Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Two Quotes and Two Wonderful Kids

"Imagine if you will, a little boy who has a dream, a dream to communicate. He wishes he could answer your question so that you understand his response. He wishes he could ask for clarification when he doesn't know exactly what you want him to say or do. He wishes to connect with his friends in their verbal play or to raise his hand in eagerness to answer his teacher. Because in his mind, he knows what he wants to say, yet he just can't get it out. Imagine this little boy is yours." - from the new book Speaking of Apraxia. A Parents Guide to Childhood Apraxia of Speech by Leslie A. Lindsay R.N, BSN

I read this last night and immediately reposted it on FB.  This is exactly what I want to say to people when they ask me what Apraxia is and how it effects our Cha-cha.  I'm so close to printing it on cards and keeping it handy to pass out to people I encounter who ask about him.  It's not that I've found many people to be rude, and I'm not doing it to be mean, but I want people to understand what it's like to be Cha-cha and have Apraxia.  The words are simple, but it paints the big picture. 

We are lucky - he's made huge progress and he tries to communicate with those he feels comfortable with.  Even though he may get frustrated about speaking, he's happy.  He loves life.  He smiles and laughs and giggles and has become a little jokester.  He's a sensitive little guy who wants to do the right thing.  He goes with the flow and is happy if you're happy.  Not to many people can say that about their kid.  We are blessed.

Then the wonderful little girl in our life said this today about Cha-cha:

"Mommy, when Cha-cha is in Kindergarten, I want him to be just like me." 

I asked her how that would be and she said, "I want him to be as smart as me.  I want him to be in the top reading group and be very good in math.  I want him to be a good listener and not get into trouble.  I'm going to help him do that mommy."

And I bet she will.

This probably hasn't been easy on her having to go to so many appointments and have attention be focused on Cha-cha so much - but she gets it.  She loves him.  She wants him to succeed.  The lessons she's learning can't be learned in a formal classroom setting.  These are life lessons and she gets it.

There's a reason God chose us to have these two children.  At times, they try our patience to no end and may drive us to a drink or two.  Our hair is a little grayer, but we have more laugh lines than what we started out having 6+ years ago.  They not only teach each other, but they teach us too.

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