This was the first time I met our son Michael. He wasn't quite 2 yet.........
If you want to hear how Michael came to us- scroll down and find Our Son's Story (top read blog post).
His is not an easy story......
THANK THE LORD HE HAS BEEN LOVED BY SO MANY!!! Which is why I wanted to do this extremely LOOONNNNGGG post :).
This sweet sweet boy....... at 18 months of age couldn't really hold a bottle very well
Couldn't eat stage 2 baby food
Couldn't sit up - well except a very curved back and barely.....still needed support
Couldn't drink from anything except a baby bottle.
Couldn't keep eye contact for more than a few seconds.
Had a severe mouth aversion not wanting anything in his mouth at all!
He had just started crawling right before coming to our home.
Today isn't about what Michael couldn't do, but rather a CELEBRATION ABOUT WHAT HE CAN DO NOW and show you all the MIRACLE OF MICHAEL!!!!
Oh and man that laugh gets me :). The most blessed sound on the planet!
If I showed you every pose I have of Michael being loved by a sibling- there would be 100's of pictures! I will be honest in saying that I thought even though we talked with our children about bringing home a child with special needs that after a while they wouldn't interact with Michael as much.
Not that anyone can not want to squeeze this little guy!!! :)
But.....you know he doesn't interact like their other siblings. So my fear was they would eventually stop interacting with him. OH LIES OF SATAN! This couldn't be further from the TRUTH!!! BECAUSE GOD!!!!!! GOD had this all along.
Oh and another fear......we "twinned" our daughter with Michael and our thoughts were a little worried about how she would interact.
AGAIN- another lie from Satan!!!!
Joanna LOVES MICHAEL!!!! I MEAN A REAL LOVE!!!!
She of course knows he has different skill ability.....
But ME OH MY that hasn't stopped her from LOVING MICHAEL WITH A TWIN LOVE!!! In fact if you tell her they aren't twins- BEWARE the wrath of Joanna....just sayin' you have been warned!!
This sweet baby boy who couldn't hold himself up without help......started to gain strength.
Lots of work was involved. Lots of sitting in saucers- even when they became small we would "rig them" so he could still sit comfortably.
We have had physical therapy twice a week 1/2 each to help give him stretches, growing his muscle strength, and help us help him to continue his physical strength!
This was last year- and he is confident sitting in that chair!
Yep- last year he was still doing the "W" sit, but he is sitting up straight!
He used to cling to the changing table like he was going to die. HA! A year later- he is sitting like a pro!!!!!
There was a distinct day I remember him sitting in my lap and all of a sudden I noticed.
Noticed that he didn't need my arm for support!!!! I screamed, cried, told everyone I knew probably posted about it on FB!!!!!
This little man has fought so hard for everything that seems so basic to many!!!
Getting that visual contact longer and longer - now he can keep ongoing contact for 10-15 minutes!!!!!!! Not all the time, but he CAN!!!
Oh and crawling- well that got boring after a while you know! So although he could stand several months ago on his own. As we were moving he started cruising on a regular basis!!!!
In fact (couldn't find the pic) but while I was away at Created For Care- he crawled up on the couch and onto our side table!!!!!!!!! (Yes Jason was watching- because I about had a heart attack when he sent me the pic by text!!) WOW!!!!!!!!
There are moments during therapy that I cry. Not every time, but hey I am a blubbering mess because do you see my boy in this pic??? HE IS STANDING!!!!! With little assistance!!!!!!!!!
Oh this is a new cute trick alright. This is where he just helps himself to whatever is on the table- WATCH OUT people he gets into so much more now!!! YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He and Joanna make the cutest set of twins ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HE LOVES rides at the theme park- which is good because we go- often ;)
He loves his siblings! He reaches for them, talks (well babbles) at them, and laughs at them!!!
His favorite treat- ice cream!!! My kind of boy - likes theme parks and ice cream!!!!
Michael used to HATE bath time....I mean HATE! We got him the sling chair (shown earlier in this barrage of pictures) and slowly but surely he has begun to LOVE WATER!!!!!
Then before we moved for the sake of this handsome man from our home with stairs all over he decided to show us he should just climb the stairs!!!
Oh my!!!!! Notice that nice straight back??
He no longer will choke or gag on stage 2, has gone through stage 3, and we are now using the baby bullet more and more to give him our own stage 4ish that is real foods we eat all the time. A lot more variety of tastes and a lot more fun!
He sooooo is a crazy goof and allowed us to have some fun.
See what I mean about loving the water??
He still loves to swing!!! Except now he can sit in a big kid swing and loves to go much higher (when my mommy heart can let him) ;).
This is a drawing he did the other day at therapy- he has been doing for over a year now Occupational therapy for 1/2 hour weekly.
He also does speech 1/2 twice a week, and 1/2 hour feeding therapy once a week. Altogether that is 1 1/2 hours twice a week!!! HE ROCKS IT MOST DAYS SOOO WELL!!!!!!!!
This crazy kiddo who allows us to have fun right along with him. Who fits into our crazy family so well.
Did I mention he LOVES THE BEACH???? Oh and his first adoptive mommy sent him a HUGE water/sand table Ummm....HE IS GOING TO GO CRAZY FOR THAT!!!!!! Can't wait to show you pics of that SOON!!!
He loves his mommy. As in he is a mommy's boy :) and I am totally ok with that!!!!!
He is a fighter! Not only has he overcome so many obstacles of what the MRI said when we first brought him home, but last summer he became extremely sick. We were in the hospital for a week and he was not doing well...... :( we were very scared, but....
HE IS A FIGHTER! And this was taken right before we left!!!! GO MICHAEL!!!
My handsome man!!!!
Opening some of his presents today!
Let's see my little miracle man loves: ice cream, theme park rides, water, the beach, sand, music, drumming, laughter, tickles, - pretty much he is just like me!!! :)
HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY!!!!! To our miracle that has come so very far!
He loves drumming!!!
Learning how to make choices- thinking skills!!
Pushing up his glasses.... (which may not sound huge, but he is deciding that it was uncomfortable and needed to do it- thinking skills!!)
Lifting his legs as he crawls!!!
Standing on his knees on the trampoline! WORK THOSE ABS MICHAEL!!!
Daaaaddd......he he he he....what can I say- sorry baby this is also part of being in our crazy family ;).
Michael crawling in between the coffee table.
Proof he is a mommy's boy!!!
We were singing Happy Birthday- and HE SINGS BACK TO US!!!!!!!!!!!! BE STILL MY HEART!!!!
Working on feeding himself :)
Watch his impressive wheel chair moves!!! This was literally the day he got it!! WOW!!!
Enticing him to get his bottle- problem solving!
Mad SKILLZ!!!!
Awwwww..........LOVE YOU!!!!
Loves his big brother, loves the water- perfect combo!
That is my extremely looonnnggg post on our MIRACLE MICHAEL!!! How far he has come!!! How much he has grown!!! WE LOVE YOU MICHAEL- HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So glad God made you :)
