God doesn't give children with special needs to strong people; He gives children with special needs to ordinary, weak people and then gives them strength. Raising a child with special needs doesn't take a special family, it makes a special family.

Monday, December 20, 2010


I apologize for the lack of updates lately...it's partly because we've been busy, and partly because I have yet to figure out the new camera we got a few months ago!! Christmas is quickly approaching and I feel safe in saying we are ready! This is the first year Brenden has really been excited about Christmas and Santa....it's definitely true that holidays become more magical when you have children! He asks every morning if Santa was here so we've been counting down the days. Madelynn loves the decorations and lights...but much to our surprise hasn't attempted to touch any of it! We were a bit worried about the tree getting torn down, but neither kid has touched it....looked, and pointed, but no touching! Shopping has been finished for months, wrapping is finally complete, and Santa has almost finished assembling the kids big gifts....we are just waiting on replacements for a few broken parts to arrive for Brenden's gift.
Medically, Brenden has had a very slow month....thank goodness! We had a few appointments the first of the month, and both proved to be uneventful, which we like! He does see urology in January and then has an MRI and visit with neurosurgery in March, so we are a bit anxious about those. He also will be starting preschool in about 2.5 months....a very bittersweet transition for all of us. He goes in a few weeks for his evaluation so we will get to meet his teacher for the first time....just pray that goes well! He already knows where his school is and makes us pull in the parking lot every time we drive by. He gets very excited about going to school and playing with other kids so hopefully he transitions well.....I on the other hand, will not transition so well!!
(Patiently waiting while cookies were baking!)

Brenden has improved greatly just over the last few months. He finally has the strength (and desire) to crawl up on his hands and knees instead of an army crawl. He also out of the blue started pulling up to stand (at the couch, chair, etc) all by himself. We were on the floor playing one day and I told him if he went over to the couch and stood up, we would take him to Dairy Queen....that's all it took and up he went!!! He's gotten much better with his walker, we just have to work on endurance. He's still a bit slow, but much of that is because he's so interested in his surroundings that he "stops to smell the roses." When I think back to where he was this time last year, I can't help but thank God for just how far he has brought him. Even with brain and spinal surgery amidst it all.....he is doing amazing.

(Brenden's reindeer food to throw in the yard on Christmas Eve!)

Madelynn is officially a walker! She took off right after her birthday and hasn't slowed down! She is talking up a storm, most of which we can't understand, but she has about 8 words. She and Brenden still have a very loving relationship, I can only pray it stays that way. He looks out for her all the time and she definitely adores her big brother!! She has been such great motivation for Brenden to be up and moving around.

1 comment:

KeicherMom said...

I kept seeing that Elf on the Shelf but didn't know anything about it - seems like a cute tradition, I'll have to pick it up next year! Looks like the kids had a great Christmas :)