Noah...

is two years and 9 months now. Since November, he has been in a body cast for infantile scoliosis. We've been amazed at how well he has done with it. Bathtime has proven somewhat challenging. He gets a sponge bath at the kitchen sink for now. He also has to be careful of how much he eats, especially rich foods. The cast has a hole cut out for his tummy to expand, but it still squeezes him pretty tightly. He can handle about half of a brownie, but more than that, and he begins to belch like crazy and occasionally will lose it. The cast is also heavy and bulky. He often complains of leg pains. We're unsure whether it is just normal "growing pains" or cramping from supporting that extra weight. With these slight exceptions, though, he doesn't let it bother him in the least. Most people never even know he is wearing it, and he runs and plays just like any other kid. I'm so thankful of how well he tolerates it. We are scheduled to get the last of three casts Monday. While they have him out this time, they will also make a mold for constructing a body brace. It will take approximately 8 weeks to get the brace back, so he will wear a new cast until then. The brace is supposed to be lighter-weight and can be taken off for baths and occasional swimming or an athletic event. The nurse said to aim for wearing it an average of 23 hours a day. We, at first, understood that he would only wear it for about a year, but now have been told that it will quite possibly be worn up through elementary school or later. We are thankful to have discovered this early and prayerful that the things he is going through now will prevent later pain and procedures.

The terrible two's seemed to have hit him lightly...until lately. Wow!!! Everything is "mine, mine, mine, not yours, yours, yours!" He is experimenting with temper tantrums and hitting Isaac to get what he wants, whether he had it first or not. Isaac knows how to push his buttons, and though they usually play together very well, we have spent a little extra time lately finding our sweet selves and pulling them up from down deep where they seem to have been buried.

Noah talks all the time, and I love with some of the cute 2-year-old things he is saying. The other day, while I was fixing his baby house waffles with house syrup, he got his milk cup out of the cabinet and handed it to me. When I remarked on what a great little helper he was, he added, "and a smart cookie, a big boy, and a goofball! That what Mommy say!" He had built up his own little collection of things I call him. I loved it! Since then, I better not call anyone else a goofball. He pouts and says that HE is the goofball! :) *The baby house waffles are the Cinnamon Eggos that come divided into 4 smaller waffles. He said the sections look like baby houses and now refers to them in this manner. The syrup he "demands" is the Log Cabin syrup with a picture of a house on the front. That is "Grams's syrup."

He is very affectionate, and gives the best hugs and "slobbery kisses." He often spontaneously runs up to me, throws his arms around my legs, squeezes tightly, and declares, "You're the best mom ever!" I, in return, tell him that he is the best Noah ever! ...and he is!