My perfect little man...

Well...Gage turned two in July. In some ways I cannot believe he is already two, and in other ways, I do not remember life before him. He was diagnosed with Childhood Apraxia of Speech in April, and we began speech therapy immediately and intensely...two 45 minute sessions weekly is about max treatment for his age/attention span. He has learned some sign language and that has lessened his frustration in being unable to communicate verbally. He says "Mama" constantly, but other than that, he uses only signs to communicate...and he screams at us A LOT. " It has been extremely frustrating and exhausting.

We were encouraged to put him in preschool by his speech therapist, trusting and hoping that the socialization with other children would be beneficial. I took him on Tuesday for his first day. He was excited about the "different" toys and other kids, and was happily playing when I sneaked out. However, they called me an hour later saying that he had been upset since he realized I was gone (5 seconds after I left), and they couldn't calm him down. I went there immediately and took him home. After school, I spoke with the director of the school and Gage's teacher and asked if I could stay with him at school for the first couple of weeks to see if I could get him comfortable. They agreed that may be the best approach, so today was MY first day of preschool (literally since I did not go as a child). He was a little clingy, but he interacted and played some with the children. I am still hopeful that this approach will work, although I am planning to attend preschool quite regularly at this point. They seemed to appreciate and need my help in there anyway!

I have so often heard people, who are "expecting," say "We just want a healthy baby...boy or girl...we don't care," and I said the same thing when I was pregnant. And after a terrifying pregnancy, scary delivery, several days in the NICU, and finally bringing our precious little 4lb 3oz Gage home, I felt like we had been given just that...a healthy baby. Two years later, after the frustration endured from having a child unable to communicate well, several months of speech therapy, an unsuccessful attempt at preschool, I still believe we have been given just that...a healthy baby. While I am exhausted and frustrated daily with this challenge, I am thankful that he can understand me and know that I love him, and I am thankful that he can laugh and run and dance... Each of us truly has so much for which to be thankful. Please never take for granted hearing your little one say "I love you." I eagerly...yet patiently await that day and know without a doubt that I will never forget that moment in time...

Catching up...again...

Time seems to be minimal these days, so blogging has taken a "back seat." Gage had pneumonia about a month ago, and that consumed a lot of time with almost hourly breathing treatments at times. He still isn't talking (at least not in English:), so we are meeting with specialists, and trying to address that appropriately, keeping in mind that he isn't delayed in any other areas, so it is likely just that he has a speech delay for whatever reason. At the moment, he is well and learning more each day. He loves to sort shapes, play with puzzles, buckle and unbuckle (anything and everything he can). He would let me read and sing to him all day, and for that I am SO grateful! Reading and singing to him are the highlights in my day. He would stay outside all day long, whether it was 3o degrees or 110 degrees. He just LOVES anything outside. He often stands at the door and cries because he wants to "go!"He is especially fascinated with vehicles and would play in the driver's seat, turning the wheel and fidgeting with buttons...forever if we let him. He loves his baby cousin, Hayes and of course Gracie-those are two of his favorite little people for sure. He is a "Mama's boy" THROUGH AND THROUGH, and while that exhausts me and irritates me occasionally, I KNOW that it will not last forever, so I am trying to enjoy it while it lasts.

Josh and Gage at Gracie's Grammy's house

We visited the aquarium while we were at the beach two weekends ago and yesterday, we went to the Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh, so we have been busy "exploring."

Gracie loved the tiny jellyfish!

Trying to touch a stingray

Gage admiring her bravery...

Big field trip with Mom, Aunt Tree, and cousins

Checking out the rain forest beneath us on a lower floor

Watching the butterflies, while Mommy "dodged" them.

Cade and Gage checking out the dinosaurs

Sweet face...checking out the bugs...yuck.


Laura Grace is growing up so quickly. She loves preschool, and is learning so much each day. I wish I could learn so easily! She recently started soccer and already loves it, though we are still working on the "no hands" issue... She never much cared for dance or gymnastics, so I am thinking she will surely be a "tomboy" through and through. She has been traveling a lot! Already this year, she has been on a trip to Disney World in Florida, to Mexico, to Utah on a ski trip, which she LOVED, and to the Cayman Islands, where she swam with dolphins. I love that she is experiencing so much at such a young age. She is full of life and a true to joy to everyone she meets.

Sharing her water with "Gagie"at her first soccer game

Best buds, climbing at Grammy's house

Holiday Happenings

I cannot believe my little man is already eighteen months old. He is growing so fast and learning so much. He is our daily source of laughter.

