New Haunts

Over the last few months we've adopted a few new haunts.  Luckily Luke and Micah were able to share them with Aunt Amber.  

First, we have the "inside playground."  This fun little playground is located inside Paramount Baptist's Church activity center.  Air conditioned, safe, and free to the public-- this is one of our favorite places to go on windy, rainy, too cold, or too hot days.  This means we go here at least once a week.  On this particular visit we were joined by Emery and her boys.

Our second new haunt is the Discovery Center (again):

I count this as a new haunt because in the past the boys spent almost all of their time at "the museum" on the left side; recently they've switched their attention to the right.  That makes it almost new, right?

Not a big fan of the roaring dinosaur.  This is the real reason why they've been avoiding the left side of the Discovery Center.

And Third--

 the Splash Pad:

This might be my favorite new place.  Nozomi invited us to go with Luke H.  We were glad to follow along!  The boys loved it.  Actually, Luke loved it.

He especially loved pushing the button to turn the water back on.

In my last post I brought up how well Luke does with hair cuts now.  He has really progressed so far in handling his sensory issues.  Not very long ago Luke couldn't cope with getting wet.  He especially hated water on his head.  Splash pads were a no go.  He froze in rain.  Literally he froze.  He wouldn't walk-- wouldn't move at all.  He would stand in one place and scream.  I used to have to wrap him in towels to carry him to the bus on rainy mornings because he could not stand being wet.  To tell the truth, he still gets upset about rain.  And he has to change his clothes when he's done with the splash pad.  He can't switch and play on the swings in his wet clothes.  So the problem hasn't completely gone away.  But this-- where we are now-- is SO much better than where we were a short time ago.  I look at these pictures of him running through the water, chasing his friend, and I get teary-eyed.  I compare these pictures with the images in my memory of my three year old Luke paralyzed by water, and I realize that I am witnessing a miracle.  Thank you, God, for the gift of this day.  For the gift of this experience.  For the gift of this son.

And for this beautiful son too!

You probably wondered where Micah was in all of the above pictures.  Here's your answer.  He was sitting on a towel eating a snack.  Micah is not a fan of water on his head.  But I have big hopes for him.  I am willing to bet that by next year I will have dozens of pictures of Micah running through the water, and I will have the chance yet again to witness a miracle.  In the meantime my little tyke and I enjoyed the swings together.  He probably sang "The wheels on the bus" at least 30 times while I pushed him and pushed him on the swings.  And I reveled in my Micah miracle that day as well.  I heard his sweet voice sing and sing.  Thank you God, that my son has a voice.  That he has words.  That my son is so happy.  

Thank you, thank you.