Isaiah's 3 month update.

Today it has been 3 full months since Isaiah was carried through our door and in 2 days it will be one year since we officially committed to him on Reece's Rainbow.

The biggest change since Isaiah has been home has been less time alone for me but I'm totally fine with that as being a mom is my ministry and it continues to make me "die to self" more and more which helps keep me "grounded" from conforming to the world. "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect." Romans 12:2

Isaish is starting to become a little explorer...not so much on his own yet but with his "partner in crime". His favorite person in this house would have to be Joey. They can make each other giggle and giggle and Isaiah loves following him around.

It has been 3 weeks since he got his glasses and what a difference they've made. It was so neat to see him look around when he first got them. I'm sure he felt like he was in a whole new world. His eyes must have been pretty bad as he hardly ever takes them off. He has been braver with trying to walk behind his "walking wagon". Still has a long way to go before walking but every little bit helps. He's been doing good with finger foods and even some baby steps with chewing. I got braver to try different chunkier foods which are nearly impossible to swallow as soon as they enter his mouth. He will choke/gag now and then but I think we need to go through this stage to get to being a good chewer. He still cries/screams after most meals. This habit can take a hike anytime now...3 months is long enough but I have a feeling it isn't going anywhere anytime soon :( He is not a picky eater which is a blessing. I sit between Joey and Isaiah and I have to fight to get Joey to take bites and then turn to Isaiah and fight to make him slow down (well, I'm feeding him but trying to limit his bites to slow him down...he still prefers FAST feeding).

His teeth grinding is a day to day thing...some days I hardly hear him grinding but then the next he grinds all...day...long. The chewing finger/hands habit has gotten much better and he has even cut down on his need for his nuky. Bedtime and naptime are a must though and he will suck his thumb then too. I can handle that. He is a very noisy sleeper as his suck is so loud but he is a good sleeper.

Isaiah is getting more and more into toys but has a long way to go here too. But from how he started out to not even knowing how to hold a toy he has come a LONG way. He loves music and will go pull to stand up by the TV.

He loves people and loves to be held and cuddled. We had a BIG milestone about a week ago...he learned to clap on his own. We worked hard on this and it finally paid off. He is so proud of himself. He knows "So Big" too but won't lift his arms alone but if he is holding our hands he will lift ours up. He is understanding some English obviously like clap, so big, Isaiah, no no, stop...I'm sure he knows way more. Some days he babbles and babbles and then the next not so much. His consonant sounds are beeeeutiiiiiful!!!! I say this because I haven't heard them from Joey since he was one. :( :(

Still trying to figure out his constipation issues. I just can't get a system down to get him going daily but I will not give up. I started putting him on the potty chair as his peditrician thinks he is withholding. Much to my surprise he goes pee almost everytime and even has pooped about 5 times. I really think he was put on a potty chair in the orphanage as he acts like he's been on one before. His stool culture came back really good...NO parasites or anything icky!!! His bad breath has gotten much better too...most days I don't notice anything unless after sleeping or not eating for a while. I read how constipation can cause bad breath and since I brought in the "big dogs" (Joey's old way of enemas) to help break up some major backups things really improved!!!!!

He had his big hearing test last week which turned out good. The health of his ears was awesome. WhooHoo!!! Two kiddos with Down syndrome who both have great ears (at this point) is a huge blessing. Everything tends to be smaller in kids with Ds and many are prone to ear infections and needing tubes. Joey had 1 or 2 infections in his over 5 years of life...not bad.

I painted this shirt when Josh was a baby (19 years ago) and all the boys wore it. It says "My name is not NO NO".
He was just going to clap. By the way, he is standing up against the fridge and balancing really well. It was the first time I did this and will do it more often to help strengthen his legs. This week he has a PT consultation on possibly getting ankle braces or shoe inserts for his weak ankles.
A roll of garbage bags they found in the bathroom.
Isaiah's "partner in crime".

Somedays it is hard to believe that it has been 2 years since I first saw this little boy dressed in pink and now he is crawling around OUR house.

My Thanksgiving baby turned 9 today...

...and what an entry into the world he made. One morning, 3 weeks before my due date, after the 2 oldest kids left for school on the bus I thought my water broke but it turned out I was bleeding...and not just a little. It was enough to warrant a call to 911 which sent out the Napoleon Ambulance. They took me to a nearby small town hospital. I was then transferred from that hospital via their ambulance to a bigger town hospital but getting farther and farther away from the hospital I needed to be at. After bleeding was slowed down I was finally transferred one last time to the hospital of choice and Noah was born the next morning. After he was born I needed an emergency surgery to stop the bleeding which normally should stop on its own after birth. I will never forget the look on my doctors face when he told me he would be right back after he went to talk to someone (he consulted with another doctor on what to do). He came back and I was taken into surgery within minutes. I was THE happiest mom on earth when I woke up ALIVE and heard Noah was alive and doing well also. I never got to hold Noah right after he was born as he swallowed blood and needed extra care and attention. This was the day my adoption dream started as I was NOT going to go through THAT life threatening experince again.

