Yay, I am finally doing more posts from our Ohio trip :) Let's see we got there late Saturday, and Tuesday was our apptmt at the Cleveland Clinic. We wanted to meet up with a couple IS families that I have befriended in an online support group for IS, so we thought to do a trip to the Cleveland Zoo to meet one of the families.
We decided to rent one of the zoo's strollers for Kylie to ride in...we didn't want her too tired and worn out for her appointment at the Clinic late in the afternoon. She really liked riding in it...it became her safety net for a little while after we met our friends. New people and experiences heighten her anxiety, but after having fun seeing all of the animals and the anticipation to see more, she was able to relax some :)
Dadda, look over there...
...see all the giraffes!
We got to meet this sweet little girl, Alexis, and my goodness that sweet face of hers would just melt your heart. I helped out her mom Erin for a moment and offered to hold her so they could collapse the strollers and things, so we could get loaded up on the tram to take us to the other side of the zoo. As you can see, Kylie loved her!
Erin snapped a quick pic of me holding Alexis and Kylie saying hi to her.
Alexis is just a doll, and she has also battled IS.
This was so cute, Erin's sister Shawna and her little girl joined us at the zoo...we were so grateful for Shawna's navigation skills at the zoo! Anyhow, her is a pic I got of Alexis, Madeline, and Noah (Alexis' big brother) all side by side ready for the tram to get going.
My parents got Kylie this Strawberry Shortcake doll, and Kylie said she had to come to the zoo with us. So here is Strawberry Shortcake all safe in the netting on the tram as we headed to the other side of the zoo.
Looks like the kids spotted something out there...
...zebras!
After some editing, I got this pic of Alexis and Kylie. It was just so beautiful to see them side by side. I loved how Erin said that she was glad to meet us for a positive story and outcome with a child with IS. Her boy Noah, has asked prior to meeting us if Kylie could walk, talk, crawl, etc. When Erin told him yes, he said that maybe his sister would be able to do that too...that just touches my heart to hear that little guy looking to the future for his little sis.
After the zoo we stopped to get Matt a sandwich from Melt...the boy is obsessed with it since we went there last time...lol Then we were off to meet another family who have a child that has also battled IS. This little guy, is so cute with those cheeks and beautiful eyes...Sammy will melt her heart just like Alexis.
Kylie eased in quite well to playing with some new friends. You will see Kylie, Adler (Sammy's big sis), and Sammy playing.
I snagged this pic of Kylie and Sammy playing side by side...and some editing too :) They are so cute!
Love the girls collecting some friends to put on a puppet show.
Here is Matt playing a game with Sammy, and his mom Tyler enjoying these moments we got to share together!
Yep, I think it is safe to say that Kylie loves her new friends...they are already playing dress up :)
Making some beautiful music together!
Kylie did not want to leave, she was having too much fun playing with Sammy and Adler. We didn't get to stay too long, because we had to get to the Clinic for Kylie's apptmt. In attempts of getting Kylie to leave and say goodbye, her and Adler were hugging and neither one would let go...goodness that just makes my heart so happy and weepy. Anyhow, they both fell over hugging and giggling. I got a quick blurry pic of that moment..and I love it...such a sweet girly moment captured!
So why the weepy and happy heart...because we went from a little girl that we didn't know would hug us because of her sensory issues, and now she is hugging new friends...how incredible is that!
Because we just didn't have much time to soak up all the joy of new friends...IS friends that really get the struggle, the fear, and the need for hope, we met up with them later for some ice cream.
I will say it was a great ice cream place, so stop by if you are ever near Mitchell's! Totally kid friendly with a coloring table and a choo choo train that drives around over head. Also, it was the first time Kylie wanted a new flavor of ice cream. She has had bites of ours in the past, but not really all new to herself. I don't remember the name of the flavor she got, but it was blue and I think it was a mix of cotton candy and marshmallows.
Here is Adler enjoying her ice cream! Such a cute pic :)
Kylie peeking at Sammy...love this one too!
Kylie coloring with Adler
Another absolute favorite of mine. Sammy's beautiful eyes looking at Kylie, and Kylie looking at Adler. It was just like a circle of hope, each child looking up to the next.
One more hug for Adler before we left...this time no one fell over, but I think we all totally fell in love with both families that we got to meet that day. So glad to have that opportunity, and we would have loved to of had that when we first went through the IS with Kylie. At any rate, so glad our little girl can be the inspiration for other kiddos and families out there.
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