It's been quite a journey for the Ruggiero family the last nine weeks.

From one fateful drive home in late January, a car crash that severely injured their two-year-old son Luca.

Doctors had to remove part of his skull to relieve the swelling on his brain, and they told the family that he probably wouldn't survive.

Three weeks later, they welcomed a baby girl into their family.

Now, the family is witnessing Luca's amazing recovery from the brink of death.

"Nine weeks ago they were wondering if he was going to live or not and now he's trying to stand up," said his mother Katy Ruggiero. "It's pretty overwhelming."

His injuries were sustained when, on the way home from dinner, their car was hit by another vehicle. His parents suffered only minor injuries, but most of the damage was to the back, right where Luca was sitting.

"I remember the paramedics telling us it was like someone had placed our vehicle between two power poles with a foot on either side," Ruggiero said.

Luca survived his surgery and is now breathing on his own. Doctors say the swelling on his brain is going down faster than expected, and they may be able to replace that part of his skull sometime soon.

"It's still a little early to predict what his recovery will be, but we're very pleased to see how he's doing right now," said Dr. Nathalie Major-Cook, medical director of CHEO complex care.

It's still unknown how much Luca will recover from his injuries. However, his parents say they're going to care for him regardless.

"We're still going to love him whether he stays the same or progresses to where he was before," said Ruggiero. "He's still our son."

With a report from CTV Ottawa's Catherine Lathem.