God had other plans and sent us Joey a few years later....which then led to Isaiah (that whole story is in the beginning of my blog posts). I love putting God's puzzle pieces together...connecting the dots.

Back to Noah...he was a very naughty baby. We always said he came into the world causing trouble and it just kept continuing. We joked that maybe we should have him rebaptized as maybe the first time something went wrong. I would hardly ever let anyone babysit him as I felt so sorry for the babysitters. I thought only a mother should have to endure what he had to offer back then. MANY times the ONLY thing that worked was to put him in his baby seat in front of a TV with a static station turned up really loud. I love the teeny tiny baby stage but I wished that away many times.

Fortunately things changed as time went on. I've been on so many "adventures" with Noah as his love of life and having fun and his never ending imagination takes us many places. Being the 4th boy born to our family he is the first to like action figures...it started out with dinosaurs...then to Spiderman and super heros...then just any ol' "guy". Those are still his choice of toy to this day.

He also loves sports. His first career of choice was going to be either a pro football player or basketball player or boxer, etc. That changed into being a priest. He talked about that for a couple years. He would make a good one who could talk off the cuff no problem. When asked a question he never has to think about an answer. He loves talking. I was his kindergarten CCD teacher and before I was done even asking a question his hand was high in the air. Since Isaiah came home Noah changed his mind and decided he NEEDS to have kids and really wants to be a dad. He knew priests do not get married so he thought he could just adopt kids then but when he found out that would not be possible he decided he couldn't be a priest. He recently told me that his family is going to live in Napoleon because he just can NOT live far away from his brothers Joey and Isaiah. And that his family is going to come to my house every Sunday for dinner because he wants his kids to be with their Grandma. He also asked if I could give him a key to my house like my mom gave me one. His mind never shuts off.

Noah has a huge heart and love for kids. For as much as he has to help me with his 2little brothers he doesn't complain a whole lot. And what amazes me the most is that nearly everyday he asks me to "get" another baby.

Just a few pictures throughout the years.

SAVING VIKA

Who is Vika?? She is an adorable little girl who was recently transferred out of a baby house into an institution. She is only 4 years old. She does not have Down syndrome but cerebral palsy which appears to only affect her lower legs. While we were visiting Isaiah in the orphanage we were always on the lookout for other kiddos who were listed on Reece's Rainbow. I was SO excited to see her being pushed in a stroller outside one day. I was SO nervous to go "talk" to the nanny as we were suppose to basically "mind our own business" but Darrell gave me the push to go...so we did. The nannies were very nice and allowed me to take some pictures. Vika, however, would not offer a smile as she was too busy sucking on a piece of a leaf. She has the most gorgeous eyes. She had casts on both legs due to a surgery which was offered free of charge by an organization from Switzerland.

If Vika is not adopted soon she will remain in this institution for the rest of her short life and most likely not be offered anymore medical care. Please consider helping her so this does not happen. The number one thing that prevents a family from following through with a calling to adopt is money. A few families who've adopted from this orphanage or will soon be are joining forces to try to raise her a full grant. This has happened a few times in the past where a full grant is raised in only a few short weeks and within a few days of that happening a family commits to adopt that child. It is a beautiful, wonderful thing that God is DEFINATELY involved in. We, alone, can not raise a full grant ($25,000) but God has a way of softening hearts and opening eyes to help the least of these. If after reading this you feel called to help in a small way (but HUGE to this child) click HERE and you will be taken to Vika's own blog. That is where you will find a chip-in to donate to help save Vika. It is a very easy process with just a few clicks of the mouse.

If after reading this you do NOT feel called to help save Vika but would like a chance to win a $800 gift card from Best Buy click HERE It will take you to the same blog and same chip in. The same few clicks of the mouse and then comment in the comment section your name and number of chances. This is a great giveaway just in time for some Christmas shopping. $5 for one chance or $25 for 6 chances. Can't beat a deal like that especially if you happen to be the lucky recipient of that great gift card.

No gift is too great or too small. All donations are tax deductible as they will automatically go to Reece's Rainbow and will be given to the family who steps up to commit to Vika.

THEN if you would so happen to feel called to link this blog or Vika's blog to your Facebook or email to family/friends that would be another AMAZING gift you would be giving. Please help spread the word. The families joining forces only know so many people but those people know people and so on.

Here is a picture we got when we saw her in July, 2010.

Your act of kindness will not go unnoticed.

Please consider donating so Vika can be the little girl running to her new parents like in this video and NOT the little girl at the end of the video.

Hope is Fading – Orphan Sunday from Allan Rosenow on Vimeo.