Team Schuurman: Canada: Part 2

     I didn't mention this in the last blog, due to time, but Sunday, during the festivities, Marcus was quite fussy and unhappy (most of the time). He only wanted Mark or I to hold him, cried when others did, and when we put him down to play, he would lose his mind. Obviously other family members tried to help out, but he wasn't happy unless he was with one of us, for the most part. I just thought this was because he was in an unfamiliar place with lots of people.
     Well, we put him to bed as usual that night and we went to sleep just fine, but around 2am he woke up crying. Mark tried to give him a paci so he'd go back to sleep, but I could tell by his cry that he was far from that. Long story short, he was awake until 3:30. I changed his diaper, gave him another bottle, then baby tylenol, tried singing, rocking, etc. NOTHING worked unless I just held him and didn't give any indicator that I was going to put him down. Luckily, there was a bed in the room where he was sleeping, so I just propped myself up on it and held him for probably half an hour. When he was good and limp, I put him back in bed and he didn't wake again until the morning. It was THEN that I felt his upper gums and realized his top two teeth were making their grand appearance. His gums are translucent and one of the teeth is just baaaaaaaarely peeking through.
     So I'd like to chalk Marcus' behavior up to teething alone, but after Mark and I saw him beside numerous other children, all within months of his age, we think he's a different kid. We were having the "Is he ADHD?" conversation last night and yes, we know it's too early to tell that. He's just a super busy child who's into EVERYTHING, everybody's business, and who's extremely energetic. We were joking that when he was old enough to go to school, teachers would say, "I hope I don't get THAT kid..."
     Now, I say all that half joking, but semi-serious about noticing the differences. What IF he has a disorder when he grows up? What IF he has "issues?" Will we love him any less? Will that alter our decision to have other children? And the answer??? NO!
     The Lord has blessed us with the right child for US and we are the right parents for HIM, no matter the circumstances. Some days we are absolutely wore out and exhausted from hearing him continually cry and/or changing the 4th blowout diaper of the day, but there are so many other times that he lights up our hearts with smiles, laughter, and cuddles. Last night, for example, he went to sleep sweetly babbling and when we went to check on him a few hours later, he was on his back, hands up, behind his head, sleeping like a precious little angel.
     We LOOK FORWARD to watching and helping him grow up, no matter the challenges, because we LOVE him. We love each other, we love Marcus, but most of all, we love the LORD JESUS CHRIST! It is in HIM we find strength, in HIM we have hope, and in HIM we know the real meaning of love.

Enjoy the rest of the pictures. :)