As special needs parents our calendars quickly fill up with therapies and appointments. In between we may be finding time for other children, our spouses, jobs, and running a household. Among the day-to-day we may lose sight of the big accomplishments and how far we’ve progressed in a relatively short period of time. I know I did, until I was recently reminded.
Just this past August we went on a week long vacation to the beach. We rented a beach house along with my parents, siblings, and cousins. We didn’t see my cousins again until just last week for Christmas. One of them pointed out some things that caused me to stop and reflect. She said, “look at J, she’s crawling all around the house. She wasn’t doing that last August.” That’s right. She was rolling a bit, but otherwise played where ever she was placed upon the floor. Now we must keep a constant eye on her because she is quick. Sure, I’m quite proud of her, finding her mobility by army crawling, but I hadn’t realized how quickly this skill had developed and appreciated the difference in a few short months.
With the new year upon us I was discussing with some friends how shocked our 20-year-old selves would be with our 30-something selves. Perhaps shocked at the everyday routine we’ve fallen into and how much joy we find within the day-to-day. But I’ve realized that while having children forces us into a mundane routine, the possibilities and potential for our children are endless. Would I have predicted back in August that J would be crawling as much as she is by Christmas? Maybe not. So, I’ve learned that 2011 is full of possibilities. Looking back at how far J’s come in 2010, I’m excited for the upcoming year. Who knows what she’ll be doing next new year! I look forward to finding out. In the meantime we’ll continue finding the joy in our daily routine.
I wish you all a new year full of limit-less possibilities.