flashback friday...

two days early! i'm combining my birthday post for the little guy with flashback friday for two reasons: one, i want to share his birth story for him to read someday! two: friday i will be frantically shopping... no time for posting! without further ado, the story of the little guy's birth, four years ago!




dear little guy,

today you turn four years old! i can hardly believe it's been that long! i would be tempted to believe it's not true if not for the two new wrinkles i've acquired since your birth! i was due on thanksgiving day.




since your three older siblings were all born on their exact due date, i assumed you would be also! i ate lots of food, just fueling up for your birth of course :) but you were in no hurry! i went home from grandma's that night very grumpy and very full.




i woke the next morning to contractions, all though i had been having those for weeks! finally, by dinnertime your dad decided we probably better head to the hospital, just in case.



aunt marcie came to stay with the other kids and we headed to the hospital. i was only 3cm dilated when we got there. within 20 mins i was feeling that things were progressing way faster than my previous births.



we asked the nurse to check again, i was 7cm! they rushed me to a room and tried to get me admitted. while everyone rushed around trying to start IV's and call the doctor, i focused on breathing and not ripping anyone's head off! within 40 mins i was almost fully dilated and ready to push. no time for any drugs!




suddenly your heart rate dropped dramatically and chaos broke out in the room. all i remember clearly is the doctor telling me i had to push you out now or she was going to have to get you out herself. i reminded her i was only 8cm dilated but they weren't too concerned (easy for them to say!)



i closed my eyes and pushed and inside feared that neither one of us were going to come out of this ok. in the background, all i could hear was your little heart on the monitor, getting slower and slower. you see, even though i didn't know you yet, i already loved you fiercely! even though i had not yet seen your face, you were already my son. after a few (very painful!) pushes, you came screaming into the world, healthy and breathing and just fine! well, with the cord tangled around your body. you were not only perfectly fine, you were my biggest baby at 8'9 lbs and 22 1/2 inches long! you had a head full of dark, thick hair and looked like you were wearing a toupee :)



you cried for the first six months of your life and have been terrorizing our household since then! you have no fear and no bounds to your love. you are a cuddler and a wrestler and a helper and a not so very helper. you are my youngest son, now and forever. happy birthday little man. mommy loves you!