happy feet

Monday was Matthew's 2nd ice skating lesson. He wasn't any better this week - he spent so much laid out on the ice we had to change his clothes before we left. We spent the rest of the day searching for skates to fit him better - the smallest ones we'd been able to find were still too big. We had no luck here or online so we headed across the border to Canada. I've never had an easier time crossing the border - we told them we were going shopping & they didn't even look at our papers! I guess they want us spending our money, huh? Anyway, we found a pair of skates that we hope will work but who knows...they're still big seeming.

Also, at the skate lesson Monday the teacher told us the big problem is that Matthew turns his feet out instead of keeping them straight. Of course he does - he has been trained to turn his feet out since his clubfoot was corrected right after his birth. He still wears his special shoes & bar to bed every night in hopes of keeping this correction and not needing surgery down the road. If our choice is that he can skate or he can avoid surgery, well um, I guess he'll never skate.

But then we had an ortho appointment this morning - it had been 6 months (give or take) since his last visit and it was time for a checkup. I was not surprised when the doc said his feet look great and we can stop the brace wear. David & I had talked about this, and we both feel that with the statistics supporting brace wear until age 5 and especially since Matthew does not fight at all about wearing his shoes, that we would rather keep him in them as long as is reasonable. We discussed it with the doctor and he said there's no harm in leaving him in them now so he told us to do whatever we are comfortable with and come back in 3 months. (why 3, I dunno, but we'll do it.) So here I sit, doing yet MORE research on the statistics, so that David & I can make sure to make the best decision for Matthew. Yet deep down, I know that the best thing to do is just leave him in the shoes for now. There's nothing to be gained by taking him out...NOTHING.

on another note, weigh in is tomorrow - I think I'm back down after my holiday gain to where I was mid-November, when I was fluctuating back & forth, back & forth, back & forth - tomorrow I'll know!