Almost 9 years old!

In the photos below, you will see Gracie at her school's flag-raising ceremony. She is reading a report she wrote about a service learning opportunity. Such a great public speaker!

Long Time No Post...

It has been over a year since I posted anything. I hate that I have not kept this up. I hope this blog helps many people get to know and appreciate the journey of Gracie Sloan. She improves daily and loves life! In these photos and video you will see her walking ON HER OWN in our backyard. She has come a long way since her surgery!

Snow Day 2010!

Watch out winter olympics! Gracie and Mommy are cold and crazy sledders. The 3 of us joined all of the other crazies in Ellington Park this afternoon. We hope to go back with friends tomorrow.

Puppet Show

Gracie decided to put on a puppet show for us this weekend. Where does she get her talent and drama?

Yoga Princess

Gracie completing "Sun Salutations" with her yoga instructor at home. This stretching really helps her muscles. Her instructor has seen major improvement over the last few months. Way to go! Namaste!

A Natural

I wonder how old I was when I got my first pedicure...NOT 5!

Angelic!

My angel sang this year! She and all of her pre-K buddies put on a great Christmas program. In the video you'll see them preparing to sing Little Gray Donkey. So precious!

Santa Listens

Santa listened carefully because Gracie got all she wanted for Christmas. Thanks Santa!

Friends in the Fall

Gracie is blessed in so many ways. She is certainly blessed with caring friends. These photos show her with her dear friend, Mary Virginia. Mary Virginia is such a sweet, nurturing girl. They are in class together. They are at a fall festival in our neighborhood. I'm so thankful that Gracie is surrounded by good friends.

Shopping With Daddy

Doug surprised Gracie by picking her up from school and taking her straight to Phillip's Toy Store. This treat was a reward for Gracie's huge day of walking at school that day. Doug said Gracie went straight to the little shopping cart seen in the picture above. He said they shopped around for a while, picking up little trinkets like an inexpensive ball and a squeezy toy. When they went to check out he felt good about Gracie not picking out anything real expensive. He handed the trinkets to the cashier thinking that was all she wanted. She then informed him that she wanted the shopping cart, too. Of course, he bought that for her, too. It is really built well; it's a Doug and Melissa brand. It doesn't tip easily. Gracie has enjoyed walking behind it very much. We keep setting up a store at home so she can shop and check out. Much fun!

Our Little Vol

We all enjoyed the day at Papa Rabbit's Annual Fish Fry. Gracie entertained us all with her humor and walking. We enjoyed spending the day and most of the night with friends and family. We ate, played outdoor games (bocce ball, horseshoes, etc.), watched the UT game, and ended with a big fireworks show. Too bad the bonfire wood was too wet. We even tried hickory smoked elk. It was great!

Gracie Thrills Us All!

This morning Gracie decided to try walking without her crutches. It was completely unexpected. She goes to physical therapy in the morning on most weekdays. Today she decided that she was going to walk out of therapy without her crutches. So, she did! She walked out of the physical therapy office and down the hall. Then her Grandma and Grandpa took her to school where she walked into the school, down the hall and to my classroom…without assistance. Unfortunately Daddy was unable to be there to see her walking down the hall but my class and teachers from the other classes were able to see her. She fell a couple of times but she picked herself up and went back to walking on her own.
This was a huge leap forward and thrilling for our family so we wanted to share this with all of you.
Thanks for all your support.

Gracie's First UT Game

It's official! Gracie is now a true Vol! We took her to Knoxville this past weekend for her first game. She had a great time, and the Vols had a great victory against Western KY. Kudos to the University of TN for making it so easy to get tickets. They save some seats for special guests like Gracie.

See Mommy?!

She's beautiful, right? Except the uneven bangs! Gracie decide to give herself a haircut the other day! She told us she needed some privacy in her room... She came out with uneven hair. She has received many compliments on her hair at school since then. She thinks people are commenting on her bangs, so she smiles when people compliment her, and she says, "See Mommy, my hair looks pretty." Ugh! The scissors are now in our possession!

New Goals

What happens when all of your hopes and dreams come true? You set new goals. Whew...here we go. Check out the poster Doug, Gracie and I created for Gracie's goals. We had a lot of fun making it. I never knew so many stickers would fit on a poster!

If you look closely you'll see that Gracie has already accomplished some things on her chart!

Back to School

On Friday, Gracie visited her new classroom at Oak Hill. She officially met her new teachers, Mrs. Holland and Mrs. Ramer. A couple of her friends were there to visit, too. She amazed everyone with her new ability to get around school with her crutches instead of her walker. The layout in Mrs. Holland's room is conducive to Gracie getting around. We all noticed big changes in her mobility and confidence since she was in school last year.

Gracie starts school tomorrow, the 24th. She will go half days this week and begin full days the following week. We are so proud of our pre-K girl!

What now?

As you read the entry today, enjoy the pics Gracie took. Wow!

Many of you have asked what it means for Gracie to be able to walk. Let me try to explain. Gracie has been able to take steps independently during therapy for a few months. It's just now that she wants to practice outside of therapy. Because of her recent interest and drive, we set up the celebration at Pet Smart last Sunday. She did such a great job! Gracie now must practice and get stronger. She's not ready to walk on her own all of the time. Her strength will allow her to walk about 50 - 70 steps before she tires out.

So our plan is to have her continue to use her crutches (pink, of course) and braces on her feet to provide support. Ideally, Gracie will not use the walker when she returns to school except for long distances and probably the playground. We would love to pass on the walker to a child who really needs it. We're encouraging Gracie to walk from point to point in a room to prepare her for this in her classroom. However, she will probably be a little resistant to this at first. Walking without obstacles is certainly different from walking in a classroom full of active children.

