Happy Birthday JJ!

Can someone please tell me how this child can possibly be seven years old?




Here is JJ with little sister, Kaitlyn at Chuck E Cheese just a couple of hours ago.  I remember when this little guy came to us at three years old; big brown eyes, chubby cheeks, full of noises and sounds but no words.  But even without a vocabulary, this little three year old was full of mischief.  If he was able to get the garden hose in his hand, watch out because you were destined to be soaking wet.   He was always a problem solver.  In this picture, you can see what he calls his "little hand", but let me tell you something; this kid can climb trees, ride a two wheeler, ride a scooter...there really isn't anything that he can't do (and he has no prosthesis as of yet either as he is too young for it and really doesn't need it at this time.)

He had a speech teacher at Head Start when he was four who wanted to discuss with me "alternate means of communication" which translated into "I don't think he is ever going to speak other than the sounds he makes, and with one hand, sign language is not an option, so you need to figure out a way to communicate with this child."  I told her it was not necessary.  JJ would talk.  He was as bright as a new penny and though he could not say "cat" he could make the sound "meow".  He would and could talk.

An evaluation at Johns Hopkins speech department and they agreed as well.  We needed to get him into some REAL speech therapy, which we did and lemme tell you, the kid took off.  He struggles with only one or two sounds now, but is completely understandable all the time.  He is excelling in school, and has a wicked sense of humor.  He loves the girls (I am already dreading those teenage years) and is a little free spirit.

And as of tomorrow, he is seven.



JJ requested that Kaitlyn help him to blow out the last candle.  Isn't is amazing how much they look alike?



Paige takes a ride on the mini ferris wheel.



As does Delaney.



The siblings all together.  Aaron actually gave all of his tickets he won playing games to his little sister.

Happy birthday, JJ.  Don't grow up too fast.