Nelson is WALKING!

It only seems fitting with Thanksgiving around the corner, to share with you a huge praise report in which we cannot stop thanking the Lord for...Nelson is WALKING! 

For those of you who have followed our journey, Nelson was born with bilateral club foot (club foot in both feet) ... we prayed from day one that from the Lord's healing hand through the correction of the casts and "snowboard" (shoes with a bar) he would one day be able to walk, run, and play! He wore his first pair of casts at 3 weeks and then started in his snowboard when he was around 3 months ... finishing up with the 22 hour/per day snowboard wear when he was about 6 1/2 months. At 7 months, he started crawling and he steadily got faster and faster, crawled up and down the stairs, and Brandon loved to say that "Nelson is the fastest crawler this side of the Mississippi"...

3 weeks old: Getting his first pair of casts
August 2012

It was tradition to meet Baby Crawford & his Mama for "Pinkberry" (frozen yogurt)
as a treat after Club Foot appointments! These boys are 10 days apart!!

Comfy at home with his cute leg warmers over his casts. Help "soften the look" and
prevent an ultimate mess if potential pooplosions were to occur...ha! 

4 months old: Sportin' his snowboard at Christmastime
December 2012 

The snowboard did not prevent "legs lifted high" and fun times in the jungle!
No wonder he has such strong abs now!!!

7 months old: Started crawling all over creation!!
March 2013

9 months old: Nelson started standing and cruising all around!
May 2013

...then he started standing (while holding on) and cruising around 9-10 months old...then taking a few steps (1-2 steps) towards the end of October...then the first weekend of November he took about 5-7 steps...then around mid-November (13-16th) he started taking more and more steps by himself and then took off walking...and now that is his primary way of getting around! It's too cute for words to look over my shoulder while in the kitchen and see Nelson walking towards me! Brandon and I will stop what we're doing when he's home at night and just say, "Wow! Can you believe how far he's come??!" and just watch Nelson walk all around the house. And now, not only is he walking everywhere...but he has become quite the helper! One of his favorite things to carry around is the broom!! I think he's trying to help me with the sweeping :) 

Last week on Wednesday, November 20, Nelson had a great check-up in Birmingham with his doctor at Club Foot Clinic. It was one of the sweetest days to see the team of people that have been with us since he was 3 weeks old, and literally see the ladies who sit at the front window where you sign in peek over their desks and gather each other to the window saying, "Come look at Nelson...he's WALKING!" while he was walking around the waiting room while we waited. It's too funny because since Nelson has never met a stranger, now that he is walking...he goes up to people and smiles or waves...carrying so much joy wherever he goes! It was a moment I'll never forget when his doctor walked in and Nelson lit up with a big smile and then walked right over to her!! Thank you, LORD! She said that his feet look great and are right on track with where we want them to be and keep doing what we're doing...which is stretching his feet daily and still having him sleep in his snowboard at night. We will go back for our next check up in February. 

15 months old: Great check up and
walked in front of his doctor for the first time!!!
November 2013 

In the meantime, just wanted to fill you all in on this huge milestone in the life of Team Nall. Thank you for your prayers, encouragement and love for our little man and family! Tears fill my eyes when I think back on that first moment we found out he had club foot ... to where we are now! Nothing short of a miracle!! May we never forget what the LORD has done!! Be encouraged wherever you are today and with whatever you are going through that the Lord is with you, He will carry you through whatever you are going through, and He is faithful! There is not one part of our story with Nelson that we would change. Isn't it a blessing that we don't know all the details of our life beforehand? That would just be overwhelming. God's grace and peace are sufficient for the moment we are in...may we live in the moment, in His presence, and keep our eyes on Jesus. Blessings to you and your family this Thanksgiving week. There is so much to be thankful for...so very much!!