I call BS on that one. Because as much as I know that what I am going to have to do for the next three weeks is beyond lousy, I know that it hurts Avery more. I’ll keep this short because very soon the girls will be up and I am going to have some serious work on my hands.
Last night at about 10pm a doctor at the local ECC confirmed that Avery, in a normal bit of rough-housing, indeed fractured her tibia.
Summer.
A swing set half the way done in the back yard.
New swimsuits to be broken in.
A Dora slip-n-slide type thingie just purchased.
And a passion for running, climbing and digging unlike I’ve ever seen before.
So, you can imagine how she’ll respond to the news that she isn’t to walk for several weeks.
Damn.
And with that I officially open the window to suggestions of how to cope.
Oh no, no, no! I have no suggestions…movies are only fun for so many hours…crafts?…a leap pad/leap frog thingy? Puzzles? I'm so, so sorry:(
Oof. What a blow.
Poor little Avery.
Hi Amanda,
Sorry to hear about Avery…
As parents with a child with a disability who cannot walk (among other things) we thought we'd offer up a few suggestions:
This would be a great time to introduce your girls to a local child who is wheelchair bound. Get Avery into a stroller and find some time to visit someone else who isn't able to run and play like most kids.
Check with a local parent to parent organization to find someone…
Here in Moses Lake (WA), there is a kids playground that has been made specifically for kids with disabilities. It has a ramp that runs through it, and things that are within reach of a wheelchair bound kid. Keep an eye out for that.
Send a letter a day to someone, that way she has something to look forward to each day. Not to mention forming great habits! Send to people who will write back!
Call someone each day and let her talk to them.
Put a plastic bag around the cast and run through the sprinklers in a stroller.
The Leap Pad idea is great.
Our son was emailing by two, let her try that! (Family and close friends)
Decorate the begeezes out of the cast, and the place where she'll be sitting the most.
Buy her a princess gown and let her wear that when she wants.
Tea parties.
Have nature lessons in the back yard (leaf rubbings, bird song identification, etc.)
Let her wear the swimsuit regardless of whether she gets to go swimming.
Paint her toenails on the other foot, and her fingernails.
Well Amanda, I've known you long enough to know that you will make it through this, just keep it creative! Just build her a replica boat house with tons of masonite or something. I'm sure I could call Tim the designer to come and help you!
God Bless!
David and Tammy and Riley and Leah
I used a DryPro cast cover for swimming in pools and on beaches – it was comfortable and allowed me full range of leg motion. It was totally worth the cost, as it was fast to put on and absolutely airtight! I remember my mom trying to keep my childhood casts dry with breadbags and tape – it was a huge hassle and never worked.
If Avery would like to get mail, e-mail me your address and I'll have my boys draw her some pictures of things we did last summer when my leg was broken. š kblackma1 [at] hotmail [dot] com.
How about play-doh, a MagnaDoodle? A new sandbox to match your almost swing set?
Ugh. Sorry about her baby leg!
Oh the picture, poor Avery!
poor little muffin. I think lots of floaty rafts for water, and time to learn some new tricks for crutches!
Oh no! It really is the absolute worst time for a cast. I have no suggestions… but I'm praying the time goes as quickly as possible.
Poor little love! Is she in pain?
oh poor sweet little girl š
looks like you already have a ton of suggestions, so best of luck with all of them! sounds like it will truly be a summer to remember!!
oh babe. i'm so sorry. little A.
I am going to recommend a magnadoodle. Both of my kids LOVE those things. We are actually on are second one for each of them, they wore the first ones out. It is a great sitting play toy. But it sure doesn't make up for running. But she can do it outside. And it is fun to teach them tic tac toe and recommend different things for them to try to draw.
Oh no!! Poor Avery! And poor Mama! You are going to have your hands full….
I'm sorry!
I haven't had a broken bone yet ~ nor have my kids ~ so I don't have any good suggestions but it looks like you got plenty already!
