April's Yo Gabba Gabba Story
Editor's Note: Since the launching Gabbafriends, we have received a handful of inspirational stories from parents writing in about how Yo Gabba Gabba has actually eased the burdens faced as parents regarding their children. We found them especially moving not only because those of us who run Gabbafriends.com are parents ourselves, but because these are the stories we often don't get to hear amidst the noise of all the various blogs and formal reviews of Yo Gabba Gabba on the Internet.
This sparked the idea to feature your stories for our Gabbafriends contest asking to publish your stories. We asked why your children deserve to receive Yo Gabba Gabba merchandise, even though we know all children deserve Yo Gabba Gabba toys.
The following story is just one example...
Destiny's Supermom, April, shared with us how Yo Gabba Gabba has touched their family and affected their lives.
April writes:
My child deserves Yo Gabba Gabba toys for many reasons......
My daughter Destiny has over come many things in her life time and has many things to over come..
Destiny is 21 months and is disabled, she has sensory integration and may be autistic due to her severe reflux that she had as an infant. Destiny has had 2 surgeries 1 for reflux and 1 to put tubes in her ears. Her dad and I figured things would get better after that, well guess what things just seemed to get worse over time.. She does not like to feed so we have had to start tube feeding her via her stomach.. Her reflux symptoms have come back so she still is on 5 different medications for that and 3 medications for her lungs so she can not aspirate into her lungs.. Dad and I figured she would start talking after her tubes were put in well that did not happen either... Destiny has many sensory issues she has no mid-range so she is either happy or upset more upset than happy though, she hates her hands and feet to be touched or dirty. She does not like the feeling of certain plain textures. Everything she likes has to be to an extreme... Destiny is different and she loves everything that is different. Then one day a few months ago she was watching TV and I saw a glow in her eye... It was Yo Gabba Gabba I played the same episode over and over she was amused to what she saw, we saw a Destiny that we had never seen before.. She loves Foofa and she tries so hard to say it, she has learned to imitate and do what they are doing. We DVR the show and we play them over and over again all day for her now. She understands wiggle and move and to stop... She has learned so much over the last month and I thank Yo Gabba Gabba. We bought her the wiggle ball Foofa and she just loves it. I cant find much stuff it has become very popular all of sudden. I found some pajamas and she wont take them off she wants to wear Foofa everyday....We have found some other items but they are too expensive after paying for all her therapies and medications every month we can not afford much I am not able to work any more just my husband is working and we have other children as well.
Destiny deserves Yo Gabba Gabba toys due to she has earned them, she has been through so much in 21 months and there is still so much for her to go through..... My heart just melts when she sees them.... I wish I could give her all of them, I wish there was a place that she can go and see them and be with them she has earned it and so much more.... She has overcome some obstacles and has many more to overcome but for her to try and say Fooofa and do what they do is a lot for her. She does not talk or play with others and has no social skills. She is 21 months and is behind mentally almost 9 months....
I believe in my heart she deserves them.
