8

Eight years ago, right now, I was in Labor. Yes, that's Labor with a capitol L. It will always have a capitol L. I was in it for 20 hours. I got an epidural for the last hour. The minute that epi hit is pretty close to the happiest moment of my life. Especially since I'd been thinking I couldn't really keep this up any longer. AND I tried to hit my husband with a metal puke pan after they took this LONG hook and broke my water. Two nurses had to hold me down I was in so much pain. He walked in with a bottle of OJ so cold condensation was running down the glass bottle. I was thirsty and miserable and in such unimaginable pain. He stood there taking a LONG drink out of that bottle and I lost it. My Mom had to pry the pan from my fingers. We laugh about it now.

How can it have been EIGHT years already?

I remember them placing him on my chest. His cry sounded like a cat meowing.
He had long sideburns and the doctor called him Elvis.
He still likes to snuggle.
He loves Legos and Transformers and Trains.
He has an enduring love of trains and has ridden one for his birthday every year but one.
He calls Headstones in graveyards...Dead Signs. And now we all do.
He cried at the ending of Snow White last night (but don't tell him I said so).
He BELIEVES. In Jesus, in Santa, in Us with unquestioning Faith.
He loves animals. All animals but especially Dogs and cats.
He loves to hunt. But he tells himself those are "bad guy" animals.
He's a West Virginia boy through and through.
He loves country music. His favorite song right now is "Big Green Tractor."
His dog Boots is his best friend and he says she's his sister. They are inseparable.
He doesn't let his Daddy see when he is sad, or hurt. But still counts on me to make it better.
He's spoiled rotten yet amazingly unselfish. He'd give anything to anybody.

He's my boy and he's precious.

Happy Birthday!