He's out!

Shriners appointment today, and Caden's out of the casts! And he doesn't need another set. They still don't know if he'll need the AFO's or not, so they're going to watch him for 2 months, then see him back. If his heels are popping up again in that time, he'll need them. If not, he won't. But between then and now he has feet again! Or rather, he has feetsies I can kiss again :) He's not a huge fan of the actual process of getting the casts off (he's a little phobic of things that go buzz, go figure), but once they were off he was raring to get walking. And it was hilarious. As we were waiting to get him fit for the next size up in Mitchell clubfoot boots, he kept clomping around as if he still had the casts on because he was used the weight. He was a little wobbly for a couple hours (and he turfed it HARD at Aunt Sessie's work), but by the time it was bathtime, he had his land legs back.

The bath. OH the bath. Bath bliss. For both of us. He was a little wary of getting into the tub (we've been having 'lay on the kitchen counter' sponge baths for 2 weeks), but once his feet hit the warm water and the water came up to his knees, he just kinda went "ooooooooo" and sat down like "oh MAN that feels gooooood." He was so relaxed after the bath, he must have felt so much better to have a real soaky bath again. And I know he smelled better, he had stinky cast feet. We put on his new "n-night shoes", had us a good snuggle with the bottle, book, and toothbrush (yes, he likes to hold onto his toothbrush during storytime....nut), and then he was out cold in about 10 minutes flat.

It's days like today when my feelings are at diametric odds. I get so discouraged, so sad for him, when he has to have things done (like these casts), or when I think ahead or even think of now and realize I have to buy shoes that'll fit braces, buy jammies that'll accommodate the Mitchell boots and bar instead of ones that look cute or super warm, or think of the things he might not be able to do later like hold a pencil securely, squeeze the handlebar brakes of his first bike, and can't do now like make a fist. On the same token, it has been so rewarding to watch him adapt through this all. He's writing his own rules to the development book, and those rules work for him JUST FINE. He is the personification of perseverance for me. He doesn't care what's thrown down in front of him. Life tosses him lemons? He doesn't make himself a mere glass of lemonade, he puts up a stand and makes bank off the earnings.

I love my Nugget so much. His journey has been scary, things we've been told during it have been disheartening at times, but I wouldn't change a bit of it. My 19 month old son has shown me what it means to be a real man, and he's my superhero.