Happy Birthday to Lefty

Lefty turns eight today. We had a family dinner on Sunday night. He asked for chocolate cake with chocolate frosting for dessert with waffles and bacon for dinner. He and I baked a cake on Saturday afternoon. Then I somehow managed to foul up the waffles, I either added too much of something or not enough of something else, just not sure. Everyone ate them but they were odd... they just weren't cooking up right and had a funny taste.

We opened presents and had a good time together.

Earlier in the day he asked if he could open his presents at lunch so that if he got his Nintendo DS he asked for he would have more time to play with it. I said "Honey, Nintendo DS's are expensive. I'm sorry I couldn't get that for you. I got you clothes and that is all."

He hung his head in sadness and said "I understand. I have holes in my jeans and my socks so I understand why you had to do that."

{Immediately, I felt like a bad mom for two reasons... 1) he is wearing jeans and socks with holes! Nice. and 2) because he thought he wasn't getting a DS when he really was and I was crushing his little heart.}

When he opened that BIG box that I wrapped the little DS box in he was ecstatic! It was fun! Lady Bug bought him a puzzle and Spirit picked out a game for the DS. He also got some money and cards. He enjoyed his day.

BUT, today is the actual birthday! 8 years ago today I had a little baby boy, my second baby and my second boy. I remember his birth story like it was yesterday. I had been on bedrest with him for a month because of contractions. I was only allowed out of bed once per hour for no more than minutes - this was to use the bathroom and get a drink. Mr. Man and friends had to help me with food and help me with Spirit the rest of the times. I did lots of crafts in bed and read books/magazines. But, now that we were within a week of his due date the midwife gave me more freedoms. A family friend of ours had called earlier in the day and asked if she could keep Spirit overnight to take him with her to a carnival. So we dropped him off, grabbed some Mexican food (had I known I was going to actually go into labor I might have skipped this... it ended up being a bad idea.) After dinner I was at home and got a phone call from a friend, asking how I was doing. As we are talking, she points out that I am having contractions and not being able to talk through them. I guess I had been having contractions for a month that I hadn't even noticed them this time. Good thing I was talking with her or I am thinking Mr. Man might have had to deliver a baby at home!

Speaking of Mr. Man, he had headed to the store for a few things and I wasn't expecting him back right away. I continue to talk to my friend on the phone and she is starting to panic for me. She is telling me that I REALLY need to hang up the phone, stop doing dishes and start getting ready to leave for the hopsital.

As soon as Mr. Man got home I told him the situation and we started getting ready to leave. He was still in work clothes and asked if he had time to change, which I thought he did. After he changed we gathered up my already packed hospital bag, the infant car seat and headed out the door.

We got to the hospital about 11:00 PM. They didn't have a birthing room ready so they put me in another room to get started. I got my gown on and they started hooking me up to the IV's and whatever. My water had not yet broken with Lefty so they decided to break it for me. This increased the contractions and they were getting more painful to me, this also meant I started throwing up (I did the same thing with Spirit). Mexican food was a bad choice for dinner... I'm just saying!

A room opened up for me and I was able to be moved to a regular birthing room. Suddenly I knew he was coming and knew it would be fast. We called the nurse and she called for doctors. At 1:40 AM (on the morning of the 27th) and after only a few pushes he was out and crying with his big beautiful lungs! They took him to a little table next to me to wiegh him and all that jazz, after a few minutes they tell me they might have to cut his long dark hair - they had screwed in a tiny heart monitor into the top of his head when he was still in the womb and it apparently got wrapped too tightly in his hair and they couldn't get it out! But before they cut they tried one more time and were able to get it out!

They were going to move me again to a different room (I can't remember why) but it wasn't available yet so at 4:00 AM they finally moved me to my room. Mr. Man was settled into sleep and I just held my new little baby. I tried to send him to the nursery to sleep but they kept bringing him back saying they thought he needed to nurse. My first night was that of NO SLEEP! The next day when visitors wanted to come, I was so exhausted!

I remember asking to be released as soon as they would let me... I just wanted my own bed (after a month of bedrest I thought I would never had wanted my own bed so badly!)

He was a very good baby and a much better sleeper than Spirit ever was (and still is ... 8 years later!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEFTY!