"At a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift would be curiosity" Eleanor RooselveltWith Isaac's delay due to siezures, this quote struck me to the core. At 14 months Isaac started on epilepsy medication and it was like a little switch was turned on and he began to enjoy the world around him and became curioius with life and the beautiful things around him. It was such a blessing and a relief when he started becoming curious, something, I have simply taken for granted with my other children.
Our beautiful Isaac turned 2 last month and it was the first time in all my children's little lives that I have truly appreciated "celebrating" a birthday. I remember clearly, being outside on this picnic table a year ago celebrating Isaac's first birthday. We were in the middle of many medical appointments, and hospitial visits. The doctors had a huge list of concerns and tests to do and we were waiting for results. We hadn't yet had him on medication for his siezures and as we were singing happy birthday for him, I had tears in my eyes worrying over his little future.
In one year, he has come soooooo far. And yet he has sooooooooooo far to go. Once again, after returning from a wonderful summer in California, we are in the middle of heavy medical appointments with horrible diagnosis and concerns for his future. Once again, we are waiting to try new drugs for his seizures as he is at the highest dosage of the medication he is currently on and his seizures are once agaiin out of control. In the last 2 days, they have gotten worse. All week I have been on the phone to therapists or specalists and it has been a little draining.
However, through these trials, are tender mercies. Both Dave and my family have fasted and prayed for our little man and this week we have seen such a huge amount of blessings coming our way. In ths photo, this is one of our beautiful neighbors, the Lloyds and they are very loved by us. Susan is just one of our many tender mercies. Dinners, friends commiting to do therapy with him once a week, wonderful new therapist helping him out, friends reseraching medicines and other medical information for me, flowers, kind & thoughtful words, hugs, shared tears, the list could go on and it has helped strengthen us so we can carry on and fight a good fight. The news that mum and dad are coming over for a few weeks in November was the icing on the cake for us. We are so excited and appreciative for this.
Isaac brings nothing but joy to this family and he wll always smile for you. He hates to see anyone sad, and if he see's a frown on you face, he will come and give you a big hug.
Isaac adores Susan. Whenever he see's her, he has to give her a bigggggg hug!
His siblings just adore him and what a huge blessing this has been. They help read him books and do therapy. In every prayer we all think of Isaac and it just brings our family closer together. It also takes the load off me a little. Isaac is the happiest when he is surround by his brother and sisters.
He just loves to have fun!
Isaac
Isaac has done soooooo much in this chair. He is just wonderful and happy when we are out and hiking. Gives dad a great work out too!
My beautiful boys.
He is not the best in the car on the long trips we have made. So this doesn't really tell the story very well!
My mini-mum!! Savannah is extremely sensitive and worried about Isaac. We sure appreciate all her effort!
This isn't a fantasitc picture, but it is one of my favorites, because it shows a beautiful moment with all my children in it. Isaac sat down loving looking at the flowers and the nature and the others flopped down beside him and had some wonderful moments together, whilst Dave and I had some even more incredible, non-interuptiing children moments together. Priceless!
This is a happy moment for me, because just a few months before, he didn't even understand the concept of drawing or paints etc. He has come so far!
Super loved by his siblings!
It just makes me so happy to see him playing and getting it!! Months ago, he didn't even know how to push a car on the carpet. Some of his therapy was to show him simply, how to play with toys correctly!
The children's museum in San Jose, California was fantastic for stimulationg his curiosity.
One of my favorite shots of Isaac. He really looks like his older brother in this photo.
Some of these photos are just for my documenting. Even though Isaac has huge developmental delays, once he finally got used to using utensils, he has been our best and tidiest eater. He always has to use a a spoon or fork and it keeps him amused and tidy.
This was a very fun day out with Megan, but my camera stopped working. We were on a train, which took us all around these beautiful redwood trees, in California and we had a magical time on this slow and powerful steam train. In this picture, Isaac is having a silent seizure. His eyes flutter and he just looks very sleepy. It pulls my heart strings every time I see one, and that can be 10 times in 5 minutes!!! You don't want to have to dwell on it and the seizures are a constant reminder for us.
I remember when Hyrum was this age, he constantly had a lot of anger and aggression issues. He had also had already spent half his life in time outs!!! To this day, I have not seen Isaac use this emotion at all. He has a gentle, placid, easy going nature and it just adds to his sweet nature. It's what gets me through the hard days.
