Monday, October 02, 2006

Aiden at 20 months of age


Our little Aiden is a happy, and very busy, 17 pound 20 month old. We see many of the traits that kept him alive and fighting in the NICU still present in him today. Aiden is strong willed, determined and has both strength and attitude that contradict his tiny stature. And, as of about 2 weeks ago, Aiden is walking! He started off with just one or two steps between furniture, and is now taking 15 or 20 steps just out into the open. He gets a big kick out of trying to keep up with his older brother Noah.
Aiden communicates with us mostly by pointing and making "ah, ah, ah" sounds. He rubs his eyes and gets fussy when he's tired, pulls on my leg when he wants to be picked up and practically launches himself out of your arms when he wants to be put down.
I think that Aiden will do really well with a cochlear implant. Despite being profoundly deaf since birth (or close anyway), he is a very vocal child. He babbles away to himself when he's playing with toys, and makes sounds when he wants something. He will also copy coughing and "ahhhh" sounds - although I think he is more copying the mouth shape than acutally hearing the sound.