So proud

It's time to drop everything and celebrate a success. 

I'm so glad I have Erik to help me see the pure goodness in even the smallest victories with Soren. I confess I can get so caught up in Soren's therapies and appointments that it's easy to focus mainly on his deficits--those things we're working on. When I'm in that vortex, even Soren's accomplishments are colored by comparisons to others or comparisons to where we want him to be. It discounts Soren's skills and effort. 

But Erik has a way of seeing victories so purely. Soren's swimming is one of those victories. I thought I'd share two e-mails that Erik sent out to family and friends in the past weeks. (I love that he was so impacted by Soren's progress that he immediately composed these e-mails.)

Here's the first:

After two weeks of swimming every day in Maui and the past two years of swimming every weekend wearing his assisted swimming learning vest, Soren jumped in the community pool here in NE Seattle without it, and swam the width of the pool on his back without his vest and unassisted! 

Not bad for a 5 year old kid with autism! I was so proud of him that I cried. 

It is a Merry Christmas!

And here's the second:

Several of you know that a few days ago, Soren swam the width of the pool at our health club on his back unassisted and without his swimming aids.

Well today, he swam on his stomach, head down, face in the water, eyes open (still refuses to wear goggles), and kicked and paddled his way unassisted and without his swimming aids for just under 10 yards. We did that distance three more times.

Then he swam the entire length of the pool from the deep end to the shallow end, unassisted, which is 20 yards in length (raising his head for air about 4x during the whole lap). 

At this rate of improvement we'll have our own Michael Phelps in no time.  WTG Soren!!!

I'm taking notes on Erik's whole-hearted appreciation of our son. I'd like to be able to relish Soren's many strong points with him without burdening him with the expectations and comparisons that I tend to bring along.

Soren, you are a wonderful swimmer--so brave and strong. We are proud of you. That is all.