Lest it be thought that I would let a birthday slide by without getting sentimental and talking about how wonderful my kids are, I want to provide some perspective on just how great Oliver is at age 2, and what he is up to these days.
The latter half of my pregnancy with Oli was marked by not knowing what to expect when he was born. I had faith that God would not deliver more than we could handle, and I had faith that I would love this baby no matter what. And I was right on both counts. We debated trying the MOMS study, but worried that the cost could be high for both Mac and Oliver in terms of time and strain. That decision was taken out of our hands when we didn't qualify for the study because his Chiari malformation wasn't prominent enough. When he was born, we worried that he would be in the NICU for an extended amount of time, and that he would need a shunt to drain the excess fluid from his brain. We went home ten days later with no shunt. And I'm quite happy (albeit a little harried by the "Wait and See") to report that he still doesn't have one today. We were worried about having to catheterize him daily, but after a week or so, he started to urinate on his own. Way to beat the odds Oli!
We had no idea what would happen with his feet and legs, which were all the way up by his head when he was born. Slowly, through serial casting and time, they came down. We worried that he wouldn't be mobile, but just shy of 1 1/2, he started crawling. We worried that his braces would never fit, but after two surgeries, he now wears not only his AFOs, but HKAFOs that help him to stand.
After a while, we began to worry that we wouldn't talk. But his comprehension seemed great, so we hoped it was a matter of time. This summer, he began to grace us with his first few words. Granted, most of them are animal sounds, but I love listening to the little menagerie we have going on. And the words "car," "ball," and "more" have never sounded cuter. "No," I could take or leave, but the rest is great. Am I still worried that he is a delayed talker and that this could be a sign of a bigger delay? Definitely. But I am just happy to hear what he has to say, even if it is "woof."
Right now, walking is our biggest challenge on the table. He got his walker a few weeks ago, and doesn't seem to like it at all. While CHOP felt comfortable ordering it for him, his home PT, Ruth, doesn't feel he is ready for it. He can take little steps if we hold him up, but he doesn't want to free up his hands to hold onto the handles (he always carries a toy car in each hand), and he cries when we try. I'm sure that it is a matter of time, and that he will amaze us again, but that it is difficult to wait.
Oli is amazing, sweet, special, and loving. He is funny and cute and the the best snuggler. He captivates just about everyone he meets, and never fails to draw a smile from me. He has taught me that 'normal' is a subjective state of mind, and that our normal is whatever we want it to be. I LOVE my little boy, and I enjoy watching him grow every single day.
Happy Birthday Oliver!!
