Today was one of those days where I wish I could have bottled up the magic so I could take it with me everywhere we go. It was one of those days when I saw Cecily shine her big bright light and be herself in front of a sea of people... and she embraced the moment and was on fire!

It was picture day for the Dance & Company Performing Arts Studio Summer Production.  And yes... Cecily will be performing with her friends from her Dance with Me class in just a few short weeks!

Is this a dream come true? Most definitely.  I have very fond memories of traveling around with my family and friends attending Irish step dancing competitions. I used to love getting dressed up and I remember the excitement of the productions and competitions.  When I reminisce on my childhood these events rank high on my list of cherished memories. I still can't believe Cecily will have the opportunity to dance in a show and enjoy all of these fun times! To think that 17 months ago she was not even walking and now she is dancing... and performing.. in full costume - is nothing short of a miracle.

Will she have the dance routine memorized? Not even close. Will she cry? Perhaps. But will she get up on stage and smile and wave and likely twirl in her pretty tutu - most definitely.  The gift of Cecily is she takes joy in the things most everyone takes for granted.  But when Cecily laughs, giggles or smiles - it is the purest form of happiness. I wish I could say every day was full of happiness for her - but it is not.  She has a rougher road than most but she is so tough - so strong - and so stubborn that we are so excited to see what she will do next! 

Today I was just so proud of her. I'm not one to brag about my kids - unless you are in the family.  (Then lookout... I may bend an ear or two ... :)  But today...there were no words.  I wanted to scream, "look at Cecily - look at her go!  Look at this child that they never thought would walk, or talk, or eat... never mind dance!" Cecily has been making such strides of late.  She is using new words every day.  She walks the halls shouting Noah... Noah... Cason... Cason.  She correctly uses names for the people she loves - Grandpa, Grandma, Flashy, Mommy and Daddy.  She says dancing or skating or swim or pool.  She can now speak in sentences and repeat words in the Bob books on demand.  She knows what she wants and she now uses her words to share her desires.  She knows what she does not want and she uses those words - in an even higher volume - to tell us what she does not want to do...

And because of this...I was dreading getting her into the costume today. I was ready for World War 3. Cecily loves to dress up ... but only on her terms, her timing, and if she is in the mood.  With an 8:30 am call time I wasn't sure how it would go... but she happily got dressed, let me brush her hair and she giggled when I put a tiny amount of blush on her cheeks.  We dared to try some lip gloss but decided that she looked perfect just as she was and we didn't want to push our luck.

Cecily was so social today - waving at the other kiddos and embracing her dancing buddies - Grace, Mickey and Ella.  She enjoyed the entire process and I will not forget this day - ever. So proud of our angel.  She even stood and sat for the professional photos with only a minor cry/hesitation. 

Cecily is a constant reminder to reach for your dreams, to try harder, to never give up and to believe in miracles.  Life has been a challenge of late but on days like today everything seems to be coming up roses!

Thank you to Dance & Company for creating the Dance with Me class. it is a gift. It is a dream come true. It is priceless and we love you Miss Katie & Miss Lisa. (And we love our teacher Miss Tyler, too!)

Despite the blurry photo this is one of my most favorite pictures of Miss Cecily. As she waited for the professional photographer she started dancing and swing her little legs at the ballet barre.  She just loves to dance!

Onwards and upwards!

There are days (despite my dislike for bragging) where I just want to shout from the rooftops... "My kid rocks!"... And today was one of those days!

This morning Brien, Cecily and I hopped into the truck and headed up to see our friends from the Intensive Feeding Program at CHOC.  It was our follow-up appointment from the program we attended in December.  The follow-up was supposed to be in March but since that brought a bought of pneumonia for sweet Cecily we had to postpone it until later.  I think postponing until May gave us the time we needed to really get our ducks in a row and build on the skills we learned over the holidays.

Cecily did great at her follow-up/evaluation. Cecily has been doing great at home so this is not a big surprise... but I really wanted the team to see the progress first-hand!  It is nothing short of miraculous to see a child that wouldn't even sit at a table before without screaming and throwing a tantrum willingly grab her lunchbox and ask for it to be opened.  She asked for juice but was still OK when that was not offered.  She happily chose foods and ate everything that was offered.  She did some self-feeding and even asked for more and requested preferred foods with her words and gestures.  In fact, Cecily showed all of her new skills from drinking independently to stirring her foods to eating and biting and chewing!  We were so proud of her and so happy that the team could witness the progress first-hand.

