There’s a big rule in my house: do not play in Noah’s wheelchair!

If you ask any of my nieces or nephews they will tell you that I’m a stickler about this rule. Now before you call me a big meanie, let me explain why. I want them to understand that the wheelchair is not a toy, its Noah’s legs and although they can get in and out of it as they please, Noah can’t. He’s stuck in that chair as his main form of mobility.

Charlie’s never paid the wheelchair too much attention in the past and I mainly thought that it was because it’s not as unusual to him as it is with other kids since his Mom has one. But that theory may have been wrong because this last visit he was obsessed with it! When he started to get in it, his Mom said he needed to ask me first and I of course said no, even if it was my Charlie! And like any other child who’s been in my home, he tried and tried to get in the wheelchair multiple times. Each time, A (or me) would say, “Get out of your brother’s wheelchair!” Had I been raising Charlie, I can clearly see that I probably would have been saying this one hundred times a day. It was one of those bittersweet moments of open adoption.

Charlie continued to drive both A and I crazy trying to get in the wheelchair every time one of us would turn our backs. Finally A asked if I minded if he got in for a few minutes, thinking that if we just gave in and let him sit in it for a minute that the novelty would wear off and he wouldn’t be obsessed with it. I said yes, of course, and A insisted that I strap Charlie in just as I would Noah so that he would get the full experience, so I did and he sat in the wheelchair for about five minutes. He thought it was fun for about the first thirty seconds and then it quickly lost its fun appeal. When he got out, he readily agreed that being in a wheelchair probably wouldn’t be too fun.

So this Love Thursday, it’s about getting in and out of your big brother’s wheelchair and driving both of your Mommas temporarily insane!

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More Love Thursday Posts:
A Trip to the Apple Orchard
The Love Letter
Kindergarten Diploma

Photo Credit: Coley Strickland