Willowjak Boys: One Proud Cookie Monster

Okay. This is another post about food. I apologize if you find it boring to read about a little boy eating a 1x1 cm nugget of food. But if there is anything that we have learned in the last few years of parenting these little boys, we have learned to celebrate every achievement. For Owen's family and his team of therapists (Erin, Marci & Lindsey).. we don't just celebrate, but we like to brag as well.

The other day during Owen's therapy, Erin worked with him on a new 'assignment'. Baking cookies was on the agenda. Cutting the dough, placing them on the tray, putting them in the oven, having to wait and watch the timer until they were ready.

The most challenging step for Owen would have been to spread the icing (this would typically repulse him), then to decorate the cookies with candy.

There were never any expectations for Owen to eat anything. Again, this effort was just another piece of the program to help Owen to become more comfortable working in the kitchen, with food. Check out how Owen exceeded our expectations:

Owen surprised us all by grabbing one of the cookies and helping himself. Erin (on the left) really was cheering inside. Marci (on the right) will never know how far Owen has come with this because she just started with us, but she was happy as well.

Do you know how hard it is to have not cheered when he was eating that thing? We had to play it cool though so that we didn't make a big deal of it and scare him off. SOO HARD.

It's so hard to believe that this is the same little boy from last September. I dare you to tell me that he doesn't have the awareness to feel proud of himself. Look at that face.

The grand finale is Owen serving everyone in the house the product of his hard labour. Any time there is an opportunity for any of my boys to feel like they are contributing something to the whole family, it honestly warms my heart. Because in the past, these moments were more than hard to come by. I can't say thank you enough to Owen's team for helping Owen to find a new way to connect with the rest of us. It might just seem like nothing but cookies, but every baby step is a step closer...