A new friend

We had noticed a woman dressed in scrubs pushing a little girl in a stroller in our neighborhood most mornings for the past several months. The little girl appeared to have severe disfigurement. Since the woman was dressed in scrubs (and not the same ethnicity as the little girl) we assumed she was a nurse. But we're gone so many mornings each week, and we don't usually play outside in the morning, that we haven't had the chance to meet.

Then about a month ago we were sitting on the step watching the trash truck, when they happened by. I asked if we could say hi, and she said, "She doesn't speak." I asked if we could say hi anyway, and she said yes.

So we met the nurse, K, and her charge, H. H is four and has a syndrome (K can't tell me what it is, because of privacy issues), and she lives on the next street over from us.

Today they came over for a short play date (we discovered Tuesdays were the one day we could both count on being here before H goes to school). We saw H out of the stroller for the first time today, and she walks when holding onto a hand. She has a trach, and doesn't make much sound. She makes a few signs, but you can tell how she's feeling by her expressions.

She rode the swing (Natalie was jealous that H got to ride first...but it was good to teach Natalie about being the host), while Natalie pushed our Winnie the Pooh walker toy. Then H pushed the Winnie toy while Natalie rode the swing. Lukas talked constantly to K: "here's our new gate, here's our new shed, I can ride my bike with only one foot, etc." and K and I talked about therapy and school and the neighborhood.

I haven't met the parents (K, of course, cleared our subsequent meetings with them) but they have seen us walking in the neighborhood, so they knew who we are.

It's an interesting relationship! Lukas is excited to have H over (he's seen her a couple times when they've stopped by while Natalie was in therapy at home) and Natalie is catching up because she had only seen H that very first time we met after watching the trash truck. I guess this is our first possible friendship with another disabled child where we could see someone rather frequently...the other special needs kids we know live miles away, not blocks.