Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Q & A #4 Part One - Children Updates - Seth

1. Can we get an update on each of the children too? Let us know all the progress they are making since coming home!

ABSOLUTELY!!!!  We really think they are doing fantastic. 

 I will update with one child per post.


Seth is making HUGE strides.  We are so blessed by this little man's growth and ability that is coming out each day.  He amazes us. 

Just for the record ... he is not a plant.  You've heard me say that before and I am going to say it again .. so listen to my drum because I am going to keep beating it.  He is a child of God.  God has big plans for him.  I have no idea what those plans are, but Seth's life and struggles have a purpose.  His life is a life worth saving.  His life is not a life that should be locked away in some hell-hole of an adult mental instution.  He has worth and value in all that he is, in his current ability.  He has worth and value in all that he was.  He has worth and value in all that he will become.

Let's back track six years , so you can understand a bit more about Seth ...  Seth was born between the 28th and 29th week of gestation.  He weighed just over 2 1/2 pounds and was 14 1/2 inches long.  Can you picture this tiny precious child, alone and abandoned.  There was no one to love him, to talk to him, to pray over him, to comfort him, to long for his survival.  No one.  He was left by his mother, who wished for his death, prenatally and after birth.  I pray that her heart has changed, that she has or will find Jesus and will pray for her child.

After birth, he was life supported and spent five months in the hospital.  From the hospital he was taken to the baby house where no one ever inquired about him or visited him.  He was alone for six more years...

From the orphanage records, we know he sat unassisted at 16 months old and started walking when he was 3 1/2 years old. 

Now, lets get to the progress and all the pictures ... after all what everyone really wants to see if pictures, right?!!

has gained SIX pounds!!!!! 
 Here he is wearing a 3T pair of pants and a size 5 Shirt


is feeding himself with a spoon and learning to use a fork.

(((if someone can tell me how to upload a video ... you can see him feed himself)))
I tried to upload the video for 2 hours ...


is walking down the stairs


initiates contact and comes to sit on our laps

is learning how to eat in restaurants


 is playing ball ... he will roll this back and forth with a partner


plays with the dog, reaches for her, grabs her head and puts his head to hers

still loves to swing!

can sit his cup on the table or counter


is walking up the stairs foot over foot
will hand you an object at your request
will receive an object given to him
climbs in the van without assistance
has many vocalizations ... bah, guh, la, ma, ah, uh, eee, mahm
retrieves toys he has flung out of his hands
sees things he drops and retrieves
he laughs and cries
greets Aunt Sissy with hoots and hollers
feels the pages of tactile type books
helps with dressing ... pulls his shirt over his head, puts his legs in the pantleg

What he doesn't do is ...
be quiet
or
sleep
.
.
.

 



4 comments:

  1. LOL! He's had a lifetime of being quiet and sleeping. I don't think it's high on his priority list anymore!

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  3. Just wanted to say "Hi" from After the Rainbow. If you need anything or just want to talk to other families who have "been there", please don't hesitate to contact me or to post on the After the Rainbow Yahoo Group (shoot me an email if you're not a member yet).

    Blessings,
    Rachel Whitmire
    Post-Adoption Care Coordinator
    Reece's Rainbow Down Syndrome Adoption Ministry
    www.reecesrainbow.org
    Rachel@reecesrainbow.org

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  4. Jen, just getting caught up here, and WOW! What wonderful progress Seth has made! I am so proud of him and PROUDER STILL of you! Good work, mama!

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. Sorry! I removed the word verification feature and immediately got spammed. So, alas, it is back!