My main man is 2 yrs old already...

**DeesKo** · 01-06-2010, 12:37 AM

good god time flies....

**dj kelvin** · 01-06-2010, 01:11 AM

Congrats man............

**bigshawn** · 01-06-2010, 01:40 AM

Fine looking boy you got there. Congrats

**Bill Blake** · 01-06-2010, 02:54 AM

Looks must take after the wife...what a cutie.

**echo bravo** · 01-06-2010, 04:00 AM

2 years old?? are you sure? seems like yesterday deesko

however old he is, they don't come no cuter

**MarkK** · 01-06-2010, 06:54 AM

so cute!!!!

**DaveR** · 01-06-2010, 07:33 AM

Nice

**jimmymack-2000** · 01-06-2010, 07:35 AM

Haha, so cute -- love the lean in the second pic! Congratulations!

**DeesKo** · 01-06-2010, 09:01 AM

Originally Posted by Bill Blake

Looks must take after the wife...what a cutie.

yeah, thank god.

**DeesKo** · 01-06-2010, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by echo bravo

2 years old?? are you sure? seems like yesterday deesko

however old he is, they don't come no cuter

I'm telling you, you always hear parents say "where does the time go" but dammit if it doesn't feel that way. It's hard to believe he's been here 2 years already, and that my stepson is about to head into the 6th grade. Seems like yesterday I was taking our 10 yr old to IHOP and then dropping him off at daycare.

The other night I fell asleep on the couch. The next morning Nicholas woke me up by tapping me on the arm and saying "Daddy" very softly. When I woke up he lifted the blanket and crawled up onto the couch and got under the covers and snuggled up next too me and just laid there with me. It was the best feeling in the world.

Especially considering he spends most of his waking moments wreaking havoc.

Peace

**DeesKo** · 01-06-2010, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by jimmymack-2000

Haha, so cute -- love the lean in the second pic! Congratulations!

hahahaahahah he does that pose whenever you say "lets take a picture"... he's got a great sense of humor and is a character through and through.

**darrow** · 01-06-2010, 09:37 AM

it definitely does fly. great pics, deesko.

**DeesKo** · 01-06-2010, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by darrow

it definitely does fly. great pics, deesko.

Is it official now with you guys & Ty?

Also, I saw you commenting on the 2nd adoption, is that a straight up, done deal permanent adoption, or the same situation you had with Ty?

I don't know if I've ever said this directly or not, but I really respect & admire what you guys are doing for those two kids. To subject yourselves to the emotional rollercoaster you have gone through with Ty, to put yourself in the position of risking all of that just for the chance of helping a child in need.... I just don't know the proper words to describe how much I admire that.

Peace

**wiz247** · 01-06-2010, 10:02 AM

Bless up!

**DaBownca** · 01-06-2010, 10:03 AM

What a cute kid! Mannn wait until you're looking at his 20 plus behind remembering when you were reading him bedtime stories...so I hear...I don't do it like....EVERY day.....sniff...

**darrow** · 01-06-2010, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by DeesKo

Is it official now with you guys & Ty?

Also, I saw you commenting on the 2nd adoption, is that a straight up, done deal permanent adoption, or the same situation you had with Ty?

I don't know if I've ever said this directly or not, but I really respect & admire what you guys are doing for those two kids. To subject yourselves to the emotional rollercoaster you have gone through with Ty, to put yourself in the position of risking all of that just for the chance of helping a child in need.... I just don't know the proper words to describe how much I admire that.

Peace

Unfortunately, after 27 months, the saga with Ty's situation continues - still in foster care. The Court and DSS's plan continues to be reunification. There is a hearing on 2/23 that MIGHT bring things closer to a conclusion one way or another. I'm hopeful for closure. Ty will be three next week and he's becoming much more aware of...well...everything. A return home would - I think - seriously impact his mental/emotional well-being.

Lucas is straight up private, domestic adoption through a local agency. We finalize that adoption probably in April. In MD, you have to wait six months after placement before you can finalize an adoption.

Thanks for the kind and supportive words. It's a beast of a situation and the hardest thing I and we have ever been through. But every time I look at Ty - every time I think about the state he was in when he came to us, I know we are doing the right thing no matter how things end up.

It's stunning (and tragic) how many kids out there need some help. I'm hoping that we can continue to help more kids in some way before we are too old and worn out.

**VEESTER** · 01-06-2010, 10:32 AM

Ahhhhh...Happy Birthday lil man!

**Doug** · 01-06-2010, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by darrow

Unfortunately, after 27 months, the saga with Ty's situation continues - still in foster care. The Court and DSS's plan continues to be reunification. There is a hearing on 2/23 that MIGHT bring things closer to a conclusion one way or another. I'm hopeful for closure. Ty will be three next week and he's becoming much more aware of...well...everything. A return home would - I think - seriously impact his mental/emotional well-being.

Lucas is straight up private, domestic adoption through a local agency. We finalize that adoption probably in April. In MD, you have to wait six months after placement before you can finalize an adoption.

