Jairus at 4.5 years old

That's my boy's name. Jairus Donovan. I love it. I've only heard of one other Jairus in the world--Jairus David in the US... um...Navy? Army? Air Force? Saw him in a magazine.

He's 4 and a half in this picture, with little sister Honour. People who I see once in a while will say, "And how's he doin?". I'm never quite sure how to answer. He can breathe now. That's good, right? He can eat now. That sounds good, but not when you delve. He'll be five in March and he weighs 30 pounds. Do you have any idea how stressful that is to a mom? He looks like...the animated Robin hood when he was competing in the archery contest. Many meals, he just refuses to eat. I guess 3 and a 1/2 years of eating through a tube will do that to you. It was so exciting to take his g-tube out a little over a year ago. Now somedays I wish we still had it, just to get some meat on his skinny little bones.

His cleft was repaired in one operation when he was 10 months old. They also put the g-tube in, took off the little ear tag (it was the cutest little teardrop shaped growth in front of his right ear. Still, I'm glad it's gone) and put ear tubes in. As usual with cleft kids, he had fluid built up behind his eardrum and so his hearing was impaired.

He doesn't talk. No, I don't know why. He makes noises, yes. Sometimes they even sound a little like certain words. But overall, he doesn't, or can't speak. He does some sign language, so I know there's some understanding there. This is probably the most heartwrenching of all his issues now.
Oh for the day when my little boy will say 'I love you, mom'. Sometimes I despair that it will ever happen.