Madi and Jack did a great job in the car and arrived in St Louis bright and early this morning! They were very excited! We continue to feel so blessed to be here and be able to give Madison this opportunity.
They ate breakfast at the hotel, wondered around, unpacked and went out shopping for some food. Nana & Papa also survived the drive and arrived today. Madi has already met three other families here for the same reason and everyone has been so wonderful at the hotel.
Today started out as a regular day for Madi. She woke up, ate breakfast in her tower and then headed to school. She had a great time with her teachers and friends celebrating her last day. They made her feel special and loved with some good luck gifts and a beautiful book of paintings that her classmates made for her. Xo
After school Madison went to Conductive Education with Monika! They did lots of walking and Madi showed Mommy how well she is doing with her canes. Madi also got her end of session report card and it was full of positive highlights of progression!
Thank you to everyone for all the gifts in the last few days, she is a very happy little girl – thank you Christine! The doctors kit was a big hit!
After a somewhat regular day, it turned very quickly into an exciting, life changing moment we will always remember. Today is day 1 of Madi’s big adventure towards a spasticity free life. Today is the start of Madi Moving Ahead! Thank you to everyone who has made this amazing opportunity possible for her! Keep following and cheering her on and we will continue updating on how well she is doing in St Louis!
After the school visit, Madi headed to Shannon’s for a massage. She opened lots of gifts and had a nice visit to help loosen her up before having to sit in the car tomorrow for many hours. Thanks Shannon! 
Madi & Jack had dinner at Nate’s house to visit and help Mommy out by not having to cook. They played, had a yummy meal and opened lots of presents of different things for the hotel or to keep busy at the hospital. We will miss you Nate!
Madi & Jack spent their morning playing with Nate to have some cousin time before leaving for St Louis. Nana & Uncle Mark took them to the park for lots of outdoor fun while Mommy & Daddy packed!
Madi was thrilled to have her friend Taylor visit today to say good luck! Taylor will be having SDR with Dr Park in September! Taylor gave Madison some gifts to keep her happy in the hospital and the coolest pair of shoes for her new feet! Thank you Taylor for visiting and wishing Madi well!
A very special THANK YOU TO SPENCER BROTHERS who printed these shirts for MADISON ! Thanks ROBERT ,HUGH and TERRY you folks have been fantastic to us and very generous during MADISON’S JOURNEY !We will proudly wear our pink in St. Louis to support MADISON. WHY PINK ? Madison’s favorite colour !!!
Madi had lots to do today to get ready for her big trip! She helped do her laundry, packed some of her favourite things and cleaned up.
Madi and Mommy also worked on some projects in between the craziness to have a break. One of the projects was a thank you gift for Dr Park. She loved painting the frame! When she meets him on the 1st, the picture we take will go in this frame.
Madi is super excited to see her Blue Jays play a few days before her surgery in St Louis! She helped Mommy make this sign for the game.
Madi had a great morning at school! She loved making spaghetti and meatballs at sensory time. Madison also got her report card today. Her kindergarten school wanted it submitted in May, but since she will be away her teachers were on top of it and had it ready today! Mommy & Daddy were super impressed not only with Madison’s progress and success, but with the quality of the report and all the things they have been working on to prepare her for kindergarten. We highly recommend her school to anyone who has a child with special needs and would like to prepare them for integration in kindergarten. This is also a great check list of pre-kindergarten skills for any child. Here are pages from her report. So happy and so so impressed!
After school Madison had her last PT session with Stephanie until she gets back from St Louis. They did lots and lots of walking and worked so hard! We will miss Stephanie but can’t wait to get started again in June!
Jack ran around like crazy chasing balls all over the gym
Madison had a quick visit with Lynda and Erin and she got her official pink VV ambassador shirt. Madi will be representing VV at lots of golf tournaments this summer!
They had a great rest of their day at Nana & Papa’s while Mommy had her last coaching session. Thanks Ruby & Sara for Madi’s good luck gift!
Madison had a great day, she worked hard and was ready for bed early tonight. She is fatiguing much faster lately and her cramping in her lower legs has been increasing each day. We are so happy to be on the road to St Louis in a few days and hope to leave these long, painful days behind us.
Madison went on a field trip with her class today to Lawblaws. They are learning about grocery stores this week. Madison’s job was to purchase the Popsicles for her classmates. She had a great time!
She also spent 3 hours at Conductive Ed this afternoon working hard. She is ready for Dr Park!
Daddy and Madi figured out a new way to get a full body stretch… Hang upside down!
Before bed, Madi helped Mommy with some packing. She wanted to pack up all her hair accessories to wear in St Louis. Mommy told her to only pick out a few things… This is what she chose hahaha at least it was a great fine motor activity clipping each and every bow to her bag haha.
Madi had a great morning at school. She zoomed around her class all morning with lots of energy in her walker and asked to be the teacher during calendar time. Madi stood up at the calendar and used the pointer to tell the date and sang the calendar song all by herself! Madi finished her school morning with a visit with Tiffany who gave her some books to have with her at the hospital.
Jack started his day with his new routine…lounging in bed with Mommy reading lots of books!
Madi spent her afternoon at March of Dimes with Monika working hard and having fun. They practiced using her canes and the biggest celebration of her day was walking the distance of the whole room all by herself!!
Jack & Madi spent their evening playing with Nana while Mommy started getting things organized. They both had a doctors appointment to check on things before leaving. Jacks chest is clear (thank god!!) and just has to keep taking his puffers and Madi is healthy and good to go!
Madi had her final day of Physio today at Grandview. Her next visit will be the week she gets back from St Louis! They spent todays session doing an updated GMFM scale which is a clinical tool designed to evaluate change in gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy. Madi was a bit silly today, but was able to get through each of the exercises in the one session. We will know the results shortly, but she was able to go farther in the series of activities then she was able to the last time she did it. Progress!
As the journey to St Louis gets closer, Madi has been saying her good byes and see ya soon’s to friends and family. Today she went for a play with her friend Evelyn who made her an awesome card and they gave each other lots of hugs.
Madi has been negotiating the need for lots of iPad time lately…she’s addicted at such a young age hahaha…So Mommy’s negotiations are now: if the iPad is on…the Gaitors are on.
Madi did a great job using her strong voice at riding today with Jorge. Her confidence has really improved and she did a great job playing basketball while trying to keep her balance on his back.
Madi & Jack finished their day with a great visit & dinner at Pam and Medfords house. Madi loved all the fun crafting scissors she practiced her cutting with and Jack played with his ball all over the house.
Madi Moves 