Every year on her birthday Chris and I tend to reminisce about the day she was born. It seems like 6 years later the emotions of that day are still right on the surface. We talked a lot about the shock we felt when she was born that day. We talked even more about our feelings of incredible thankfulness that she was born that day. I think it's important to remember how lucky we all are to have her alive and well, and to never forget how close we came to having a different outcome. Focusing on the feelings of thankfulness and appreciation really help me to deal with some of the challenges in Kaitlyn's life.
As much as I'd like to keep Kaitlyn frozen in time as the sweet little toddler who I could keep safe and sound with me during every hour of the day, I am trying to accept the fact that she's getting older! She seems so much more mature in her thinking these days. I'm sure that's a good thing, but it's throwing me for a loop. I am suddenly getting questions thrown at me all day long, such as: "Mommy, why can't I take the big bus with all of the other kindergartners?", and "Mommy, why do I always have to sit in a different chair than you, Daddy, and Connor?", and "Mommy, can I get a scooter?"...
I'm doing my best to answer her questions honestly, which I vowed a long time ago to always do. However, I'm having a hard time finding a balance of being truthful and not hurting her feelings. You would think I'd be better prepared for these types of questions, but clearly that's not the case! Oh well, one day at a time, or one hour at a time, or one question at a time...
So, on the bright side, Kaitlyn is making some big strides!!! The nice weather has allowed her to spend lots of time outdoors during the last few weeks, which she really hasn't done since the fall. What a difference a few months makes!!! Here is the short list of things she is now doing that she wasn't able to do in November...
1. Swing on the swing set by herself...If I give her a push, she can now pump her legs and keep momentum going. Huge change!
2. Ride her bike all the way around the circle up the street by herself...I always had to give her a few pushes along the way to keep her moving. Now she has the strength to make it all the way around on her own! She actually goes so fast that I can no longer keep up with her by running alongside her. This admittedly makes me super nervous, but really happy for her!
3. Walk all around the yard unassisted...She announced to Chris and I that she no longer needs her walker in the yard. She's doing awesome walking all around, and falls far less often than before. Also, if she does fall, she's now able to get herself back up to standing on her own! A couple of weeks ago she even walked up a very steep hill in our yard all by herself! She is so proud of herself, and I'm so proud of her!!!
