Stinky boy

Seeing as my first born is having surgery in about a month’s time, I have plenty of time to sit and think about it. Boy, are we doing that. Andrew and I were up till 2am last night talking. I love it that we do that. Talk, I mean. We are good talkers -( me – I am an excellent talker hee hee), seriously though, we are blessed to have each other, we have a wonderful relationship, and it’s nice to have someone who knows. He is also Joshua’s parent. He really knows. So, to all you single Mums and single Dads out there… I salute you, it must be a damn hard job to do alone. I know I could not do it alone.

So anyways, much of my attention is on that stinky boy, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to write more about him, and seeing as we have the share site now I feel I can share more personal stuff here.

This is Joshua today.Well, actually this was a week ago, with his brothers on their first day of school. He’s a bugger and won’t look up for photos, so this is usually the best I get if I MUST have a photo. Thankfully his brothers are photogenic and make for a cute pic.  He is happy, he spends much of his time lying in his bed (which is a hospital bed, that has automatic adjustment… another blessing) and he also spends plenty of time in his wheelchair. He gets out and about at school where they have the facilities for him, in the sensory room he gets to hang out there, and he loves the swimming pool. I think water might be his third favourite thing in the world. Second is sitting with this Dad. First is in his bed with his video. Actually I think I might be in there somewhere too. Not sure where though, most definately not first, nor second. Maybe third, most likely fourth. I am a big girl, I can deal with that. I understand that splashing in a bath or pool is a VERY VERY fun thing to do. He makes a hell of a mess that’s for sure.

Andrew stills bathes him in the laundry, it’s a little tricky, but we cart him together (bare butt showing) through the hallway and he giggles the whole way. Oh he loves a bath. He better get all the baths in that he can, because there will only be sponge-baths for a long time after the op. Mmm, not much fun, unless you tip the water bowl over, then Mum will growl and that’s fun!

He loves it when I growl. I do so frequently at the other kids,  just to make him smile. It must be the tone in my voice, and it’s a crack up when he laughs, it seems so appropriate. He laughs when we laugh, and he LOVES it when I dance in front of him to Madagascars “I like to move it move it”. His mouth opens wide and stays there, eyes dancing with excitement. Weird kid.

I might take some photos of his legs and feet, before and afters, to give you an insight into the life of Joshua, keep you updated on his progress (and also to give me something to do!).

Here you can see the AFO (Ankle Foot Orthosis) on his feet. Otherwise known as the mini torture chambers. The idea is that they will encourage the feet to stop turning and perhaps even correct them a little. He’s had AFO’s for years, and he hates them. He needs special socks for them that have no seams, I just got 3  pairs today as all his old ones have holes, they are $12 buck s a pair!  Get a load of those skinny little legs. He’s been loaded into the taxi to go to school. He goes to and from school this way everyday.

Speaking of school, I’d better go pack his back and then toodle off to bed, promised myself that I wouldn’t stay up too late this week.