Spring brings....new wheels???

We are in full swing of spring here in Ohio! The girls are loving the time they can spend outside playing on our swing set (or the new one Papa just built @ Grandma's) and being able to feel the breeze come in through the kitchen window. Now if we could just get Mila to change her morning conversation routine--- Mama and Mila walking out the door, Mila- "Mama, cold....", to which Mama says, "Not cold, warm." and Mila's reply- "Oh, warm...".

Mila had a Seating Clinic appointment at Children's Hospital two weeks ago. Wow! What a long appointment that was! we had already done our ground work--gone to the distributor and looked at options for chairs/strollers/walkers. Little did I know, my input as a parent would be very little. Mila was seen by a Physical and Occupational therapist who took all kinds of measurements and dimensions needed for a chair. Then, Matt, the distributor (who we had talked to previously when we looked at options for chairs) came in. We also got info from a Physical Medicine doctor (not our typical Phys med doctor though). Between the PT, OT, doctor, and distributor, there was lots of discussion about what Mila needed, with little questions of the parents. I understand that many parents have never had experience with a wheelchair, and I try not to throw my profession in all the time, but I'm not the "off the street, un-knowledgeable parent". I've had several kiddos who have chairs/walkers/standers, so I know a thing or two. So to know what everyoen was talking about, I continued to ask questions. I wanted them to understand that I too, have to put up with this wheelchair for 5 years, so I wanted to know, understand, and agree to what was being ordered for Mila. In the end, it was decided that she will have a reverse configuration wheelchair--meaning the big wheels will be in front and small wheels in the back. Our hope is that she will propel herself in the chair. She was very anxious to try at the clinic the other day. Here is a picture similar to what Mila's reverse configuration chair might look like. (Mila's chair will have a headrest, tray, harness, lateral supports, and ankle anchors!

We chose a "root beer fleck" color that is universal. We have seen the need for chairs in our area, so the thought was, why not get something that a boy or girl could use. (not to mention maybe it will not show dirt as much!) The reverse configuration brings on a new set of challenges--anchoring the chair. Some transporters insist on having the anchors, but with a reverse configuration chair, the anchors would be where the big wheels are. Thankfully, after some checking with our school district, we were assured that the chair would be anchored via the frame. SO the chair has been ordered and we are hoping it will be here and ready for our trip to Disney in July.

We went to the nursing home last Sunday to visit my Grandpa and Grandma. Grandpa is ther while he is recovering from surgery and Grandma has called Pickaway Manor home for abotu 3 years. Grandma was in good spirits and kept making faces at Mila, so Mila asked for her. I put her on Grandma's lap and put Grandma's hands around her and the two were quite content together....until Hannah decided she wanted a turn on Grandma's lap too!