I am so proud of my son. He has been the reason for many an exasperated post, a confused perplexed dilemma, a tired and rambling blog topic. Here’s the thing, though; all those posts were me working out the inner thoughts I had in my exhausted, untrained mind.
Tonight I was going through some old photos. (He’s nearly 13 years old now) I showed him some of the more funny hospital pics from his birth that aren’t framed in the house or on social media. He claims never to have seen them before, and it was fun taking him down a memory lane he paved, but had never tread.
After showing him a few, I pointed out how his neck was a bit cockeyed (plageocephaly) and that lead to needing the correctional helmet and physical therapy. (at 3 months old)
He looked a bit wide-eyed and claimed, “I have had issues from the beginning! Jeez, why was so much always wrong with me?!” and he said it not with sadness or despair, but just factually and a bit confounded. I was quick to point out this is just his journey and it’s what makes him unique- to which he thanked me for not saying ‘special’ since that apparently has a negative connotation for him.
I didn’t point out the colic or the enlarged pupil in one eye, which he still has. He said a bit shocked, “And now I have adhd to deal with, which isn’t a bad thing since it does have some good things for me.”
It was an interesting feeling to watch him piece together his life thus far and realize some of what he’s overcome. My hope for him is it gives him a sense of strength and confidence that things are never as bad as they seem in the moment.
I closed by pointing out how I decorated his correctional helmet. I put “under construction” scrapbooking stickers around it. I thought it was pretty damn clever, personally. He said now he thought it was a good idea. I told him a lady I knew actually copied me when her son later got a helmet and how nowadays people have them airbrushed and do amazing designs on them to make them fun and not so scary to look at.
He told me he liked my stickers because I did the original “OG” design, so his helmet was the best. 😁
We may have moments where we miss their tiny faces and in his case, long lanky baby bodies, but the truth is it’s just as fun witnessing their growth.
Today I get to be the proud mom of two amazing kids and no helmet, colic, expander, braces, occupational therapy or physical therapy can diminish or define who they are. It’s just all part of the journey.
Sarcasmica 