The team celebrated Cecily's success and it forced us to also take a step back and celebrate, too.  It has not been easy.  It has been anything BUT easy.  But we stuck to the program. We worked the program. (The program worked us...) We had food fights and some family disagreements over whether this was "right" for everyone.  We battled the spirited Cecily but when we look at where we are today we realize that every decision, every choice, every meal that took blood, sweat and tears to muddle through was worth it!  

We have A LOT more work to do!  (Oh the list... the long list).  But today, we celebrate!  She is eating 1100-1400 calories by mouth.  She is trying new foods. But perhaps more importantly - she is enjoying food and she is engaged in her world in a totally new way!  She is emerging from this very challenging time a more determined, more inquisitive, more open-minded, more verbal, more engaged, and best of all - HAPPIER - child!

Thank you to the Feeding Team at CHOC! Thank you Dr. Katz, Robin, Amber, Jen, Erin, Sarah, Jessica, Audry, Gin, Cindy, Tess and everyone at CHOC for making us feel part of the family. 

It was a wonderful day to see everyone again and to celebrate the AMAZING Cecily!  Believe in the impossible.

Onwards & upwards!

When Cecily was just a tiny peanut and we were confident something was wrong... but had no answers... we had something even better.  We had Mary from the Hope Infant Program. (seated to my left in the picture)

Mary was assigned to be Cecily's 0-3 Infant Educator.  This is likely the best present that God could have granted us.  At the time, we didn't understand the purpose of a child having an Educator at the age of 6 months. It seemed wild.  But our world was spinning and each day felt like a challenge. Looking back - I now can't imagine NOT having an Infant Educator. We needed Mary and her patience, her comfort and her dedication to ensuring we were providing Cecily with every opportunity possible.  

Week after week when Mary would visit I would feel guilty because I would spend all the time talking to her.  I felt like I was "stealing" Cecily's time (even though we were talking about her..."  I always felt so much better after her visits and It wasn't until we were almost graduating from the Program did I truly appreciate that it was Mary's role to listen, offer advice, and help ensure our family's needs were being met.  It wasn't until we were getting close to graduating the program that I truly appreciated all the blessings that program had provided not just to Cecily - but to our entire family, and especially to me. We will be forever in her debt.  The only peace I have with her passing is that we let her know how much we loved and treasured her.  She is without a doubt one of the biggest blessings in our life and she saved us during a time when we didn't even realize we needed to be saved.

To say she was a gift - is an understatement.  She IS a gift.  She will remain a gift.  She is still a force in our lives and I can hear her calm, patient voice and see her beautiful smile light up when we shared the latest Cecily news.  Mary would arrive at the house with her spirit shining and would breathe life in our home. She always included Noah. (Cason was yet to be born).  She would speak to Cecily and engage with her even though Cecily seemed to be somewhere else. She always gave Cecily time to process.  She believed in her and she waited for her.  And Cecily always responded.  She would give me endless ideas of things to try for Cecily from picture books, to visual stories, to sign language videos, to classes to embark on and schools to attend.  She would listen. She would help me with my struggles of how to balance a healthy two year old boy with an infant that required 100% around the clock care.  And boy - did she listen. She just had a way of making everything seem perfect - like it was supposed to be that way. 

Mary was present the day we found out Judy, Brien's Mom, passed away.  She was present the day I found out I was pregnant with Cason.  She was always present.  Without Mary, I don't think we would have been inspired to start Cecily's Closet.  We were so impressed with Mary and her compassion - and so grateful for the help she provided us and our family - that we wanted to do something loving for others.  

While attending Mary's memorial at the Self Realization Fellowship I was in awe of the person Mary was to EVERYONE. We only knew Mary in such a limited capacity but I found from hearing her brothers and sisters talk, and her friends, and co-workers - that we knew what mattered most about Mary - her spirit and her passion for life and the people she cared for.  It turns out Mary made everyone feel like he/she was the "most" special.  I can attest to this because I always felt like Cecily was her favorite!  I laughed at the memorial when someone said the same thing.  I knew she has a soft spot in her heart for Cecily but it turns out she had them for everyone! When she was with you she was really with you.  She gave you her heart, her time, and her passion.  She had a way with children - just like Cecily - and she connected. 

Mary always believed in Cecily.  It was Mary that scheduled Cecily's first play date with Miss Kate. (We are still friends today).  It was Mary who got Cecily engaged in horse-riding.  (We still ride today). It was Mary that made Cecily one of her most favorite books - a visual story about her swimming.  And it was Mary who attend the swimming class to see Cecily and her brother in yet another environment.  

