Looking back 3 years ago, Michael was barley sitting up on his own he was still very wobbly, no sounds other than crying and no real acknowledgement to his surroundings. Four words come to mind, Sadness, Fear, Resentment, and Anger.
That was a difficult time for us. We were so fearful and full of sadness that we did not know what was to become of our little boy. Will he ever be able to play, to pretend, or laugh?? The feelings anger and resentment because one of our family members had a baby not to long after Michael was born and he was enjoying all the things a 1 year old would normally enjoy.
All of that is now becoming a distant memory.
Fast forward to present time, Michael now age 4 and doing the things he should be doing. Who are we to say “He should be doing this” or “He should be doing that.” Michael is Michael. Michael is growing, learning, and playing in his own way {Michael’s way}
Oh how we love it!
Yesterday as I was picking up toys at the end of the night I realized just how lucky we are. All the time I hear other mom’s say “They grow up so fast” as I hear them say this I can think to myself how lucky we are that we get to have Michael as our little baby boy just a bit longer than the rest. We get to take our time and grow with him at his pace and enjoy every tiny detail.
In the last 6 months Michael has really started to do a lot of different things. He is talking so much more and starting to put words together to make two word statements. I love this! I love hearing my name “Momma”, I love that when I drop him off at school he doesn’t want me to leave calling out to me “Momma”. I love that at the end of the night he tells me “Momma Pillow” to indicate he wants me to lay down with him.
I love all of these things!
We are now taking trips, little adventures….
We have been able to see our little boy express his imagination. He goes around the house with his airplane saying “fly” he wants to go on a trip. He takes us along in his play. We get to be his co pilots and what an honor this is. We can pretend we are going into outer space, and if you ask him if he wants to be a space man he gets very excited and loudly says “YES” and that he needs a “mask”.
We also take trips in his tent. Never did I think 3 years ago that someday we would be crawling under the dining room table. The table with a blanket draped over it, a string of flip flop sandal novelty lights hung up underneath and pillows and blankets inside to create the perfect get away.
His tent, a place where he likes Mommy and Daddy to come and lay with him, a place where he can sit and look through his picture book pointing at objects and trying to say what they are {successfully a lot of the time}
We take trips to the park {the living room park} where Michael will lay out a placemat with his empty cup and plate, where he puts a pillow on the floor calling out “Momma pillow” for me to come sit on the pillow at his picnic. A place where the cup and plate are not really empty at all in our world as he lifts the cup to my mouth and says “mom juice” so I can have a drink, then the plate so I can pick up the invisible sandwich to eat it.
I love our new places, I love that we can go anywhere and we can go together now.
I look forward to many new adventures in far away lands.
Thank you for taking us on this journey with you Son.
