"Gymbtastics"

Bright and early on Friday morning, Owen started "Gymbtastics!" We arrived at the gym at 7am and were the only people there, along with Owen's new PT. We went into the preschool side of the gym and Owen was in heaven! I brought the 50 foot oxygen cord so he had freedom to roam and explore.

The first thing that caught his eye was the long trampoline. He ran across it about 4 times before he was just exhausted. Then climbed down and went towards the foam pit to check it out. I never expected him to jump in, but he couldn't get in there fast enough! If you've ever been in a pit of foam, it's hard to move around and get out. He was all over the pit and jumping on Kamryn in there. Such great work for his little muscles.

There was another trampoline, this time square, that Owen sat on while Kamryn bounced him. His PT was trying to get him to cross his legs "criss cross applesauce", but he had no idea how to do it. It was so cute. He'd cross his ankles and say "triss tross applesauce" so that Kamryn would bounce him so high. He giggled and giggled hysterically for about 10 minutes.

We was soon in need of a water break, but he didn't rest for long. He headed over to the uneven bars and decided that it was a feat too extreme. So then found the rings. He grabbed them, flexed his little muscles and said "eeerrrrgggg uuuuhhhh" like he was doing something pretty awesome in his mind. It was so sweet. He loved rolling around on the mats and his PT got the wedge out. We tried to get him to somersault, which he is pretty amazing at, but he decided he wanted to "sllliiddeee" instead. It wasn't long before he made his way back to the long trampoline to jump. He then found the big cheese wheel, the one they use when kids are learning back flips. He wanted to be rolled around on it. The giggling continued!

It was so great to watch him have such a great time and work his body without knowing it. He played so hard for the entire hour! When we were done, he came home and went straight to bed from 9 to 11:30. He was worn out. As soon as he woke up he said "Go to gymbtastics after my nap?" He's counting down the days til' Friday again!

His new PT was so sweet. She also does pool therapy and house visits, like Jessica always did. He'll probably only get to go to gymnastics for the first two weeks of July and then I'll have to switch to pool therapy at our house so that we limit his germ exposure prior to his cath/mri at Stanford on the 28th. I don't want to have to reschedule because he's sick.

We're working with insurance and through the state early intervention program to get PT approved twice a week instead of once. He's finally feeling better than he ever has and it would be so good to try to get him physically stronger before surgery.

It looks like my Friday posts will be "Gymbtastic Fridays" for a while. I'll post all the new things he's doing and some funny videos. I am so happy that he has this opportunity. I would love to put him in a regular gym class with other kids his age, but with the oxygen and his gross motor skills, the other kids would be running circles around him. I have no doubt that someday he'll be all caught up.. maybe with a little less energy than the other kids.. but he will hold his own!