Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Today 13 Is a Very Lucky Number

Son, you outgrew my lap, but never my heart.  ~Author Unknown

The blizzard hit Longmont, Colorado on October 25, 1997, three days before my due date with my first child. I wasn't worried about being sacked in by the two feet of snow. The worst that could happen would be that Ken would have to deliver the baby in the living room. What’s a little blood and screaming and cord cutting amongst spouses?

Our backyard:

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The worst didn’t happen. Just as the snow melted into a mess of slush and leaves, my water broke at 3:00 a.m. on October 27 (Wait! That’s 13 years ago today!).

So much was different back then. I wasn’t a runner. I wasn’t a parent. We had been married for just over two years. We had moved to Longmont from Denver three months prior. I had no friends or family nearby. We lived in a tiny house in the old town section of the city, an area we chose because of it’s mature and towering trees, 1900s Victorian style homes and all-American small town vibe. All we needed was the baby, and the picture would be complete.

I was certain I was ready for Sam to arrive. Hell, while getting my MSW I’d studied child development  and had read What to Expect When You’re Expecting. How hard could it really be? And labor? I’d just get the epidural at the first sign of pain, Ken would hold my hand and guide me through contractions, the angels would sing and little Sammy would pop out in all his glory.

The first “real” contraction doubled me over as the automatic doors of the hospital opened at 5:00 a.m..  I peed in a cup and a less than educated nurse told me that my urine looked awful, I might have an infection. I let her know that the cloudiness in the cup was amniotic fluid (and I don’t even have a medical degree). “Oh,” she said as she tested it with a dipstick. “You’re right. I think you’re in labor.” Kind of like I thought she was a dumbass.

Time passed and when the pain got horrific I pleaded for an epidural. Funny how a long needle in your spine seems like a walk in the park compared to the ripping apart of your uterus by contractions.

The contractions piled on and in what seemed like seconds, it was time to push. In typical SUAR style, I pushed and I crapped. Let’s do it again. I pushed and I crapped. Because of the epidural, I couldn't feel the fact that I was squirting. So, I just kept doing it, like a champ. Finally, I smelled something and asked Ken, “Did I crap?” He smiled apologetically and nodded. I then realized the nurse had been wiping me each time. Bless her soul. To erase the awkwardness I sheepishly offered, “Sorry about that. You must get used to it after awhile, huh?” She looked me in the eye and offered these words of support: “No.You don’t get used to it. Ever.” At least she was honest. I, on the other hand, felt like a shunned child.

Finally, my savoir doctor arrived just in time to suction little Sammy out of my body. 12:28 p.m. You see Sam was what they call “sunny side up,” which means face-up. Babies are supposed to be face down. Thus, the suction cause he got stuck.

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Sam – the first thing I remember about you was that you were perfectly still and alert. You looked around, making eye contact immediately. You took in the world around you and seemed thrilled to be joining the party on the outside world. People say it all the time, but how is it possible to fall in love so deeply and instantaneously?

I loved you while you were on the inside, but I fell madly in love with you on the outside. 

God, you were a tough baby.  No sleeping for you. You cried and screamed all day, every day. I thought I would lose my mind. But, your cuteness and the surfacing of occasional smiles and belly laughs made up for the shrieking and shitting. And your head. Was there ever such a big head?:

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As you grew, so did your heart and your personality (and thank God not your head). You are one of the funniest and most good natured people I have ever met. I’m honored to know you and to be your mom.

Here’s you in preschool. Remember when you took a pair of handcuffs to school and told the class that they you found them in your mom’s nightstand? (Okay, they were mine, but I had gotten them as a gag gift when I turned 30). I’ll never forget the looks the teachers gave me that day when I picked you up. That was also the year you stuck a penny in the outlet and blew up the wall.

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You are such a ham. We never stop laughing and what you say or do. Yet, your compassion and sweet spirit always lies just underneath the surface. Even when it comes to your sister (who somehow had a black baby).

