As I got out of the car and looked around at the people and the bikes spread across the parking lot, tears came to my eyes. The generosity of people never ceases to amaze me. These people didn’t have to be here. These bikes didn’t need to be made. They didn’t need to bring all […]
At the end of January, Colten got new AFOs along with torsion, or twister cables, attached to AFO shoes. This has been a whole new production for us, just as his KAFOs were an adjustment as well. Over the past number of months, we’ve been using with great success the rotation straps from our local school […]
Colten got his mobile stander last week! We’ve been working on this for a few months now and were anxiously awaiting this piece of equipment. But MAN is it a Hate/Love/Hate Relationship. Let me break it down… Colten HATES getting strapped into this. He LOVES wheeling around in it. He HATES when I take him […]
Yesterday was just not a good day. Not a horrible day, just a disheartening day. A little of that was Spina Bifida, and a little of that was typical kid stuff on top of Spina Bifida. I would like to say that when we look at Colten, we don’t “see” Spina Bifida, but that would […]
Last week during Colten’s physical therapy with the EarlyOn PT (we see her bi-weekly), the words “twister cables” came up and it made me reel. I wanted to shake the PT and say, “Just let him BE, he crawls around, he pulls to stand, he even stands to play with assistance. STOP making it harder.” […]
Over the last two weeks, Colten has met three new specialists he will be working with: teacher, physical therapist, and occupational therapist. Based on the goals of his IFSP, he will meet with the teacher once a month at our home and she will evaluate his social/emotional/cognitive milestones and work with him and us to […]
When I was progressing through my teacher education classes at MSU, I was focusing on early childhood and Deaf Education, so IFSPs – Individualized Family Service Plans, were of particular interest to me. Granted, I expected to be on the “other side of the table” during these meetings! IFSPs are done when children are from […]
Colten recently had his intake with Macomb ISD for their special education and EarlyOn services. As much as it’s interesting to see the reports they file, it still feels like a big stab in the heart when you read all the developmental areas they’re missing. Because when you live in the moment with this kid, […]
GO COLTEN!!! Today he made forward movement – a scoot, if you will! Colten just turned 11 months and has been moving around incredibly well using his technique of twisting, rolling, sitting, and more twisting, rolling and sitting. He moves himself all around the living room to get to toys. But today, TODAY he scooted! […]
How can I not start the post with a picture when this kid is so photogenic?! (Warning: this post is lengthy, but I scattered tons of pictures and videos throughout.) This past Thursday, Colten had his 9-month checkup with the Myelomeningocele Clinic at U of M C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. At the Myelo Clinic, each […]
The Adventures of Colten Robert 