Even though we graduated from the HOPE Infant Program two years ago - we would still send Mary updates because we knew it was because of Mary that Cecily was doing so well. She provided our family with what we needed during that challenging time.  She provided hope. She provided love. And she had faith in us that we would be able to weather all the storms and be the source of strength and light for Cecily.  Mary provided us with the foundation required to raise a child with special needs and see the blessings - not the challenges.

We are so sad that Mary has passed but we know her light and spirit will live on.  Thank you Mary for providing us with the roadmap required for our journey. I know you will continue to guide us from above.

Her dedicated family has set up a scholarship in her memory.

Mary's Lasting Gift

RBCPC Preschool is a school where all children can receive a loving, inclusive preschool education. It was a special place for Mary and it is a community that will be forever enhanced by Mary's passionate dedication.

Donations can be sent to:
RBCPC Preschool
Sharing Lives Program
17010 Pomerado Rd
San Diego CA 92128

In the mom section please add: Mary's Lasting Gift

Onwards and upwards!

We have had a busy run late... surgeries, hospital stays, job challenges, IEP meetings, school transition plans, new schedules, new everything.  Change is often scary... and it can lead to more stress. But as we wind down a very hectic period in our little house we take a minute to remember the fun times we had while we weathered yet another storm.

The kids are thriving!  It seems every time we step into a pile of "something..." that the kids rally and get stronger. Cecily is our little trooper. Her body battles against her every day and yet she is emerging with her new care plan with even more strength and endurance. Her world is opening up and she is talking and sharing more and more of her thoughts with us! Each day brings a new experience.  She has a new school, an updated IEP and a new teacher to guide her forward.  We are thrilled with the changes and excited to watch her bloom.  We are already seeing her talk more and express herself! Go Cecily Go! AND... yesterday at breakfast she fed herself eggs. This is pretty much a dream come true.  Her eating skills are getting stronger and stronger and we see a path to "typical eating" within her reach.

Noah is growing into a big boy. I am so proud of his accomplishments but they pale in comparison to his spirit and smile. He is always ready to lend a hand and he actually likes playing with his baby brother and sister. He includes them always... and only rarely gets mad when they mess up his stuff. (And they mess it up a lot!)  He has his own blog now and he shares his special stories and his thoughts. He has so many things to say when we take the time to listen and fuel his hunger for learning and self-expression. 

And then there is our joy, Cason. The happiest baby on the block brings us endless joy and fun. He gets into trouble every hour of every day but he does it in such a way that we have to laugh and smile. He has taken to saying, "Oh Man..." anytime something does not go his way... and his expressions are nothing short of priceless.  He is a danger to himself and thinks he can do anything Noah does... but he will get there.  

Brien and I are just relishing this time and trying to remember it won't last forever. The joy of young kids is the best present. And we can't believe how fast the time is passing us by.  We are looking forward to beach days and zoo trips... some mini-local vacations and making sure we take time for each other. 

We have realized that life will be a roller coaster for a long time.  But... if we remain a team - a family - and make all the hard decisions together - we will be OK!  Our life is far from perfect.  We are struggling to ensure we are doing right by all our kids. It is hard to find the balance so every child feels loved and appreciated and not neglected. 

We are grateful for Mom and Dad, Grammy and Grampy, for holding us together with their love and patience.  And it takes a lot of those... And thanks to our wonderful nanny, Clarisa, who is without a doubt a miracle worker with all three kids.  I am not quite sure how she does it... but we are so lucky and grateful to have her helping us find the fun in each day and her extra help enables us to enjoy the kids and make the hardest of days still a bundle of fun.

When we see the smiles below we know that we're doing something right. The kids are happy.  What more can you ask for?  Family. Family. Family!

Onwards and upwards!

Reposting and sharing...

Click here to watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evjbx9_RiMY


Ethan’s story – Breaking the autism glass ceiling is a video that has provided hope and inspiration to
families in over 85 countries.

The theme of the video is hope and inspiration and we are
trying to show parents of autistic children that there is a way not matter what
the experts say.

The number of children being diagnosed with autism is
increasing at an exponential rate. Currently 1 out of 50 boys are diagnosed with
autism. I am one of those parents who have been living with a boy with autism
for 17 years. Through the years, we have recorded our nonverbal autistic son
Ethan’s journey, and now we would like to share it with you!

