Little Joe ...

The festivities are over.Joe and I finished off the day snuggled up in his bed discussing his day.I think he passed out mid-sentence.That child plays hard and crashes harder.I lingered a bit in his bed after he had fallen asleep.I studied that cute little face of his that still has tiny almost baby like features.Joe just aches to be like the big boys and I ache to keep him grounded at the tender age of now,six.Very much to his dismay.Joe certainly keeps things interesting around here.Funny little guy,who is constantly saying the funniest things ever.Like tonight,as he ate his cake,he said,"This cake is so good I just passed out." .. as witnessed in the one picture I posted.As comical and charming and outgoing and loving Joe is,he also struggles on many levels which leaves me feeling often helpless.Joe,our fifth born,entered this world kicking and screaming and he has yet to stop.For those that already know this story I am about tell,sorry for the repeat:After Taylor was born,I had my tubes tied.Regretted it from the get go.Mark however was content but I yearned for almost ten years, to add to our family.I felt at times that we just weren't complete.I felt as though there were more little souls waiting for us.After being blessed to be part of the the very courageous battle of a family friend fighting,and sadly losing,her fight with AML,we saw first hand the lesson of living and life and so began or odyssey into our second little family.I had my tubes reversed in June 2000 and Jake arrived the following March.Once he arrived we realized the poor guy was going to have to sit across the table from a couple of old folks,all by himself,after the girls left.We decided one more was in the cards and Joe was born in September 2003.He was a spit fire from the get go and I said if I could handle him,I could handle anything.As active as Joe was he was equally silent and when I say silent I don't mean he just was a bit behind in talking, I mean he had no real sounds what so ever.No babbling,nothing.When he was finally diagnosed at 18 months with severe speech apraxia we felt horrible because our entire family would often say,at family functions,"Joe has been good as gold .. not a peep out of him"Joe literally did not speak a word or babble a sound until he was about 2 1/2.Once he began to talk,he just took off.His receptive language always far exceeded his expressive but eventually they both caught up to each other.However,the data out there suggests that children who suffer from severe apraxia also are highly likely to be diagnosed with ADHD and some learning delays.Both of which we have found to be true with Joe.Along with his ADHD he has a major rage issue and a couple of compulsive components.I feel so horrible for the little guy sometimes.He tries so hard but often much of what goes on is so out of his control.Joe is so confident and self assured and I want that trait to continue to carry him through the rough patches, as that alone will help him feel accepted and successful.Joe can be such a darling,darling boy and one thing that we witness daily, is how very much he adores his baby sister.He is loving and affectionate with her and usually can't keep his hands off her.When he talks about her to others he usually tells people that she has Down syndrome and that means we have to help her learn and be extra patient with her.My wish for this sweet boy is that together we will both make our way.That together,he will find his place in this world.That he will experience joy and love in his life and that he will know that he is loved unconditionally,always.

*Taylor came for dinner tonight.We sure miss her around here,as evident by Zoey's patent hug and kiss!