technically, already one
now we're official
Today Ike is gestationally a year old. This was his due date last year. It's so confusing when people ask how old he is, because I have to decide whether or not to go into the long story of his adjusted age, tell them his technical age, or just say his adjusted age, without saying the word "adjusted".
It's weird because in a lot of ways he's more like a one-year-old than a 15-month-old. But in other ways, he's WAY more like a 15-month-old. It's fascinating to watch how he's developing, but it's really hard for me to not compare his achievements with the wee one and the wee-er one at similar ages.
I've never thought of Ike-a-saurus as "delayed" in any way, and we've been fortunate that, for the most part, he hasn't been. If it wasn't for the trach, I'm pretty convinced he'd have a good handful of words by now. I'm also pretty sure if it wasn't for the trach and spending a month in the hospital - for the most part sedated and paralyzed - he'd be walking by now. (That's a long time to lose, when you're only 5.5 months old!) Not to mention the recovery time from being trached, and spending many more weeks stuck in a bouncy seat, attached to tubes and wires at home.
I think those things and then I worry that I'm making excuses for him. I don't mean to. He's a baby who doesn't need excuses. He needs celebrations of everything he does, and I have to make sure that not only do I recognize that, but I don't see any delays (if and when they materialize), as problems or something I could have or should have prevented.
It's an interesting, wonderful, scary, weird thing to watch your baby grow after he had to gestate outside the womb. Did you know I got to watch him grow nipples? Not many mamas can claim that!
November is the March of Dimes Premature Awareness Month, by the way. The March of Dimes is such an amazing organization that had a hand in many, many medications and procedures that kept Ike-a-saurus growing and thriving and breathing. We will forever be grateful to them. Just like we will forever be grateful that Master Ike-a-saurus has a fantastic summer birthday. It might not have been the day we were expecting, but that's OK. Here he is, kicking ass and taking names.
He will always be our Thanksgiving baby, even if he was born in August.
And Thanksgiving is so highly, highly appropriate. Love you, Ike-a-saurus!
Posted by: Julie & TC | November 15, 2009 at 05:42 PM
Ike we are all so very thankful for you.
Posted by: lisaw | November 15, 2009 at 06:32 PM
he's such a handsome one too! Love that picture! Celebrate it ALL! It goes by so quickly...I've got 4 (19,15,6,11mo)...and I wish I had paid more attention.
Posted by: Dianne | November 15, 2009 at 08:10 PM
I only have two and neither was premature, but I'm still comparing them. When Katy was little and "didn't walk until" she was 15 months old :) I worried. Now that Aaron is past two and still only has a few words in his never-ending flow of language that even remotely sound like English... I worry.
Not to belittle your experience at all. I know it's different. But I do hope it'll make you feel better that pretty much all of us worry to one extent or another about how we look at our kids' abilities and whether or not we're going to hurt them by worrying :)
Posted by: Suzanne | November 16, 2009 at 08:54 AM
Does this mean he gets to celbrate both birthdays every year and get double the presents?
Posted by: KC | November 16, 2009 at 02:24 PM
You are such a great writer! Happy bday to Ike and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Posted by: Stella | November 18, 2009 at 10:32 AM