 Many parents of children with autism have been told by the experts that the best outcome they can hope for is an adult group home for their
child. It is for these parents that we created this video full of hope and
inspiration. Ethan was one of these children, told by the “experts” after
conventional methods did not seem to be working, that Ethan would never read,
write, or do ordinary academics. Ethan has proved them wrong! Through hard work, patience, and an alternative teaching strategy that begins with believing the child can learn and thinking outside the “conventional” box, Ethan has learned what was deemed impossible.

We are asking that you take a minute out of your day to view
our video and forward it to as many of your contacts as possible, in order to
reach the parents who need it most. As a non-profit dedicated to educating
children with autism, we are trying to send them a message of
hope.

 We started the process 8 years ago and only now have we begun
to publish “How To” videos in order to train others on the successful techniques
that we have developed. 

About Ethans story
Ethan is a 17-year-old nonverbal boy with autism and verbal
apraxia. At the age of 10, the experts said he would never read, write, or do
math.  Here at the Alternative Teaching Strategy Center, we firmly
believe that these children do have the mental capability to learn, and by
teaching these kids as if they can learn and are smart, they will
learn. Today, Ethan is doing advanced math including algebra. His
reading comprehension is amazing, his handwriting is legible and improving
daily, and he types 65 words a minute independently.


Thank you in advance for your time and support and please
forward our message of hope!

“We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that
drives one person to stand up for another.”

― Veronica Roth, Divergent

Onwards and upwards!

June 2-6, 2014
Presented by Crimson Speech-Language Treatment & Research Center
A non-profit, 501 (c) 3 organization at Sol City Sports Center at Alliant University in Scripps Ranch


The mission of iCan Bike is to teach individuals with disabilities  ride a conventional two wheeled bicycle and become lifelong independent riders. This achievement, in turn, creates a gateway of opportunity, helping them gain assurance & self-reliance in many other aspects of their lives.

Participants attend one assigned session per day for one week, and must:
1.  Have a disability
2.  Be at least 8 years of age
3.  Walk without assis8ve device such as a walker or cane
4.  Be able to side step quickly to both sides
5.  Be able to wear a properly fiKed bike helmet at all 8mes when on a bicycle
6.  Have a minimum inseam measurement of 20” when measured from the floor
7.  Not weigh more than 220 lbs

The program needs more volunteers & sponsors!  Please lend a helping hand to this amazing cause!

Partial Scholarships Available
Enrollment limited to 30 participants this year
Tentative Schedule of Sessions (To be confirmed)
Session 1 8:00a – 9:15a Session 3 11:10a – 12:25p
Session 2 9:35a – 10:50a Session 4: 1:10p – 2:25p
Session 5: 2:45 – 4:00p

For specific information contact www.crimsoncenteroutreach.org 

Administrative Assistant, Jennie Wu: [email protected] 
Clinical Director, Karyn Searcy: [email protected] 
Call: (858) 863-5915

Onwards and upwards!

Flyers and registration materials are included below.  Please forward to friends and family! Every volunteer and every penny helps!

April 25th is Undiagnosed Childrens Day!

In raising awareness of the millions of disabled children living
without a diagnosis,please help support a documentary currently in production that captures the arduous journey of patients and their families who are suffering without a diagnosis.

Jasmine Seafood Restaurant
4609 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111
Hosted by the 
San Diego
United Lions Club

Join us for a reception and mixer beginning at 6pm. The
evening’s program will include patient testimonials, Q&A with Creator, Director
& Producer, Chinese banquet style dinner, entertainment and silent
auction.

Tickets are $50.00 pp. Ple ase purchase tickets in advance
online or make your reservations by April 21st. All revenue will be dona ted
to “Undiagnosed” towards final production of this documentary.

 
Purchase tickets online @ www.SDULions.org

I just had to share this because it has not been an easy journey... but the numbers speak for themselves.

Today Cecily ate a whopping 1450 calories... all by mouth!  What? Amazing!

How did she do it?

Lots of love from Grammy, Grandpa, Clarissa, and team! Go Cecily Go!

What did she eat? EVERYTHING! Banana, pineapple, fresh oranges, yougurt, her go to guacamole, lemonade, nutritional supplements (16 oz of milk!), plus lots of bites of so many things.

What's even better?

The conversations she shared with us.

Mommy: What would you like Cecily?

Sweet C: Cookies

Mommy: What kind?

Sweet C:  Lemon, Lemon!

