The Facebook memories.
I love them. I am not a big Facebook poster, though. There are days, even weeks, that go by where I do not have any memories to look back on. So, I am always excited when one pops us.
I am even more excited when the memory takes me back to different time. And I am left in awe.
This one popped up for me the other day. A memory from three years ago at a time the Dude Perfect bottle flip challenge was at its peak.
Declan was five years old in the video. He was still drinking from a juice cup. Thinking back, he was still in a diaper, still rode in a five point harness car seat. Still had to sit in a stroller wherever we went.
And his speech was slowly coming back.
Talking with Declan now you would never know he had such difficulties with his speech. I even sometimes forget how hard it was to not only get language back, but for sentences to form and for his speech to make sense. I was with him the most – I SPOKE Declan. I understood what he was trying to say. I translated for others.
So it is a great surprise to me, that looking back to a video from three years ago – I only kind of understand what he is saying.
It is so hard to look forward to see positive change. It’s so easy to forget the harder parts of the journey without looking back..
But positive change does happen. I can see that now. If you have a second, check out five year old Declan doing the bottle flip challenge. Listen to his words, smile with his excitement.
(Also, I didn’t share this video originally because of Declan’s speech. It was what he did at the end of the video that really cracked me up 🙂 )
Its awesome to have reminders of progress made, especially when we’re in the middle of a difficult time. There’s hope and the knowledge that eventually things will change.
We dont have videos of Ben, but we have pictures. Pictures that remind us of what he did or didnt do at that time.
Speech is still something he works on, but his vocabulary HAS grown and more people can understand what he’s saying. He’s TRYING to self-regulate more often.
I needed to see this today and be reminded that the difficult times change. This too shall pass…
A LOT changes in three years, doesnt it?!
💌
Yes! So much change. It is so easy to get lost in the problems of today, and so easy to forget the problems we have worked through. I wish I had more videos. Every now and again I see an old video and I am floored. And I am staring at them looking for things I didn’t see before. Glad to hear this was a help for you today – thinking of you guys!!
Videos are often a gateway to the past. I watch videos countless times. So often I have memorised them. Yet every so often I see something new in them or I notice something on an emotional level which I had missed. I’ve been trying to do that bottle challenge for years. Declan’s solution is just perfect, it’s even more perfect as it’s captured forever. Thank you for letting us into this special moment.
I agree – I wish I had so much more of them! I feel like I am constantly deleting them to save some space on my phone. then when I see something like this one I can’t believe I would ever delete them in the first place! So cool to see. Thank you! 🙂
You must be so proud of the improvement 😊
I sure am – thank you, Susie! 🙂
Always
I am also saying YAYYYY! Way to go, you guys! You are right – ups and downs on a regular basis but the graph on the larger picture is progressing and how well!
Thank you! I watched this video with my jaw dropped. Couldn’t believe how far he’s come! So hard to see progress then, so easy to see now 🙂
‘Yay!’ that was a definite proud exciting moment, I’d echo that too! I think over time when we’re living in something, the change can be incremental and less obvious, so it must be quite powerful for you to look back at a distinct memory and compare it to now to see the progress, and that’s fantastic! xx
I agree! Thank you so much! xx
Yay! Well done, Declan – you did it! Bless him… You’re so right Robyn, I think sometimes when things have been tough, we have to look back to see how far forward we’ve come. And that’s not just with our kids and their issues – I think that applies to everything in life. So as well as looking forward and to the future, we all need to remember to look over our shoulders for a bit of perspective too. Great post, Robyn. 🙂
That’s a really good point, Alli! I know I have definitely made a lot progress too in those three years. Good point! Thanks Alli! 🙂
Looking backwards and seeing how far you’ve come is a great motivator for moving forward…
That’s true! Good point
Love those memories that pop up like that! What I like most in the picture of you and Declan is your hands….you’re both holding hands. 🙂 One day they get to where they don’t want to hold hands anymore! Treasure the time hand holding!!
I know! That picture was from three years ago – and in those three years the hand holding is just a tad less. I like to hold his hand in parking lots and such, but every now and again he doesn’t want to. Yee-ouch! I really do need to treasure those hand holds!