Comfort Zone

I've always been the type of person to stick within my comfort zone.  I love to bury myself into a good book.   I am not a person that will willingly go social functions alone.  I'm chatty and social once I get to know people, but I'm uncomfortable when I don't know people.  I don't like to be the center of attention.  I prefer to be a wallflower.  Well, I've learned over the last two and half years, that I don't always get that option anymore.  There have been so many instances and situations since Hailey was born that I cannot count.  I have had no choice but to move outside of my comfort zone.  I've talked to large groups of people where I didn't know a single person.  I've gone to dinner with women that I didn't know, knowing the only thing we have in common is a child with Ds.  Would that be enough in common?  What would we talk about?  Meeting new parents of children with Ds, trying to help ease their minds about their journey.  Standing in a roomful of medical professionals, not fully understanding all of their medical terminology, feeling very small, but knowing that I had to catch every word they were saying because it was about my daughter's health.  Holding my daughter close as a nurse tries for the 4th or 5th time to draw blood from her tiny veins and she screams in pain.  Sitting beside my daughter's bed for 48 hours as she laid in a hospital bed, with drainage tubes, an incision running the length of her tiny chest, watching as the respiratory takes each breath for her as she recovers from OHS.  Sitting through each assessment as professionals tell you each area that your child is delayed in.  Over the last 30 months, I have been out of my comfort zone.  I've adjusted my comfort zone.

Day in and day out, we push Hailey out of her comfort zone.  We push her physically and mentally.  Somewhere along the way, I've noticed that we are all moving out of our comfort zone a little bit.  Pushing ourselves to do things we wouldn't normally do.  This week, Brayden (who is deathly afraid of heights) was somehow convinced to ride the biggest roller coaster at Kings Island, Diamondback.  Ian and I joked that Brayden would back out at the last minute.  He surprised us and stuck with his decision.  I'm very proud of him!  He said he loved it, but wasn't jumping at a chance to ride it a second time :-)

Dad and Brayden making their way to the top of the first hill

Brayden seems quite calm getting off the ride with Dad!

Brayden and Dad definitely not trying to look as cool as the two guys in front of them.

He was very proud of himself!

We were even able to convince Ian that he had to try a ride that scared him.  I'm very proud of him.  He was scared to ride a bigger coaster, but he did it and loved it.

Ian was very nervous behind that smile.

Hailey was joined by two sisters.  They taught her to use the steering wheel even when it was moving.

About 9 weeks ago, I decided I was going to start running.  My goal was to run a 5K.  I've never been a runner.  I'll gladly take any fitness class and give it 110%, but don't ask me to run.  Not me, not ever.  So 4 days a week for 9 weeks, I've been walking/running to build myself up to running.  I've been getting up before the household for a little me time.  Just me, the sunrise, and my music.

Some mornings my mood and the skies were cloudy

Some mornings, it was hard not to smile at the beautiful sky

I had no race in mind.  I figured I would find one in the fall.  Well ironically, the end of my couch to 5K program, a race was happening in my neighborhood during a festival.  I decided it was now or never.  I registered and I ran.  It was out of my comfort zone.  It scared the living daylights out of me.  I didn't run the entire race.  The course was hilly (I was not aware of that or I may not have signed up for it!) and I'd been running on fairly flat land.  I finished.  I'm proud I set a goal, stuck to it and saw it through.  Maybe I'll actually stick with this :-)

The first of many race numbers?

Me nervously waiting to start the race

I will shamefully admit that I sprinted the last two-tenths of the race...there was an old man that had walked most of the race close to me...I couldn't let him beat me walking :-)

Somehow having Hailey has pushed us all out of our comfort zone.  It's not always easy....it's not always by chose.  Some have gone fabulously, others not so well.  Who would have thought, a little dimpled two year old could make all of us try new things.  Can't wait to see what we all try next!