Mommmy:  Bringing her 2 boxes.  Which one?

Sweet C:  Lemon, that one!

Mommy:  How many?

Sweet C: Two!  Two!

Mommy:  Would you like something to drink?

Sweet C:  Lemondade

Mommy:  In a cup or with a straw?

Sweet C:  A cup

Mommy:  What color is the cup?

Sweet C & Mommy - Yellow!

Sweet C gets up and wants a different cup.  Grabs it and brings it back.

Mommy:  Oh, ok. you want this cup?

Sweet C: Yep.

Mommy:  Ok you do it. Pour it from this cup to that cup.

Sweet C (with very limited help) pours the cup with no spills and drinks her lemonade!

Why is this so special?  This is the longest dialouge we have ever had with Cecily.  The answers were clear. fast. and verbal!  She knew what she wanted, she asked for it and she was in control.

Noah was at a sleep-over so we decided to have a show which is a rare treat for Cecily and Cason.  The two anges hopped onto the couch for cuddles and Cecily chose the show - Pet Shop - with her words. 

It was the best. night. ever.

We are so proud of how far she has come and where she is going. We see her progress and we relish and enjoy and celebrate.  Her food journals are looking so solid right now... and we just have to smile.  She is interested in food and she is learning to use her words. Her voice is a gift and I can't wait to hear more.

Tomorrow may or may not bring equal success but we have seen what she is capable of and we know she will get there.

Onwards and upwards!

Can you believe it? A little crazy idea has turned into four years of wonderful service for children with special needs and their devoted parents in sunny San Diego. We can't believe we just turned four! On March 17, 2010 our little web site launched with a simple vision of spreading love and hope to children with special needs and their families in San Diego.  In April 2010 we received our recognition as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and in May of 2010 we completed our first Sweet Dream Room Makeover! 49 rooms later (with 4 more more actively in production) we're picking up steam and finally hitting our stride!

Over the last 4 years Cecily's Closet has completed the following:
- 49 room makeovers with 53 estimated to complete by mid-April
- Provided five hundred belly belly bands to children in need
- Recycled more than a couple hundred pieces of durable medical equipment to children in need of resources to help them achieve their goals
- And shared various donations with families in need - toys, books, and lots and lots of love and encouragement through our various book drives & adopt a family programs

Cecily's Closet has been recognized for our work in the community and within the last 12 months has won 4 awards! We are so honored and humbled by this attention.  We don't seek out publicity but we've had our fair share of media attention, too.

• 4/26/13  -  Recognized as a community champion by Molina Healthcare
  
• 5/29/13  -  Recognized for excellence supporting students with special needs by North Coastal Consortium for Special Education  (NCCSE) Community Advisory Committee
  
• 6/25/13 -  Honored by the San Diego/Imperial Valley Chapter 
  of the Infant Developmental Association for our work helping children with special needs
  
• 2/7/14 - Awarded Channel 10 Leadership Award
  

And how is this all possible? Our AMAZING Volunteers! Cecily's Closet is truly the community's organization.  We are comprised of people who believed in our vision and decided to come on board and help make that vision a reality.  This wonderful group of women are the heart and soul of Cecily's Closet!

Thank you Emily, Julie D., Julie B, Christina, Beverly, Gina, Kate, Suzy, Nicole, Karla and Anita!  Thank you to Teen Volunteers in Action (TVIA), countless Girl Scout Troops, Mattress Company Direct, The UPS Store, Cox Cares, Mission Bay Women's Fund, Websense, Qualcomm, Emerson, San Diego Family Magazine, Dunn-Edwards Paint, Bassett Furniture and more!  We can't believe we have 30+ business partners in the community who are willing to step up and help us meet our objectives and provide hope to families in need!

And thank you to Jon RayPaintGreen. PaintGreen has stood by our side from day one and they have graciously once again donated their time and talent to provide a beautiful backdrop for every room we've ever asked him to help with! Who is that good or nice? Jon is!!!

And thank you to our team of wonderful artists with a special thank you to our repeat givers:  Inside Emily Dolton's Head, Hannas Murals, Grace Ann Piano, Arielle and Sweet Delisa!  You guys are always giving, giving, giving with your time and talent.  We love you!

And thank you to our family for if it were not for them NONE of this would be possible.  Thank you Grumpy Gramps and Grammy for swooping up the children in your caring and loving arms to let us leave our next to help others.  And thank you to Anita for always going above and beyond and running our belly band program from a far!  And thank you Brien for putting up with me... no small feat :)  And thank you to our children for providing inspiration every day.  Cecily's Closet is all about family.  We are an organization for the community - supported by the community.  We are so happy to be able to do what we're doing. 

