Cute Manny Stories

Enough depressing medical stuff.  How about some cute Manny stories?

We were bored.  And in our boredom, I come up with some crazy stuff for us to do.  I can't help myself and everything will eventually turn into an opportunity to learn something or to do speech therapy, occupational therapy or physical therapy.  (Can't help myself.) 

For example, we had a trash can in our room that had a foot petal.  I would hold him in my arms and he would say, "Up" and I would make it go up.  He would say, "Down" and I would make it go down.  I'm sure I did it over 1000 times.  Well, my parents came to visit and Dad had to throw something away.  Manny noticed Papa push the foot petal so Manny started saying, "Up, Down" and I explained our game them.  Mom said, "I'm sorry you're so bored!"  Never even occured to me that would be a sign of boredom.

Or here's another game.  I will blow bubbles and I would have Manny reach his hand up and pop the bubble.  Eventually, he started getting some of the gum on his thumb and forefingers.  He'd play with that for a while and then ask me "Off pease".  Each time I would take the gum off his fingers he would say, "Thank you".  Then one time he said, "Xie Xie" (which is the Chinese word for Thank you!).  I cracked up.  I know he watches Ni Hao Kai Lan but I had no clue he understood what that meant, much less how to use it properly.  And again tonight, he was still saying thanks in Chinese when people were doing things for him! LOL

And here's another story.  While Dad was at the hospital he asked if I'd seen any football.  Manny overheard the conversation and said, "Pirate".  It took me a second but then I realized it was him free associating.  Remember how we went to a Buccaneers's football game?  Their uniforms have pirates on them!  I was very, very impressed how he made that leap. 

I said, "You're right Manny, the pirate is from the Buccaneers".  And then he pointed to his ears and said, "Ears? Buc ears?"  His way of asking me, "I know what ears are but what are BUC ears??"  LOL LOL

Finally, tonight I wanted to give Manny a bath and de-hospitalize him.  We have a thing that we can use in the bath when we want to shower him but he HATES showers and loves baths.  So Kaley usually has to get in with her bathing suit on and hold him.  Tonight we decided to try something new.  I bought a swing for him that we want to hang on our patio but haven't hung it yet.  And it worked!  It was just enough support that he could sit in the bathtub.  Kaley was still in with him but she didn't have to hold him and he could play.  They were in there for over an hour!  What fun. 

I just don't want everyone to forget.  I know you all are fervent and heartfelt in your prayers for this little guy.  And he needs every one of them.  He is a sick little boy and there are a lot of struggles in his life.  But I also don't want you to only know the medical conditions.  I want you to know and love MANNY.  And he, knows how to live life.