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Today you are 13. I have seen you mature so much this year. I can count on you. I can trust you. You are flying away from me, yet you always return home with a funny story or the question, “So, how was your day today, mom?,”  or a compliment, “Your new haircut makes you look like Snookie.” (Wait, is that a compliment?)

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I love that:

  • Your go-to comfort outfit is a robe and boxers (Hello, Hugh Heffner)
  • You let me run with you when I looked like this:

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  • You’re not too cool to hug and kiss me
  • You jumped up and down and danced around when I got into Boston
  • Your favorite trip ever was going to Phoenix to watch me run my first marathon
  • You can rock AC/DC on the drums
  • You’re so smart you don’t know how smart you are
  • You want to buy an an old RV and drive your friends around in it when you’re 16
  • You have a heart of gold and the wit of Jon Stewart
  • You never shy away from being the complete and total unique individual who you are. 

And that is just the beginning.

I’ll love you forever, I’ll like for always, as long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.

Love,

MOM

61 comments:

  1. Awww....this is the sweetest birthday post ever! I loved it! Happy Birthday Sam! :)

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  2. Geez, you made me laugh, tear up and my uterus hurt in a single post. Now that is talent.

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  3. OKAY.
    This
    is my
    fav post yet.

    I love those photos. awesome. simply awesome.

    Oh and THAT book, "What to Expect When You’re Expecting." should. be. banned.

    It was lies ALL lies. They left all the important/gross stuff out.

    HAPPY 13 SU&R son!!

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  4. What a great post, and what a great mom (and son). Thank you very much for sharing this.

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  5. aww...this is just too dang sweet. i'm teary over here. so sweet. my lil' dude is 4 and i know 13 will be here b4 i know it...

    happy birthday to your lil' dude;)

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  6. What a great birthday present for Sam! And the line from I'll love you forever always gets me.

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  7. I just wish there was a "thumbs up" button I could press.

    Happy Birthday Sam!

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  8. Oh . . . I have tears in my eyes right now. Precious. This made me laugh (particularly with: “No.You don’t get used to it. Ever.” ) and cry.

    It also gives me hope . . . my kid never slept, still doesn't . . . tell me please at what point do they ENJOY and LIKE sleep and offer to go to bed (early) on their own??? :-)

    Happy Birthday to you lil man . . . this was an awesome post.

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  9. Adorable! Happy birthday, Sam. xx

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  10. Too precious Beth!! Happy Birthday Sam!!

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  11. This is so awesome!

    Happy Birthday Sam!

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  12. awwwwwwwwwwwwww. happy birthday sam!

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  13. Love this post!
    Happy Birthday Sam!

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  14. Ok - nurse here (and I've wiped up more than my share of crap, let me assure you. NOBODY craps like a patient on tube-feeding, and how do we feed patients in intensive care? With a tube. I'm talking RIVERS of it. Let that nurse come to MY old neck of the woods and she'd never complain about a little squirt or two again!) and yes, you do get used to it. She was being a bitch.

    And, awww - what a cutie! They grow up too fast, mama! Enjoy your boy while he's still home!

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  15. He's a cutie...this post made me tear up.

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  16. Happy birthday to Sam! My son also loves his robe.

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  17. This is too cute. One minute I was laughing out loud, the other I had tears in my eyes. (Making obvious to my coworkers that I'm not working, of course...)

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  18. Not only did he let you run with him when you were dressed like that, but he still smiled/waved for the camera!

    Happy 13th Birthday Sam and Congrats Mama!

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  19. Aww!! What a sweet post! :o) Happy Birthday to Sam!

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  20. Happy Birthday Sam and congrats momma on having such an amazing son! :)

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  21. I'm sitting here crying at my desk. Great post. Now i have to go suspend some middle school kid.

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  22. HAPPY BIRTHDAY you amazing teen you.
    Hope you know that for you have the coolest mom in the world.

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  23. *tear* That is sooo sweet! Happy Birthday to your son, and to you too!