Thanks for believing!  Let's see what we can do in 2014!

Onwards and 
upwards!

There are many blessings in our life. They come in all different shapes and sizes. There are big ones and little ones and silly ones and wondrous ones and some challenging ones, too.

And then there is Cason.  He is a joy and a blessing. He is simply pure joy. I love this picture because it captures that little look of mischief that is ever-present on his precious face. He is always smiling. He is always finding new ways to make us smile. He is always finding new ways to make something dangerous. He is quite simply: precious.

Cason woke up our family two years ago - in more than the traditional way.  He surrounded us with his love - and love of adventure - and his caring, gentle soul. This child is wise beyond his years. He has an old soul. He loves everyone, and everything and finds happiness in every moment. 

He runs through the house shouting for his hero, Noah. You can hear his little voice get louder and louder as he becomes more and more determined to find him.  And Noah has endless patience for the monkey that turns off his computer during mid-game and turns his "clean" room into a hurricane of books, cars, and blocks.  Noah welcomes Cason into his room, shares his friends and his time,  and is eager to wake him up in the morning to play. They have a delightful relationship and it is just a joy to see them chase each other - whether on the Radio Flyer - or down the field, or running wild through the house.  Cason has brought the fun and giggles into our busy home.

Cason can lift my spirits in ways that I can't explain. He looks deep into my eyes and pulls me close for a cuddle. He has a zest for life and living and climbing and he is always two steps away from a major accident.  

As the third child he is often taken along for the ride. He spends more time in the car than the other kiddos - but he does it with a smile.  He is easy-going and is content with his place in the family. He is patient with Cecily - even when she takes his favorite toy or pushes him out of the way. (We're so proud of Cecily asserting herself - but we're working on her developing manners!) I love Cecily's nickname but no one says it better than Cason. He loves his Cece and I love that even at two he seems to know when she needs a little extra attention.

I thank God every day for the appreciation that having Cason has given me. With Noah, I simply  took his health, his happiness and his development for granted. Ignorance really is bliss. I worried about silly things - and everything - but in a completely new Mommy sort of way.  I found everything Noah did perfection - but I didn't enjoy it because I didn't let myself. The joy was there -  I was just too focused on ensuring he was doing everything according to the milestone chart - and I was always worried he was going to get hurt.  I smothered him. 

With Cecily, the stress was so great, the pain so deep, that I was just surviving for the first two years.  I was so grateful that she was alive - and growing - but I was always waiting for the shoe to drop. I couldn't seem to relax because of the "unknown"... the fear that perhaps next year she wouldn't be with us.  On a daily basis she forced me to appreciate the gifts in our life - and she woke us up to the blessings in our life.  But just surviving was our goal.  And ensuring Noah (at just a toddler) was not lost in the shuffle.

So imagine our surprise when Cason came along in 2012.  Could we handle another child? Would we have enough time for him? How would the other kids respond? Was it the right decision? Were we now officially in over our head? The questions swirled until he burst onto the scene. He was joy from day 1.

It was quite simply - the best decision ever!  Cason is a present.  We unwrap him every day. We see the world through his eyes. We appreciate everything he does - and we don't worry about anything he can't yet do.  We appreciate his passion for life and his good health.  We welcome the typical tantrums and toddler antics. We are not upset by breaks in our sleep or messes in the house.  We don't fear.  We just enjoy him for who he is and what he brings into our home. 

Thank you Cason for waking up our family to the simple joys of life again.  Thank you for forcing us to smile at least 20 times a day.  You are a constant reminder of what life is all about.  We can't take ourselves too seriously. We simply have to let life wash over us. Thank you for making big messes.  Thank you for sharing your food with the dog.  Thank you for cheering on Noah at every game, event, practice.  Thank you for giving up your toys to Cecily when you just know in your little heart that it is the right thing to do.  And thank you for fighting with her when she is being a pistol because you know she is strong enough to handle it. Thank you for giving the biggest hugs and for taking the largest falls and dusting yourself off like nothing happened.

You inspire me every day.  You make me want to be just like you.  Tough. Fearless. Happy.  You complete our wonderful family.

You are pure joy from your bright blue eyes to your chubby little thighs. 

Happy Birthday Baby!  We love you to pieces.

Onwards and upwards!