Atticus' 2nd birthday!!

The Birthday Boy!!

Hey everyone!  Wow, so it's been a reeeeally long time since I last updated my blog, and there has been so much that's happened.  Be prepared; this is going to be a long blog post! 

Obviously, it's been a big day here in our household because it was Atticus' 2nd birthday!!  It seems so crazy that two years ago today, I was meeting my 3rd child, Robert Gary Attticus, for the very first time, that it would be a week later before I was able to hold him for the first time, and that it would be another 2 months after that (on Thanksgiving Eve) before I could hold him again.  Now it seems so strange to think of all the things that we went through with him; how very close to death he was time and time again, and yet today he's active, playful, and curious.  It makes me stop and say a little prayer of thanks to see Atticus crusing around the furniture or with his walker, to see him able to eat his birthday cake this year, and for him to be able to communicate with us through sign language.  I squeeze him a little tighter and hold him for just that moment longer before setting him down to bed.  Today I've shed so many tears, but they've been tears of overwhelming gratefulness.  I am so grateful to God for allowing me these 2 years with Atticus. I'm grateful for all the doctors and nurses that devoted themselves to Atticus' care during that intial 160 days in the hospital.  I grateful for the doctors, nurses, and therapists that have devoted themselves to Atticus' care in the 570 days since we've been home from the hospital.  I grateful to all my friends and family that have given to us in so many ways financially, emotionally, and physically.  And I'm grateful to all of you.  Those that check in to see how he's doing from time to time.  Those that prayed for him, and that are continuing to keep him in your prayers.  Atticus has taught me some many things is such a short amount of time, and I'm grateful for that too.

Ok, on to some updates.  We have a big cardiology visit coming up later this month that will further decide exactly what road we will take in regards to Atticus' Fontan surgery.  Please keep us in your prayers about this.  I know that the Fontan has to happen.  There's no getting around it, aside from a transplant--and well, I REALLY don't want to have to go down that road.  But the closer the appointment comes, the more my mind starts swirling at the mere thoughts of another open heart surgery and hospital stay.  I know that I'll get through it, but just pray that I can ask all the right questions, that the cardiologist and I can make the right decisions regarding Atticus' care, and that I don't lose my mind to the dreaded "what ifs...?!" in the meantime.

Atticus has made so much progress in his therapies lately!  He is still crawling, but at lightening speed.  He's crusing around the furniture and getting bolder about how far is "close enough" to reach from piece to piece.  He's also getting A LOT better with his walker.  I usually have to actually hold the back of it just a little to slow him down right now.  He'll get going a little too fast and run himself over with it otherwise! LOL!  He's also able to bend/squat down to retrieve an item instead of having to sit down to pick it up.  And he's even starting to use his legs to bounce/jump a little when holding onto something or sitting on his little bouncy horse.

His fine motor skills are improving a lot too.  I actually think his learning sign language has helped his hands become more flexible as he's trying to learn new signs.  He can drop items into a container, retrieve them, hold multiple items in one hand, and has even learned to start scribbling with a crayon or pen!  He's doing great with the sign language.  He can do at least 20 signs, and knows several others that he hasn't mastered yet.  His two-way communication has improved so much!  He can usually let you know what he wants or needs.  He's even recently started putting 2 signs together such as "cookie monster" (his fav!), "want eat", "want (fill in toy)", etc.  Atticus will even tell me when he's ready for his nap!  (Try finding many other moms that can say THAT about their 2 year old!  I couldn't with my older two!)  I'm constantly amazed at his ability to learn and reason, to problem solve, and to have imaginary play when I think back to the fact that he had two brain bleeds.  God is so GOOD!!  Again, I'm thankful that God has granted my son the ability to over come these obstacles, and that Atticus is living proof at what God is able to do!

Atticus has also come a LONG way with his eating.  In the past year we've gone from total oral aversion and having to receive all his nutrition through his G-tube, to eating (and usually demanding!) table food.  He still has to have his G-tube right now, but we've been able to replace 1 "meal" entirely with table food, and can usually get at least 1/2 another with table food.  Everything has to be torn in to very small pieces, but I've seen Atticus polish off an entire cheese quesadilla, 1/2 a PB &J, a baby size bowl of mac n cheese, an entire baby bowl of cheerios, 6 oz cups of yogurt, etc!!  He's also recently figured out how to use a straw.  My mom bought him a spill-proof cup with a straw and he's starting to LOVE it!  He likes water best, but he's starting to come around to the occasional juice.  He doesn't usually drink more than an ounce or so, but it's major progress in our world!  I can finally see a light at the end of the G-tube tunnel!!  My only worry is that once he has his Fontan and has to be re-intubated, that we'll end up back at square one with his feedings.  I'm praying that we can get him off a ventilator within a day or so after the surgery so hopefully the effect will be minimal.  (Again...one of those dangerous "what if" rabbit trails that I'll drive myself crazy with if I don't restrain myself!)

I think that about sums up the last few months here in the realm of the Amazing Attiucs.  He's getting stronger and stronger with each passing day.  Atticus has several appointments this month into the first part of next month, so I'll try to remember to update once we've made it through all those appointments!  Thanks for checking in and as always, Keep on Prayin'!