{The big 4 is coming!}

Our Sweetest Michael,
Next month you will be 4 years old. I can’t believe how time has passed so quickly.
You are such a big boy. You are almost 4 feet tall already and 62 lbs, I’m convinced you are secretly planning on being a linebacker preferably with a helmet but with as much as you like to bang your head it may not be necessary.
This year I need to give you some credit son, I will say I get so wrapped up into what your not doing that I loose focus allot of the time on what you ARE doing. This year you have learned to sign mommy and daddy. With in the last 3 weeks you can say toe, nose, eyes, ear, up, starting to say sis, and MOM {my personal favorite}.
You are showing signs of being quite the artist, you love to color, and even though we have discovered that you are a “lefty” {big sigh} it’s all good. I love it that you bring home your great works of art from school that YOU did all by yourself. They are perfectly imperfect.
You have made a bunch of new friends who love you so very much. You are starting to show some interest in crawling rather than scooting.
Son, you are so amazing, you prove to us all each day that no one not even the doctors can predict how you’re going to progress. Your little brain is a mystery and you show us all the time that it is truly capable of compensating for the parts that didn’t develop.
This year you have had many challenges with being so angry, we have been working with the doctors to find the right medications to help ease your behaviors but not stop the progress being made. Mommy fights for you all the time. I will not stop pushing for what I know it right for you. Your doctors, therapists, and teachers met their match with me son.
I am thankful we have had another seizure free year! Each day that passes I am thankful that we have not had to endure that part of the disability you have been dealt.
You went with mommy to protest and stand up for your rights at the state capital in July and we had a small but significant victory. We will be out there again in February son, we will fight TOGETHER! You will grow up to voice your opinion; you will grow to know that you are valuable; you will grow to know YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO. Just like mommy has to fight to not fall down and feel sorry for the situation we have been dealt and when I do succumb to it to get back up again. You will learn to do the same.
This world is not a kind place, and it is our job to make sure you are ready. I will always be there to love you, hug you, kiss you {even when you don’t want me to}; just as well I will always be there to push you.
I can’t wait to see what year 4-5 brings us. I have a sneaky suspicion it is going to be a big year for you.
We love you our little Michael and are so very proud of you.