Noah Dines Out!

Noah dinned out for the very first time at eight months, 2 weeks and 2 days! He finally made it out to the Village Inn. At first I wasn't sure that it was going to go well, Noah started to squawk and I figured it was just a matter of time before brunch with his great grandmother would be rudely interrupted. We brought a special high chair for him, since restaurant ones can't really accommodate Noah's lack of balance, head control and arching problems. I was worried that people would be looking and wondering why Noah was acting out, and I told the waitress that I was sorry about Noah being noisy but that Noah was special.

The waitress was so nice and said with a small pause, my child is special too. She is twenty now and has down syndrome. She understood, and told me that she just figured all those years ago that she too was chosen to have a special needs child. She said when her daughter was first born a nurse told her remember she has downs but downs doesn't have her. That's how I need to think of Noah. Noah has a brain injury but his brain injury doesn't have him. He will find a way to beat it.

I asked if she had any applesauce that I could give to Noah. I didn't bring anything with me because I didn't think Noah would be hungry at all, but he definitely wanted to participate in eating. Thank goodness they had some Motts Applesauce in a little container. She totally rescued me. I didn't have a soft baby spoon so I just used my finger to dip and and feed him. He really loved it, I'm sure because it was real applesauce with real sugar. When I was feeding him with my finger I noticed that he has a bottom tooth trying to come up. I could feel it under the gums, on the lower right side. I can't see it yet, but I can feel it so teeth are very much on the horizon.

Noah did some new exercises in therapy today. He was on a giant swing with his therapist. It is the coolest swing, and if I thought I could find a way to rig my house with it, and finance such a critter I'd probably build it. Noah loved it. Two weeks ago Noah had very little head control during therapy. Now his head is so steady he can be in motion and hold it up. It sometimes still wants to fall forward but he's now able to catch his head and re-center it. His therapists think his head control has gotten tremendously better. Noah still can't sit on his own, and his balance is terrible. But he's trying super hard. The determination behind those pretty blue eyes tells me that he will get there, someday.

Noah also got to wear his belly band for the first time today, and no surprise it doesn't fit. It's too small because he's too long, so he was re-measured and I have to re-order it. Of course it's out of pocket costs again. I'm a little frustrated that it doesn't fit, but he needs it so we have to repurchase it. My mother told me a while ago of a wives tale of having a purple bowl. She said if you have a purple bowl sitting out in your house you will never be without money. Maybe I need to shine the bowl? Talk to it? Stroke it gently? Take the rotten fruit out of it so it feels better? The purple bowl is obviously a little mad at me right now. Yet it remains faithfully in the kitchen because one day I have hopes that it will provide.

Noah's also been a great sport about all the contractors and insurance agents that have been in and out of the house to repair the hail damage. In a way I'm very thankful for that horrible storm. Without it the house wouldn't have gotten a fix at all. Although it was noisy Noah did good. He flinched every time he heard a loud noise in his sleep, but never woke up. Just kept flinching. It was cute. Thankfully we're done with almost all the claims repairs, however sadly other things in the house are breaking down. Chris has exhausted all efforts to fix them himself and I keep telling him he can try and try, but it's going to come down to paying that dreaded $125 service fee.

Noah's Rody Pony arrived in the mail today, so hopefully Chris can get it blown up, so we can start therapy on it soon, I can't wait to post pictures of Noah on his new blue pony!

Love,
Stacy, Chris & Noah