Being a parent today

Okay, I know what you might be asking...
What is it like having two wonderful kids.... Wonderful, I wouldn't trade a single second.
What is it like to have a child with challenges? To answer that you might want to ask a different question because the more I talk to other parents with these kids, the more I discover that these are their kids and to them they are as normal as it gets.
There are heaping amounts of websites to inform and support parents of kids who have physical, mental and developmental challenges. but to people who have preemies or kids who don't quite fit any one category (like us). There is no real help.
There are to date no websites or books for these parents to use in the area of parenting. (not that I've stumbled upon)It's more or less use what you can to shape your child... This can be very confusing.
2 rules apply when reading articles on parenting my kids. When it somewhat mentions that a child should be doing something by a particular age, I've just got to wonder is that an average they've somehow picked at random or is this a scientifically proven. Secondly, is your advice geared to developmental age or chronological?

If I seem confused when it comes to this: I am.
Like I stated before, when I talk to other parents of kids with challenges...The parents see their kids and not the challenges. Although the challenges DO exist, I think that in a way parents aren't oblivious to it they just are in a form of denial.
Explanation: Imagine this is your child. You see your child as special and unique. nothing is going to change the fact you love your child. Not even what anyone says about how different from everyone else he/she is.
This is a coping mechanism whether consciously or not it is.
Every so often I get the realization I am doing this, but then realize I am his mom and I can see what no one else sees in him.None of what anyone says is going to change it.

I have seen my children as the true gifts that they are. Everything that they do is a miracle. Because of what we had to go through with Jonathan to get him to do what he needs to (walk, talk etc) we don't take anything like this for granted.
Two things happened when I had Daniel. We got to experience the baby  stage fully in all of it's cute, colicky glory. Even when Daniel woke us up with his screaming at 2 am every night we still loved it (even though we were tired).
Everything Daniel seems to be doing is on his own so we are in total awe and wonder. This is super fantastic to us and not a day goes by that we aren't saying wow. He doesn't seem to have to work hard at anything he eventually does it better every time..
We love our kids just in their own special way. Each one has their own unique personality,gifts and special things about them.
With Jonathan we know that he is very sensitive and caring, he is a social butterfly even to a fault. He is tender hearted and has a high tolerance for pain/illness. His love language is Quality time and doing things with him.
We went through the nicu with him, and went through all of his challenges he faced/faces.
Daniel- is very strong, very loving and loyal. He can be shy at times, but mostly can be very loud at times. He loves music and will fill the air with his own if there is none playing.
We went through a lot during our pregnancy with him and Thanked God endlessly for making him come out shouting when he was born.sometimes we wish he would have asked God to only have him be loud at his birth

His love language is both Physical touch and praise.
He is just special because of how God proved Himself to me with him.
I love them both with all of my heart and adore seeing what God is doing with both of them.
Daniel is walking now and Jonathan is picking up more words.


Here is Daniel's first year video.


Be blessed


Erin posted a comment but the web did something so here:
Erin has left a new comment on your post "Being a parent today":

And no one understands as well as you and no one ever will . . . That's a significant part about having children with uncategorized health issues--it's alienating and can throw one in to a spiraling depression. Having two children with signficiant growth disorders gives me pause . . . a lot. And today it's just a panic attack--tomorrow might be better.