Swimming Again!

After a 2 year hiatus, we decided to get Caleb back into swimming. There is no doubt about it, he is LOOOOOVING it! Although, I'm not sure who is getting more enjoyment, Caleb or Brett. We were so pleased to be able to get back on Mr. Brett's schedule - he has an absolutely wonderful way of finding the balance between pushing Caleb to his limits while making him successful at everthing he does. They really make a great team in the water!

This One's Really His!

Here's some video of Caleb learning to drive his wheelchair! Yes, this one is his very own...It even has his name embroidered in the seat!

At the dinner for the Outback Golf Tournament, there was an annual wheelchair race, which I mentioned in that post. What I didn't tell you is that at the end Caleb was very upset and crying. I took him outside to see what was wrong. He told me he was sad because he wanted to be in the blue wheelchair like the other boy, that he could drive all by himself. I told him that we would be getting him a wheelchair very soon that he would get to drive all by himself. He looked up at me with some residual tears in his eyes and asked, "And it's BLUE?" Luckily I had ordered the blue one (since purple was the only other choice).

When he first saw this chair, I think he was most excited that it was BLUE! He's really loving the freedom that this gives him. He especially likes to drive when he's up tall. He did have one little mishap today - he pinched his hand between the chair and a table a little, but he's fine. He has to practice at Physical Therapy for a little longer before it comes home - they need to make sure he's safe in it in all sorts of situations and surfaces. In the meantime, Jeff and I have to figure out how to get it home.

All we need now is a wheelchair accessible van, and an accessible home... You know, just a couple of small things.

Potty LEARNING!

Just wanted to give ya'll an update on Caleb's Potty Training...or should I say Potty Learning.


He is no longer peeing 21 times a day...he still goes a little bit quite often. I've learned to listen to him more and not just sit him on the potty all the time. He is definitely starting to notice when he needs to go and/or if he has already gone.


He managed to stay dry all day despite a Dr.'s visit, a trip to the orthetist (for his "special shoes"), and a trip to Toys R' Us to get a prize for telling me so many times that he needed to go to the potty. He went at each one of those places! I think he's actually getting it. Yippee!!!


We have all learned a lot through this milestone:

Caleb is learning to be more in tune with his body;
I am learning that this is a PROCESS, and to relax a little bit;
Jeff is learning that although I may be a bit neurotic sometimes, there is still a method to my madness.


Thanks for crossing your fingers...it's working!

Potty Training - Day 1

10:00 - come home from PT & OT; pee-pee on the potty; underwear on;

10:45 - accident while eating; Caleb doesn't even notice;

11:00 - pee on the potty;

11:15 - accident on couch (didn't notice);

11:20 - pee on the potty;

11:30 - Caleb says, "Mommy, I need to go to the potty!" Pee on potty (Yes, he's getting it!)

11:40 - accident on my lap (maybe not);

11:50 - pee on the potty;

12:05 - pee on the potty;

12:25 - pee on the potty;

12:50 - pee on the potty;

1:05 - sit on potty, no pee;

1:35 - pee on the potty;

2:15 - pee on the potty;

2:45 - accident

3:00 - sit on potty, no pee;

3:35 - pee on the potty;

4:15 - accident (didn't notice again)

4:50 - pee on the potty;

5:20 - sit on potty, no pee

6:00 - pee on the potty;

6:45 - accident, then poop on potty;

7:15 - pee on the potty;

7:45 - pee on the potty; BEDTIME!

In case you were counting, that's 21 times that Caleb peed - 6 accidents, 14 times we sat him on the potty, and 1 time initiated by him, plus 3 times of sitting on the potty with nothing. I also need to point out that all of this is with Caleb being completely dependent on us to pull his pants down/up, getting him on/off the potty, and washing his hands.

Whew!

Please, oh please tell me it will get better.

Outback Golf Tournament

We just got back from another wonderful MDA event - the 13th annual Outback Steakhouse Golf Tournament. It was a little cloudy, but that didn't take away from the spirit in all the golfers. It was a day filled with good company, fantastic food, and a lot of money raised for a great cause ($53,000 was the rough figure I heard for this event alone). In addition, the MDA announced that:

• They now have 1 cure!!! (for Pompei Disease), and
• They have 4 new treatments for different neuromuscular diseases

Although Ullrich isn't on that list, yet, this is still very exciting news because it could be in the near future. It is certainly possible in Caleb's lifetime.

Enjoy some of the photos from our day!

This is Caleb and his friend Ashley. She snuck up on him and scared him right before this picture.

Ashley, Caleb, and his buddy Alec.
Taking some time out to do a little golfing.

Caleb driving the golf cart. His favorite part of the day (and mine, too) was definitely riding all around the golf course.

Caleb and I with some of the Outback Crew. This whole day was a little ironic, given the previous post. There were tons of "Little Kangaroos" all over the golf course since Outback was sponsoring the event.

Caleb and some of the other MDA Ambassadors posing with some of the golfers.

This is a picture of Caleb "hiding" from Ashley in a game of Hide and Go Seek.

This is a picture of the annual "Wheelchair Race". Of course all the other kids competing had motorized chairs, so I got to push him this year. Next year, he'll be on his own!

We got to spend the evening sitting next to Joe Lazura, the Weatherman for KUSI.

The Newest Member of our Household

No, we did not get a real kangaroo. But meet Caleb's imaginary friend, Little Kangaroo. This has been a friend of his for a few months, now, and is apparently sticking around for a while. Here's what we know about him so far:

• Little Kangaroo is a boy.
• His name is simply Little Kangaroo; perhaps Little is his first name and Kangaroo is his last name.
• He is small enough to fit in the palm of Caleb's hand (which means REALLY tiny). However, he can apparently grow in size, as sometimes Caleb holds his paw to hop around the house.
• He lives in our house and sleeps in a tiny bed in Caleb's room, which is also invisible to us.
• Little Kangaroo is brown. However, he has been sick off and on lately and has to go to the doctor often because his fur turns gray.
• Little Kangaroo drives a car that is green with black spots.
• He works at a golf course. My guess is that he hops around picking up the golf balls and puts them in his pouch, or maybe he's a caddie. Not really sure what he could do since he's so incredibly small (not that there's anything wrong with small animals or people :) Maybe he grows in size when he's on the job... I think I'm over-analyzing this. He is, afterall, an imaginary friend.