Serious with a side of comic relief

I promised I would write something more positive and uplifting and so here is me keeping with my promise!

Cale and Riley...Riley and Cale. Those two little bundles of joy have a way of making my life miserable and delightful all at the same time. I mean that in the best way of course. Each have their own and very different personality, both which just upon thinking of them bring a huge smile to my face. I cannot even begin to fathom my life without my two kids...how boring it would be.

I'll start with my little man. Cale is definitely the more serious of the two. He certainly has his silly moments and can always enjoy a good laugh, but I can almost guarantee that years from now he will be the one who dreams up some new techno gadget. He will do almost anything to get his hands on a cell phone, computer, iPod, wires, the vacuum cleaner, zippers, the TV, and pretty much any kind of button that screams out his name. He will play with a normal kid toy if worst comes to worst but his preference is definitely all things "not suitable for children". He is obsessed with how things work and will not give up until he sees it for himself. For example, last summer Alex was repairing one of our sprinkler heads in our front lawn and once Cale saw him pull it up from the ground, it was love at first sight. He NEEDED to get his hands on that sprinkler head and see for himself how it sprung up and down, twisted and turned. Life could not go on until that happened. Another example, most kids love flashlights because they can shine the light wherever they please. Not Cale. He loves flashlights because you can turn the bottom and see where the batteries go. Cale also loves train sets but not because it's fun to watch the train go 'round and 'round the track. He loves trains because it's fun to see how the pieces of track fit together. I used to get irritated that he wouldn't play with toys in the way they were intended but now I think I'm on my way to just embracing it and hoping that maybe one day he's the one to find the cure for cancer.

Cale is also becoming a champion at independent walking. He's even started to think about navigating steps on his own! We're not quite at that level but the fact that he's getting brave enough to try is a huge accomplishment. He's getting faster and sturdier and just last night he was romping around the gym floor at our church with a full-size basketball in his hands. Now that's what I call coordination! Walking has given him more confidence to play with other kids and it is amazing to see him right there with all the others.

I know most kids have this label but I like to think that Cale is the best: he is a SPONGE! Sometimes I think he is learning signs faster than I am! I'm not sure how many signs he has but he has enough to effectively communicate most of his needs. He knows the signs for all of his colors and even though I think he's a bit color blind like his daddy, he knows all of his colors, too! He can tell me how old he is by using his other hand to hold down two of his fingers so that only three stand up. He is quickly mastering his vowel sounds which hopefully means he will be able to say actual words soon. Right now he can say "dada" and "poppa" and although I wish "momma" was somewhere in there, I'm so proud of him. He loves school and very half-heartedly gives me a wave good-bye when I drop him off. I'm pretty sure if he could talk he would be rubbing in the fact that he gets to go to school and Riley doesn't.

I love Cale so much but the thing I think I love most about him is his sensitivity. Not that this ever happens, but if Alex and I are arguing Cale gets extremely upset and starts to cry, which means that Alex and I can never argue for too long. I like to think of Cale as our mediator. If Riley is upset and crying, Cale is the first one to find her favorite blanket and bring it to her. If Cale ever sees that I'm crying he will come over and give me a big hug. He loves to give kisses whenever asked and if he's in the right mood, he'll even scratch your back for you. He hates conflict and so if he's playing with a toy and Riley is crying because she wants it, he doesn't hesitate for a second to give it to her. (which by the way is doing nothing to help Riley learn that she can't have whatever she wants) His personality is so sweet...

I could go on and on about Cale but I suppose I should leave it at that. I meant to include Riley in this post but I guess I'll save her for another one. For all the worry and stress that Cale's disability has brought to my life, the love and joy he brings trumps it all. What I wouldn't do for my little man...