Diwali day photos

For once, I got up before Vignesh and I had a chance to wake him up.


Still sleepy and confused as the diwali day rituals started
Getting ready after his shower

Posing for the photo
Tired and sleepy soon after breakfast

Getting ready for the evening

And, ironically couldn't take pictures of the celebration properly since Vignesh was missing out the fun and concentrating on the camera when we tried to take his photo. So, just posting a couple of pictures of the evening.

Diwali - the festival of lights!

Tomorrow is Diwali! I'm so excited. There is an air of celebration all around. The sky is lit with fireworks and there is no escaping the noise of crackers. It has been a really long time since I was so excited about Diwali.

I grew up in a small town where you could see people visiting each other on the festival day, exchanging greetings and sweets. The streets would be filled with children and elders lighting fireworks. I loved those times. But, then I moved to the city for work and later settled down in the same place. It was a place where you carried on with your work and hardly knew your neighbors. You could just see building everywhere and Diwali was just another day. With just buildings everywhere, you could hardly see any fireworks or share the mood of celebration . So, my diwali in the past few years was just confined to see just the specials on television.

Now, I've moved to the outskirts of the city with not many high rise buildings to hide the view. I never realized it would be so exciting here. Its wonderful to see festive fever catch up. I feel excited like a little girl. If I had known that this would be so exciting, I would have started preparation well before. But, it isn't too late. I'm planning to make the best of the day tomorrow. Will post photos of Vignesh's diwali celebration tomorrow.

Vignesh - Enjoying Rhymes

Was able to take pictures only from behind, since Vignesh gets distracted by camera. He loves electronic equipments especially TV, computer, mobile (he broke my new mobile last week) and cameras.

Watching his favourite rhymes video

Beginning to get excited

Getting into dancing mood

Thumps up to his all time fav 'Yankee doodle'

Distracted by the camera

Last year this day!

Last year this day Vignesh was two and a half months old. It was the day on which he had his open heart surgery. According to that hospital's policy just one person would be allowed to visit him everyday in the PICU. So, my husband and I usually took turns to visit him. Seeing him with all the tubes was so painful that I usually made my husband visit him and asked him for the update. But, once they started feeding him, I was allowed more often. Yet, getting back after feeding him was very painful.

The hospital kept patients for about a week after surgery. Even after a week, Vignesh was still in the PICU. That was when I shed my shyness and ran behind his cardiologist and surgeon asking (pestering) them to shift him back to the room. I was waiting to shower so much love on him that could make up for all the time that he was spending alone in the PICU. I just wanted to take him in my arms and say everything would be fine. So, after 13 days, his cardiologist and surgeon agreed to have him shifted. My husband had to fight with the hospital authorities to get a room allotted on the same day and by around 8.30 pm or so, we were back with him. It was a silent and emotional reunion for the three of us.

When he was about 15 days old

About a month after his surgery (He was beginning to gain weight)

On New Year day - About a month before Tracheostomy

At hospital after tracheostomy

Recent photo

Thank you, Dr. Bala and Dr. Ranjith! You and your team are making a difference to so many little hearts! We would always remain thankful to you.

Vignesh's new found Love

Vignesh has found a new love. Right from the time he was a few months old, singing a rhyme would bring smile on his face. So, we got him a rhymes CD a few months back but he didn't seem to show any interest at that time.

About two days back, Vignesh and I were bored. I remembered about the CD and played it on the TV. Ever since then he has just fallen in love with it. Once in a while he turns back and gives me a brief smile and goes back to watching the rhymes again. I'm not sure if its the rhyme or the colorful background or both that has won his liking. And, Its so cute to see him sit by himself (refuses to sit on my lap while watching TV), leaning forward and watching television with so much of interest. Will get a photo of that soon. When I made him stand, he began to wave both his hands up and down. Thats probably his dance move :-)

Another achievement at PT today. He was able to stand holding to the walker for a little over five minutes. Thats definitely an improvement from him previous record of about 2 minutes. We're planning to order a standing frame for Vignesh with the hope that it can work the same magic as his chair.

And, I'm extremely excited! We're expecting the PMV tomorrow or at the most by Friday morning. So, next time when I tickle him, I would probably be able to hear him laugh instead of the noise of secretion that I hear now. Isn't that something to truly rejoice about!

He waved me bye!

For a few months now, we have been teaching Vignesh to wave 'bye'. He got into the habit of waving goodbye whenever we asked him to. But, of late, he has stopped doing that for some reason that is known to him alone...:-)

He goes out for a walk with his dad both during the mornings and evenings. I hear from my husband that there is one particular security guard to whom Vignesh waves everyday as soon as they meet. There are a few people that Vignesh meets regularly and they all speak to him. But, we don't know why he prefers this particular person alone.

Anyways, this blog is about a different story. Last evening, Vignesh was getting ready to go out for walk with his dad, as usual. I was pre-occupied and forgot to wave him bye. He kept staring at me and when his dad put on his slippers and was ready to leave, Vignesh immediately waved me bye, that too without being prompted. We were both surprised. He again waved to me before getting into the elevator.
I was so happy about the whole thing. It was not because he has understood as to when to wave goodbye. I'm happy mainly because he seems to be aware of his daily schedule. That makes me so happy and even more proud of my little genius.

The magic chair

Vignesh had started to sit with support somewhere around May this year.



His therapist recommended 'side-sitting' (as seen in the photo above) and told that he would be able to sit without support in a matter of few days or weeks. But, he refused to sit on his sides even for a few minutes. He would sit for short periods of time in 'straight-sitting' posture but his therapist wanted us to avoid it for the starters as it might not help him gain necessary control.

Since, he never did his exercise there was no improvement and it began to bother us. That is when his physiotherapist suggested us this magic chair. He had a person, specialized in making furnitures for therapy purpose, custom design the chair. It was made for Vignesh's measurements. We got this ordinary-looking, magical-chair around the second week of August.



Once we got the chair, we made him sit in the chair almost every minute that he was awake (at least during the first 2 days). Vignesh just loved the chair because for the first time he was able to freely use his hands to play instead of being bothered to use them for support.



And, the miracle happened. When we went for therapy after about 3 days of getting the chair, there was tremendous improvement. Within just a couple of days, he began to sit without support. The result was so quick that at first I even felt it might just be a coincidence.



So, I began to relax and made him sit in the chair only during his feeding sessions. Incidentally, there was no progress and Vignesh was able to sit unsupported for just a few minutes. I understood my mistake and began to make him sit in the chair for longer time. Now, he can sit unsupported for nearly about half-hour, if he wants to. Sometimes, he is too lazy and would just prefer lying down no matter how many times I make him sit.



The chair has helped Vignesh so much. I'm so thankful to his therapist for suggesting this chair.