Carson is 7!!

As I look back on the past 7 years, I am filled with so many emotions. Carson healed our hearts after losing Isaac. To have a living breathing baby to take home was amazing. I remember his first few days home and I would just stare at him in amazement with tears in my eyes. I was so in love with this perfect little human being and I just couldn't believe he was mine and I got to keep him. I didn't take any moment for granted and took probably close to 5,000 pictures his first year, yes a little excessive, but I didn't want to forget anything! Looking back on the day he was born still makes me emotional because of everything we had to overcome to have him. I always said and still say to this day, I don't think there is any baby in the world that was wanted more than him!!!

August 13th, 2008

On his way home from the hospital

Some of my FAVORITE pictures of Carson

All of his BIRTHDAYS

Today, August 13th, 2015

June 2015 Update

Summer is here!! Carson doesn't receive summer services any longer because of budget cuts. He is attending summer camp at Step By Step but only for 10 half days all summer. So far he has done extremely well adjusting to his new schedule. He still goes to Speech and OT every week and other days we stay busy with other activities. We are waiting on a call from the Franklin County board of disabilities now to get him started on services through them. He had an evaluation at the end of May and we received a letter saying that he qualifies for additional services so we are waiting for a call from our service coordinator to get him started.

We recently discontinued his medications because a side effect is low appetite and he has lost 5 lbs since October and he is not eating anything. He has been off the medicine for 3 days now and we have already seen a huge improvement in his appetite. So far his behavior has been great and he is actually more interactive with us and very happy and affectionate. He goes back to the doctor in July so we will then discuss further medication options.

One of his biggest struggles right now is sleep!!! He is refusing to take his sleep meds and this causes big problems. It is very difficult for him to fall asleep on his own and most night he will still be awake at midnight. For Carson, sleep is the key to everything. When he doesn't get enough sleep his behavior is awful and his mood is awful. Sleep is so important for him so we are really having issues with this. We are going to try a new liquid medication and see if that helps but he hates taking medicine so its definitely a struggle.

He has really shown so much improvement. He is starting to become more social and wanting to interact with us. There is nothing more amazing then when he initiates play. When he looks at me and makes eye contact its a connection that I just can't describe. It brings tears to my eyes every time he looks at me and connects. The little things are really the big things in Carson's world. Things that most parents take for granted are the things that are so meaningful and amazing coming from Carson. A simple smile, a hug, a giggle...It's all incredible and we are so lucky we get to be the ones to witness these things from this amazing little boy!!

May 2015 Update

Carson is doing extremely well. His biggest accomplishment recently is he has learned to write his name!! This is so incredibly amazing! I think this opens so many doors for him. I keep thinking wow if he can learn to write then he can learn to read and possibly be able to communicate that way eventually. I am so proud of him and all that he has overcome and accomplished.

He has had a few set backs. He is becoming increasingly more aggressive and having meltdowns that seem to come out of nowhere. We have tried tracking them to see if we can find a pattern and we haven't been able to. He's not sleeping much and he won't take his sleep meds. Its close to impossible for him to be able to fall asleep on his own

It is so heartbreaking to see your child in so much agony and being so helpless. I ask myself everyday, why can't Carson have a normal life? Why did Autism choose him? It's so unfair

However...the good out weighs the bad on most days. Seeing him smile is the best part of my day. Hearing him giggle is the best sound in the world and seeing the look on his face when he accomplishes something new is absolutely the most incredible thing to witness