Max's Daily Challenge...

With Mr. Max's RSV isolation becoming a little more flexible with sick season being over and warmer weather, Daniel and I have been creating daily and weekly challenges for Max. Due to his visual impairments and severe developmental delays, Max is an extremely slow processor. We've noticed that at home (in a familiar setting) he can handle meeting new people, noises, textures...but once you take him out of what we call one of his "home bases" (crib, living room, car seat, stroller), then he panics and freaks out...I'm talking uncontrollable crying/screaming until he finally passes out from over stimulation. Mr. Max can't process a new environment visually along with encountering new people, sounds, smells, textures, etc. While this isn't an easy task for our family, I am proud to say that Max has already made improvements! I'm sure we look like a family of crazies when we go to restaurants....

since we take our big stroller in, but it is one of Max's home bases and have found that he cries less when in it. Daniel and I will only take him at off times and try to find a secluded spot which we have noticed helps soothe him. We don't really take him to any stores, but we have visited dad at the bike shop where he works on Fridays for fun!

Kason always LOVES to hang out there so he can cruise on the kids bikes...

while Zoe, Max, and I stroll around and visit. Our family really enjoys being outside and Max's isolation has been extremely difficult for our family to participate in any outdoor adventures. We have worked for several weeks on taking Max on walks in the evenings and I am excited to say that he now LOVES them! In fact, he really enjoys being outside in general. Towards the end of the walk I will almost hear him start to make his excited noises which does my momma heart good :). He has been to the park just a couple of times...

but most often I will keep walking around with the babies while dad and Kason play. The other day we put him in the swing in our back yard.

He wasn't too sure what he should think about it...he wasn't upset crying, but he wasn't happy with us either. Miss Patty (our fabulous nurse) has since taken him outside every morning and let him swing for a couple of minutes and this has also helped him become more comfortable outside. On a side note, Miss Patty is about the most amazing nurse ever for our family. We have had her for two weeks and are already in love. She has connected really well with Max along with Kason and Zoe since our kids are quite lovey dovey, they have kind of adopted her into our family. I was a little worried about how everything would play out with having someone in my home five days a week and a few hours on Sunday so we can go to church, but have no fear...it has been amazing! She is able to provide Max with constant therapy throughout the day...

and he is already improving faster than with just me trying to doing a little bit here or there in the day. She sings to him, plays on the floor, and challenges him which I love to see. In fact, I have been working with Max on pulling up to his knees and let me tell you, it has been a battle of screaming the entire time he is doing it because it hurts since his muscles are so weak. Miss Patty started working with him on it as well, and look what we have here...

Maxers on his knees all by himself!!! He still fusses on the way to pulling up, but will now smile when he gets to the top. The other big accomplishment is that I've been working on is Max weight bearing through his legs while standing in his new walker. I've been working on this for around 2 months with him. You can see from the far left that he was not happy with my decision and cried the entire time while in it...to him starting to warm up to it...to him actually enjoying sitting in it. (You can definitely notice how much more comfortable he is now with the walker just by looking at his body language and hand placement).

Miss Patty, aka our miracle worker, even has him walking a few steps!!!

So to say that we are just a bit proud of our handsome blue eyed man...

could possibly be the understatement of the century. We are BEAMING with pride and excitement to see the way that he is overcoming his daily challenges. Daniel and I know we still have an uphill battle with our Mr. Max, but are more than happy to persevere just to see the way he is working through his frustrations to succeed in development. I'm thinking Maximus still has his inner gladiator working within him to help him fight past more than just survival, but to thrive within his own capabilities!