Big Fish and a Little Pack

Look mom, a bridge!

May 6, 2012

It’s Sunday. The Sunday before Mia had to have her sedated cat scan and renal ultrasound. Today is going to be the last sunny day that we will be able to spend outside together before the week started, so I wanted to make the most of it. We packed up our stuff and headed out!

The first stop on todays adventure was L.L. Bean because I wanted to look and see what they had for little hiking packs! I had no idea how much they cost because up until now, I have been carrying everything in mine. I thought that Mia wearing her own pack would be another good learning experience. Where Mia is very tactile, she doesn’t like anything hanging off of her or anything that feels foreign. So, a hiking pack would be perfect to teach her this new skill because of the sternum strap. When it’s buckled across her chest, she wouldn’t be able to slide the straps off of her shoulders as she’s done with ordinary backpacks. Of course, nothing of any weight would be in it, but it would get her in the habit of being ok wearing a backpack.

When we got to Bean’s, we parked quite a ways away from the store. We like long walks before and after our indoor adventures. When we got up to the big Bean boot at the entrance, Mia ran up to it and started touching it. And then proceeded to extend her arms in the direction of it’s girth, in what appeared to be a massive attempt at a Bean Boot hug (so cute)!! I tried to snap a shot of this with my camera phone, but by the time it loaded up Mia was done with the boot and ready for the next thing.

We're under!

When we walked into the store, we went by the trout pond so Mia could look down at the fish. While I was holding her from trying to get into the water (is it possible that she and any body of water are somehow magnetized to each other?), I looked around at the signage. All of the kids stuff was upstairs, so that’s where we headed! I figured we had a better chance of finding a squirt sized pack up there.

Mia loved climbing up all of the stairs while looking down at the pond and people below us! She made her happy screeches and noises as we ascended, causing some people to look up. This seemed to impress her, and I am sure that it is why her volume level increased as we neared the top! And when we got to the top, she found something that resembled her favorite piece of architecture. A bridge!!

While she was running from one side of this to the other, I scanned the area for packs. They were immediately to my right. Had they been any closer, they would have reached out and smacked me! I grabbed a navy one to try it on her to see how it fit. She actually let me put it on her! Yay! And it fit her nicely, appearing that if we got one it would fit her for a while to come.

I put it back on the rack, and proceeded to get Mia from her bridge. She walked with me around the room, sitting in a tent that was set up with chairs in it, and then went back to the bridge again. When she had her fill of this again, she brought me to where the packs were and just stood there. I asked her if she wanted one of these, and she proceeded to move my hand in the direction of a light blue pack.

OOO, look at all that water!

I picked up the pack and handed it to her, and she put her hand on it and made a noise. Yep, I was getting this pack. Much to my surprise, the price was just right! At $35.00, I couldn’t tell Mia no. We headed downstairs with Mia’s new prize in hand.

We stood in line at the register, and when it was our turn Mia went up and put her elbow up on the counter and rested her head on her shoulder. The lady running the register said hello to Mia, to which Mia made a quick glance. Of course, there were no words, so I explained our situation, and the lady was totally understanding! She said she had a nephew who also has Autism, and that she knew much about it. And, as many people tell me, she looked at me and said that Mia is very beautiful!

It’s refreshing to meet people when we are out and about who aren’t judgmental and who can see things from standpoints other than from within their own little bubble!

We then headed back by the trout pond and towards the exit. I looked over at the aquarium that they have expecting it to be overloaded with kids as it usually is. Much to my surprise, there was no one there! I brought Mia over in an attempt to get her to stand underneath the bubble. I’ve done this in the past to no avail. I always figured she’d do it on her own terms.

I scooched to the floor and grabbed her hand as I climbed underneath the tank. And another surprise, Mia followed me under! She was instantly entranced by the water above her, and then by the big fish that were in it! Until, another little boy came under, that is. He asked Mia if he could have a turn, and she graciously exited the bubble and gave him his space.

We walked through the parking lot towards the Jeep, and I was beaming with pride. Not too long ago, a trip to a busy store of any sort was not this enjoyable for Mia. Today, she has grown to love just about any situation she's in. I told her how wonderful of a job she did, and she smiled up at me in recognition of my words. We skipped through the parking lot hand in hand, giggling the rest of the way back to the Jeep!

Good lord do I love this little girl and all the joy and wonder that she brings into my life! How I got so lucky to be blessed by such an amazing person, I will never know. But I will never take any of the small things for granted! The small things after all, are what make up the memories of a lifetime!

Hey, where did those fish go?!