Still the kid

I recently posted some pictures on Facebook; a collection from the entire summer ending with some of the same cast pictures I've posted here. Someone responded how amazing it was to see the difference in Zach's demeanor - pre and post-cast. That comment made me realize that while I usually put a lot of effort into getting a picture of Zach looking at the camera and smiling (I probably take 8 unsuccessful pictures for every one that meets those criteria!), I hadn't bothered when I took the pictures of him in the cast. I just wanted to show what the cast itself looked like, and how we were adapting - I wasn't even thinking about the look on Zach's face.

So I decided to rectify that.

I think I've been a little too focused on the negative on these last posts, when I should be celebrating the same stuff I usually am - what a funny, smart, loving kid we have. Even though he can't move most of his lower body, Zach is still the kid who likes to make up jokes, gets really excited when he spots a number he knows when we're out and about (mom - there's 100!!!), recites large portions of his Doctor Seuss books, asks "why" so ofen my head spins, changes the lyrics to songs just to make us laugh, invites everyone to his house to play, wants to know what words he sees on signs spell, and says things like "I'm the bombigity." He is now also the kid who says I love you a lot more than he used to. No complaints here about that.

Zach also is now the kid who can quote lines from the movie Cars - I had no idea guys started quoting movies this young! My favorite though, is when he gets the quote wrong, and then tries to defend his version. For example, there's a line "I ain't no Mack, I'm a Peterbuilt for durn sake!" He thinks they say "Firebuilt," and if we try to correct him, he says no, and very patiently explains that a Firebuilt is a truck with fire coming out of it. Okey dokey, if you say so.

This experience has taught us so many things; as we sat in the emergency room Scott and I agreed that while it was the most horrible night of our lives, if that was as bad as it got - we were extremely lucky people. You can't sit in a pediatric ward in a hospital and not be grateful you're only there for one night, because there are so clearly many others who have been there so long they've turned those rooms into their homes. And of course, every time I struggle to handle the most basic tasks, from lifting this boy to transporting him to figuring out how to position him so he can play, I have to remind myself it's temporary. Only temporary, thank god.

So I've posted some pictures of Zach that way he usually looks - smiling (but not looking at the camera, of course, laughing instead at his dad). And video of him telling his jokes, changing them until they don't make any sense, and giving a big fake laugh. Because he's still that kid.

Spica cast days completed: 23

Spica cast days remaining: 12