Ryan's Shield

When Ryan was in-house last Spring getting his cor membrane cut out of his sweet little heart, the occupational therapy team thought it best to make him a protective shield. As a pretty laid-back desensitized mother, I think it's a good suggestion he wear it while playing on the playground, learning to ride his scooter (yes, he is the cutest thing you've ever seen trying to ride a scooter), and attending preschool with other roudy boys.  

This is Ryan's shield: 

This is Ryan wearing his shield: 

This is Ryan showing you his shield: 

I'm too cute for my shield, too cute for my shield, I'm so.... cute. 

"I take this off?" 

Much better. 

Ryan doesn't mind his shield as long as he knows it's coming off. He tolerates it, but it's not his first choice. He cried the first day he wore it to the park. He had no idea why he needed it. But as soon as I told him there was an end, he was okay with it. And now when I'm putting it on him for school he says, "Take off after school?"  I assure him he can and he happily wears it. 

Okay, and just because we can, let's look at how cute he is again: