So we were allowed to take our little monkey outside again today and the only way that I can even come close to describing how the day was is super fantastic, and even still that doesn't come close. Today we decided to do something a little different when we took Katlyn outside. Last time we took her for a walk in her stroller and I think it was really overwhelming, so this time we decided to take to the the park outside the clinical center. Since I have been here I have not seen one child playing in there and her doctor thought it was a great idea too.
So we brought her outside the back door and I got out the disinfectant wipes to clean the swing off. I scrubbed and scrubbed until I was sure it was clean. So then we put her in the swing and it was so cute. She was laughing and having a great time. Most playgrounds that I have been in are usually grounded in either dirt or mud, but this playground had a very special rubber mat underneath it to cushion the fall. Because it was a mat we were able to allow Katlyn the most freedom she has ever had in her whole life.
When she was all done with the swing I propped her down on the ground. At first she was really unsure about the situation. She stayed very close to her mother and father. Then she took three sideways step in one direction, and then the next. And I swear like a bolt of lightening, Katlyn was gone. I had to run to keep up with her. She ran around that playground, and around and around. At one point she heard a bird chirping and headed in that direction. She could see the little birdie sitting on top of the tree. So the bird stayed there for a few minutes singing us a song, and Katlyn wasn't missing a beat. She say right along with him. And then the bird was off and Katlyn got so excited.
She also got to touch a leaf, and eventually rip it off the tree. And then she found a stick and carried it around with her for the better part of her adventure. She would poke it at this and stick it in that. It was really nice to see our little girl having so much fun exploring.
I took her down the slide and Johnathan and I took her on the see-saw. She was saying up when we'd go up, and down when we'd come down. We had so much fun and not once did Katlyn try to take her mask off at all. She'd touch things, but never brought her hands up to her face. A couple of times she would trip a little and so we'd disinfect her hands and she was back at it.
The last time we took Katlyn outside we noticed that her eyes were very watery when we came back inside. She had sneezed twice and her eyes watered, but when she woke in the morning she was fine. I think it was probably because she just wasn't used to breathing the outside air. This time however, none of that happened. Her eyes didn't water at all.
I know the road that we have been on has been very long and hard, but seeing what I saw today is going to be a daily reward for us someday. I know we will never take advantage of our little girl having that kind of freedom. It will be really nice to one day sit back and watch our little girl run free. I look forward to that day so much. It is going to be awesome. Today was so much fun, for all three of us.
Here I am pushing Katlyn on the swing.
This is where we go a little faster and believe me, she's laughing her butt off.
Katlyn just taking it all in.
Katlyn sees a flower out of reach, so she has to weasel her way between the fence and the flower garden to get at it.
What a smart girl. She does make it to the yellow tulip, which I can tell she's pretty satisfied with.
She was fascinated by this spinny thing
Here we are going through the gate of the playground. We go in and out about 50 times.
Here she is discovering a stick, which she carries around the rest of the adventure.
Katlyn loves trees, but when she came close she didn't really want to touch the leaf. Once she did though, she tore it right off.
Katlyn hears a bird chirping and wants to get a closer look.
Mommy and Katlyn going down the slide.
