While Eric went to class, I took the kids to the Volleyball Families Appreciation Night at Sports Academy. I lost the girls immediately as they first found one of their favorite coaches, then they left her and found their teammates. I helped Bradley from the safety of his stroller and then he started to run around the Club. At first it was mostly melee, but I noticed the girls had acquired basketballs, so I caught his attention and told him that his sisters had Basketballs, but he didn’t respond, so I bent closer made him look at me and signed to him that his sisters had basketballs, then he looked for them and went running to play with them. They played with him a couple minutes but then a game of dodgeball,started, so Bradley and I went in search of a different game to play with a ball. We tried to play soccer, but then he started to wander back towards the girls, so I asked him if he wanted to eat. Again, he was not tuning in to me, so I stopped him, got down to his level and signed with him. Turns out he was ready to eat and he told me so. He also knew where to go.
We walked out to the food area and he ran up to the meats and pointed to hotdogs, so I asked him if he wants a hotdog, he told me “yes.” So I told him we needed a plate and a bun, so we walked to the table. Bradley grabbed a water bottle and handed it to me, “I said thanks.” He managed a bit of “welcome.” I understood. So I pointed to the condiments and asked him what he wanted, he pointed to all three: ketchup, mustard, and relish. Then he said no to chips but yes to a cookie, smart boy.
Off we went to sit down, so I pointed to the area by his stroller, so he took off and ran over and hopped into his stroller to sit. So he has choking issues, so what ensued was this mom trying to as neatly as possible, to help Bradley navigate safely through eating a hotdog without a knife. After his first bite, Bradley was so happy, he ditched his shoes and then his socks. When he finished his hotdog, he ate most of the cookie, then wanted his shoes. I told him he had to finish his cookie first, so he ate a couple more bites and then tried to feed me the rest of his cookie - so we shared it. So I put his shoes on him again, and ask him “what now?” He signs to eat more. So off we went.
He ran to the hotdogs again, and I said how about chips, which he was a big negative on. But then we saw Shaved Ice. So I get him over there and sure enough it’s the one thing that costs money. But the lady was sweet and offered to give him a sample, which was great because sometimes the liquid to solid in his mouth doesn’t work. She gave him a half a cup! I’m like, wow that’s a large sample. She just grinned at me. So Bradley and I head back to sit, but first he tries to walk between two people talking, so I stop him and take his hand and apologize for interrupting...but they just smiled at him and told him he could stay and join their conversation. Sweet. But we had shaved ice to try, so we walked back inside and Bradley ran back to his stroller seat and proceeded to ditch his shoes and his socks. He ate all his shaved ice and then all of his apple sauce laced medicine. Then knowing he would be getting very sleepy very soon, I put his socks and shoes back on and took him over to the kids soccer setup. So I kept telling him to kick the ball, stop picking it up and kick with your feet, no hands... and on and on. So finally, I bent down and signed to him, no hands, no throw - kick the ball. So then Bradley kicked the ball.
For a couple more minutes Bradley and I repeated this, and when I signed to him he understood what to do and would try to follow the directions. I watched him chasing the balls and I was overwhelmed by how stiff he runs, how he doesn’t seem to know how to bend his knees. He needs Physical Therapy still. And as a I considered his movements and his responses to each time I made him look at me and he would sign back and forth with me...I realized how much he still needs signs. And tonight for the first time, he was engaging with me with signs and words, repeating as many words as possible. He was hugging people, giving high fives, and looking at people and saying Hi, and thank you’s.
Well, after all the soccer, I watched his battery run down to zero, and I told him let’s go. He walked beside me, his eyes huge and dilated, his expression closing off to the sleepy face that we all get when exhaustion hits so hard. He climbed up and I strapped him in. He reached for his shoes, but I took them and his socks off for him. I gave him his movie and within five minutes, he was sacked out.
By 7:39 I told the girls to wrap it up, and we headed home. He was awake for the car ride, but willingly followed me to his room for jammies and meds. As I vented him, I noticed his button was dangerously loose. Sure enough, the balloon had burst. So I changed out his button, finishing as dad came through the front door. But Bradley did well, didn’t fight as hard just objected to the cold lubricant that we use on the new balloon to slide the stem of the new button into place. In fact, he knocked it out the first time and I had to pop it back in. But we got it, Dad got him into his jammies while I cleaned up and sleep for Bradley happened soon after.
After the long day yesterday, school, and then goofing around today...Madison and Sydney were out close to as quickly as Bradley was. Tired kids! Since Eric is currently asleep beside me... and I believe every animal we have is also asleep....I’ll just say, “Tired house.”
I see now that I have to practice my signs because I am getting rusty. Bradley still needs them and
does better in an overwhelming situation when he has them. I didn’t know if he was was listening, so I didn’t know how many I should keep using...turns out he is listening more now than ever.
Brushing up on old signs tomorrow and learning some new ones to teach us both. Time to keep the conversation going sweet boy...I’m listening.
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