Whoa! Where does the time go? I cannot believe, a week from today is Christmas! Lots of exciting things going on since my last post. Kolton turned the big 2 on 10-30! Such a big boy!! He had a Cowboy birthday party, but he was a little under the weather the day of his party so he didn't enjoy too much of it!! He got lots of great gifts and everyone else had a great time!! The beginning of November, we had 2 little boys come out (they also recv therapy services from the same place Kolty does) and do therapy horseback riding!! Super exciting!!! Kolton shared his pony, Coco Beans with the little boys, and they loved it!! We had 2 little ones scheduled to come today also, but one was sick so we had to cancel for now. I am super excited to get to share Coco Beans with other special need families. I have wanted to run a handicap riding program for a while, and am praying this is the start of something great. I will keep you posted!!
Kolton is on the verge of walking anyday now, he rarely uses his walker anymore and prefers to just hold your hand. He is working on confidence, and soon as he gets enough he will be off on his own!! I can't even picture in my head, the freedom he will have with walking!! I can't imagine him walking in the store or outside or anywhere!!! I am a little scared!!! But soooo ready- he's so heavy to be carrying around still:)
Ok- for the biggest accomplishment this month- Brace yourself, you may faint when you read what I am about to write!!!
KOLTON FED HIMSELF!!!!! WITH A SPOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If I didn't witness this event first hand, I would not believe it!! He not only surprised me with his talent, he also shared it with Shannon (his OT, whom we now refer to as his 2nd momma, cause he called her mama one day, yes I was a little jealous!! But he LOVES her and so do I, so it's ok)
We were completely shocked, just to refresh everyone's memory- Kolton has NEVER, EVER fed himself, will not even pick up food or a spoon. During his therapy session, we were practicing hand over hand, helping him pick up the spoon and put it in his mouth, when all of a sudden he picked it up and put it in his mouth ALL by HIMSELF!!! We were screaming!!! And he looked at us like we were a little nuts!!! I swear he was thinking- Whats the big deal!!! I can fed myself I just don't want too!!! In fact, I know thats what he was thinking, cause I know Kolty and he is just so hard headed!!! and a little spoiled!! I still get excited when I think about that day!!! Brings a BIG smile to my face- I have never been so proud in my life!!!! You Go Kolty!!!!
Kolton also has a new word- Uh Huh!!! sooo cute!!! of course he doesn't use it appropriately but who cares!!! Its so dang cute, he could say Uh Huh for anything and I LOVE it!!!! The best part about it, when I ask him to say Uh Huh, he says it!!! YAY for Uh Huh!!!! He also is babbling a lot, and can say Ba for ball, bath and basket, Pa for plant, Ga when he sees Gramme, Fa sometimes for fan!!! Speaking of speech!! I decided to switch his Speech Therapy to a new facility that offers speech 2X a week. He was previously recieving speech 2X a month. Needless to say, I think I made a mistake! Yes, I was wrong:( The new place, we have to go to, versus them coming to our home. They also prefer to be one on one with Kolton, which means I have to sit in the waiting room. Granted, we have only gone once (we just started), I just can't do it!!! I could hear him screaming while I sat in the waiting room, and I have come to the conclusion, I am not ready for the seperation!! So I think I will stick it out for the rest of December, and in January start back with Brighton again!!!
The first week of January, we will be flying to California to the MIND Institute!!!! For those in the FX world, you know what this means and how excited I am!!! For those non FXers, this is like going to the White House and meeting the president- well not Obama, but a President you may have liked in the past!! Needless to say this is a HUGE thing for me and Kolty!!! A wonderful organization called Miracle Flights, bought us our plane tickets!!! WOW, I am still speechless:) I am in awe that there are organizations that are willing to help our special kids in any way possible!!
I have to say, when we were first diagnosed, I use to fear what the future would hold for Kolton. What struggles he may go thru, what he may never get to do, and worse of all, what other s would say. I don't know if it is because my life has been some what of a sheltered life as I like to refer to it. I haven't traveled to far away places, worked at an awesome company, all I know is the life immediatley around me. I still live where I was raised and have never really ventured in this world. I haven't really accomplished much. Maybe it was my own fears that I was putting onto Kolton's future. I used to be scared of what others would say about Kolton, if he would be teased in high school, would he have friends, will people understand where he is coming from? But the more I am venturing away from a "normal" life, the more I realize how many people really, genuinely care about our special kids. I can't help but be amazed at how many friends I have made, support I have received, and places I will travel to. All because God chose me to be Kolton's momma.
Whatever Kolton, does or does not do, I am at peace knowing that he will be LOVED wherever he goes. He is infectious, his innocence is consuming, his happiness is addicting and his smile contagious! Here's to the Life ahead!!! Uh Huh:)
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year:)
