it's a wonderful (normal) life

where do i start? asher has been an absolute joy these last few weeks. so much playing and learning and maturing and growing.... really, i don't think i've ever seen him doing so well. he's really turning into the most delightful little toddler!

the easy stuff first (as he's swinging his IV pole beside his crib, directly above me, as i type this. does this child ever sleep?! he used to, then he had to go and get better. sheesh! lol). he's always been somewhat immature for his age. not so much developmentally delayed (well, a little bit, but nothing major, not like what you'd expect for a kid with his life), just emotionally delayed. immature really is the best word. well, the last couple weeks, since he's been feeling better, he has made huge strides in his personal being... he has blossomed into the most delightful toddler i've ever known (except when he doesn't get what he wants. then he screams. not so fun. but when he's happy, he's lovely!). he loves playing with his toys, especially his tank engines, much to bram's chagrin. but, i explained to bram that asher just wants to be like his big brother because he loves him so much and looks up to him. and now that asher can pull up to standing, they can play trains together on the coffee table, and asher won't steal them as often. that usually works. not always; bram really doesn't like sharing his beloved tank engines, but it's a work in progress, i suppose.

now, let's see... what else? since his cath, he's been stronger, i think. which surprises me, given that last time he had a cath, he went downhill fast. but he's actually been doing better. he has more energy, so he can play longer. he still gets very tired, mind you, but he can push himself a little longer.

i read the other day on an HLHS group on facebook, there was a post by a girl who's about 21 or so, has HLHS and is doing really well (and still has her own heart, no transplant!). she said that the first few years were tough, but that "our hearts are like fine wines - they get better with age." meaning stronger. they don't miraculously sprout left ventricles or anything. and i've been thinking about asher and his condition and those collaterals and everything. it's like his body is continuously adapting and learning how to function with his conditions. it's that basic human drive to survive. right lung's a problem? well, sprout some vessels to detour the blood away from that lung, and we're good to go. honestly, i think he has even more energy now, with his sats sitting in the low 70s, than he did 6 months ago when his sats were mid to high 80s. astounding!

anyway... there's also some wonderful toddler stuff that he's doing now, too. his speech is just exploding! he has started to really mimic people around him when they speak, and you can tell what he's trying to say! when we go for a walk, and we call to the other kids to stop, he yells, "DOP!" and if you ask, "where's your nose?" he'll grab his nose (or yours, but often his own) and say "OZE." he knows ear, which comes out "EE." earlier this afternoon, he was playing phone with my mom. he held his toy phone to his ear and said, "ALLO." that's right, there's an "L" sound in there (now if we could just get bram to say that on a regular basis, we'd be laughing! lol) let's see, anything else? ah, yes, he spied a remote on the desk this afternoon, and reached for it and said "OTE. OTE." now, don't get me wrong here, i don't want to sound like i'm complaining or anything, but WHAT'S A MOM GOTTA DO TO GET A QUIET KID AROUND HERE?! i mean, really! apparently, all my children are talkers. seriously! blithe even talks in her sleep! and some nights, i'd swear, if asher had the vocabulary, he'd be talking, too!

this is all so wonderful to see and hear! he's getting to be such a big boy. he can now easily look over the top of his playpen, which he couldn't do even a couple weeks ago. that's right, folks, my boy had a growth spurt! and, somewhere along the way, he has also cut 2 more teeth on the bottom (which would explain a lot of the crankiness and poopiness over the last week or so), and he's still working on a couple more up top. he's turning into a boy, instead of still being a baby. it's such a blessing, such an encouragement. this is God's miracle in my boy, that he can have all this "wonkiness," and still be the happy, bright, smart, strong child that he is! praise God, eh? and those of you who saw him at church this morning, doesn't he look wonderful? not even a hint of blue today! just pale/pink, which i will gladly take over the blue/grey/pale i'd gotten so used to.

well, that's about it for tonight (on this blog, anyway. i just might post on my own blog later. i'm doing a bit better, but i'll put the details there, if i have time/feel like it). i'm going to drink some tea, make a list of my favourite bible verses (where to start?!) and start planning my next big paper project: an altered bible! can't wait! :) anyway, have a great week, hopefully i won't have anything to report, so i'll talk to you later! :) h