Page 29 - The Exceptional Harley Fetterman

THE EXCEPTIONAL HARLEY FETTERMAN

As a toddler, Harley was enrolled at Tiny Feet Day Care (odd,
humorous coincidence) which was a minority owned family childcare
business. Beth and Kevin explored all the available choices and came
to the decision that Tiny Feet, although not the newest, trendiest
childcare center, clearly had a mission to provide loving family values
to the children in their care. Beth's fears about going back to work
were soon dispelled when it was clear that Harley thrived in Tiny
Feet's care. Harley loved Shay, his favorite caretaker, who adored him
mutually. Harley's delightful laughter was often heard throughout
Tiny Feet Day Care as Shay sang and danced to entertain him. To the
Fetterman's, the Tiny Feet staff felt like family and Harley enjoyed
their care until he started attending school when he stayed at Kid's
Network after classes.
Harley was always very precocious. He started crawling at just five
months of age and walking three months later at just eight months.
Each adventurous step was both a blessing and a concern to his
parents. He often ran ahead of Beth when they were shopping. He
sometimes hid in clothing racks and enjoyed giggling at the
predictable, panicked reaction from Beth. Though he unexpectedly
frightened himself once when he got too far ahead of her. In his
toddler concern, Harley soulfully called out, “Mom? Mom?”

Harley's early signs of becoming a talented jokester began when he
invented tricky games to get reactions from his parents. An early trick
was to get their attention while they were all driving together. He
would be in the back seat safely secured in his car seat. As the family
drove along, it would have been normal for him to be chattering or
giggling nonstop. It seemed to Beth and Kevin that he was practicing
all the new words and sentences he was hearing and learning to say.
Soon after the car started, Harley probably felt his usual reaction of
wanting to be right next to them in the front seat. Suddenly, it would
become noticeably quiet in the back seat as he stopped talking
completely. This situation predictably continued with Beth asking
Harley, “What were you saying, Harley?”
After no response from Harley who sat completely quiet in the
back seat, Beth continued, “Harley, are you okay?” Again, not even
the tiniest response from the back seat! About then Beth would
become worried, pull over, stop the car, and investigate what was
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