Independence Day brought a new meaning this year. Our little cast club member celebrated renewed independence from his everyday life. A surprise turn of events moved our cast date up 4 weeks and allowed him some precious time out of cast. We came out 4 days before the holiday and started our out of cast time with some wonderful firsts for toddler William. Baby William got to swim last year. Toddler William hadn't got to experience this treasure that was until this wonderful weekend. Friday night My boys, my nephews and I took William to a city pool equipped with an Olympic size baby pool. I wasn't sure how he would react to this new experience. He loved it! We splashed, played and sang our favorite song about a little fish. Its rephraim "Let's go swimming, lets go swimming, oh let's go swimming, Let's go swimming at the bottom of the ocean." Swimming we did all weekend!
Another First for Sweet William was ice cream all by himself. A big bowl with whip cream and a spoon. Pizza all by himself, playing with markers...not a planned activity but fun none the less! 
Sleep is another independence day celebration. William for the first time in 8 weeks has slept all night. This is a blessing for all. He is comfortable, flips from side to side, and snuggles down for a good night of sleep. As a parent you know what exhaustion does to you it wasn't until I saw his personality change that I realized what it must be doing for him. Sleep, It's a good thing!
A parent on one of the support groups posted this week how their sweet boy has a perfectly normal life in cast. I can't say that our life is horrible, but I can't call what we live each day normal. Maybe it's the difference from an only child to a multiple child family. We lived normal, we know normal. Normal is all the things we have been able to do in the past few days. Normal is spending more than 20 minutes outside without worrying about overheating. It is letting a little one feed themselves without worrying about what will drip down the cast or get in his hair. It is going to the park and not worrying about pebbles down the cast or playing in a sandbox. It is swimming pools in the summer and baths at bedtime. We make due, but this isn't normal. I envy those who are graced to have this be normal. I am grateful William doesn't know any different. I look forward to the day when normal is more than just a word, but once again a reality. For now we are going to celebrate the last 3 days of Independence! It was a blessing we didn't plan or anticipate and made so sweet by the friends and family we shared it with! 
