My Son Isaac


What you see above is one of my favorite things about Isaac, his sweet, uplifting smile. He treats us with this smile every single day, almost all day. God has given him such a content little spirit. Isaac can lay in one place and play with one toy for 30 minutes at a time. He was the last one of the boys to learn to crawl, and I am convinced that it had very little to do with ability. He just had no reason to move, he was content right where he was. He still loves to lay on his back and play with a toy, or even just his fingers and toes for long periods of time. Isaac is the only child I have ever seen whom you can actually hear smiling. He makes a funny little noise as he breaths when he is smiling, and that noise is one of my favorite things to hear in the world.

Isaac was first to come home from the hospital, along with Brooks. My first really amazing experience with Isaac came on his third day of life. When I arrived in the NICU that day, Isaac’s nurse told me that they had just removed him from the ventilator. They were pretty sure that he was ready, but the next few hours would tell for sure. The only problem was, Isaac was very upset and she said he really needed to settle down soon, or he would wear himself out. If he used up all of his energy on crying, he would not have the strength to continue to breath on his own.

Our nurse suggested that I put my hand under his head and slightly rock his little head back and forth in an attempt to comfort him. She had already tried, but she thought I might have more success since I was his dad. I reached into his isolette and gently lifted his head, placing it in the palm of my hand. I was amazed, his head was slightly larger than a tennis ball! As I began to rock his head, he immediately settled down. It really melted my heart when our nurse told me that she was not able to settle him down, and that he must know that I am his daddy. I have replayed that experience in my head hundreds of times since that day, and it never gets old.

I love this little boy in ways that I cannot describe, but I will do my best. I love the little dimple on one cheek when he smiles, I love the way he opens his mouth wide open when he smiles and squeals, I use to love his 3 chins (I miss those chins!), I love his still chunky thighs, I love his beautiful blue eyes, I love his wispy brown hair, I love that his favorite word is da-da, I love that he rocks himself to sleep each night in his crib on his hands and knees, I love our nightly routine that involves bouncing him on his crib mattress until he squeals, I love that he squeals even before I start in anticipation each night, I love the fact that he cries when I leave him, and smiles when I come home, I love that he gets excited when I hand him his blue ball, even though it is the 200th time, and most of all, I love the fact that God has given me this little boy who has captured my heart the past 15 months and made me love him in ways I didn’t even know was possible.

My son Isaac is amazing. Many times, God uses Isaac to get Jen and I through the most difficult circumstances. No matter how upset Brooks, Clark, and Henry might be, you can almost always count on a smile from Isaac. When we are at our wits end and don’t know how much more we can take, we hear that familiar sound and look up, and there is Isaac, smiling ear to ear.

I am so proud of you Isaac, and it is such a privilege to call you my son, I love you buddy,

Dad

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