October 4, 2017
My girls play volleyball almost year round. And I love, absolutely love watching them play. I must, I mean we sit through practices on sometimes not so comfy benches or floors and tournaments with least comfy benches because there might not be room for my more comfy chair. A chair that Eric had my name and a Volleyball silk screened on. I even only kind of mind the god awful early mornings where we have to head out to those tournaments, maybe more than kind of, but I do it. Yep, volleyball mom proud. And I have lots of video too! Eric and I swap videos when we aren't both there, we try to keep this a whole family event.
We were really worried that Bradley wouldn't be able toterate the tournaments, the noise, the over stimulation, the constant balls that he couldn't have. We learned quickly to stop under estimating him. Does he want the ball? Yeah, he really does. But Bradley is just as happy to watch his IPad and occasionally look up to watch some play, hug his girls, ask for snacks, then head back to watching his movie and sometimes playing with his magna tiles. Sometimes, because there are times he'll see the great fun of tossing those tiles, that's not great.
Madison is almost sixteen, Sydney just turned thirteen. We run all over the place for these girls because we are painfully aware of the clock ticking. Our time as the most important people in their lives is fast ticking away. There are times where Bradley needs everything; every moment, and the girls are quite familiar with this need and really do handle it with more grace than most would expect from girls this age. So for us, giving the girls as much complete support as possible is a priority. We went to all the tournaments, we cheered for our girls and by extension, their teams became our girls and we cheered for them too. We had too, it broke my heart to see how many girls were sent to these tournaments with a team mate and no family to cheer them on. And we aren't talking hardship or issues with other kids, this group set up a schedule so three moms got three tournaments off and had a day to themselves. I get the desire, the need, I get it and think it's great that they could count on each other and have breaks. But being at those games, I saw the look in the eyes, the sad smiles when a girl did something great but no one from home was there to see it. So we cheered for them, we high fives them and by the end of the season, we were hugging them because we knew them and they knew us. Great memories!!
We're not sure what sport Bradley may choose to play. We tried T-Ball, but it was at the Community Center which was great, except he just wanted the playground. I ran more than he did. At school, it seems like he might be taking an interest in basketball. So we'll keep trying to engage him in playing basketball. But right now at school, his Occupational Therapist is trying to teach him to throw and catch a ball. Great!! Awesome!! One problem...okay maybe two. Every time he's holding a ball, he holds it up and uses his right hand to try to hit it. I'm pretty sure he's trying to serve it like a Volleyball. And second, when they try to get him to catch the ball, my little guy puts his arms together like he's trying to pass a Volleyball. ;-). Anybody else seeing a potential sport for my son someday? Who knows, maybe football....but I definitely think that our house will have one more Volleyball player in our house and I couldn't be more thrilled!!!
And just like with our girls, we are going to support whole-heartedly suppport whatever sport or non-sport Bradley chooses to love and try to find every opportunity for him to learn it and play it and love it. Because that's what we do. Maybe we are lucky in that we may always be the most important in Bradley's life, but given the way he is bonding with his classmates, I am starting to believe the talk that my guy is going to have just as many important relationships that my girls will. Those three will always be the most important in the lives of Eric and I, and we wouldn't have it any other way.
Pick your sport or don't, we're with you every step of the way Bradley! Play your hearts out girls, we love every minute! When life is good, you just love the ride!
31 for 21 rounding out Day 4!
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