The Third Baby

FeatureHabor

This is baby Harbor.

The third baby.
The third boy.
The third little thief of sleep and sanity.
He turned 4 years old in October.

The word I would use to describe him is…curious.

He is kicking soccer balls, negotiating in full sentences, eating with a fork, and playing hockey. Although, he likes to sing songs and do experiments more. Of all three of my boys, he is the busiest. He wants to know how things work. Like the toilet. And Kleenex boxes. And mud puddles.
He has the biggest personality. And he wants to be grown up. With every food he eats he lets me know he is growing.
He can name 25 dinosaurs. Names that I can’t even pronounce he can say with confidence.

And this morning the first words out of his mouth were…’today I am turning 9 so I can have a birthday party like Sawyer.’

He is very busy. And he has the best hair. Like ever. He has a dimple. Just one. And his eyes are the most beautiful grey.
He is the easiest of my four children 1/4 of the time.
He loves hugs, shopping, his brothers, his sister and carrying around anything club-like.

I don’t always share a lot about him in written form. But he does steal the show on every video I do.

He’s different than his brothers. And yet, the same in many ways.
He filled in the gap when he was born. He gave us something we didn’t even know we were missing.
He thinks Sawyer is the coolest person ever and he thinks Cooper is hilarious and interesting. He follows them both around.
He drives them both bonkers, takes their things and hits them with hockey sticks and then giggles.
He adores being a big brother and takes the job very seriously.
He loves saying, ‘I’m sorry.’ And does so 100 times a day after doing something naughty.
No one can get mad at him though. Because, he has this light inside. It radiates from him. The light is hard to describe. But it’s there. People notice it all of the time. They come up to us at stores and church.

The world is a better place because he is in it.

He asks about autism a lot lately. And why brother doesn’t talk. He was born into advocacy and is already pretty great at it.
He is the glue between two brothers, and I know in my heart that he will hold them together.
Kids are so amazing that way. They show you what you were missing. And how important cupboard locks are.
Ps. Don’t ever give him access to water. He can turn anything into a paste.
Finding Cooper’s Voice is a safe, humorous, caring and honest place where you can celebrate the unique challenges of parenting a special needs child. Because you’re never alone in the struggles you face. And once you find your people, your allies, your village….all the challenges and struggles will seem just a little bit easier. Welcome to our journey. You can also follow us on Facebook.
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Kate Swenson

Kate Swenson lives in Minnesota with her husband Jamie, and four children, Cooper, Sawyer, Harbor and Wynnie. Kate launched Finding Cooper's Voice from her couch while her now 11-year-old son Cooper was being diagnosed with autism. Back then it was a place to write. Today it is a living, thriving community of people who want to not only advocate for autism, but also make the world a better place for individuals with disabilities and their families. Her first book, Forever Boy, will be released, April 5, 2022.

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