New Braces!

It was time for some new braces!

This is always an exciting time for us. New braces means the opportunity to stand straighter, taller, steadier as he has outgrown his old braces.

We also get to work with Eric at DP&O who is always excited about the opportunity to try new things to get Nick to challenge himself and get him to the best of his ability.

 

Because they do all of the work and adjustments onsite, we have a long wait in their gym.

It started with Nick testing out his "please-can-I" face. With the lip out, head tilt and squinty eyes. He has been doing this all week, because he told me "It worked on you last week"

In the gym we tried some baseball (high knees and balancing of course)

He was getting discouraged because he couldn't hit the ball. I told him it was probably the pitcher. We upgraded the ball and he got it no problem

Then Nick found an air pump. He had lots of fun spraying me

Then it was time to test them out and see what the new braces can do!
One of the new things we are trying out (along with a new parts for the hinges) is that the plastic part is at the front of his thighs, instead of behind.

The straps at the ankle are different and more diagonal. And it is set to tilt him more forward and less letting him rest back in them.

While the braces went back, Nick had a little bit more fun in the gym.

He told me "mommy, close your eyes"

He thought it was so hilarious!

Pretty soon the braces were ready and we were out the door!
The design that Nick chose was Star Wars (of course).
His favorite is Star Wars Rebels.

These 2 are on the top braces, and the one below is on the bottom brace.

Nick loves them.
And he likes that it looks like they are fighting while he is walking.
I hope these braces work well. I can see Nick walking straighter. Less toe-walking.
And I hope that we can get some more independence, and hopefully get back on track for standing unassisted and then walking unassisted.

New braces are always exciting!

Darth-Nickolas' Tie Fighter

After we completed the Death Star Nick reminded me that he wanted a tie-fighter for school. After spending days and days on the Death Star there was no way I was sending it to school (and I don't know if it would fit on the bus, and I didn't trust anyone else to get it on and off the chair).

 

I told Nick if we had enough time I would make the tie-fighter. I figured it would b easy, I just needed some black foam board and duct tape.

 

I got 3 black foam boards from the dollar store. I cut 1 board in half, and then sliced the other 2 so that they folded.

I balanced the middle board on a toilet paper rolls and then duct taped it on the angle (the angles are the same on both wings) and taped the last half on the same angle.

Easy!

I needed a way to fit it onto the walker, and make it easy for Nick and the teachers to get them on and off.  I am always looking for things that we have around the house. This was an expandable gutter-extender. You know the things that you put on the end of the drain, to direct where the water will go?
Well we had 2 of them and they were perfect to fit on the walker.

I cut it to fit on the handles and then I had Velcro to make it stay on the walker.

It worked out well. But when Nick went to a Beavers Halloween party, I found that it wasn't making it the completely right place. So I added some wire to the front wheel and middle of the bottom braces so that I won't slide off.

I added some more duct tape, and an Empire symbol to both sides and it was complete!

 

I did it all in an afternoon, and now Nick will have a walker costume for school.