December seems to have been swallowed whole (at least in my blogging world), but the month (as December always is) was full of cookie baking, party planning, present shopping, Christmas card making, gift wrapping, etc...

We had a WONDERFUL Christmas surrounded by family and friends. We flew home to Michigan on Christmas Eve successfully making all of our flights and although we had to...well, actually my dad and Josh had to drive back to the airport Christmas Day to retrieve our luggage, we were thankful that the weather cooperated with us and we got there safely! We thoroughly enjoyed getting all of the cousins together (we have FIVE little ones in total now, since adding Ava to the crew this past July-FUN)! I ALWAYS enjoy so much spending time with my nieces and nephews, and this trip was no exception!! I also love to visit with my Grandma, who is ninety-two and so full of life. And of course my parents soaked up every second with Gage they could! My dad even bought him a sled and built him a snowman.

Our time in Michigan was of course too short, and our flight home was of course TOO long:) Because our first flight was delayed, I had to run (literally) with Gage to our next gate and BEG them to wait for Josh (who was waiting for our stroller). This was the last flight of the day to our destination, and we did NOT want to spend the night in Atlanta.

We BARELY made it, so...our luggage did not make it. Josh had put the keys to our vehicle in his carry on, which he decided to "check" at the last minute, so we were an hour away from home at 10pm without keys. After renting a car, calling On Star to unlock our vehicle so we could get Gage's car seat, waiting for someone to come, and driving home, we arrived home at 1:30am--only then to turn around later that same day and head to the beach for a New Years Eve party.

Needless to say, by the time we got home from the beach on January 2nd, we were EXHAUSTED! Unfortunately, we came home to find that our house had been broken into while we were at the beach and someone had taken our television, video camera, laptop, gun, and a few other items. We did NOT have insurance. We do now.

Three days later, we found ourselves in the emergency room--Gage has bronchitis.

I am sharing all of this for two reasons. First of all, for your entertainment and perhaps mine someday too...looking back. And secondly, because I find myself coming out of this unfortunate week with optimism, and that could be only from God.

I am so grateful that some of the expensive gifts we received for Christmas were not sitting around for the "crook" to take, because our luggage was lost and had not been retrieved yet. I am thankful that we caught Gage's bronchitis before it turned to pneumonia and I CHERISH the precious quiet moments I am "forced" to have with him during his many nebulizer treatments (all for which he is ANGELIC)! I am so blessed that our new desktop computer, which contains ALL of my thousands of irreplaceable pictures and sits two feet away from the window through which the person entered is completely in tact.

God is so good to us, and we are so undeservedly blessed.

I hope you have all had a wonderful Christ-filled holiday season. I look forward to catching up with everyone as soon as I have the time to do so.

Pictures will follow...

Santa Visit

Last year, we visited Santa at LaPetite Boutique in Kinston. He is a GREAT Santa-very realistic, velvet suit, genuine beard, and as sweet as pie! We made sure we got there again this year. We spent $45 for 1- 8x10, 4- 5x7's and 8 wallets, but it sure beat standing in those lines at the mall and visiting the questionable "Santa" there! Plus, I love that we have his picture with the same Santa both years! Anyway, the picture wasn't amazing by any means. They take three or four and then use THEIR judgement in picking one. Since I know he was smiling in one, and looking at Santa in the other, this would NOT have been my choice, but oh well... At least he isnt crying... (though I remember a HYSTERICAL picture of my niece, Chae with Santa from several years ago, screaming bloody murder-that could have won a contest!)

Harvest Fest/ Halloween 2008

We had a great Halloween this year, starting with Harvest Fest at Greenville Christian on Thursday night which was followed by trick or treating on Friday night with Gage's cousins (fellow super-heros), and chili and cider at Shane and Theresa's afterwards! We had such a great time, and the weather was perfect!


Raggedy Ann and Superman ready for Harvest Fest!


Loving the "jumpers!"


Cousins ALWAYS more into eachother than the camera!


Spiderman and Superman...

Gage enjoyed throwing the candy out of his bucket, and Cade thought he was HYSTERICAL! (Xander was following behind, collecting the candy into his bucket:) I am VERY disappointed I did not get a good picture of all of the cousins together! Xander was batman, Cade and Hayes were both spiderman, and Gage was Superman! They were ADORABLE!

First Hair Cut--Mommy in mourning...

This was very hard for me for some reason! There was something about those precious curls I just LOVED... However, he was starting to be mistaken for a girl, and his daddy wasn't okay with that. This new "do" has also made him look SO much older, and I am NOT ready to lose my baby to a toddler...

Before

After

Isn't she precious?!?!