Stories about Austin

The other day, Austin was playing with my belt and mumbled something about a diaper. It cracked me up, so I let him know that Mommy does not wear diapers. The things he says and thinks are really funny sometimes.

With all the snow and ice we got last week, the parking lot is still very slippery. Austin told me to be careful yesterday. It was so sweet of him.

He has started saying a variation of "I love you." It sounds like "wa-wu," but we know what he means. It is sweet because he says it on his own sometimes, and especially after he gives one of us a kiss. He has also learned how to give an Eskimo kiss which is a favorite childhood memory for me.

Last night, Austin came with me to Seminary Wives Institute. While I went to my class on Leadership, he played with some other kids in the childcare room. We had to park on the other side of campus, so we walked inside the building all the way to the Honeycutt Center where I leave him for childcare. For an adult, this is about a 5 minute walk, so you can imagine how long of a walk it was with Austin. Well, he did great and walked the whole way holding my hand. He even got to meet Dr. Moore, the dean of theology at the seminary. Austin was very polite to him and said hello, and after we walked off, Austin commented that Dr. Moore had a "nice bag." It was too bad that Dr. Moore didn't get to hear that random compliment from a little two year old. I thought it was so sweet that Austin noticed his bag and had the words to express that he thought it was fashionable.

Austin is such a social child. He always greets strangers with a cheerful hello, and he thrives off conversation. For a long time, we were the only ones who understood what he was saying. Now, he is becoming more clear, and other people are able to communicate with him as well. We are so thankful that his development has been normal considering that most babies born with his level of prematurity (29 weeks gestation) have severe learning and developmental disabilities not to mention physical problems as well. God has been gracious in that Austin seems to have no lasting effects from being born early. He had quite a rough start in life, but now he is one of the healthiest and most outgoing children I know.