First Day of Therapy

The morning started well.  The girls slept in until 7 am....and we got up and made some oatmeal...breakfast of champions.  Samantha and I left the house with this gorgeous view

We got to Now I Can and things started off great.  Samantha loved the therapy room.  She was running all over the room, happily yelling and smiling.  But then...duh duh duuuuun....came the suit.  These pictures don't  show the crocodile tears that were ever flowing.  She was fine though.  It's hard for her to move in ways that she has never moved.  Pulling her shoulders where they are supposed to be, for one, is a new feeling for her that is, well, uncomfortable.  Sergio was so good with Sammy right from the beginning.  He has Sammy do what she needs to do, but he does it so lovingly.  Often, Samantha would be crying (or screaming), and then she'd stop and look at Sergio...kind of smile...and then turn her head and continue crying.  It's a love/hate relationship that I'm sure will sprout into something deeper.  At least, that's my hope.

A moment when Sammy stopped crying to gaze up at Sergio.

A happier playful moment.

I loved this.  Ok.  So the cords pull her body into proper alignment.  Because  Sammy  tends to stand on her toes most of the time, there is a cord that attaches from her toes to her knee, pulling her onto her heels.  I was pleasantly surprised.  Without her DAFO's, she was standing so well.  It just gave her enough pull for her to feel it and want to stand correctly...and feel secure doing it.

I'll have more to report tomorrow after she has her first full therapy session.  Today was just 2 hours to get her fitted and evaluate where she's at...create a plan for the next 3 weeks, etc.  Sooooo....come back tomorrow for a more on the therapy front.

Since we were done today by 10am, we decided to go to the Hogle Zoo.  One of the coolest experiences of the day happened while at the zoo.

Callie sitting in an egg.

Sammy the turtle.

Callie chasing a rooster.

I love gorillas.  I just do.  I always have, ever since Gorillas in the Mist back when I was in elementary school.  It's true.  No, I loved gorillas before then, but that movie solidified my feelings that these animals are amazing.  It's the mix of sheer strength and power with pure tenderness.  I could watch gorillas all day long.  Seriously.  If that makes me weird, I don't want to be normal.  Ok, anyway.  We went into the gorilla building and started watching this big silverback.  He was sitting in against the wall, watching us.  Then, he got up, and slowly walked over to Callie.  There were 5-6 other kids there, but this gorilla approached Callie.  He came just close enough to the glass that he was almost touching it, but not quite.  And he stared.  I had a small surge of fear pass through me.  I reassured myself that this glass was strong enough in case Callie startled him in any way.  It seems so simple.  Sure, a gorilla looked at her, but it was intense.  It was as if he was studying her.  I think she was nervous at first, but then as I talked to her about him, she seemed more comfortable.

Just as I took this picture, Marcus took Samantha out of her stroller and placed her by the gorilla.  He slowly shifted from Callie to Samantha.  And then, he looked at Sammy, and again, slowly, lowered himself so he was eye to eye with Samantha.  It was so. cool.  And he just stared.  And stared.  And stared.  Then he left.  Now I know this may seem silly, but I wondered...why is he so interested in Callie and Samantha?  And what was it that piqued his interested in Samantha, so much so that he crouched down lower to be eye level?  It wasn't threatening, yet it was intense.  A sense of true curiousity.  A while back, there was a little child who fell into a gorilla exhibit.  The little child was knocked out.  The gorilla approached the boy and held him safe in his arms until help came for the little boy.  These animals have a tender side, and I wondered if this large silverback noticed something different about Samantha and tried to figure it out.  Callie...she's just cute so he was drawn to her.  Who knows?  I don't know.  But, it was cool.  Everyone there just watched this gorilla stare into the soul of my children.  Awesome.  I only wish this picture had turned out better.

It was a fun day at the zoo, but we're here for therapy and tomorrow...oh tomorrow...will be an interesting day.  I want to make sure to post everyday because I don't want to forget any of this.  I still can't believe we're here, doing this, actually here for therapy.  On the side, we're enjoying a family vacation -- spending time with family, friends, and taking these side trips.  It's fun.  And hopefully, the tears tomorrow in therapy morning will be minimal.