The Adoption Seed: Twenty-One Weeks Together

We've had a really good week! For having had our first attachment road-bump, I think we did OK. Praise the Lord! By New Years Eve, Isaac was sleeping on his own through the night again. I LOVE cuddling with my boy...but 3am is an ugly hour for this momma! As for the eating strike, that is taking a little more time, but at least we are back to only needing Super Grover with us at meals and Isaac is again asking for food during the day. Hallelujah! He is just so little, the not eating routine really made me nervous. But I am truly thankful for the Lord's grace and wisdom to see this little family through this and whatever may lay ahead.

Here are a couple of note-worthy events through the week:

We had our two week follow up with the cardiac surgeon. The doctor was SUPER impressed with how well Isaac is doing and with how wonderful his post-op echocardiogram looked. The hole in his heart is totally patched up and the ventricles of the heart, that had been enlarging with the extra work load, are already starting to shrink back to normal. Hallelujah! We'll follow up with a local pediatric cardiologist a couple times this year, then annually for the next 5 years or so just to be safe. No more trips to Seattle. No more surgery. This boy's heart is healed!

Getting his color on while waiting for our appointment

A not so flattering photo during his echocardiogram
(He was focused on watching Elmo that I was balancing below the camera)

Isaac's Endocrinologist called to say that his hormone levels that had been initially elevated are now totally normal and no medication will be needed. Yippee!! Hormone problems are super common with Down syndrome, so that we aren't on ANY medications for ANYTHING is kind of a big deal. (He also said there were some wild inconsistencies on Isaac's blood count that indicated that he either had several different types of cancer, a rare middle-eastern form of anemia, or needed an immediate blood transfusion. Um...excuse me? Thankfully, he thought it was as crazy as I did and a quick recheck confirmed that Isaac has no middle-eastern cancers, nor does he need an emergent transfusion. We took TWO stickers from the lab as compensation for emotional trauma of it all. Oh-yeah-we-did! )

Two more teeth! He has averaged a new tooth every 3 weeks since he's been home. Good gravy. For those that have had front row seats to a local performance of The Lean Mean Asian Biting Machine...sorry, he's up to 10 teeth now.

The cutest thing...both Isaac & Gramma have had a cold, and Isaac has learned to mimic Gramma and fake cough into his elbow! It's a sad commentary on how bad Gramma's cough has been, but absolutely hilarious to hear "cough-hack-wheeze" coming from the adult in the room and this tiny little "caha-caha" muffled into the back of Isaac's forearm. He's a smarty-pants that one!

I think I can proudly announce that Isaac is officially saying BYE-BYE! It's his first word!! We've been practicing our B sounds for quite some time and Isaac has gotten to be an expert at making the B sound, but hadn't actually formed a word with it. Through the day, in the car, in the grocery store, wherever, I'll bust out with "Ba-ba-ba-BOOK! Ba-ba-ba-BALL! Ba-ba-ba-BYE-BYE!" (I'm sure the people in the cereal aisle enjoyed the free entertainment). Isaac would "ba-ba-ba" with me, but then sign 'book', 'ball' or 'bye-bye'. Points for effort, but not quite what we are looking for. Then last Sunday evening we were saying bye-bye to the bath water and Isaac initiated "bye-bye" with his hands AND words!! It was appropriate, initiated, and repetitive. I was THRILLED, but I didn't want to scare him so I held him at my shoulder so he could say bye-bye...and so I could cry. His little world is opening up. The frustration of head-banging, all the work of therapy, and most importantly the prayer for the Lord to move is ALL for something...so we can say bye-bye to the nasty bath water. Amazing! I'm so excited to hear what Isaac has to say as his words develop!!!

I suppose the biggest event is that I am officially back to work full-time (4 days per week). I have been so unbelievably blessed to have FIVE MONTHS together with Isaac. While the balance of part-time work since October has been a bit overwhelming at times, I know I am in a elite group of working moms that have had extensive time with their new child. I am so very thankful to the management over me at my job--they didn't have to be flexible, and they were...and continue to be. And of my Heavenly Father; this has been another reminder that He is our Provider in EVERY way. When I couldn't in my natural mind figure out how on this green earth I was going to get ANY time off OR have an (much needed full) income during that time away...in hindsight, I'm embarrassed that I wasted any time even considering the issue. God miraculously provided every minute and every cent we needed together...more than I could have asked for or imagined on my own. "He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes!" Deuteronomy 10:21