Aidan is up early today and I can hear him chatting to his two older brothers who are sleeping up in the loft. “I can’t believe it…!” his voice carries over to the bedroom where I’m typing, but then drops into a lower tone. He’s probably telling them to do their chores since that is his usual morning message. Now he’s back in here asking me to read him a book. “Can I sit on your lap?”
Aidan turns 7 today! He had two clinics yesterday, one for neurology and one for GI to look at his g-tube opening which is still not healing. They are going to refer him for surgery. After the two clinics we went shopping for a couple of birthday presents for him and for his cake, and stocked up on groceries as well. Together with the hour car trip each way, it was pretty exhausting and uncomfortable for him. There was a point where he was staring at me bitterly and saying: “We’re NOT going home — it’s snowing too hard.” (actually, it was over 90 degrees). “We CAN’T get fries — ” etc. These negative moments do not come often and when they do I know he’s in serious discomfort.
So because of the arduous, dispiriting day and the pending surgery, we decided to celebrate his birthday a day early — yesterday evening instead of today. It was a good decision; yesterday turned out well. It ended with Aidan wheeled around in his purple wheelchair firing off a little spring-powered airplane his grandma got for him, and the older kids reprising a Pirates battle on the deck outside. (They are asking if they can sign up for fencing camp this summer).
Happy birthday, Aidan! You have taught us so much about joy. WE got him a Tonka crane since he loves construction trucks so much and he is calling it “Kitty” : ). He led our rosary for us last night as is our custom. We are blessed to have him with us, the eighth member in this family of nine.
