Happy Birthday to the big boy!

4 years ago, we welcomed into this world the most perfect little boy any parent could imagine.  Little did we know that day that Jake was deaf and his diagnosis would start a whirlwind of events that would effect everyone around him (for the better).  As parents, we have had to watch our son go through numerous doctor's appointments (more bloodwork than I can even remember), therapy appointments, two surgeries, two ER visits, two leaves of absences from work, three daycares/schools to accommodate his therapies, thousands and thousands of miles on our cars driving to appointments a few times a week, and changing our lifestyle to adapt to a child with hearing loss.

I wish I could say that these past four years have been easy.  They haven't.  We have had to do things to help our son learn how to listen and eventually speak; things other parents take for granted.  We have had to adapt to having a child who can't hear us during bath time, pool time and sleep time.  We went through a year of having our son wear a hat at all waking hours of the day because he would take his "ears" off and put them into his mouth, or throw them across the room.  We had to learn sign language so that we could communicate with our son.  We have had to watch our son have balance issues and be the one to always fall when all of his friends were already running and jumping.  We have had to hear alot of comments (some not so nice ones) about our son and "what those things are on his head".   I could go on for days about how much our lives have changed.  And more importantly, how much Jake has had to endure.

But all in all, I wouldn't change this experience for the world.  We don't take anything for granted.  Every milestone, every accomplishment, is so amazing.  And the most important thing of all is that Jake is the best little boy I know (and I'm not just saying that because I'm his mom).

We have watched our son grow into a little man and he is a pure delight.  Kevin and I are able to look back at these years and laugh at all we've been through.  Yes, laugh.  And because of all he has been through, and all of his hard work, he is in a mainstream Pre-Kindergarten class (one of the youngest in his class by the way) and at the same level as his hearing peers...who I might add, have been hearing over a year longer than him!  Pretty awesome lil guy he is!!!

Oh how he has changed in these past four years....

4 weeks old

1 year (enter HATS)

2 years

3 years

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4 YEARS!!!

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FAVORITE BIG BOY.  LOVE YOU BUDDY AND I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!!!