Cahn Grove Park with Miles (Pretty Leaves)

A couple weeks ago Miles and I went to Cahn Grove Park in Ashland.  The leaves were plentiful and gorgeous.  Miles is doing so good on the playground, it's amazing how much progress he is making.  He loved it when there were other kids to play with. 

 

October Fun

We've been busy so far this month.  Laura and Jeff came to see us while Laura has Fall Break.  We had a great time while they were here.  Miles LOVED spending time with them, and for me, they made a few of the last few days of pregnancy go by quite a bit faster. 

We went to Mohican on Sunday to try and see some of the leaves.

Monday we went to Kirtland.  It is so pretty there.  The temple is cool, but my favorite part is the atmosphere of Historic Kirtland.  So pretty and so peaceful. 

The posing was his idea, I couldn't have gotten him to do that if I tried!

 

A couple days ago, Miles and I went to Honey Haven Farm, just outside of Ashland, for their Fall Festival with some of our MOMS group friends.  It was really nice, we took some pictures, saw some animals, took a hay ride out to pick out a pumpkin (hoping it would put me into labor, no such luck), ate some pumpkin ice cream, and played on the playground. 

 

Miles, Nolan, Cole and Audrie

Pumpkin ice cream

The tractor/hay ride

Our pumpkin was so big we had to carry it in the stroller.  Luckily there was room for Miles, too. 

Yesterday we went to the Little Buckeye Museum in Mansfield.  It was really cool.  Miles and James really liked the water area.  Miles also liked the train tables.  He is starting to get older and be able to play more purposefully, which is fun to watch.  Walking helps with that, too.  He can get where he needs to go, which is so nice!

 



Recent Playdates

We have a great group of moms, here in Ashland.  Most of us just have our first and they're all about the same age.  Plus, these moms are good at taking pictures, whereas, I am not. 

Finger Painting:  Miles is not really an artist, per se.  We color, and occasionally paint, or play with playdough, and he doesn't love it, but we keep trying.  Coloring is growing on him, especially with markers.  He LOVES music, which I guess is part of art.  Miles' picture is the blue one on the right. 

 

All the other moms thought to bring a painting shirt, Miles went (almost) commando. 

 

Talk like a Pirate Day:  I love playdates, it's just nice to sit down and chat with other moms. 

 

Checking out Audrie, who LOVES books!

With Clare and Ava, all the kiddos liked to stand and look out the screen door.  Ava and Miles are cut from the same cloth, they are always telling each other what-for.

Nolan and Miles, friends almost since we moved here a year ago.

 

Fun times at Mitchell Farms:  Goats, seeing the trees where the apples come from, pumpkins, plus I got some really good apples and apple cider.

 

Love this picture of Miles in his overalls. 

 

 

Determination

I had an experience yesterday when I was in Nursery with Miles that I feel like I need to write down.  Miles has been going to nursery for a couple months now and loves it.  I hadn’t yet been in there with him for any length of time.  It was nice to go and see how he interacts with the other kids and what he does.  You can tell he just thinks he’s so cool because he goes to nursery (aka goes somewhere without mom or dad). 

 

It was time for the lesson so the teacher spread out a blanket for all the kids to sit on.  The kids promptly plopped down on the blanket.  It’s hard for Miles to plop down exactly where he wants to.  He kind of has to do it just right or he ends up in the wrong place.  Plopping and scooting are tricky with AFOs and his muscle weaknesses.  No one would really even notice or be able to tell, I’m just very familiar with it because I’m his mom. 

So Miles plopped down but had to do quite a bit of scooting to get himself on the blanket.  It was difficult to scoot on the blanket without wrinkling it, and to get his feet situated into the small space without kicking other kids.  What made my heart twinge was how determined he was to sit on the blanket with the other kids, not just close enough, on it.  He scooted and struggled and it was hard not to help him to save him from potentially feeling embarrassed.  What also made my heart twinge was that he wasn’t embarrassed or frustrated or noticing that it was harder for him than for the other kids, he didn’t look to anyone for help, he was just determined to get on the blanket.  Maybe it’s innocence and maybe it’s a way that having his disability has already strengthened him.  I wouldn’t expect him to really notice that things are harder for him because he’s too young.  But when do we learn to notice those things? 

I wish I was more like Miles.  I wish I didn’t focus on circumstances that I perceive as unfair.  I wish I focused all my energy on the goal instead of murmuring that things are too hard.  He is so determined and gets so much satisfaction out of being able to do things himself.  You can see it on his face and in his gait when he walks.  He’s so proud of himself.  I am so proud of him.   

James' Associate's Degree

James received his associate's degree in the mail today.  1 more year and he will have his Bachelor's.  Great job, James! 

Some Good Times Lately-A Post for Dad-Sorry for Never Updating-Dad, you should get a facebook!

Father's Day:  I took this picture of Miles and framed it for James for Father's Day.  I wrote around the outside, "Dad, I want to be just like you when I grow up."

 

 

Miles got his AFOs June 20th and has pretty much been walking since then.  It just took him a few weeks.  It's hard to believe after all this time he's just walking around, but then it's also hard to believe he hasn't always been doing it now.

James and I celebrated our anniversary (June 21st) with a visit to Mohican State Park.  We camped overnight (James' dad babysat Miles for us).  It was a little rainy but we enjoyed it and we still had our fire and got to kayak and had a fire and went on a little hike.  We also climbed the fire tower in the morning.  It was very misty!

 

 

About this time we also found out we are having a girl on October 29th!  We are very excited.  We also found out she has a left hand deformity.  It looks like her pinky and her ring finger are fused and that maybe there is no middle finger.  It's hard to tell for sure.  But her left hand definitely looks different than her right hand.  We were surprised, especially because it is very different than what Miles has, but we're hoping it will be a little easier than club feet and arthrogryposis.  It is more a structural issue than a muscle issue.  After talking to a few people, it seems like most likely we won't do anything right away.  She will probably have surgery on her hand around 2 years old. 



 

 

Arthrogryposis Awareness Day, June 30th.  We wore blue!

 

Love that cheesy smile!





 

Tried "Ice Painting" with Miles.  He thought they were popsicles.  He especially liked the black one.  His knees were stained for a day or so. 
 

 

We went to the Kingwood Center in Mansfield with our friends, the Hongs.  Their son Epraim is a few days older than Miles.  You can see how proud Miles is of himself walking!

 

Touch a Truck-They had this event outside the library.  There were all kinds of trucks and other vehicles the kids could see and get inside.  Miles favorite part was playing with the free ball he got in the parking lot. 

 

 

 







Downtown Ashland for the Labor Day Parade.  If only it was "Labor" Day.  :)  Two more months.  With the Hongs (left) and Hooblers (right)