We are thrilled to report that we are still seeing new developments in Jake from his intensive therapy program. Jake is now starting to grab something while in a sitting position and pull himself up onto his knees. This is something he's never done before. We first witnessed this in his bed, but thought it could've been just a one time thing as he often will grab the netting around his bed. Then one night Jake was in his play area and I saw something out of my peripheral vision. Jake had pulled himself onto his knees so that his head was above the fence that surrounds his play area. We immediately jumped up and couldn't believe our eyes. Since then, Mom has integrated this particular exercise into his therapy program. If he won't pull himself up onto his knees, once Jake has been assisted into the position, he will hold himself there for small duration of time. This exemplifies increased strength and intelligence. Again, we can't thank you all enough for the assistance in donations that made this therapy possible.

Jake has been sick a couple times this month. He's now on antibiotics and we hope this is the last of the illnesses. The Doctor suggests it's from exposure to new kids while at Summer School, which just ended. School doesn't start again until August 19th, so we'll see. One more sickness and we'll begin bloodwork and a more aggressive course of action.

On a more positive note, we wanted to reward Jake for being such a trooper during his 3 week intensive therapy program. Since Jake isn't able to express his desires, we had to resort to what we know. Ever since Jake was born, he has always loved the water. A bath would soothe him, even if something was ailing him. After one of his surgeries years ago, he had 7 baths in one day. So we decided to take him to Adventure Island, a water park here in Tampa Bay. He absolutely loved it. Daddy took him down every waterslide they would allow us to, and some of those multiple times. I even took him down the waterslide that Mommy said was too fast for us, where he actually giggled on the way down!

We've tried to recognize everyone who has helped Jake. We've done a great job, but some folks have done so much, we had to build a special page just to thank them. These folks have coordinated fundraisers on their own, without our knowledge, just to raise money for Jake. In some cases, they are friends of the family. In others, they are people with hearts the size of planets who don't even know Jake. Please join us in recognizing them and their efforts.

We have added several new links to the resources page. Check it out, there's everything from a website that helps families maintain communication during hospital stays to an excellent source for toys for special needs children. We try to pay it forward by sharing our experiences and knowledge of this thing Daddy likes to call "Jake's Journey".

This month's newsletter is packed with amazing yet cautious information. As usual, our life is a continuous roller coaster. The Therasuit has been extremely beneficial, as noted by Jake's awesome new developments. However, his frequent illnesses are a cause for concern regarding his immune system, which is also new. Once we get him healthy, our concern will be that his brain is not maturing at the same rate as his body. He's strong enough to pull himself onto his knees, yet he doesn't try to break his fall once he descends. This is exactly why he's in a padded environment when alone. We'll keep you posted, it's as concerning as it is exciting. Keep your hands and feet inside this ride at all times, hehe!!