Day Eight: Blog
Challenge: 31 for 21 Awareness and Acceptance
Turns out Sydney still can’t get that Darn serve over the
net. As a result, her coach has asked
her to serve underhand; naturally, she took that as the ultimate in
failure. As she got in the car after school
yesterday she told us the news as she was trying not to cry. Ugh.
So I tried to explain to her how sometimes we have to just do what the
coach asks us to do or we can just sit out the whole game. As her coach, I would sub her out for one of
the other girls that seems to have a pretty strong; if not consistent.
serve. She started to cry when I told
her that, but as I pointed out to her, her coach wants her in for her
experience. And so she is asking her to
try an easier serve to try and rally some points for her team. Here’s the catch…I’m not completely certain
she ever actually got that underhand serve consistent before she was pushed and
told she had to practice her overhand serve.
So with all this in mind, we headed into the backyard late afternoon to
do some work.
We didn’t bring Bradley out the first time, it was still a
little warm and I wasn’t sure about the wind.
But he was busy with his IPad, so he didn’t care. I worked with her form and after some
corrections I asked her to serve with them for a few times to give them a
legitimate feel before returning to her methods. She started getting some power, height and
distance – she has decided to continue with this new form and work from
there. One for mom. Do I have to thank the coach? Why yes…yes I do. Sydney’s frustration level has hit such a high
that she was willing to finally listen to me.
I could be wrong, but I am pretty sure that I heard a choir of Angels
singing “Hallelujah!”
As it was bound to happen, she twisted, sent the ball
towards the fence where - had it hit the dirt it would have been fine, but it
found the three inch strip of brick and bounced over the fence. So off we went to walk around and collect the
wayward ball. By now, the winds had died
down and the air temp was really quite beautiful. So, on the way back through the house I put
shoes on Bradley and he and Dad followed us outside for serving practice and
bubbles. At first, Bradley fluttered
around Dad, and then chased some bubbles.
Then he noticed that his Sydney was standing by herself so across the yard from her, he stood
adjusting and trying to stand on one leg, I think possibly trying to pitch the
ball as if he thought she was trying to pitch a baseball. When she hit the volleyball instead, he
thought that was hilarious, so much so that he had to go running across the
yard to wrap himself around her legs in a big hug.
After that, he stood right beside his sister and every time
she moved her feet, he copied her. When
she served the ball, he was moving his arms in the same position and swinging
them forward, so then she grabbed the ball and while she held it up, I helped
him swing his arm to serve it. When she
tried to stamp on a spider, he proceeded to stamp his feet and squat like a
sumo wrestler. As she took her stance to serve again, he
tried to stick his leg between hers so their feet could be all lined up. It had her cracking up so he just laughed
more and tried harder to copy her. And then
he saw Dad over across the yard so he bailed on her and went running to Dad, putting
his arms up to be held so he could make the wind chimes play. A little bee buzzing on his way from flower
to flower: from Sydney to Dad to Mom. Stopping
to hug his puppy, then bring each of us over to pet her too.
And just like that it wasn’t about an extra chromosome, a G-Tube, delays or behaviors; it was about two kids playing in the backyard with
their mom and dad. About a little
brother that adores is his big sister so much he wants to copy her every move
and be as close to her as possible. It was about playing with a ball, chasing
bubbles and making music with wind chimes.
His laughter was constant, his joy was contagious and he just kept
signing “Happy.”
He loved every moment, and after a passable amount of food
for dinner, he took a bath and might have cussed out his dad for letting the water
out before he was ready, (Eric swears he heard something close to "Hell NO!"), but he was putting his head down on Dad’s shoulder
after meds and jammies. Then he managed
to stay awake until I came out to the couch, where he slid off Dad’s lap to come
snuggle next to me for a quick hug and kiss, then he put his head on the pillow
and was asleep before his arms had settled.
I guess he was a tired little boy.
Our guy still lacks great stamina, but he doesn’t lack great spirit
or the willingness to go for as long as he can, and as hard as he can. I love that about this little guy.
Aside from just loving playtime with the kids, Sydney’s
serves are looking a wee bit better. We’ll
work again tomorrow; and who knows, she might be serving consistently overhand
again before the seasons over. Another
year or two and Bradley just might be following her in that too! J
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