  That evening, we went for a walk as a family and Preston rode his bike... through gravel and big rocks, over grass, over small curbs... he tried skidding... he took his hands off the handlebars for a split second... and I... I kept checking my pulse!  I just can't believe how big my little man is.  Sigh. 

So far, this summer is SO GREAT!
Can't wait to see what my kids do next!!!