Ripple Effect

So, this may bum you out for a Friday morning, but I just need to vent/share/ask. The other night, when I picked up Will from the Kids Club at my gym, he told me that one of the kids made fun of him for walking on his toes. And of course, this isn't the first time that something like that has happened.

I thought more about this today when I was listening to a story on the radio about that little guy who's mom made a FB page for him when he told her that he didn't want to celebrate his birthday because he has no friends. According to the page and news reports, he has a sensory processing disorder, is bullied at school and eats alone in the office every day. Thinking about this kiddo, and what he faces every day, just took my already fragile mom-shell and crushed it this morning.

Will and I have been typically very blessed when dealing with his physical challenges. He's got a pretty rockin' personality and seems to make friends quickly and easily. He has a pretty large group of BFF's who've always treated him equally, and at minimum, have NEVER made fun of him for appearing different or sometimes struggling, or even pointed out his differences (as far as I'm aware).

BUT, I don't know what really goes on when the school doors close behind him. I don't really know the level that he's teased or bullied or faces stares, points, taunts or questions. We've always talked about how God makes everyone different and special, and that he can do anything he wants to, just like every other kid, etc., but that doesn't stop him from feeling different. From being upset when he sees that its not as easy for him to climb and run and balance. And it certainly doesn't stop him from having to face the music when someone points it out.

Hearing him say that some kid made fun of him, and thinking about this little Colin, it made me wonder what I should be doing from the bench to rally for kids like Will and Colin. Well, really, what I should be doing from the bench to rally for any kid. Every kid.

I've been in his corner talking to him about how to deal with his feelings from his perspective, but what have I been doing to make sure he learns and grows and treats others with the kind of respect that I pray to God he's treated with when he leaves my sight? Rest assured, just because he knows what it feels like to be different, that doesn't come with an automatic maturity regarding difference in others. And he still has the filter-less innocence that all kids have.

The thought of Will having to defend why his body works the way it does, is heartbreaking to me. He did nothing "wrong" to live with these challenges. And truly, if someone says to him "why do you walk like that"--he might not really even able explain his answer--let alone have another child understand what he's saying.

I want to ask anyone who reads this to help me teach our kids about how to treat every single person they meet. And especially how to treat kids with any kind of physical, cognitive, emotional challenge. Please talk to your kids about WHY someone is different. Those of you who know Will--explain to your little ones what a "preemie" is, and the different ways it can affect kids. Explain what kids with disabilities go through--and help them recognize that struggle. Therapies and doctors appointments, braces and surgeries and medications and pokes and prods. Teach them what it truly even means to sympathetic, and even more importantly, to be empathetic.

I'm asking you to say a prayer for Will and other kids like him. Pray for him to be brave, to be confident, and to know that you love him. Teach your kids to pray for him, and kids like him.

And lastly, I'm asking you share this with other parents. Ask them to talk to their kids about their friends or classmates or teammates who may be "different" than them. Just because they haven't heard about "the kid who...." doesn't mean there isn't one. Talk to ONE other parent for me today, about the conversations they're having with their kids about empathy, friendship, bullying and how they can make a difference.

Help me throw stones to make the ripple.

NICU Reunion

September 18th we were lucky to attend our 2nd Waukesha Memorial Hospital NICU Reunion. It's a little get together for anyone who is a graduate of the WMH Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Will was a proud resident for nearly 7 weeks after he was born and we became quite close with a number of our nurses.

We are so blessed to have access to a Level 3 NICU and Will was saved daily by the angels who are there. They are truly special people who saw this scared mama through many scary days and nights, and just as many uneventful, let-him-grow, lets exchange recipes because it's 1 am and these little nuggets are just sleeping, nights. :)

It was truly emotional to reunite with them, and even more so that they remembered me, almost 4 years later. Will is one of a few preemie buddies attending the NICU reunion, and was so excited to see one of his BFF's Brody there to wreak a little havoc.  I waited 7 long weeks to be sure one day I'd watch him tear it up like that, and I think those nurses did too.

BIG Train

My sweet Nani is a woman after my own heart. She likes to make an entrance. She loves a big splash. And she is all about making memories. She's taken all of her grandkids on a "BIG train trip". My sister and I were the first, and we went all the way to Chicago at the tender ages of 4 and 5. Nani promised Will she'd take him on a BIG train ride when he was finally potty trained. A laborious sticker chart and just under a year later, we were on the Amtrak to Illinois. We didn't go far, just the small town of Glenview, but it had a restaurant, library, and ice cream stand, so Will was good to go. He loves his Nani just as much as the rest of us, and we are so blessed to have her (active, funky, funny self) in our lives.

Turning Summersaults!

Everything is allllllllll "I CAN DO IT!".
Of course you can kid. That's why God gave you a mom, and safety gear, and the paramedics.
But I digress.
Right now, this kid is a tumbling maniac. Decided this was his new project and will practice it anywhere. Including but not limited to: the backyard, the living room, the movie theater (as The Lion King 3D is exiting) and McDonalds. Impressive eh? :)

Alllll Out of Order But....

Just want to get everyone updated on some of the things we've been up to since we last checked in.  The most recent, and most fun, has been starting PRESCHOOL!  Yes, folks, he has finally mastered potty training, so he was ready for the big leagues. We started the Bethlehem Lutheran Little Lambs 3 year old preschool program at the beginning of September, and it has been....interesting. On the first day, I got to attend with him through the whole 1/2 day program, and he loved it. He was chosen as the "Prayer Helper" for that week, they got to look at some cocoons and chrysallises forming moths and butterflies and read "The Kissing Hand" which has become a new tradition for us. I proudly dusted my hands thinking, look at this brave boy.

Then came day 2. My mother in law is being charged with dropping him off daily, since the program doesn't start until 8:45. With that, she got the pleasure of having him peeled from her body by the teacher as he sobbed uncontrollably. The preschool director assured me that he was fine withing minutes and happily doing a project. Mmmmkay. I'll just take her word for it.

Every Tuesday and Thursday since has been met with "I don't wannnnnnna go to preschool!" and "I'm never gonna have fun there!" and "I"m not eating snack or doing playdoh or ANYTHING! EVER!". But every Tuesday and Thursday night he's all smiles and shows me the projects he's practiced and promises he'll "Never cry about preschool again. EVER!".

I definitely think he might be learning a thing or two though:

Oh My My...

What a busy summer it's been!
I can't believe I've slacked so much on updating this blog. We've been busy, I guess I've been hoping you've been busy too, too busy to notice?? :) Anyway, I'm gonna throw up a few random photos, to give you a glimpse of what we've been up to, but I promise to dedicate some blog time soon, to get some REAL stories of our crazy world!

A Growing Group!

Not only do these kids keep growing, and growing and GROWING, this group gets larger and crazier every year!  We're up to EIGHT children under the age of FOUR!  I was thinking back to when we took this picture:

And we thought it was the craziest and most difficult thing EVER.  There was crying, shifting, hat removing, nuk-finding, waving and clapping for smiles, newborn Brody falling over....

Then, we tried this one:

Then this one:

And again:

Then THIS one:

And here we are now...

Wow. We're getting GOOD at this.

As our group grows, and the kids grow, I am continually overwhelmed by how blessed we are for the friendships we have formed. My friendships and bonds with my girls. Will's connection with each new little friend. The men in our lives who are the best daddies I've ever known. Growing to love each of these little ones like they're my own.  We are lucky to have so much love in our life and I don't care if the sheer volume makes my eardrums burst, I'm happy to sweat and jump and clap like an idiot to snap a photo of our ever-growing family.