Sorry we've been silent for a while. Thanks for hanging in there with us. We've been the good kind of busy: busy growing. Silas is doing great being two. Getting his trach out in October was a huge leap forward. He is getting stronger all the time and is starting to really want to play with other kids, especially if it involves throwing dirt or going down slides. He regained his voice just in time to figure out whining, which, to be fair, he does only when we make him take a break from the Ipad or tell him he can't have any more cheese. The rest of the day he spends his voice laughing, pointing out airplanes flying in the sky, or trying out new words.
He is amazing us with how smart he is - he already knows all the letters, numbers, and can read a few words. He also knows the PIN to the Ipad and has figured out shortcuts we still can't imitate. Seriously. It's a bit scary. He goes to "school" for an hour a week (sits in on circle time and crafts at a local preschool) and has lots of occupational, physical, and speech therapy. He likes going to the beach to watch the waves and ride his tricycle (hand-propelled) along the boardwalk. He loves the zoo, riding on the back of Mama's bicycle, and drinking chocolate milk straight off the grocery store shelf (a trick he picked up from Grandma).
Below are some photos and video that we hope give you a taste of the joy it is to know Silas the Two-Year -Old. He is funny, patient, caring, and brave. (He doesn't say too many "s" words yet, and replaces most "s" sounds with "hun" (motorcycle = mohunah: ready, set, go = ready, hun, doh), so when you hear him say "Hunay!" in the video, he's referring to himself.) If they are hard to watch embedded here, go to the YouTube link.
Mom and Dad are good for now. Matt continues his teaching, now also directing the graduate degree program, and has been working on finishing the manuscript for his first book. After leaving her job last July, in part to spend more time at home and in part to pursue what she loves, Sada has been working on two very different projects. 1) She opened her own law office serving the families of children with disabilities, and 2) She started a small business doing private surf instruction for women. Yes, she is the chief instructor, and yes, she is a certified lifeguard, so you have nothing to worry about. Except sharks. There is no certification for that.
These past few months have been incredibly hard, but we're starting to see the reward. It's hard when both parents are ready to pour a lot into their work but also know deeply what a blessing it is to just be with each other. We're trying to be vigilant about honoring our priorities every week, day, and even hour, but it's been a big challenge. Having a child wakes you up to the idea of having "stages" of life and that you can't do everything you want in every stage. Having our lives look a little more "normal" has allowed us the space to work through it. Thanks again, everyone, for your untiring encouragement and friendship. It means the world to us even if we can't tell you all the time.
