This has been a good week for Mr. Boo Bear. Sam, his communication device, was back at the factory for two weeks. He had a loaner device, but it did not work as well, had fewer options, and the battery life was terrible. By the time he got home from school, the battery would be dead and take the evening to recharge. This left Boo largely mute. He relied on a few signs, and basically leading me to whatever it was that he wanted. It felt like we had taken a huge step back. Happily, Sam arrived by Fed Ex while Boo was in school. I had it charged and ready to go when Boo got off the bus. He greeted it with happy squeals and spent half an hour talking about everything under the sun. He told me he wanted Gatorade and popcorn. He wanted a trip to Target. He wanted to watch PBS Kids. In short, we were thrilled
For Christmas, Boo got an adaptive bike. It has been sitting in our living room for three months because all the sidewalks were covered in a thick blanket of ice and snow. We finally had a good melt and the weather got tolerable. On Sunday, Peter and I took him out for a ride. The great thing about the bike is that it has a steering wheel and brake on the back, in case Boo gets too enthusiastic, or decides to head into traffic. As it was, he needed very little help, maybe a little push on the uphill, but he was able to pedal and navigate all by himself. It was a beautiful day for a ride, and he had an ear-to-ear grin.
Spring break is coming up and he has a week away from his beloved school. I have plans for biking, swimming, and trips to the park. I just hope that the weather cooperates. So, if you are out and about and see a happy fellow on an adaptive bike with a green squeaky frog on the handlebars, give us a wave! Biking is fun! Work and pray for peace. Be good humans, and we will chat soon.
Harriet's Hedgehogs and Autism Advocacy 