Bath-Time

  Firsts are happening all day, everyday, all around the world.  But when a first happens with a baby, it's considered a milestone. When you’re the parent of a child with special needs, milestones don't come easily.  They require determination, hard work, tears and hours upon hours of therapies.  Often we are so elated that our child has reached a milestone, that we want to scream it from the rooftop; and while we are up there, we may as well make it a party. I'm talking fireworks, champagne, dancing and stogies. Since none of the above are acceptable forms of celebration by an 11, almost 12, month old, splashing will have to suffice.

   Typically, bathing Natalie is laborious and exhausting. You name it, we've tried it.  Sponge baths, baths with mommy, baths with sister, shower with mommy, bathing in the kitchen sink, bathing in a bumbo, bathing lying down, bathing sitting up.  No matter which way I bathe her the end result is always the same, she is in tears and I'm as soaked as she is.

  This evening bath-time ended the same as always, only because splashing is the new celebrating. Natalie celebrated...hard!  I'm talking wet floor and soaked mommy, daddy & sister.  Fortunately, Hannah needed a bath so we tossed her in the tub, too. What separated this evening’s bath-time from previously dreaded baths?  Natalie's awesome physical therapist, Karen.  She and I have been discussing our tubby-time drama and she came up with the most simplistic solution. We are forever grateful, as I never would have thought this could be the answer to our prayers. 

   Although there was no party on the rooftop, there was plently of clapping, cheering and splashing.  I'm contemplating busting out the champagne now that the girls are in bed:) 

P.S. the only tears shed by Natalie were the result of her playtime bath-time coming to an end.