Silas's Story
As Silas entered our family, he was a little angel child. In contrast to his older brother, who could become the dominant force of the family at times, Silas was often content to remain in the background. This quiet, accepting personality even became a concern for his parents for a while.
Then Silas discovered mobility, and a whole new side of his personality started to emerge-- that of a passing tornado. With uncanny reflexes, in a space of time consisting of thirty-four seconds, Silas could pull the hair off of one cat's back, melt two audiotapes in the toaster oven, insert sandwiches into the VHS rewinder, pull all the pins out of the pin cushion, and stuff two rubber thimbles into his mouth for chewing purposes.
But most of all, Silas emerged as his siblings' trusted friend, and as someone who enjoys a good joke. He is enjoying all that life has to offer.
Silas was born at 9 lbs, 6 oz, and that seemed to foreshadow his size and strength in life. His first words centered around food, including "Amen," which he thought meant "Let's eat!"
As a toddler, Silas enjoyed greeting all the local city workers, whom he knew all by name. The recycling collector used to look out for his weekly greeting from Silas, and would let Silas push the button to compact all the trash in the truck. He sent Kelly, a deli attendant at Winco Foods, a get well card when she hurt her knee. For a long time, he still wondered how she was doing. He loves it when LDS missionaries come and visit, and remembers their names despite their frequent transfers to various areas.
He also enjoyed escaping out of the house and exploring the neighborhood with his all-too-willing dog, Lincoln, to go squeeze the local kitties. Silas became very much the loving brother to his new sister, Eve, upon her arrival.
While a preschooler, he taught himself sign language totally upon his own volition, borrowing books and practicing. He also enjoyed putting together jigsaw puzzles at a young age. But Silas had a rough transition to school settings for some reason.
Silas was diagnosed with autism when he was three and a half years old, although he did not display such obvious symptoms as his brother. However, it was evident that he could be lost in thought when a teacher was trying to tell him something. He became particularly despondent when Lincoln was put to sleep due to her bout with bone cancer.
As a six-year-old, Silas enjoyed being a superhero, with a whole range of powers. Currently, as an eight-year-old, he loves inventing things, and can spend much time in deep thought about his inventions. He enjoys the Harry Potter series, and knows the difference between the wands of the characters.