As I sit here typing this new post, my son Tristan is on my lap calmly complaining about how he wants the computer mouse and keyboard. He doesn’t understand (and what two year old does) that he can’t have the mouse or keyboard when Papa is working on something.
Tristan wants to get into everything! Occasionally he’ll spot the guitar across the room and what to play it, he’ll do everything he can to get to it, stare at and attempt to reach it, even if that means trying to jump out of our arms! He absolutely loves music, I spend 20-30 minutes at a time letting Tristan just pluck away at the guitar or tickle the ole ivory.
When Tristan was in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) at Florida Hospital I used to go in to his room and play the acoustic for him, maybe that’s why he loves music so much? He also used to fall asleep to No Excuses by Alice In Chains, and even now gets calm around music that’s soft of that nature.
A musical therapist used to come into the room Tristan was in when he was in the 3rd stage of NICU. There are 3 stages of NICU the first stage is the most severe, only two people in at a time and there are many infants in the same room, the second is much more relaxed and they get a private room and the 3rd is just before the babies get to go home and the babies are back to sharing a room. Anyway when Tristan was in the 3rd stage, a musical therapist used to come in and sing and play to the babies, though I never got to see this because I was working at the time (Adriane stayed with Tristan just about everyday and I came in at night). So when I would come in, with the exception of the 1st stage of NICU, I got to play my guitar for Tristan and even though in the 3rd stage there were other babies around, the parents that were there appreciated it.
For now I’m off to feed the child, he’s getting antsy and wants to eat! He’s doing his acrobatics and trying to jump out of my arms!
Tags: apgar, birth injury, Cerebral Palsy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, Special Needs, speech therapy