Today will go down in the books... First Steps!

Jackson Rush took his first steps!
February 2, 2010
2 whole back to back steps!

{umm, there is a pretty neat story about this picture too. Jackson was a model for this awesome lady}
{more on that later}

Excited can not begin to express how we feel.

For those of you new to the blog. Jackson has hypotonia.

{you can read past posts about it here, here, and here}

Hypotonia is a disorder that causes low muscle tone (the amount of tension or resistance to movement in a muscle), often involving reduced muscle strength. Hypotonia is not a specific medical disorder, but a potential manifestation of many different diseases and disorders that affect motor nerve control by the brain or muscle strength. Recognizing hypotonia, even in early infancy, is usually relatively straightforward, but diagnosing the underlying cause can be difficult and often unsuccessful. The long-term effects of hypotonia on a child's development and later life depend primarily on the severity of the low muscle resistance and the nature of the cause. Some disorders have a specific treatment but the principal treatment for most hypotonia of idiopathic or neurologic cause is physical therapy and/or occupational therapy to help the person compensate for the neuromuscular disability.

Hypotonia is a condition that can be helped with early intervention.

{from here}

You can go and learn more about what causes Hypotonia there. The list is frightening to say the least. 

The layman's definition is that Jackson's muscle groups are weak. So where a child should be able to have the strength to hold him up, help him walk, lift his arms, catch him self when he falls, ect, his were not. Jackson needed some help. Off to Scottish Rite we went. We got teamed up with an amazing physical therapist Ms. Cheryl. She not only loves Jackson she understands his personality and knows just how to push him. 

Nanny can attest. It was brutal in the beginning.

 An entire hour of him screaming and crying. {mommy did a lot of crying in those days too} but, now he loves it. We didn't know when this day would come but, we have been ready for it to get here. 

I know, I know it was only two steps and it may be weeks before he is running around but, 

to me those two steps represent months {8 total} of therapy sessions every week.

 A lot of hard work on Jackson's part and a CELEBRATION to be had.

We received some not so exciting news this week too. That our insurance will be changing to a company that doesn't in their words "focus on children's therapy". I was so sad at the start of the week. I didn't know what we would do. Walking is only the first step for Hypotonia. Learning to walk over different levels {carpet to hardwood, or a curb}, jumping with two feet off the ground, and climbing stairs can often prove challenging but, was something with therapy we know we will reach easily. I don't know that we will be able to afford to go once our insurance changes {march 1} but, these two steps mean the world. 

They give this momma happy, fuzzy, warm feelings inside. 

Our little man took some steps.

Best Day Ever.

This day calls for  MY FIRST GIVEAWAY EVER! 

Check back tomorrow {thurs} for details.