On the night you were born...

Eight years ago today, I was bitching at Daddy for making me come along to take the family boat out of storage for the winter, and take your Grandmother to get her taxes done. I was exhausted and didn't feel well. The very bumpy road to the fairgrounds to get the boat felt very wrong in my very pregnant state and I was pissed at him. You will understand when you are married.

We came home that night and daddy promptly fell asleep and I proceeded to pee my pants and vomit just as I was FINALLY getting to go to bed. Turns out, I didn't pee my pants, it was just my boy ready to make an entrance!

Daddy wasn't amused. Mommy was secretly happy that we were now inconveniencing him.

Now, at this point there was a lot of confusion...you see, we had a plan. It was all set that our friends and neighbors were our emergency back up should this happen late at night (yeah, it had happened that way once before). Someone had to be lined up for your big brother. BUT it turns out those friends decided to get divorced the week before and well, the plan was shot. So, we moved on to plan #2 (call your Grandmother) but she was at your aunt's house (they just moved into a new home) and there was no phone. Soooo, plan #3 came into play and your poor brother had to stay with a neighbor we didn't really like that much. You know what they say about best laid plans...

Where was I? Oh, yes, so the crappy 3rd choice neighbor was woken and I waddled into the car, sitting on a diaper and holding the waste can on my lap, (It wasn't one of my more glamorous moments). Daddy drove to the city to have our baby boy!

When we got there, the "teaching hospital" decided to "teach" using mommy as a guinea pig and well, let me teach you something - don't piss off a pregnant woman! Mommy unceremoniously booted the students and made a deal with the nurse to handle further exams between the two of them. She also sent a message to the students that NO ONE else was touching her except this nurse until her doctor came.

Then, a God appeared with some medicine and mommy was in love. Mommy couldn't feel her legs, or sit up, or pee, but she had never been happier. Yes, she was rude and she was sorry but... DON'T YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT TOUCHING ME UNTIL MY DOCTOR IS HERE! She reminded those students.

So, that's kind of the reason you look so funny in your photos from the day you were born. You see, the doctor's nanny was running late and you came fast and mommy wouldn't let those animals near here so you kind of sat in the birth canal for a really loooong time. You were ready, but mommy had such a wonderful epidural she didn't mind and well, that is why your face was so purple and smooshed. That, and the jet black hair sticking straight up made for a pretty funny looking baby.

That ugly baby was you, and though you got cuter in the following days, it didn't matter to me. We had gone through a lot to make you and a lot to get you out of there and our eyes saw you...our son. We saw all the potential you carried in your tiny body. You were easy on us, we had a lot on our plates with your brother and were scared shitless to be the parents of TWO children, and you seemed to sense it. You showed us on that first day that you were going to be our easy one, our kind one, our sensitive, loving boy that we had been waiting nine long months for.

You grew into the roly, poly baby boy with an infectious giggle and an affinity for being naked, a silly toddler with no front teeth from an early fall, a school-aged boy with a knack at any sport and many friends.

You have never disappointed us, you have grown to be our "peacemaker", the one who can't stand to see his brothers cry, the one who always offers the bigger piece of cake, shares his favorite toy, holds the hand of one who is hurt. Your heart is visible to anyone who knows you, it is big and kind.

I look into those big green eyes and see the future man inside. I am enjoying your childhood and trying to hold onto each hug, kiss, and "I love you", but know from experience that it keeps getting better year after year.

I love you, son, more than you will ever know. I cannot wait to see what the next eight years holds.

Love,

Mom