Thanks for the kind and supportive words. It's a beast of a situation and the hardest thing I and we have ever been through. But every time I look at Ty - every time I think about the state he was in when he came to us, I know we are doing the right thing no matter how things end up.

It's stunning (and tragic) how many kids out there need some help. I'm hoping that we can continue to help more kids in some way before we are too old and worn out.

Respect...

**DeesKo** · 01-06-2010, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by darrow

The Court and DSS's plan continues to be reunification. There is a hearing on 2/23 that MIGHT bring things closer to a conclusion one way or another.

Ty will be three next week and he's becoming much more aware of...well...everything. A return home would - I think - seriously impact his mental/emotional well-being.

Lucas is straight up private, domestic adoption through a local agency. We finalize that adoption probably in April. In MD, you have to wait six months after placement before you can finalize an adoption.

Thanks for the kind and supportive words. It's a beast of a situation and the hardest thing I and we have ever been through. But every time I look at Ty - every time I think about the state he was in when he came to us, I know we are doing the right thing no matter how things end up.

It's stunning (and tragic) how many kids out there need some help. I'm hoping that we can continue to help more kids in some way before we are too old and worn out.

Wow. It seems like I've seen that comment about a looming court case that could possibly move you closer to closure more than a few times on FB or your blog, so it just keeps dragging out huh?

Do you think there is a point where DSS and the court would feel that it would be more detrimental to Ty to go through a reunification, and change their default strategy?

Ty isn't even old enough to really remember or understand anything other than you guys are his family right? I know with our 10 yr old, now that he's 10, he doesn't really seem to have any cognizant recollection of large scale things that happened when he was 3 or 4 save random memories of specific moments. He does however, clearly remember things, including his assessment of his natural familial world around him from the age of like 4 or 5 on.

Balancing parental rights and what's best for the child long-term is a difficult task. I definitely wouldn't want to be a judge having to preside over those kinds of decisions on a daily basis, knowing every decision you hand down could be make or break for a person's entire lifetime.

Keep your heads up, you're absolutely right that you are doing the right thing.

Peace

**Tim Martinez** · 01-06-2010, 10:56 AM

Muy guapo! Yeah man...don't blink. I barely remember what my son looked like as a baby and he's now 5 1/2.

Congrats bro. You are definitely blessed.

[T]

**darrow** · 01-06-2010, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by DeesKo

Wow. It seems like I've seen that comment about a looming court case that could possibly move you closer to closure more than a few times on FB or your blog, so it just keeps dragging out huh?

Do you think there is a point where DSS and the court would feel that it would be more detrimental to Ty to go through a reunification, and change their default strategy?

Ty isn't even old enough to really remember or understand anything other than you guys are his family right? I know with our 10 yr old, now that he's 10, he doesn't really seem to have any cognizant recollection of large scale things that happened when he was 3 or 4 save random memories of specific moments. He does however, clearly remember things, including his assessment of his natural familial world around him from the age of like 4 or 5 on.

Balancing parental rights and what's best for the child long-term is a difficult task. I definitely wouldn't want to be a judge having to preside over those kinds of decisions on a daily basis, knowing every decision you hand down could be make or break for a person's entire lifetime.

Keep your heads up, you're absolutely right that you are doing the right thing.

Peace

Yeah, "the end" has been coming for quite some time now starting as early as August 2008. Typically, there is a Review Hearing every 6 months where DSS and The Court review the case. Specifically, they review the parents progress/compliance with the plan set before them. As of this February, the case will have gone well past the upper State and Federal limits for the number of months that Ty can be in an out-of-home placement. If DSS and/or The Court decides that the parents continue to not make progress by February, the plan for Ty will change to adoption. That change though will likely bring about at least one appeal. This thing could drag out until he turns 4.

It is clear, even from my admittedly biased perspective, that Ty is well-bonded to us. He's been with us since he was 9 months old and developmentally, he was probably about 6 months old. We are his family and his parental figures.

The phenomenon you describe related to your 10 year old is labeled Childhood (or Infantile) Amnesia. We all experience it. My hope is that this case comes to a close soon before Ty gets too old - old enough to remember things prior to becoming 3 1/2 or 4 years old. I'm a bit ambivalent about whether I want Ty to remember us or not, if he returns to his parents. Though the thought is extremely painful, I lean towards wanting him to not remember us. I think to do so would make things even more confusing for him.

Yes, I think the judge's decision is an extremely difficult one. The Court and State must allow some level of parental rights and autonomy but it also is charged with protecting children and considering the best interests of those children. I'm witnessing first-hand how at-odds parents' rights and children's best interests can be.

**kara** · 01-06-2010, 11:33 AM

so cute rob!

**darrow** · 01-06-2010, 11:33 AM

I want your boy's t-shirt, by the way.

**the crackhouse** · 01-06-2010, 11:40 AM

Really cute kid Deesko! Breathing hapiness! (well kids are supposed to live that way)

Your wakening story is reat too, I know how you felt... Aaaaah kids!

Idance