Eight Years Old

Number One's birthday is this morning.  Eight years old.  I can't believe the years have flown by so quickly. 

Number One, my firstborn, my heart.  He was born on a Friday, when we lived in Maryland.  I went to the birthing center, and they told me I was only 2 centimeters, so they sent me home.  On the thirty minute drive back to our house, I told Hubby my contractions felt different.  He asked if I wanted to go back, and I said no, that I'd be ok.  We arrived at our townhouse in Germantown, and I walked upstairs to my bedroom.  I tried to lay down and rest, taking the advice of the midwife, but I couldn't because the pain was so intense.  My water broke, and I told Hubby I thought Number One was coming.  He frantically called the midwife.  Her response, "I guess you can come back, but I bet she's only 4 centimeters."

On the way back to the birthing center, cruising at 90 mph with no police escort, I kept trying not to push.  I told Hubby, "If I'm only 2 centimeters, then you better turn around and take me to a hospital because I need an epidural!"

I walked into the patient access of the birthing center, where the midwife had sent me, and waddled through contractions to the bathroom, slamming the door, and sitting on the toilet to relieve the pressure.  The midwife knocked on the door, guided me up to the birthing room, checked me and was surprised.

"Wow you're 10, and he's in the birth canal!"

Forty-five minutes later, this little guy came into the world:

 

 

The midwives joked that he was the baby in a hurry.  Hubby and I say, he was born in a hurry and he never slowed down! He was 7 lbs 11 ounces and 20.5 inches long.  He stared at me intently, and the nurse told me babies like to be talked to. He never slept unless he was in my arms.  He only nursed, and he would refuse to take a bottle.  He knew exactly what he wanted from day one.

 

I love you: my challenge, my angel, my sweet loving boy. My hard-working, smart, gymnast.  My imaginative, crazy, hyper, silly, amazing boy.  You give me joy every day you are alive, and you are worth all the energy it takes to parent you.  I'm so glad you're in my life, and that you are the one who has taught me how to be an effective parent, even if it's not always so easy.  I love your spunk and your assertiveness.  I even love your stubbornness, though sometimes it drives me nuts.  I love how much you feel everything.  I love the way you look at the world and see beauty in the moon, the sunrise, the sunset.  You are such a joy.