April 19th

I can tell you lots of facts about April 19th... It was 15 years ago today that we experienced the horrific acts of the Oklahoma City bombing. I can tell you, I was in my freshman year of college and I found out about it while sitting at my desk studying my Chemistry homework. I was contemplating switching majors as my roommate flipped on the tv. I can tell you that on April 19, 1775 the Revolutionary War commenced with the battles at Lexington and Concord... I have no clue how I know that fact other than I guess it just stuck after taking 3 years of American History (and no, for those comedians out there) I was not alive to give you any memories about what I was doing. On April 19, 2005, Pope Benedict the XVI was named the Pope. This is a big deal, because at the time we lived in Europe. This was HUGE news, and my poor husband who was in charge of Force Protection at the time was under HIGH alert!

This is also the day my sweet baby boy was born! I was hot and tired, and HUGELY pregnant... C and I had just finished the grocery shopping, and I swore if one more person asked me if I was gonna have "this baby ever" in any language, I was going to go into a mad pregnant woman rampage. How lucky today's American women are... I would have loved to be induced by week 41... No dice here! Not in Europe!

My water broke just as I put C down for his afternoon nap. I remember asking him to run downstairs and bring Mommy the phone so I could call Daddy. Such a good boy he was as he slide dow nthe stairs step by step. Of course, I stood in the upstairs bathroom until after I got off the phone with M dripping from my water breaking (what about that trickle they tell you about in the birthing class???),then packed my oldest in his car seat since the neighbor (who was supposed to watch C was not home) and carefully buckled myself in the passenger side and waited. I think M was home in an instant, and he drove little C over to friend's house for a "spendover" before taking me to hospital. Of course during this time, I still had no contractions only broken water, which is a good thing since I really didn't want to deliver a baby in the car.

I remember waddling up to the Labor and Delivery floor of our local hospital (read this as the non-American, non-military, foreign speaking hospital). After going a round with the nurses who spoke a tiny bit of English I was checked and sent on my way. Thank goodness one of them felt sorry for me since the leaking water had soaked my poor slacks through. She brought me in, cleaned me up and let me stay until there was another patient that needed the room. We didn't wait long before the contractions came on full force, and I was the lucky patient. Go me! Three hours and a horrible training midwife later, I had this perfect little man. He was my B! Squishy and wrinkly, and weighting in at 10 pounds and some change.

Today he is 5!!! I can't believe he is growing up so fast! He's smart, and fun. He's a joy to love and teach! HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE MAN!! We love you!!!



B Just a few minutes old with proud Papa, M.




My silly boy!! Such a blessing!!!