Grant Determined

Grant's determination (and destructive power for that matter) has always amazed me. Especially when he wants something. I often tell the story about how, very early in our journey with Grant, I was home with him. We had just had our first visit with our first neurologist. Rylea and I were still in a bit of shock over what we hearing from the doctor and the whole situation itself. At this time, Grant liked to climb on the kitchen counter. Since he was having drop seizures at the time, this wasn't the safest place for him. The easiest way for him to get on the counter was to climb on these bar stool/chairs that we have that are high enough to reach the counter. I knew this and moved the chairs away from the counter. Anytime Grant tried to move the chairs I would hear them making noise as they moved across the floor. Grant realized this and started moving a chair little by little, coming and playing with me in between moves to make sure I wasn't coming in until he had finally moved the chair to the counter without me knowing. He was 2 years old when this happened.

Grant has always been a problem solver. If he really wants something he will find a way to get it. He has learned to open locked doors and get chairs to get to the button that opens the garage door. He has broken windows out of frustration to get outside. He even squeezed himself through a 9in x 10in opening from a window pane he had broken to get outside. This window pane had very jagged shards of glass sticking from it and somehow he did not cut himself, not even a scratch. 

Grant even figured out how to open a gate in the backyard. Given, I may have forgotten to lock the gate, but he still recognized it was unlocked and opened it. This little episode scared me the most. I saw him dart across the backyard and through fence. I ran inside for two seconds to get my flip-flops and he was gone; nowhere to be found. Rylea had only been in the house for about 3 months, so we didn't know the neighbors too well. I ran behind our neighbor’s house screaming his name. Our next door neighbor came out and said he ran up on their back porch but he gone back down the stairs and they didn't know where he went. I continued to call his name when a neighbor two doors down came out in his bathrobe and asked if I was missing a kid. I said yes. He said he was upstairs in his house. I walked in to the neighbor’s house, looked up the stairs, and then a saw two dogs flash by the top of the stairs followed closely Grant. Grant was laughing with pure glee. The wave of relief that overcame me nearly knocked me down. This is how I met my neighbor Blake. Apparently, Blake was watching a friend's dog and he had two dogs of his own. He would leave his front door open with the storm door closed when he was home so the dogs could watch the goings on in the neighborhood. Grant saw the dogs, opened the door, and invited himself in. Blake was in the shower at this moment. Grant followed the dogs upstairs and into the bathroom. This is when Blake noticed his dogs acting a little funny. Blake got out of the shower, turned the corner, and there was Grant; standing there petting another dog. Grant looked at Blake and then said "HI". 

Ever since this little episode, Rylea and I have referred to him as out little escape artist. Grant is always determined to escape. The most recent has been his attempt to climb into the fireplace and chimney. To prevent this, I attached a gate in front of the fireplace.

After the kids were in bed, I plotted down in my oversized chair ready to watch some mindless entertainment. Our TV is on our mantle. I glanced at the the fireplace gate and noted one of the brackets holding the gate to fireplace was missing. I got up and inspected it closer. This is what I saw:

 It was supposed to look like the second picture above. I thought Grant had broken the bar hook attaching it to gate. What I was really looking at was an eye hook that had been straightened.

The bottom hook it what it is supposed to look like. The top hook is what it looked like.

Grant was determined to get this gate off and get into the fireplace. Now if we can just find a way use this determination to get him potty trained.

In all seriousness, I think Grant is more determined than all of us to get better. He is determined to get the that little boy out we all know is in there.

I wanted to point out his determination because Ohio voted on a measure that would legalize marijuana recreationally and medicinally. This measure did not pass. There are many reasons and posits I can give as to why, but the fact remains it didn't pass. I feel sorry for the families in Ohio that could have used this.

The majority of Rylea's family lives in Ohio so I have some stake, albeit through marriage, in that fight. What I can say to those in Ohio is be strong and be like Grant. Stay determined.

To all those fighting for your children, for your family members, or for yourself. Stay like Grant. Be determined to never give up until you get what you want. Move that chair silently, break that window, unlock that door, straighten that eye hook. Stay Grant determined.

This is something I forget to do sometimes and he reminds on daily basis whenever I see him. That twinkle in his eye, that sly smile, the laugh he gives. He is determined to live the best life he can. I must remember to stay Grant determined.

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