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  24. Happy Birthday Sam! What a great tribute your mom wrote for you!

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  25. awwww....such a cute post. Happy birthday Sam!!

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  26. Trail Momma - yeah, my kids love their sleep now. Both of them became good sleepers probably after the age of three. Hang in there. You'll get there I promise. And then you'll be checking on them at 10am on a weekend to make sure they're still breathing.

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  27. This is awesome. Happy Birthday to Sam.

    Now to get Jackson into a robe and slippers.....

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  28. So, so sweet.

    Sam is a lucky kid. Happy birthday! :)

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  29. Just got done writing one of these for my 10 year old! :) Happy Birthday to Sam and congratulations on some great parenting!

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  30. What a wonderful tribute to your son! Loved it!

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  31. loved this, all the pics were cracking me up.

    My son was sunnyside up too, and the only reason he got out was because the Russian Dr. on duty kept yelling at me to push harder.

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  32. Awww that was soo sweet.

    Happy Birthday Teenager!

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  33. OMG - this is so sweet it makes me want one of my own! Ok that's a total lie, but it IS really sweet. What a lovely mom you are :)

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  34. I have chills - what an awesome birthday tribute to a kick-a$$ 13 yr old/runner-in-the-making (clearly)!! :) Hope the celebrations were fun!

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  35. awwww! i am a ball of hormones this week and am in tears! happy birthday to your baby!!!!

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  36. Aww! I love that book (last line) and love that sentiment. You guys have an awesome and special bond. Happy Bday to the big 13 year old!

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  37. Oh girl, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this post! Happy Birthday to Sam! A teen huh? Oh you are in for it now. Oh wait...no that's Emma you have to be worried about. Haha!

    And congrats to you for having such a great kiddo! :)

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  38. Aw! That last line. My mom used to read me that book when I was little. Oh boy. Tears well up...

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  39. This is such an awesome post. Sams lucky to have you for a mom, and it sounds like you're pretty lucky to have him as a son. I love family. I totally, totally love family. Happy bday to your not-so-lil' guy!

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  40. awwwwwwww adorable! happy birthday sam!

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  41. What a great tribute to your son! We have a little Sam too...he's only 1 though and we still call him Samuel. :) Happy Birthing day to you. And, he's got to be a pretty cool lil' dude to run with his mama. The pics of the snow made me miss Colorado, where I was born and raised. I miss Summit County!

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  42. WOW! like your blog.. you spk your mind.. which is rare! and I hope Sam had a super day after reading this! awesome!

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  44. That is beautiful. Your son is lucky to have such a mother :)

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  45. Brought tears to my eyes. And we have that same Robert Munsch book
    "Love you Forever". It was one of MY favorites ;-)

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  46. Happy Birthday Sam! Great post Mom!

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  47. Beautiful dedication. Happy Birthday Sammy. Best wishes for a very special day today and everyday throughout the year.

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  48. Happy Birthday Sam!!!! Awesome post. Beautiful.

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  49. Happy Birthday Sam!!! I hope my son's running with me when he's 13! Oh, and I love your sister's little black baby!

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  50. My Callie wishes your Sam a Happy Birthday! It was her day too. He's a cutie and a keeper. Hope your day was awesome!

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  51. I made it through the post despite bawling...
    Happy Birthday!

    I just found out I'm pregnant for the third time despite an IUD and running an ultra. Babies are miracles!

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  52. Happy Birthday!

    This post will be something he will read again and again. What a wonderful gift! For both of you!

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  53. Love this! We always said our youngest daughter will grow into her head. And she has....thank goodness! Our son played hide the quarter trick when he was about 4yrs old. He got out of the shower came to us and said, "Which hand is my quarter in?" My hubby pointed to his left hand....nope. I pointed to his right hand....nope. He hid the quarter between his butt cheeks!!!! How did he learn that?! My hubby has told this story a couple of times before a presentation for work. It's a great way to break the ice and get ones attention for sure.

    Oh, and pushing and pooping come hand and hand! :) or :(

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