Austin and Soccer

TODAY was Austin's last soccer game. It's hard to say how much he enjoyed it. He had about ten games or so and I think he did actually begin to learn how the game was played a little. He has not shown a great deal of aggression in the game, as the video shows, he'll get to the ball eventually. Reece, on the other hand can't wait to play. He loves to kick the ball and doesn't want anyone else to get to the ball before he does when it's kicked in his general vicinity.

Another great attraction during game time (besides kicking the ball with Reece and Janet) was the ladybug found under Lindsey's chair, which provided several minutes of quality entertainment.

Cast off Party

We were so relieved that Lindsey began walking again after her cast came off. It did take her a little while, but she finally got the confidence to start walking and now she's doing pretty well. While she had her cast on, we asked her what she would like to do to celebrate when it comes off. She wanted to have a little party with her new little friend Elliana. So they had a fun adventuresome day. They played so hard, they could hardly stand it.

Carolina Beach

We finally made it to the ocean. We were trying to remember when the kids were last at the beach (besides Lake Erie). Austin was almost three, Lindsey was a little over two and a half months, and Reece? No one ever heard of Reece the last time we were at the ocean. I remember the occasion pretty well. We were with my parents at Sea Isle City, NJ when the infamous events of 9/11 happened. Kinda put a damper on the whole vacation.



This trip, however was a day trip to Carolina Beach, just beyond Wilmington. It is a straight shot down I-40 (take it till it ends) and then look for some parking. Here are some pictures of our fun day in the sun.

Before & After

BEFORE...(photo by Austin Megilligan)
Four weeks is a long time to live with a four-year-old with a cast on her ankle. I know many people have it much worse, but it was still an adjustment to make--especially as spring showed up and we were ready to do a lot of outside things. We were able to borrow some strollers and get around a lot easier that way, and that was very helpful, but we just couldn't WAIT to get that cast off Lindsey's leg.

Finally the day came. Last Tuesday, Lindsey went to the doctor and had her cast removed. The initial excitement was short-lived as she could not bring herself to walk on her healing foot. Probably her tendons were still tight and a little sore and so she feared she wasn't all better--so for the next five long days she refused to walk. She wouldn't even put any weight on her foot. We tried every bribe we could think of, tried to help her by holding her hands, moving her feet ourselves, etc., etc.

Nothing worked.

We took the kids to the beach (future post coming on that), and still she would not try to walk a bit in the sand. We took the kids to the Y pool and she kicked and swam normally, just "walked" on her knees in the water. Then I stuck her on her bicycle. She loved it. Peddled and peddled. Clearly her leg/foot was fine--everything was mental.

Then Sunday morning, something happened between when she went to Sunday School and came home. She got the courage to try to take some steps. She held on to me or Janet or the wall or something, and limped gingerly on her little toes.

We were all ready to make an appointment with her on Monday for physical therapy. But now she's making sudden and real progress! So here we are, with Lindsey limping, but walking without holding on to anything, looking a bit like a pirate as she limps along, but happy and excited to be off the floor. So are mommy and daddy.

...AFTER