Graham's new braces..and shoes too:)

So as you can see in the picture below, Graham has some fancy new leg braces he is sporting. At his 3 year well baby (Child I guess I should say!) the pediatrician sent us to Children's Hospital to see a specialist about Graham's toe walking. He slowly had started doing it more and more over the last year, and most toe walking should be out grown by the age of three. It was determined that there is no physical reason for it, thank goodness, however it does need to be corrected so that he doesn't turn it into a physical problem if that makes sense. So a few weeks ago we went and got him fitted with these fancy braces. His legs were put in casts to get a perfect mold of his feet, he was so brave! H was very excited to pick out the pattern on the braces, he chose cars and trucks of course! So today we went to pick them up, he was so excited, it truly broke my heart. Just that he thinks they are so special and not for any corrective purpose reminds me of how much we place our own opinions and judgements onto children. I pray that he will remain so positive and happy about them as long as he has to wear them. And I cross my fingers that they are off before some older child has the opportunity to make him feel self conscious. I know that will come in due time for so many other reasons, but I am not ready for his little feelings to be hurt yet in such a big way. When he first put the braces on, I had tears in my eyes. He was so excited, and my heart was just hurting that he had to wear them. I know so many children go through so many more serious things medically, things that I cannot imagine, and parents who live through such challenges day in and out, I am in awe of. But I think any parent will agree that when you see your child have to go through any sort of challenge that you can't necessarily fix for them, your heart just aches so, so much.

So, he wore his little braces, and new shoes to go over them ( he had to size up two sizes to accommodate the braces) for an hour today, never complained, and did a great job! That heel was on the ground, so I think that they were doing their job!