One of the tiniest babies ever born in Leicester is learning to walk and talk.
Every day brings new confidence as Jed Brown takes a few more steps steadying himself on the furniture around his Glenfield home.
The words "daddy" are music to his father's ears when he gets home from work.
For the first time in the 20 months of his little life, Jed's face is free from oxygen and feeding tubes.
Mum and dad, Antony Brown and Carla Hart, described it as a real milestone.
Jed was born 17 weeks early on May 13, 2009 and weighed just 1lb 6oz.
Experts at Leicester Royal Infirmary feared he would survive no longer than a few hours.
Tragically his twin brother Joel died just a few minutes after he was born.
However, after 230 days in the specialist unit at the Infirmary and five operations, life is looking good for the family.
Carla, 27, said: "Jed is doing something new every day and is making real progress.
"It is wonderful he doesn't have any tubes connected to his face anymore.
"We used to get a lot of stares from people at the bus stop and people were always asking what was wrong."
Jed, who now weighs 17lbs 13oz, still has to drink through a special "peg" fitted under his ribs.
He can eat solids but is reluctant to drink enough fluids.
Antony said Jed had had reflux when he was in hospital and had stopped breathing and they thought he was probably scared by that. We are hoping as he gets older he will get over it and drink normally."
Jed will have to live with a chronic lung condition caused by being ventilated for so long and, at the moment, has to have special milk to help overcome weak bones caused by being premature.
Antony, 30, said: "He will outgrow the weak bones and his lungs will improve as he grows, although he will always have to be careful.
"If he hadn't been on the ventilator he wouldn't have survived at all. Jed has a little bit of catching up to do as a 20-month-old but he is doing all the things a boy of 16 months would be.
"One of my best moments is when he comes running calling daddy when I get home from work."
The couple are planning to get married in June.
Carla said: "I always said I would only get married if there was a baby in the wedding pictures. Jed is going to have a suit like his dad."
The couple are also planning more fund-raising for the Infirmary's neo natal unit.
They have raised about �6,500 so far.
Antony said: "We want people in the same situation to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel, although it can be a long tunnel."
Dr Andy Currie, consultant neonatologist at Leicester's hospitals, said: "We are absolutely delighted with the progress that Jed has made."
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