The King of the Forrest

This evening, after dinner, we were all sitting in the living room, enjoying some family time.  Christian asked to sit in the rocking chair, and I hesitated.  We have a wonderful, child sized rocker that my dad built, as a prototype for adult chairs.  He ended up not liking the design, and went in a different direction with his chairs, and the chair became mine, as it was just the right size.  Fast forward twenty five years, and it is now Tessie’s rocker.  She loves to sit in it, or sit her dolls in it, and I love watching her.

Christian has never sat in the chair.  The reason being that he simply couldn’t.  His trunk strength wasn’t enough to keep him from falling to the side, falling forward, or simply sliding out like jello.  Lately, however, he has been sitting really well, so I decided to go for it.  I put him in the chair, instructed him to hold on with two hands, and let go.  His smile couldn’t have been any wider.  “Look at me!” he said proudly.  When the chair started to rock he looked surprised, but didn’t falter in his posture.  In fact, Nick made the comment that this might be a great way to help build tone and control.  I agreed. 

Christian simply beamed.  He loved sitting in the rocker, and kept exclaiming so in delight.  Tes came and sat in my lap, and told her brother she was so proud of him.  Nick said he looked like a king, and Christian nodded.  “I’m the King!  I’m the King of the Forrest!”  We couldn’t argue with that.  So we all sat there, happily paying our respects to the King of the Forrest, in his beautiful throne.