So, we started teaching him to open his fingers... to stop him from keeping his fingers curled into fists.
Every time we held him, we'd gently wriggle our finger into his closed fist, to loosen his fingers.
It worked.
Those little fisted hands are much looser and much more open.
But, cerebral palsy is always there and even now, years later, we still have to remind him, every now and again, to open his fingers and fists.
And now, we are being rewarded.
Dexter's fingers are reaching for us. It's been happening for a while now, and we are still so pleased, every time Dexter's fingers run across our skin.
With Dexter's house being renovated, he has been sharing a bed with someone. And, during the night, those little fingers would find who ever was sleeping beside him. They would rest on an arm, or a face. He would find our fingers and wrap around them, until he was holding our hands.
When we hug Dexter, he almost always hugs back now... his little fingers running across our skin. It's hard to explain just how beautiful this is.
It makes us smile.
And it fills us with incredible love and gratitude.
It takes our breath away, as we realise how lucky we are.