My Hero

It's been one year, nine months since a doctor told us our baby boy had Spina Bifida. 21 LONG months. Most days I will tell anyone that I HATE spina bifida...I do. I HATE that it limits my boy. But...I wouldn't change him for anything in the world. He is AMAZING, and he is my hero. The first "specialist" we saw...the one who diagnosed the SB...was horrible. Her exact words were that "he would be incompatible with life. The pregnancy should be terminated." (At which point we switched doctors.) There hasn't been a single day I don't think about those words. At LEAST once a day I look at my boy...my sweet, defiant, typical toddler...and think I should take him to her office and show her just what her "incompatible with life" looks like.

My baby, with mylomeningocele spina bifida, is WALKING, CLIMBING, AND RUNNING!! All by himself!! He started climbing at 12 months, walking at 14 months, and running at 16 months! He is doing everything they said he wouldn't do. It isn't perfect...and certainly isn't "normal," but he can do it!

April 2011...climbing!

June 2011...walking!

Crossing the finish line at the Spina Bifida Association's Walk-N-Roll.

August 2011...running! :)

(Learning the proper stance for a baseball player.)

We are absolutely aware of the miracle we've been given (all babies are miracles...), and could never thank God enough for all He has done for our family.

A fellow spina bifida mom...whose own son is kicking some SB butt himself...shared this link with me a few days ago. I posted it on facebook, but felt it was worth posting here too. It's a perfect description of my boy...he was born proving all his doctors wrong and hasn't stopped yet! Thank you, Lord, for my sweet boy! And, for making me his mom...

(I canNOT figure out what went wrong with this video...it keeps cutting off the right half. Oh well. You'll get the idea.)