Wordful Wednesday

Fifteen years ago I was in a local hospital watching the LAPD chase O.J. Simpson around the LA freeways. All in slow motion. There were only 5 TV stations plus the hospital station and those 5 stations were showing the OJ chase. The hospital station was showing "How to breastfeed your baby." I was in the hospital because I had just had a baby. And I already knew how to breastfeed and I was SICK of OJ! But I had a treasure that helped take my mind off the boring TV.

When I got pregnant in the fall of 1993 I was not a happy camper. Things were "complicated". Having a baby was the last thing I needed or really wanted. This came from me, a person who had tried everything to even have one child. This baby came along with no drugs, no surgery no temperature taking...nothing. This baby came because he wanted to and he was supposed to be here. He was another miracle to add to the other two miracles in my life.

I was old and tired and sick. I did not want to be pregnant.

My boy decided he wanted to be born a little early and tried to force his way out about 3AM the morning of June 17th. My water broke and I started into labor dreading what was to come.

Around 7AM Alexander James entered my world. I was pretty doped up from the C Section so I didn't get a good look at him plus later in the recovery room someone handed him to me and I almost dropped him since my arms too were numb.

BUT.....

Later one of the nurses brought him to my room. She picked him up, turned him to face me and my heart melted. I remember saying to him, "Oh, it's you!" And it was him. I knew he was supposed to be with me. This baby who came at one of the worst times of my life was a blessing that day and continues to be a blessing today.

Happy 15th Birthday to my chubby, curly headed baby and the best boy (teenager) in the world....please stop growing up!

More Wordful Wedneday over at Angies.

The Boys In The Band

Friday we attended Alex's last Junior High School concert. (Please excuse these dark pictures.)





He has decided not to continue on with the High School Band, so this really was his last concert.


The program was great and the trumpets did an especially good job.




So thanks to his teacher who taught him to read music and play an instrument so he could tell me in church that when I sing I am sharp. (And he doesn't mean smart!)


These are two of the other trumpet players. These two boys are so cute and so much fun! I will miss them along with Alex being a musician.



We stopped by Arby's afterwards for a our last band supper. And hasn't Alex taken over the surly teenager role so well!



Alex you did a great job in your three year career in band. I'm proud of you!

A Night At The ER

Sounds romantic doesn’t it? Much like A Night At The Movies, A Night at The Opera, A Night Sitting On The Couch Like A Vegetable….

When I picked Alex up after work last night, he comes bounding down the stairs, prances across the lawn and throws his backpack into the car. When he flops himself into the front seat he says:

Him: I think I broke my hand today.

Me: Really? Why?

Him: I slugged a guy. We were kidding around so I slugged him.

Me: And broke your hand? Let’s see it.

He holds it up and it does look a little swollen. I think that he must have just sprained it.

Me: Can you wiggle your fingers? (I ask this because I know all those medical things and am pretty sure that if anything is broken you can’t wiggle it.)

He holds up his hand and wiggles all his fingers. He then pulls on his little finger.

Him: I can’t pull this finger down very far.

Me: (BIG SIGH) Ok, we’ll go to After Hours when we’re done with dinner.

No sense rushing into these things and he does look just fine.

We go home, fix dinner and then eat dinner. Hubby says that we should go to the After Hours clinic while he cleans up dinner. It is now 7 PM. Above slugging happened at 8:05 AM, almost 12 hours.

We both knew this was going to be a long night. We only had to wait an hour and then were seen by the doctor.

Dr: Looks like you broke you hand.

Me: (Snort)

Dr: Are you in pain? Have you taken any medication for pain?

Me: (In my head, so the Dr doesn’t hear me. Why didn’t I ask that? I am out of the running for Mother of the Year now!)

We get an x-ray done and lo and behold, there is the break at the fifth metacarpal near his growth plate. He got a temporary cast and will need to see an Orthopedic Surgeon and possibly have some surgery since the break is so close to the growth plate.

This child is an angel. And after my first two, I deserve an angelic child.

Loving Cats

Cats make me happy and just today I received an email from a co-worker filled with cats. It made me smile so I thought I would share it with you.

You Might Be Having A Bad Day If:

1. Your new diet doesn't seem to be working.



2. You pulled a muscle while trying to exercise.



3. Your new hat looked better on you at the store.



4. You keep losing things.



5. You feel like you're in the wrong place at the wrong time.



6. The boss chews you out at work.



7. You got caught in the snow at lunch.



8. You feel trapped somehow.



9. Traffic on the way into work was brutal.



10. You think you might be coming down with the flu.

11. You're home alone and you hear a noise in the basement.

And finally, for your viewing pleasure, my very favorite cat in the world, Stripes, along with his favorite boy, Alex.

Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

Today is my youngest child's birthday. He is 14 years old and is such a good kid. He loves to ride BMX and actually won a trophy of which is is very proud. He also plays the trumpet in the school band and is excited to get to High School so he can be in the marching band. He is a great son and I am so very lucky to have him! (And sometimes he smiles, he really does...he just doesn't like the way he looks when he does.) Even without a smile he is a handsome fellow!

We stopped by a craft store last night to see if there was something amazing he wanted for his b day, and he wanted some rubber letters so he could put them on his chest and spell his name while getting a suntan. Now that is a little bit weird but at least I know where he is most of the time and he hasn't gotten into any really big trouble. (Except those pesty grades! Evil Algebra.)

This is the boy who hugs me all the time and tells me how pretty I am (did I mention he was a bit delusional?) he still goes to church with me without protest, and he even gives me foot massages! This child is a saint. He was worth the labor, the C-section, the nursing and all the other childhood traumas. I love you Alex! You are the best.