It was a hot summer day, 16 years ago. I was pregnant with my second baby. Seems like I'd been hot since about February. Neighbors were building a house and it was DRIVING ME CRAZY with all the hammering and so on. Yet, July is a good month for me, my sister and I have July birthdays.
To say I was ready to have this baby would be an understatement. I had a difficult pregnancy and it didn't seem to be getting any easier. This pregnancy began as twins and I lost one baby. I can't tell you the sadness I felt when I saw the sonogram with just one baby. Then on the other hand, I can't tell you how happy I was that that one baby was still there. I knew from the beginning this baby would be special. Satan had tried to destroy him from the start. But we knew God's hand was on him.
Into
NFRMC Women's Center I went. I was going to have medicine to start labor. It did. "Wheel of Fortune" was on and I've never wanted to kill anyone as much as I wanted to see Pat
Sajak stopped. Around 7:30 during a bathroom trip, my water broke. The doctor then decided I would stay. Well, DUH!! I was in bed, biding my time...I think I even took a nap. Bert was there with me, eating a WHOPPER.
Sheesh. And yes, I had an epidural. I am a wimp, yes. I am proud to be a wimp when it comes to childbirth!!
The doctor checked me around 11:00 pm and said it would be morning before the baby was born. That followed him telling me what great hips I had to have this baby. Well, those of you who've HAD a baby know that you're not really in a great mood when your body is in huge amounts of pain...and if it's your second baby, in disbelief that you let yourself do this again. So I didn't know whether to thank him or throw up on him. I managed to tell him I thought it would be much sooner than morning. Sure enough, I was right. After a few good pushes (I have hard pregnancies and amazingly easy deliveries) we had our little boy. All beautiful, healthy, 20 inches, 7 lbs and 14 ounces of him. And his lungs. Where his big sister cried meekly and was so sweet, he was NOT happy to be here and even less pleased to have people poking all over him. He didn't just cry, he SCREAMED. For a long time. Loudly. He stopped about 4 months later.
His first word was "light." He has been a light in our lives ever since. He grew into an adorable little baby with big dark eyes and dark curly hair. His sister wasn't quite sure she was as pleased as we were that he was here. I think she finally got over that...about three years ago.
Jonathan wasn't much of a talker until he was about three. He called spoons ,"
foons" and forks, "
sorks." His cousins would do all sorts of tricks to hear him say "church." I don't know how to begin to spell that pronunciation! And, if you know Jonathan now, he won't STOP talking. He loved playing with hats and listening to music. There is a
Carman song that I will probably never get out of my brain.
As he grew, he became so tenderhearted. He couldn't stand to hear about children who didn't have food or toys. He would cry when he knew someone else was in pain. His heart is still tender. He loves deeply and is passionate about the things he loves. He is passionate about the things he believes are wrong. He is like me in that he hates injustice. He hates to see people taken advantage of. He is outspoken and strong-willed...like me. Fortunately for him, he is also like his Dad in that he can be mellow when he needs to be. He looks so much like his dad. He told me once when he was little, "Mom, Dad and I are just cursed with being good looking."
So as my little boy turns 16, I have a lump in my throat. I am so blessed that he is loving, kind, caring, generous, smart, and yes...good looking. He has been the light in my life when lots of other things were dark. He is a joy to be around...and he makes me laugh.
If you are his friend, consider yourself blessed too. He will always be there for you. He won't talk about you behind your back...if he has something to say he'll tell you. If you need something and he can help, he will. He values you and your friendship.
Jonathan has his faults. A dirty room, hair too long, won't do his homework in a timely manner, forgets things unless you tell him over and over...and over, calls his sister names, eats junk right before meals, and many others I will remember next time he makes me mad.
From "Dark Wing Duck" to Darth Vader. From telling time with "Ch ch ch Chip and Dale" to tying shoes with bunny ears. Stitches to staples. From our talks about literature and human nature to conversations with Grandma. From the mountains to the beach...Happy Birthday my sweet boy. I love you.
