...and he won't stop...

This boy...

He doesn't stop. Ever.

He continues to learn, grow and amaze me.

We've focused much of our attention over the past couple of months on getting Deak accustomed to using his walker. It has been fantastic; and although he tends to meander around looking at lights and making kissy faces...he has gotten pretty strong.

The only problem has been his "not yet discovered" ability of climbing into the walker himself.

The result being that the walker has worked great, but still hasn't quite provided the level of independence I knew he was craving.

A few weeks ago, on a Sunday evening, we were sitting and relaxing together in our family room. Deak was sitting and playing happily on the floor; rolling when necessary. I looked down because I had noticed he wanted a toy placed a few feet away from him and the reach of his arms. Deak then got onto all fours and crawled to it. Just. like. that.

"Blair...um...did Deak just crawl to his toy?" I asked in a sincere tone. I genuinely thought my eyes were deceiving me.

"Ya, I think so," Blair said with the same uncertainty.

That's when the games began.

Abby and I placed several of his favorite toys all around the room ...only to watch him crawl to get them. We cheered and clapped and cried. All together. We were all so proud. Deak's smile was immeasurable.

Mine may have been too.

I did not know how long this skill would take to "stick" for Deak. I was so surprised by it's appearance, that it has taken me a week or two to get over the shock that is actually happening. Mind you, I have not had a crawling child in the home for over seven years.
Seven Years.

And I have wanted, and prayed and hoped beyond belief this day would come for my Deak.

Most parents wait for six, seven, or even 12 months...

I've waited three and a half years.

Three and half years of wondering. Three and a half years of guessing which item Deak was describing with his limited vocabulary/screaming methods.

But, even more so...Deak has waited three and a half years.

Three and half years of seeing the world move around him, and wondering and hoping and praying that one day this world would become his to discover.

Can you imagine the patience this boy has? The faith it must take to understand that although his body and brain work together at a different pace...it is a pace he has accepted and will work his butt off to push through.

He is a light through which I see things clearly.

The world that I think is so hard sometimes just pales in comparison to what he must feel each day.

Just to breathe... just to move his legs.

So...all those therapists and doctors who doubted this boy would move, use both hemispheres of his brain, or progress past being "profoundly retarded."...You can shove it.

My Deak is moving forward.

(Pictures taken the first time the toy cabinet had been open and "accessible" for him. Once he realized I had opened it, he laughed out loud and crawled across the room. Only to pick the Plex Gabba toy that I knew he would want anyway...:)