The Birth Story

Christian Alexander turns seven this month.   April 28th is the day our whole lives changed.  I was reminiscing with mom the other day.  For so long I was worried that we would not be able to get pregnant (that's a HUGE joke now a days).  I had to stop my chemotherapy drug first, then wait 3 months for it to be out of my system, then get blood work to make sure my immune system didn't go crazy again.  Once that was cleared up we were allowed to start trying.  That was August of 2004.  In September I took a pregnancy test and it came back what I thought was negative.  Three days later my mom told me I needed to take another one.  She was convinced I was pregnant (mother's intuition?).  I didn't want to, but did so begrudgingly.  To my surprise mom was right, and so it began.


The day Alex was born was supposed to be a normal day.  The night before I was tired and feeling very pregnant, but I still had some weeks to go.  About 11 I woke up with what I thought were gas pains.  They went away, and I fell asleep.  The next time the pain woke me up was about 1230.  My stomach was cramping so bad, I assumed I had the runs (TMI?). So I got up, but ended up laying back down.  For the rest of the night, I was up back and forth as the pains got closer.  When 530 came, and it was time to get up I was exhausted.  I got up, and Donnie was already in the bathroom brushing his teeth.  I told him I felt terrible, and sat down to use the bathroom and all of a sudden a huge gush, HUGE.  Donnie peeked in and I said I DIDN'T PEE, THAT IS NOT PEE, WHAT WAS THAT!!!  Needless to say we got ,called in to work, picked up my mom, and headed to the hospital.  In a very eventful day, I was admitted to the hospital after they determined my water had broken, and my blood pressure dropped dangerously low, and the baby was in distress.  They started pitocin and an epidural, which I did not want, but they told me it was a precaution just in case they had to take the baby quickly.  Thank goodness I got it, 20 minutes after everything was in place I sent Donnie and my mom reluctantly to the cafeteria to eat.  I was sitting with my Godmother enjoying a pain free rest, when all of a sudden she got a disturbed look on her face, right at that time nurses rushed in and they both told me to turn on my left side.  After rocking back and forth, and a whole mess of doctors and nurses rushing in they rushed me to the operating room.  It was chaotic and scary, and my godmother was there to help me stay calm, but I was worried that Donnie wouldn't make it in time for the c-section.  They promised me, and had him paged over the hospital intercom.  From what I heard, when he heard that announcement, he hurdled a couple of tables, dove on the elevator, and sprinted the whole way.  He made it RIGHT before the first cut.


At the end of the day we had a beautiful baby boy.  Four pounds, four ounces, and seventeen inches long.  His original due date was June 2, but was changed by ultrasound to  June 12.  He was between 33 1/2 to 35 weeks along, but we just go by the original and say he was a 35 week baby.  Donnie promised that we would never have another because he could not bare to put me through that again.  You see how well that worked out, right. LOL

Do I look like a narrator?

Tonight was the first grade fine arts performance at Alex's/my school.  He had the honor of being the narrator for the three little pigs readers theater.  He was a nervous wreck but he did so well.  I was a proud mama. 

He was so funny.  He originally wanted to wear a tuxedo for the performance.   You know that wasn't going to work; too much money for the three little pigs. We settled on his red polo and some khakis.  When we got there he kept asking people if his outfit looked like a narrator outfit.  So worried about appearances lol.

I am very happy he got to participate - it does wonders for his confidence.

Where did my baby go!

Looking at Chris today I realized he is not a baby anymore.  When did that happen!!!  I posted a picture on line tonight, and Kelly (a family friend) commented on how big he looked.  That was then backed up by Donnie.  After thinking about it, they were right. Donnie said it looked like he was in the club talking about "That is my ish!"  I in no way like the vision of my child in anyone's club, but in a way it was true (and funny of course.)  So the big question is this - where did the time go?

It seems like just yesterday I was on my mother in law's bathroom floor wondering how in the world I had managed to get pregnant again.  We had planned on two, but Chris had a bigger plan.  (I swear he is destined for great things.)  That was three and a half years ago.  In that time, he has changed from my little man to my big little man.  He talks, walks, poops and pees in the toilet, gets an attitude, cries, fights, just like a little kid.  He is not a baby anymore.  He is not satisfied with - because I said so anymore.  I cannot make him do things he does not want to do without some sort of discussion about it.  He doesn't mind spending the night out away from us, even though I lay there wondering where my cuddle bug is when he isn't there.  They change so much in such a little time, I find myself trying desperately to hold on the the little bit of baby I see is still there. 

Eventually, I will have to give up and admit that he is too old to be babied and carried through the mall when he is sleeping.  I will have to make him sleep in his room every night, and in just one and a half years, I will have to walk him into his kindergarten classroom.  Eventually I will have to do this, but best believe it won't be this week.  Probably not next week either.  As a matter of fact, when it is all said and done, I will fight to keep him a baby 'til the very end.  After all, he is the youngest, and that is what mothers do.

It's the boys!

I am now definitely going over board.  So let's explain the name of the blog for starters.  Anyone that knows Alex, knows that he is like a little old man.  Some of the things he says are way beyond is 6 almost 7 years.  He has earned the nickname The Professor from his Granny.  I know it sounds like a professional wrestler, but it stuck.  Every time he says something that blows her away she says, "that's my professor!"  He loves it.  I know that everyone thinks their child is special - but he really is and I dare anyone to say differently. ;-)

And now to the ward.  Chris is a little Alex in almost every way.  The only differences are that Chris does not mind being dirty, Alex is not a fan.  Also, Chris is totally willing to put himself in harms way.  Hence the several near misses and the two very real emergencies in his young life.  I remember a friend of mine was astonished when she could have a very intelligent conversation with him when he was only two years old.  Plus the fact that he copies whatever Alex does.  Sometimes this irritates Alex to no end, but its only normal for him to copy his brother.  They are both all boy and more than a little entertaining.