God's Gracious Gift

When I say the name Sean Isaac I am filled with a very deep love. He is an incredible blessing in our lives. He is the light in the middle of a storm of grief for lost loved ones and financial hardship. He is our gracious gift from God. His name was chosen before his sister Felicity Amanda was born in 2009. In fact his name was the name we were going to use if our first child was a boy. We were always certain what our boy name would be. We couldn't settle on a girl's name until we met her. In May 2009 we were pleasantly surprised we were having a girl. I thought we were having a boy.

In March 2010 we found out we were most likely having a boy and it was officially confirmed in April 2010. We decided we wanted to go ahead and name him. We remembered the boy name we chose in 2009. For the meaning was so very fitting. God told me that this little boy growing inside me would live on this earth and to name him Sean Isaac. He would be our Gracious gift from God and yes he would build our faith in Him. Sean is Irish for John meaning "God's Gracious Gift" and Isaac is Hebrew for "laughter". He is our gracious gift of laughter in the middle of tears of sadness. The night I read the story of Isaac and the story of John the Baptist, I had the peace of knowing Sean was going to live. These two stories of faithfulness and how He uses the lives of His people brought me hope. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son for God. I had completely and painfully surrendered my precious little girl to God in September 2009 and I was reminded that I had to do the same with Sean. For Sean isn't my child. He is the Lord's. So I decided I will do anything you ask me, Lord. No matter how long his life is...I want your will and only your will for Sean's life. Your will is perfect. I have faith in your plan. Do what you will with my life and the life of this little boy growing inside me. He is yours and everyday you give me with him is a gracious gift...a gift from you.

Sean Isaac - 16 Weeks Gestation

When my faith was tested and fear crept in, these are some of the scriptures where I found rest and hope.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for." (Hebrews 11:1-2)

"By faith Abraham, even though he was past age - and Sarah herself was barren - was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore." (Hebrews 11: 11-12).

"By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death." (Hebrews 11: 17-19)

"Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord." (Luke 1: 13-15)

Dirty Knees at the Park!

Two years after Sean Isaac's life first began in January 2010 we are truly enjoying watching him grow. He does something new everyday. Here is what's going on in Sean's beautiful life these days! We are so thankful to say he is 17 months old! He amazes us everyday! No moment...no day with him is taken for granted.

• He is developing a sense of humor! He thinks pictures of dogs and cats are funny (especially pictures of his Holly Kitty). He laughs every time he sees Holly. He laughs when we copy his silly words...like sas, sadise, dadise, das, adise, and shish (just to name a few). He laughs when we play hide and seek and we see him. He laughs when we chase him. He laughs at silly songs. He often has the kind of laugh that makes him have to catch his breath. I LOVE to hear him laugh!
• He weighs 22lbs. 15 oz. and is 2 ft. 9 in. tall. He is our lanky little guy!
• He has 14 teeth and two more cuspids that will probably break through soon.
• He can take his socks, hat and mittens off on his own. He can put the hood of his jacket back on his head. He puts his arms in the sleeves of his coat and helps take off his coat.
• He is drinking from a cup, but still dribbles some.           
  

  

  Drinking From a Cup

• He is starting to use a spoon some to feed himself. 
• He enjoys drinking from a straw.
• He likes to share his food with Mommy and Daddy. He likes to feed us and say, "mmm"
• He likes to smell things. He likes to smell our morning coffee and he found some packs of gum in the pantry that he enjoyed sniffing.
• He knows how to blow.
• He wipes his mouth and tray after he eats.
• He brushes his teeth on his own, but hasn't learned how to spit out yet.
• He likes to help bathe himself.
• He likes to help comb and brush his hair.
• He helps wash his hands.
• He walks forwards and backwards, squats, climbs up and down stairs and chairs, and is beginning to run. He also dances and loves music. He will dance to music, the sound of the washing machine, dryer, and coffee grinder. He also dances to the fire in the fireplace. Apparently the fire looks like it is dancing.
• He can roll, kick, and throw a ball overhand. He also likes to throw the ball over his head.
• He walks up the stairs holding our hands.
• He is trying to open doors using the doorknob. He has just mastered closing doors using the doorknob.
• He enjoys hiding his toys and searching for them. It is a fun game. He talks while he looks for his missing toys.



Looking at the Moon

• He is fascinated with the moon and looks for it every night. He identifies the moon in books as both crescent and circle shaped.    
• He is very interested in shapes. Circles being his favorite. He can identify a circle, triangle, square, rectangle, crescent and heart when we ask him to point to them.
• He can stack a tower of three blocks and enjoys stacking rings as well. Knocking down the tower is always more fun!
• He can identify the letter S and say the sound it makes.
• He understands so much of what we say! He loves the word "go" and will go to the gate to go downstairs to the garage whenever I say it. He loves to "go" somewhere and enjoys playing outside.
• He understands two step directions (i.e. "Go get your ball and put it in the basket")
• He signs please, thank you, yes, more, eat, drink, and all done. He can combine them (i.e. "more eat please"). He is a good communicator and knows what he wants and doesn't want.
• The words he uses regularly are:  mama, dada, daddy, done, moon, moo, arff (barking), bath, yay, blue, hi, and hey.
• He can identify his head, hair, eyes, nose, cheeks, mouth, lips, teeth, tongue, ears, chest, tummy, back, hiney, legs, feet, arms, hands, fingers, and toes. He points to them when we ask him where they are. 
• He enjoys helping Mommy water the house plants.
• He helps Mommy feed Holly Kitty every morning. He helps me scoop the food out and pour it in the dish.
• He enjoys scooping and pouring. 
• He enjoys nesting cups, bowls, and boxes.
• He enjoys putting things in and out of containers.
• He likes puzzles. 
• He has really taken to push and pull toys. He leaves his mark all over the house.
  

  

  Concentrating

• He loves making music...especially beating his drum.
• He loves books. We read several a day. Many of which he has brought to me to read signing "please" and saying "Mama".
• He can match like objects (i.e. a balloon in a book he is reading and then points to his balloon). He matches pictures in his word books too.
• He can identify Mama, Daddy, Mimi, Grandad, Holly and himself in a picture.
• He knows where each one of his toys belong when it is time to clean up.
• He calls "Daddy" and "Mama" when he needs help. It is so precious how he says "Mama" when he needs me. Often signing "please" and pointing or taking me to what he wants or needs.
• He draws lines and loops when coloring with crayons.
• He prefers painting with a paintbrush over painting with his fingers.   
  

  

  Ready To Paint!

• He gets very focused on a task and doesn't like to be disturbed. We have seen his temper in times like these and when he is tired.
• He plays well by himself and has started sharing his toys with others. He is learning how to take turns.
• He is quiet and reserved by nature. It takes a few minutes for him to warm up to people. However, we haven't seen signs of separation anxiety in awhile. He is observant and thoughtful of people and his surroundings. It isn't important to him to be the center of attention.
  
• He has a contagious smile and a desire for exploration and adventure. 
• He is affectionate and will come up to us and give us a hug and a kiss with or without us asking for one :)

He is Such a Happy Boy!