It had to happen some day. My little one has turned one. And what a happy, sweet, and special one he is! So much has been going on lately that I don't even know where to start. Our biggest news is, of course, Oliver's birthday. I spent yesterday in a mix of emotions; happiness that Oliver is growing up and progressing, wistfulness over the fact that he isn't so little anymore, gratitude that he is just doing so well. We spent part of yesterday at CHOP (where it all began!) because
Oliver is back in casts so that his feet (hopefully) move back into a position in which he can comfortably wear his braces (they had started to move back because his braces always fell off, so nothing was really "holding" his feet in position). Now that he is one, I'm really hoping that we can get him to stand soon. Being at CHOP made me even more emotional, because it was so easy to picture the early days when Oliver was in the NICU. I wanted to peek in for a visit, but I thought that might qualify me as "crazy," so I just stuck to orthopedics and the cafeteria.So what else is there? Oliver is also being reevaluat
ed for a shunt, because the MRI he had back in July showed that his ventricles are significantly larger than they were in his previous MRI (taken the week he was born). The neurologist at St. Peter's thinks that there is some urgency to getting a shunt, but the doctors at CHOP feel that as long as he is acting fine and acquiring new skills, he is okay for now. They said that he can have larger ventricles and more fluid, but as long as the fluid is "calm" and not putting pressure on his brain, things are okay. So I remain on "double secret alert," watching the poor guy fora host of symptoms, including crankiness, lethargy, skill loss, or missed milestones. Poor Oliver; one bad day and I'll probably have him back in the hospital for brain surgery.
We also had a whirlwind trip to Disney in which Mac met all of the princesses and Oliver fell in love with Mulan. We ate at the Princess Character breakfast, and the kids got to meet Belle, Mulan, Jasmine, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty. I really only booked the breakfast for Mac's benefit, since she is a huge fan of the princesses. But one kiss from Mulan, and Oliver was hooked.
And so goes our summer. My semester starts next week. Nothing says fall is coming like pre-season football and the beginning of fall semester. Still chugging along on my dissertation. I wonder what will happen first -- the Jets get to the playoffs or I finish the dissertation. Now that we have Brett Favre, it's really anyone's guess...
