The first and one of the more harrowing of incidents happened when he was about 4 years old. While I was enjoying my first cup of morning coffee, the boys were playing nicely in their rooms...or so I thought. To this day I still don't understand the boys doing this, they were going to each other's rooms by climbing out one window and working their way to the other window along a small piece of roof. While outside Daniel fell. It was a 3 metre drop, one that could cause a great deal of injury and even death. By the grace of God and a very quick guardian angel he completely missed the concrete steps below him. Seeing him laying spread eagle on the ground is a nightmare I think any parent can understand. My only thought of comfort at the moment was that he was crying. Nearby friends helped keep my panic in check until emergency crews arrived. Family support flooded the hospital that day, his father arriving only moments after we had with the ambulance. This followed by grandmothers, aunts and uncle. After many tests it was found that his fall resulted in an overnight stay in the hospital with a bruised spleen and a minor scrape on his belly. By that same afternoon he was already chomping at the bit...looking for an escape from the hospital so that he could come home and play. In the end, I think the adults were far more traumatized by his escapade than he was and it feels like that has been the continued mode of operation ever since. I don't know who his guardian angel is, but I am so thankful that he/she was there for him then and thru the many other incidents to come.

Daniel's TV tastes differ from that of his older brother, but he certainly rivals him in the mess department. If he is home for the day I can tell everything he has done or ate. He leaves a trail a mile long and then wonders how I know what he has been up to. Oppositional is his word for the day - everyday - since I brought him home from the hospital. His greatest lesson to mom so far has been teaching me that it truly is possible to sit on your hands for a long length of time. :) Diagnosed with ADHD - hyperactivity predominate along with learning disabilities has made his school years very challenging. Falling through the school systems cracks hasn't helped make his time in school a pleasant or rewarding experience. It has been frustrating and heartbreaking for me to watch his struggles...and the continued fighting in trying to see his needs met. Daniel is a bright child with so much potential just sitting there waiting to burst forth. Mom is learning to rethink her patterns of what is necessarily the right route for him in her quest to see him become self-sufficient.

My child of great imagination and a gift of the gab. I can remember when I was worried that he hadn't started talking yet. Well he learned and hasn't stopped since. I can honestly say that he has the capability of talking 24/7 since he also talks in his sleep. He is at his happiest when he captures a willing victim to listen to him and has an incredible gift of being able to talk to anyone no matter what the age....somewhat of a scary gift when as a child he would be known to talk to any stranger...anywhere. He also has a gift of imitating...one of his favorites being Jim Carey. I cringe when he watches one of his movies (don't get me wrong I love Jim's movies), but I know I'm going to be hearing Jim for the next week or so. Drives me insane and I'm quite vocal in telling him so. I have visions of him becoming a famous impersonator someday and publicly holding up a good size cheque while saying "Shut this up Mom". <grin> It would certainly serve me right.