Six months home and Seth's amazing transformation

Six months ago today, Seth Aleksey Lunnen stepped off the plane in Denver Colorado and with that step, became an American citizen.  As we flew into Spokane later that night, we prepared to meet our family, his family- his six siblings and a grandma and grandpa.  Seth was tired, overwhelmed, disconnected and probably traumatized.  I doubt he remembers that day.  But we do.  Oh, we do.  Because on that day, we knew his new life would begin.  We could forever walk away from his previous life.  Leave it behind.  Discard it and move on.  Seth was no longer an orphan.  Seth was home.  Forever.  Honestly, I can't even type that without crying.  Seth was home forever. 

It's been a busy six months.  A little boy that didn't warrant any attention or medical care in Ukraine, a boy shipped off to the institution to live out the rest of his life, has become a member of a large and loving family. 

When the time was right, we started him in physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.  He got AFO's, a wheelchair, a gait trainer, then a walker, as he quickly showed us what he had in him and learned to walk at record speed. He went from a gait trainer to a walker in two months flat, astounding me and his PT's. 

First time in the gait trainer in December:

In his walker this past week:

He got glasses and with that, started seeing the world around him in a whole new way.  He became connected to life.  He learned to feed himself finger foods, then started eating with a spoon and now can use a fork.  He went from a full hand grasp to a pincher grasp in six months, fine tuning his fine motor skills.  He's went from wearing a diaper to using the toilet.  He learned to kiss goodnight, play tickle monster, play peek a boo, make and hold eye contact (okay, still not great, but better), and giggle.  Seth has found life. 

At this point, Seth understands most of what we say.  He has a pretty good receptive vocabulary.  We've heard him say about 20 words in English but isn't using them on a consistent basis.  He communicates his wants and needs by showing me, by moving my hand where he wants it to be, or by going to what he wants.  But the other day, I asked him if he was done on the potty and he said "yes", so it's coming.  I think more speech is coming very soon. 

He is a bright boy.  He learns amazingly fast.  He is going to do very well in kindergarten in the fall.  For now, we're making up for lost time.  He likes water, swinging, exploring the house, snuggling, going on walks, going to the park.  Seth likes freedom.  He delights in his freedom, and we understand why.  He loves to explore every square inch of our house.  He is thrilled with the little things in life.  He finds happiness in things that most children take for granted.  Seth is totally content playing in the backyard or taking a bath.  Anytime he wants to.   

Watching Seth grow has been like watching a butterfly emerge.  One little bit at a time.  Ever so deliberatly.  Ever so steadily.  A little bit every single day.  So smoothly, so seamlessly, that Jeremy and I look at each other and say "Did he just....?".  "Did you see him.....?"  We watch as life is breathed back into a little boy who came so very close to losing it all. 

 The first day we met him, on Sept 18:

Seth, this past week doing puzzles:

Painting with Adam: 

Eating with a fork:

At Shriners with one of his PT's, climbing stairs to the slide:

And Seth continues to amaze.  Just today, his physical therapist at Shriners was shaking her head at how fast Seth was moving in his walker.  It had been a week since she'd seen him last and she could not believe how much he'd improved.  She's already talking about a walker with swivel front wheels and when we can move him to canes. 

Love is an amazing thing.  Love heals little boys. 

Happy 6 months home, Seth. 

You are home. Forever.