The Ball

I never realized how useful a simple exercise ball could be. When we went to our birthing class before Luke, we were told it was called a "birthing ball". You probably don't want to know all the ways it can be used, but I found that I really wanted one so that I could use it to massage my back. It felt great. Then after Luke came, I was ready to put it away...but my sister gave me an exercising video to use with the ball...so I tried that out. It actually worked well.

Then came all the crying from Luke, well I had heard somewhere that colicky babies like to bounce. So what did I do? I tried it, and I bounced and bounced and bounced...you get the picture. We low and behold, it worked!! Sometimes we bounced so well I thought I might hit the ceiling. I was worried I might give him that shaken baby syndrome, so I always held on tight. But when he really let loose, we bounced hard...then when he would settle down we would bounce soft....then he would let loose again...and off we would go!! Boy, did it work well!!

Then our second child came, she wasn't as colicky as Luke...but we still used the ball!! With her it helped to put her to sleep...especially during the night when I knew she wasn't hungry...just having a hard time sleeping.

Now I use the ball and a chair with I play with Luke at his Toddler table. Luke also uses it as a giant toy. So now its best function is to get hit around the house. Luke bats at it, and it rolls in the other room. What does Luke do? Of course he crawls after it laughing. Then, hits it again and it comes back or goes down the hall...all the while a little boys is laughing and chasing after it!!

That ball is one of the best gifts anyone ever gave me, right up there with other things that we use all the time and not always for their designed purposes...like dishes, books or even shoes. Look at shoes, designed for wearing on our feet....but many times we use them as fly swatters, building blocks, chew toys (for pets) or any other toy to hide for our children.