Harrison knows he is becoming a big boy, you can just tell. His friends and helpers and teachers at school are such an important part of his life, and it is clear in his happiness and his success.
His birthday party was a huge hit- the kids had a blast "Movin and Groovin" with him! So many of them made homemade cards for him, with a few drawings of Harrison in his wheelchair and the friend pushing...there is so much love. Some of the gifts were very well chosen by the kids who adore him and feel they know him well, like an amazing stuffed Iguana who teaches about being yourself, and a box of his favorite art activity, Dotters. He is using them to decorates all of his Thank You cards, and signing each one with his name stamp that we borrowed from school.
A big Thank You to our friend Nikki who led the party at her new fitness studio in town, www.nandcfitness.com (shout out to Nikki and Cindy for their amazing new location and phenomenal classes!) and to the bigger kids who came to help, and even Harrison's school PCA and one of his teachers! It was so special to have everyone there, he had a blast!
Harry really seems to make more and more progress every day, little things we notice. He is eating like a champ- chewing, swallowing, and opening his mouth for the next bite. Taking sips from a special cup (a "nosey" cup with a space carved out to fit around his nose). Making choices between two foods or a food and a drink...subtle choices, like tapping the side of his tray that holds the preferred bite or sip, and not so subtle, like spitting out a bite because he wants to wash down the last one. Lots of new foods too- a current favorite is tofu with pumpkin. Great texture, by the way! He still enjoys chicken with applesauce, avocado, whip cream, marscapone cheese with cinnamon, egg salad, macadamia nut pancakes...he has developed quite a diverse menu.
At school Harrison spends a lot of time in a stander, where he really does his best work (when he doesn't literally fall asleep standing up)...
He also has a very cool chair called a hi-lo that moves up and down, tilts forward and backward...
Over this past school year I have been tutoring a 4th grader in reading. Harrison comes with me sometimes and it is incredible how much more work this little boy gets done with Harry there. And Harrison of course eats up the attention he gets from his big boy friend. It's really beautiful- all three of us benefit!
For a long time I questioned the meaning of why this boy of ours is so special...I've been trying to figure out the lesson I am supposed to learn. Lately I have been realizing not only how happy Harrison is, as is, but how happy and good he makes everyone around him feel. I have always said there is something very therapeutic about him, with his love for a good cuddle and his infectious laugh...I feel a lot of pride when his teachers, his babysitters, his doctors, his therapists, my friends make such a fuss over him, because I can see that it is genuine. My greatest accomplishment.