Dave's/Tammy's Suggestions were wonderful!
I am so sorry and hope she feels better soon.
I have no wise words to offer. E. loves playdough and reading. But mostly, like your Avery, she loves to run. I hope the time passes quickly.
oh, little leg. oh. and she's so little it'll be hard for her to understand and remember, i would guess…poor her AND you.
i'm hating being couch-bound as summer approaches…i can only imagine how much rougher it would be if i were a toddler.
(can you guess that all this sympathy means, um, i got nothing?)
Ooooh. I want to send her something, too! You know my email address. I'd love to draw some Curious George pictures for her.
Just the other day I was thinking that we are so lucky that Ben isn't injured this summer. I've had friends with kids who are stuck in casts all summer, and it sucks! One thing is for sure, this will be a summer to remember! Maybe there are children's art classes available at the Y or something. I think it's a great idea to make this a learning experience about people with disabilities. Just think of the new level of understanding she will reach about how people overcome limitations to be just like everyone else!
Oh no! Poor baby.
I suggest lots of arts and crafts: play doh, clay, finger painting, and, alas, TV to pass the time. Thinking of you all.
Oh no! Distractions? Immobile activities? Planning for what she will do once she's fully mobile again? Rewards? Board games? Crafty stuff? Man, this is so unfortunate. Good luck!
Oh God, honey, I don't know. I haven't been through this yet (*knock on wood*) with my own.
I can still remember this one time I was sick, I must have been about six? I still remember it because my parents made such a fuss over me. I got to do things I NEVER normally got to do. I got to have a TV IN MY ROOM! I got to eat sugar! I got an inordinate amount of attention!
Of course, I wasn't sick for several weeks on end like poor little Avery… but maybe being special will help for a little while.
I'm just so sorry this happened. š
You've got some great suggestions here. Make it a game! (Like Mary Poppins. I'm so sick with my references.)
Oh holy hell.
That poor little baby. OMG, I want to bite that other thigh, there in that pic, though.
I don't have any great suggestions. Just want to tell you that your girl is chompable, but you knew that already…
Be strong, sister.
That is SO too bad! My son Kevin dislocated his hip a few years ago and was in a wheelchair for six weeks. He fell in love with Sculpey, a polymer resin clay. We picked him out a whole bunch of different colors. Also, he had a wonderful time racing a wheelchair through the house. The walls did not appreciate it, though!
Finger puppets and movies were a hit, too. With Kevin, though, he just wanted to play with his friends, wheelchair or not. Wrap her leg in plastic, and put her in the dirt to dig. I bet she can do a lot of what she loves, except run.:(
Oh the poor thing, and she looks so sad in the picture. I just want to give her a big cuddle.
I have no more suggestions other than what all the other bloggers have suggested.
Hope Avery (and you) are all ok.
Thinking of you,
l,
Amanda xx
I'll be keeping you in my thoughts!
thinking outside of the box a little here, but I used to work in daycare & have heard other Mommy's try these things at home too. Try taking a shallow tote (under the bed type) and filling it with rice or dried beans and giving her sand toys to play in it. We added fun things seasonally too, maybe you could try something new each week that she is down…think plastic eggs, or bury some little surprises (like love notes or other fun little toys) in the rice/beans/stuff for her to find. Godd luck š
oh, also try Q-tips with water color paints, they make great brushes & the colors look bright and fun!
Awww…poor you and Ave.
Oh my! Look at that precious girl! Wonderful ideas here and I'm sure they'll help to fill the summer for Avery. And, I never saw a cast look so adorable!
Hello, you don't know me yet but I am a new reader and I am SO sorry about your sweet girl and the timing of it…
I wanted to recommend a book full of ideas for you. It is called the Penny Whistle Sick in Bed book (not sure of the author. The Penny Whistle books are a series, all great). I bought mine used off of amazon.com and it will definitely get your creativity flowing. š You will do great. One day at a time!
How to cope? One minute at a time.
What a lousy way to start a summer…