Arden is 11 Months Old
Time is incredible. It seems like just yesterday we brought home our little man, and now we’ve already watched him thrive at home for 3.5 months!
Of course, Arden still faces challenges every day. Being a trach-vented baby is no easy feat, and the restrictions that it brings are challenging. With it still being cold out, Arden and I usually don’t leave the house except for appointments. We spend most of our days in the living room where we have close access to all of his equipment and toys. Some days we spend every 5-10 minutes suctioning. Sometimes we have big desats and a good bag-instill-suction is in order. Anyone who enters our home is required to sanitize and wear a mask. We don’t have any unnecessary visitors. Our bubble is still pretty small, but it sure beats the hospital bed where Arden spent his first 7.5 months.
Lately, the joy and progress far outweigh any challenges that we are experiencing. Arden has shown us such immense growth since coming home, and we notice changes daily. His smile grows bigger every day, and he has now learned to do a “scrunchy smile” where he smiles so hard that his cheeks push up and he squints his eyes. He (silent) giggles regularly and looks to the door to flash an uncontrollably large grin when Brodi arrives home from work. He gives a mean “side-eye” to the therapists when they visit and sometimes ignores peoples’ requests for his attention if he’s not interested.
4 days ago he learned how to turn himself in his exer-saucer; something that he had never done before. Although we still have restrictions on weight-bearing because of the position of his feet, he has learned to use his legs more and more. He now does little pushes and bounces in his exer-saucer, and kicks them wildly in the bathtub. He is easily rolling side to side, and has learned to maneuver himself around to reach different toys on the floor. We are still working on tummy time, but that’s okay. Yesterday he went on his tummy for a minute or more with no tears, which is a milestone in itself. He has recently developed more core strength and trunk control, and is able to straighten his body upwards while in a supported sitting position, despite the challenges presented by his scoliosis.
In the past few weeks, Arden has become more and more cheeky and I’m loving it. He now wriggles and kicks wildly when his night caregiver tries to change his diaper. He has discovered that his vent circuit is fun to play with, and sometimes ends up disconnecting it. He finds joy in stealing his dad’s glasses and ballcap right off of his face/head to play with. He loves to make noise with all of his toys. Arden’s grandpa bought him a toy xylophone, and the drumstick that came with it has become a favourite of his. He regularly uses it to make a beat on any other toy or surface he has within his reach.
Our little man is an angel baby when it comes to sleep. Arden regularly goes on nap strikes during the day, but his night time sleep is unheard of. I like to joke that he’s a teenager in a baby’s body. Lately he’s decided that he wants to be a night owl, and often wakes up to say hello and flash some grins when his night caregiver arrives at 10PM. He then sleeps like a log throughout the night, and often sleeps in well past 9AM. I love spending mornings in his room, drinking my coffee and writing while he sleeps peacefully.
Arden brings so much joy to our lives. Although it’s supposedly spring time, the wind and snow are still whirling around in our backyard. But Arden’s smile lights up our home like the sun. I can’t believe that in one month, our sweet boy will be 1 year old. Where does the time go?!
XO, Rayel