Obstructive sleep apnea

Caleb had a sleep study done. And believe it or not, he was excited to go. Excited to go to the parking structure, and ride the elevators. I took video of him while he rode the elevators and he watched the videos while they were putting the wires on him. Never once did he get alarmed or anxious. We popped popcorn and watched a little TV before it was time to go to sleep. A few hours into the study, the doctor ordered Caleb to be put on a CPAP. This was something we didn't anticipate on the same night as the study, but Caleb did well. He needed a lot of reassurance that everything (wires, mask...) would be removed when the sun came up, but he cooperated fully. I was so proud of him. :)

He was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. 117 incidents per hour. That's high and scary. Now, he wears a cpap every night, and I am relieved about that. He is still getting sued to it, but for the most part he keeps it on throughout the night. Adorable and silly pictures below :

Onion Head! LOL

1st night using his cpap. 

He was pretty happy and a little silly!

First day of school

1st day of 8th grade for Caleb. I can't believe how much he has matured this past year. I am so proud of the polite young man he has become. He is such a joy to raise and watch grow up. I am very blessed and forever thankful that God has given this child, to be my son.

He absolutely loves school and has been counting down to this day. 

I'm so happy that he loves school so much!

Elijah's 1st day of 4th grade. 

My baby is growing up.

He is also enjoying school more and more every year.

 He still is a little shy, but he does get excited when the bus comes up the road.

 He's a popular little guy:)

Although Liam is nonverbal, he does show excitement when he knows he is going to school. His progress is slow, but that makes it even more exciting when he does something that we have been working on for a long time. I'm so proud of him! He has been through so much, 7 long years in an institution, and now a 5th grader going to school with his brothers. God is Good!

Waiting for the bus :)

Elijah always grabs a toy or two,

 to take with him on the bus.

And there they go, to accomplish great things and have fun too!

One day.............

Liam is non-verbal. He makes all kinds of silly and very unique sounds, that I can't even replicate, but no words. When he gets hurt or very upset, he will cry and say: Mamamamama. That's the only time he makes that sound, and I would like to think. that he is calling me, but I really don't know for sure. That is the closest I have ever heard of him saying, a real word. I have never had a child that is non-verbal before. Even when I met Liam, I believed that he would talk one day. Of course, he would, I told anyone who asked. That was 4 1/2 years ago. I've come to accept that he may never say any word, ever. And, that's okay. But, it must weigh heavily on my heart sometimes, even when I am not aware, because every few months or so, I will have a dream. A dream, that Liam says one word. Just one. One time, I dreamed that he said: No. And I was so excited to hear his sweet voice, that I kept asking him to say it again and again and again. And then, I woke up. And I realized, that it had been just a dream. And for a moment, I was disappointed and a little sad. But, I put it out of my mind and went about my day with my silly boy, and his funny noises keeping me quite entertained. And months went by, and then again the other night, I had another dream. Liam said another word: Monkey. Yes, Monkey. LOL And, it was just like a child learning to say a new word, it wasn't completely accurate, but it was definitely: Monkey. And I laughed, and just like my previous dreams, I asked him to say it over and over. It was the cutest thing! Then, I woke up. 

It really is okay that he doesn't speak, but as a Mother, the sound  of my children's voices, is the best sound I'll ever hear. And for Liam, to say no, or monkey, or any word,  would be so amazing!  But, I tell myself, one day, I will get to hear his sweet voice, one day...... in Heaven. He'll talk my ear off one day, I'm sure of it. And, I'm looking forward to it. :) Until then, I'll enjoy my little squishy boy, who snorts, chirps, hums and giggles......and enjoy an occasional dream, of what's to come. Thank God, that he's mine. What a gift, he is.