New Look

The more observant of our readership might have noticed that things look a little different around "It's a... blog!"  Allison and I had grown tired of the old layout, so we spent the weekend picking out a new one. (Apologies to those of you who visited the blog in the midst of its makeover. I'm sure it was a bit unwieldy and illegible for a time.)

As it turns out, the blog wasn't the only recipient of a new look. Ayden got one as well:

We had decided his hair was getting a bit out of control.  Some areas were quite long.  Others, not so much (his hospital-produced bald spots are all gone, but obviously those sections weren't going to catch up with the rest without some help).  Since taking him to a barbershop isn't really an option, we had been talking about what to do for a while.  I had already used scissors to cut some of the really out of control length in the back, but that was really only a temporary fix.  For a while, my proffered solution had been to just use my clippers.  Allison was one of many who didn't think that was such a great idea, as they (reasonably) assumed Ayden would freak out.  I figured it was worth a shot, not to mention a heck of a lot safer than trying to take the scissors to his whole head.

Last night, Allison finally caved and let me give it a shot.  I turned the clippers on so he could see what was making the noise, let him touch it, then simply placed it on his head so he could react to the vibration before I tried to start clipping anything.  He was unfazed, so we went for it:

He didn't make a peep the whole time, not even when I used the trimmer attachment to get around his ears.  We gave him some tissues to play with to keep him occupied, but that was really more to prevent boredom.  I was quite impressed.  He did so well that Allison had an irrational concern about his hearing.  After it was all over, I let him see his new look in the mirror...

He waved to himself. (We are in serious trouble when he gets older.)

I still love getting pushed around in my car.

Just like you saw in a picture above, I'm very adept at twisting my tongue.
Mom can't do it, but Dad can.

I was fascinated by the this speed limit sign.
Mom had trouble getting a picture where I was looking at the camera
instead of the sign.

I'm sure his new hairdo will produce a number of reactions amongst our readership.  Feel free to take your pick from the following:

1. "He looks older."
2. "That makes his face look fatter."
3. "Are you guys planning on signing him up for the Marines?"
4. "Geez, his hair is really blonde."
5. "Between the hair and the feeding tube, he looks like a cancer patient."
6. "That's a good, cool summer haircut."
7. "What in the bloody blue blazes were you two thinking?"
8. "Way to go. Your son now looks like a girl."

***

We shot this a while ago, but just haven't put it up on the blog until now.  A few months back, Ayden discovered the joys of splashing in the tub.  Once he started doing that, his comfort level in water became evident.  Even if he gets a little carried away and splashes himself in the face, he'll take a short break, then get right back to splashing.

***

Another thing Ayden has shown an affinity for is putting items in his various cups.  He can entertain himself for quite a while by continually putting something in a cup and taking it back out.  It may not seem very exciting to us, but if it gives us a break from having to entertain him for a little while, we're all for it.

That Uncle Phil is a funny guy.

Even though Uncle Phil made Ayden laugh so much that he eventually threw up (don't worry, that's not in the clip), I still think we'll let him come for another visit.

Note from Allison: "Phil even had me laughing. In an effort to teach Ayden how to high five, he instructed, 'Only hit my hand once. Any more than that is patty cake.'"

Year One

One of the projects I wanted to do in relation to Ayden's first birthday was a compilation video.  I actually started this before his birthday back in April.  That I'm just now completing it is indicative of two things: (1) how busy life can get when you have a young child and (2) the sheer volume of video (about an hour and a half's worth) I had to whittle down to a manageable length.  The (slightly under 10 minute) video below is the end result - a collection of video clips from Ayden's first year.

A couple of things stood out to me while putting this together.  First, I can't believe how fat he got between surgery #1 and surgery #2 (his pacifier is a great point of reference to see his changes in size).  Second, looking back, Adyen being a "busy baby" is apparently not a new development.  Finally, his breathing has changed so much.  Before the Glenn, when his overall oxygen levels could not be as high as they are now, he breathed considerably more quickly.  His breathing then also seems to indicate that physical exertion was a bit more strenuous for him.  Of course, being fat probably had something to do with that, too.

Busy Baby Redux

As I mentioned a few days ago, Ayden is starting to see the benefits of being mobile, of doing the things we have been trying to teach him.  I also expressed my view that his increasing frustration would provide the internal motivation that he needs to do the work to make progress.  Yesterday, he took the first step towards proving me right (he demonstrates for you at the end of the video).

This was only the second time he has sat up on his own.  The first was earlier in the day.  He's had the ability to do it for quite a while, but has steadfastly refused to do it.

Have I mentioned he's stubborn?

It's that time of year!

Ayden's first cousins, Russ and Emily, 
are graduating from high school as well!
CONGRATULATIONS!