Walking

Carsen walks everywhere!  I used to sit and watch Carsen as a 1 year old and wonder when he was going to sit.  When he was two,  I wondered why he couldn't walk.  At age 3, I doubted his abilities.  At age 4, I felt blessed to have small steps in his gait trainer.  When he turned 5, he was in school full-time, still using a gait trainer, and hardly keeping up.  At age 6, he walks.  I think about how much his life has changed.  How long he waited to walk, to see his friends at eye level and to feel in control of his body.  Six whole years.  Six!  He walks into school, into the grocery store, in our house, to the car, to greet his friends, to give his para, Vicki, a friendly "good morning smile" and he walks around our house. His life has changed completely.  Everything is exciting for him and he is pumped!  My counters are cleared by him as soon as he gets home from school.  He loves to dump it all on the floor.  I love it.  He walks back into his bedroom and back out to me.  ALL.BY.HIMSELF.  The most amazing thing as a mom at the moment is to watch Carsen and Jace run around in circles and chase each other.  They giggle so hard with each other.  It is so fun to watch Carsen discover his new sense of balance and control his body like every kid should.  I feel so very blessed this holiday season!  My big boy is walking!

That little finger...

I was making supper one evening, and I hear some music playing in Jace's room.  Jace was next to me making a mess.  So, who would be making that noise?  Carsen.  The music was coming from a book that played music when the buttons were pushed.  I stopped, thought for a second, and immediately ran to Jace's room.  I saw a tiny little finger trying so VERY hard to push those little buttons.  Carsen had just pushed a button for the first time, without hitting it with his whole hand.  I jumped up and down and screamed of excitement.  Carsen looked up and me and just smiled.  He knew I was proud of this moment.  This means so much more than pushing a button.  This means he has the capability of using communication devices, pushing buttons to make commands for him.

Since that day, he walks up to the TV, and turns is on and off.  He is so proud of himself.  The little things he had to wait to do for his whole 6 years of life, are starting to come around.  I couldn't be happier.  That little finger may be little but it is now strong and waiting to help access Carsen's wonderful mind!

A no walker, no wheelchair kind of day.

First day of 1st Grade.

It was such a special day.  Carsen walked into school hand in hand with me.  No walker, no wheelchair.  Only his backpack and his family along side of him.

Can you imagine what it must be like for a parent who was told 5 years ago, "Life will be rough for him."  No answers, no descriptions, no guesses or any sort of help with this prognosis.  Just rough.

He walked, he balanced, he flapped his hands and he smiled like it was the best day ever.

Tears well up while typing this.  My boy walked into school.  I am confident saying this was God, and this was our miracle.

We are the lucky few that get to experience this.  We know it and we are embracing it!

Kisses

Carsen gives kisses so intentionally now that I just can't help but share!  He LOVES giving kisses! It was alway's so hard to tell if his kisses were real or not.  As of now, I know they are real.  When I say, Carsen kiss, he leans right in and touches his lips to gently and intentionally…with a nice little smile!  He is showing love!!  I can see the relief in his face that I am understanding his communication.  We are making such great strides in all that he does.  Who knew that 6 would be his magic number?

Six?!! He can't be!

It doesn't seem possible!  How can he be SIX!?! We are phasing into "friend's" birthday parties.  Also, my first year I didn't make him a cake!  The joys of inviting all of Carsen's classmates has brought birthday parties to an all new level!  Just over all fun and letting go of some of the small details that just-dont-matter anymore.  Simple, fun and RETRO!

My attempt at bowling pins filled with candy…these suckers used two bags of jelly beans.  I don't take any responsibility for the way the kids acted after they ate two bags worth! :)

All I wanted to have was balloons everywhere.  That is what Carsen would want!  So, he got balloons...

School was called off due to a storm…but Carsen had the best group of kids that made it anyway!

I walked Carsen into his party room and before we walked in, I made sure to explain to him that this was HIS party and that I did this all for him.  That he is a special little boy with friends coming to celebrate HIM!  When he turned the corner, he took off walking.  ALL BY HIMSELF!! 

My dad was such a great help on getting him around so that I could do other things!

Such an awesome grandpa!!!

Hold steady...

I got this, its a piece of cake!

Who needs chairs...

Carsen's buddy Cale, such a sweet kid!!

And one of his favorite girls…Addison!  

The kids just loved bowling!!!!

Best buds...

And he's off...

Hold on Carsen!

These two girls are such great friends to Carsen.  A mothers extra little blessing are sweet kids like these.  All the little things they do to help Carsen!

Little brother shows up...

A group picture is a must…and look…Carsen is standing on his own!!

Balloons were a must for this reason…That smile…he LOVES hitting them!

Present opening is interesting…all the kids loved having him open THEIR gift!

His gifts included nice notes, homemade books, balls, cars, twizzlers, trucks and markers!

Such a great party.  So much to celebrate.  Turning six sure was a breeze, especially since he started doing so much! This is a special year for him!  I couldn't be more proud and so happy that Carsen could have a party with his friends there! Nothing makes me happier than to see him belong!