These words sum up our oldest child, Isaac quite well these days. I especially love the ribbon with puzzle pieces incorportated into it. That's our Isaac. He is AMAZING at puzzles these days. Give him any puzzle and he'll stick to it until it's complete.
We had an awakening event occur the other day, but has been a topic in our brains for quite some time now. If you've kept up on Isaac the past couple years, or know him at all, you would know there's something different about our soon-to-be 4 year old.
On April 25th, we sat down with Isaac's special needs pre-school teacher, a speech therapist, and Occupational Therapist, and finally the Autistic consultant. Isaac was evaluated by these therapists and consultantants the previous month, along with a long list of questions filled out by Brock and myself. This was the day we were hearing the results of that evaluation.
After a 2 hr. long meeting, to make a long story short, we heard what we already knew, that Isaac has Autism Spectrum Disorder. (ASD)
As far as where on the spectrum, we do not know until he is a little older. What matters now is what steps we're going to take to be proactive and to help Isaac's needs as much as possible.
The good news: Isaac is eligible to attend his special needs preschool another year, only instead of going twice a week, he will be going 5 days a week. We feel it will help Isaac greatly, and hope we're making the right move. Since we know early it will be to his benefit.
The bad news: That word. Autism. It will follow our son on his paper work, his entire educational career. That's tough to swallow. I hate that our son is stuck with a label at such an early age for the rest of his life. I hate the fact that it will affect his social life.
Will people make fun of him because he's not quite right?
Will girls like him or think he's weird when he's in high school?
Will he be that "weird kid" in class?
Will teachers be annoyed or frustrated with him?
(Just a few of many questions that are now in my head when I think about Isaac's future)
What I'm thankful for: I'm so happy Isaac has a little brother so close to him in age. I think...no I know...that fact will get Isaac through tough times. I pray Kahler and Isaac are best friends and that Isaac can get through his obstacles ahead because he has Kahler there to help him through it.
I'm thankful that Brock and I are in education. I still question whether or not my position at school as an Autistic Para is a good thing....because I see first-hand every day how having an emotional disorder can affect the social life of a highschooler, and how that label affects who that person is as an individual. It's tough. But, Brock and I know what our kid will endure when he gets to those stages in his life.
What better thing to do than to start praying about it now?
Our next move, and big questionmark is whether or not to get him medically tested aside from his educational label. IF we do a medical test, he as an individual would be waivered for any medical needs (other bad part: there is a HUGE waiting list to be on this). At this point, I have no clue what medical benefits he will need at this point. Maybe just more therapy? Medications? (I hope not). We'll do what we have to though.
Bottom line: It's our son, we love him no matter what. WE were made to be his parents for reason. THAT is what is getting Brock and I through this. I'm thankful for my friends that reminded me of that very thing the day we found out. Thank you for loving our son!
We are in for a big journey ahead.
P.S. Just the following day after Isaac's meeting, he woke up the next day with a dry diaper! I took him to the potty, he sat on it, nothing happened. A few seconds later he got up, turned around, lifted the 2 toilet seats and started pottying! As he was doing it he just looked at me and smiled:) Silly boy. It's his personality--he'll do things on his OWN agenda! I should know this by now! ha!
2nd thing: Last weekend Mr. anti-eater of anything strange actually ate 2 pieces of pepparoni pizza! Little Ceasar's pizza out of all kinds! THEN the next day he ate a cheese and supreme pizza from another pizzeria! Crazy kid. Guess he's found a fondness for pizza and realized it's good stuff!
(I'm a sucker for cutie babies in bikinis:)) I think she liked it too!
(And she liked the tags to chew on....we have a teether so we'll deal with it!)
Can't forget the backview! Love the ruffles!
And here's the back...super cute!
And last but not least,
...and I love the back!