At therapy, Gracie is doing all of her work without the crutches. We alternate between low and high braces. The higher braces give her more support and feedback. The lower braces make her work harder and therefore build her strength. Her walking is slow but beautiful! I can remember seeing another patient walking at therapy last year and wondering if Gracie would ever be able to do that. She is actually taking steps on her own! The other day I made her say aloud, "I can walk." We both smiled with pride.

We will return to St. Louis to see Dr. Park, the neurosurgeon, one more time. Our appointment is scheduled for September 28th. He told me last year that he believed Gracie would walk into his office for her next visit. He was so right!

Gracie Walks in Pet Smart!!

Look at Gracie walking in these photos! She is walking on her own in Pet Smart. We are only walking behind her in case she falls. She is doing it by herself! She was so proud. She had people cheering for her and crying at the same time. The staff in Pet Smart loved the show! She has worked very hard for this special day. Many people were there to watch, but we were mostly pleased that her therapist was there. Laura has worked almost as hard as Gracie! We look forward to the things Laura can help her do in the future. I hope to post some video of this special day soon.

In the last photo you'll see Gracie standing in front of her goals poster. She was able to place the last sticker, ON TOP! Miss Laura is going to help us think of some steps on her next poster.

Getting Ready for Pet Smart

Gracie made up her mind to complete the goal on the top of a goals chart she made last summer. The goals were steps Gracie should make to get her closer to walking. The ultimate goal (she chose) was to walk unassisted in Pet Smart. She decided she needed makeup for her big day. It was hard to watch, but I wanted the day to be hers, so enjoy the bright lipstick! She's so funny.

New Braces = New Gracie

The therapist ordered new, higher braces for Gracie hoping they would improve her walk. The piece in the back of the brace keeps her foot positioned so that she cannot drag her toes when she steps. The braces have truly made a difference. They are not comfortable on her, so I know it will be a fight once the newness wears off. But for now, Gracie now wants to walk on her own. This is new for her. Watch the video below to see Gracie walking, all by herself, in her new braces.

Guess Who Learned to Read?!

Last weekend Gracie learned to read! She asked us why we spelled words somtimes in our conversations. We explained to her that there were times when we didn't want her to know what we were saying. She viewed that as a challenge and asked me to try it at that time. I tried several sentences aloud spelling one word of the sentence. She was able to figure out all of the ones I tried: red, grass, green and rug. Doug and I laughed and said we were going to have to start talking in pig latin. So, the next morning I got out a Bob book (Great for beginning readers!) and asked her to try to read the 6 pages. She did it! Honestly, it wasn't even hard for her. The only 2 words she needed help with were "the" and "on". We are so proud of her! We called her teachers to tell them the good news! Check out the 2 videos!

Skating & Standing

In this video, Gracie is wearing roller skates. It's her first time. Can you believe it, Aunt Lori?! Gracie really enjoyed being on wheels. Her therapist will let her try any equipment, after she finishes her hard work. In the other photo and video you'll see Gracie stretching her legs as she stands on one leg. Her "tickle machine" was hooked up to her legs to help stimulate and contract the muscles. This was hard for Gracie but a great exercise for her legs and her balance! She still sleeps with this same device (Empi) at night (most nights) to further progress her leg muscles.

Working Hard

In the video you'll hear Gracie announce something that she's working on. We have prepared her that 5-year olds don't suck their thumbs. We're trying a "thumb-sucking substitute" which she loves to say. I read in a parenting book that you should give the child something else to do with his/her hands at bedtime. She now has a colorful squeeze ball to sleep with.

Gracie is willing to help all the time! In the photos below you'll see her helping Daddy stain her ramp. She loved that she had to put on "work clothes" just like Daddy does.

Little Diver!

At swim therapy this week Gracie is learning to overcome her fear of going under the water by going after a toy on the walking platform. She was so proud of herself! Laura and I were thrilled, too! She still thinks she needs to hold her nose so it took a lot for her to do it with her hands free. I sure love my little diver!

Supergirl!

In this video you'll see Gracie using her trunk control and her head/neck muscles to fly and swing like a superhero. Thursdays are swing days at therapy. We all know how much Gracie loves to swing. You'll also see her on a pogo swing. You can tell by her smile that she really likes this swing.

After therapy she went to Vacation Bible School. She's attending the program at Woodmont Baptist, where we've been going to church. Her class is taught by the much loved, much missed Miss Christy!! It's just this week from 9 - 12:30. It has been great for Gracie to reunite with Christy as well as some of her classmates from school last year.

Gracie is turning 5!

We have one little excited munchkin in our house tonight! Gracie Elizabeth turns five tomorrow. She has been announcing the number of days until her birthday to everyone she encounters these last 6 or 7 days. I love that she thinks everyone is interested in her life, even strangers. She has big birthday plans. She will have a blast at school tomorrow with her fabulous teachers and friends. My students have even asked her to come to our classroom tomorrow because some of them have gifts to give her! Friday night, we're having a Wild-n-Wacky BYOS Party. Gracie decided she wants everyone to dress crazy and bring your own steak, her favorite food. It should certainly be wacky. We didn't send out invitations this year, so please come if you'd like. We're getting wacky at Dad's house around 5:00. Call us if you need more information. Then, Gracie is sharing a pool party will her friend, Will. They are in class together at Oak Hill. The kids in their class are coming to swim with them at The Collins' new home. In case that's not enough, Gracie is leaving the next day on a trip to Destin with Grandma and Grandpa for 5 days!

For her birthday, we put a white iron bed with a trundle in her bedroom. We also bought her an Air Pogo swing. It is fabulous!!!!

Thanks for loving our girl for 5 years!

Mother's Day at School

Gracie's class had a Mother's Day brunch and program on Friday. It was precious! In the video you'll see her singing about keeping me in a little box. I love her little embarrassed smile!