Our fun with the ZipZac Chair

With all this adoption news, I forgot to post about our fun with the ZipZac chair!!  Gail, a therapist with Southwest Human Development, has been working with us on some improvements to the house for Madi, such as modifying a toilet for her, adding sides to her stairs, and a water table that her wheelchair fits under.  When she came over on Thursday to visit with us, she brought a ZipZac chair with her.  A ZipZac chair is essentially a bumbo on wheels.  It's really fun!  Madi had so much fun wheeling around and throwing her hands up in the air shouting "WEEEEE!"  Conner asked for Madi's wheelchair (we sort of hide it outside right now to encourage walking/crawling), and the chase was on :).  Here are a few videos of the kids.  Again, they are TERRIBLE quality because they are from my phone.  I hate the metallic sound it gives my voice, but it works.  Clearing out my video camera and burning all our videos to disk so that I can start using it again is on my to-do list, it really is ;)

This chair is just a prototype.  They will actually have larger chairs (not the bumbo) on them, and will be available any day now to purchase.  The prototypes are $600 I think, but don't really remember.  If you buy one with the new chair on it, I believe it is $800.  Obviously this is far from cheap, but it is less expensive then a wheelchair.  Here's my review of the chair:

1. I loved that the chair was low to the ground and easy to maneuver.  Madi was able to pick things up off the floor while she was in it, which is obviously not possible if she is in her tall wheelchair.  The downside to this was she could not reach her easel to color on, as she was too low to the ground.  The other plus of having it low is she couldn't tip and fall out.
2. This baby needs a removable handle for parents.  I could see Madi wanting to use this when we are out at the mall and such, but trying to help her safely maneuver through crowds or streets would be miserable since there is no handle.
3. This would be amazing for a younger child.  I almost felt like Madi was getting too old for it, but the larger seat may help.  I wish they would have had this chair when Madi was just about a year, as I think I would have wanted to start introducing it then, so that she was jamming in it by 18 months or so.
4. A kiddo could really get in to trouble in this... and they need to be able to!  They could get in to cupboards and take out Tupperware, take all of the toilet paper off the roll, take out and bang on all of your pots and pans, and do all those things a child needs to do.  They can get themselves going fast and feel the wind in their hair at an age when other kids are able to do so by running around.  I think this would really help a younger child get some freedom and help them grow cognitively.
5. I do not see us getting one, as we already have Madi's HKFOs, a wheelchair, an amtryke, and mobile stander, and this is not that much different from what we already have (wow, my gal is well-equipped!).  But, I do think for a younger child, this plus a stander/parapodium of some sort would be the perfect introduction in to mobility and independence.

If you want to see a very adorable man learning how to use his ZipZac chair, please go to http://thelittlekingsley.blogspot.com/2011/05/come-out-come-out-wherever-you-are.html.




Oh, and for all of you praying for baby Andrew, he is here, and has the sweetest little face! The latest update is that he was born at 27 weeks and weighs 2 pounds.  He is said to be doing very well for being so early.  Please continue to keep him in your prayers.  Here's a link to the latest update...  http://andrewmichaeljourney.blogspot.com/2011/06/he-is-here.html




Have a blessed week!