Raising Kids in the Instant Information Age
Raising Kids in the Instant Information Age Yesterday morning, while cooking eggs for breakfast, my youngest walked in with an odd expression on her face. It looked to me as though she had...
Nine and a Million
It doesn't seem like it was nine years ago when you rushed into this world. You were early. That would be the last time you were ever early for anything else.
You came into this world six weeks early, in fact. You weighed just over four pounds. I wasn't ready. You didn't care.
My water broke and you were in distress. Not only were you coming but you would be joining this party fast. I still vividly recall the crisis mode that the entire hospital staff went into when they said that they had to get you out right away.
I recovered from emergency surgery but you did not. At least not right away. You really weren't ready to come out so you had to have help breathing and eating.
The hardest day of my life was leaving that hosiptal and not getting to take you home. I cried in the parking lot for 30 minutes and would not let your father drive away. He held my hand and cried too.
We vowed to do whatever we could to get you home. We spent hours reading Dr. Seuss books to you. Holding your little hands. Feeding you minute amounts of milk. We would hold open your mouth and squirt milk into it. You had a certain amount that you had to eat each day before they would let you come home.
Two weeks and one day after you were born, you came home and you made our family complete.
Your baby nickname was Charlie Brown. Sorry, but this too big of a noggin not to have a nickname.
Nine years later, you have made my life infinitely better just by being in it.
I frequently tell you to stop growing. To stay just like you are forever. But the truth is, as much as I want you to stay like this, I also want to see you grow. I am excited for you and your future.
Dude, in case you get any ideas, your school did this to you, not me. Although I still giggle every time I see this picture!!!
I frequently tell you that I cannot believe you are having another birthday. Then I jokingly ask, “Now how old are you going to be again? Eight?”
“Nine. NINE,” you say in your not-so-inside voice, “I AM GOING TO BE NINE!”
You say nine, I say a million.
A million times I have told you I loved you.
A million kisses I must have planted on your lips, you face, your head, your hands, your feet. Although you don't let me do it that much anymore, I still cherish the million that I have stolen so far.
A million times my heart just stopped watching you grow up (too fast in my opinion) and discover the cool, new things that this world has to offer you.
A million tears I must have wiped away (yours and mine) along with the booboos I have bandaged.
A million claps of my hands when cheering you in soccer, swimming, Scouts, acting, baseball, basketball, karate and more.
A million times my heart has swelled with pride of the amazing young man I am raising. I often get little glimpses into your future and I just know that you will have a good life.
I am wishing for a million more of all of the above. It will never be enough but I will take it just the same.
Happy Birthday, Huntly!
Great post Stacie! I loved your play on words using million! Happy Happy birthday to your BIG nine year old. Nine is a great year…your not yet “double digits” but you old enough to start learning what life is all about…Heck I’m still learning that myself! Hope your (adorable…soon to be heartbreaker) son has an awesome birthday!
A million and one tears and more because you have me crying now. Tears of joy for you and your son, who’s blessed to have a mom like you. Happy Birthday Huntly!
Aww So sweet! He is a cutie! They grow up so FAST!! I hope he has a very Happy Birthday! I have 2 March Babies!
What a beautiful post for such a special day! The biggest HAPPY 9th BIRTHDAY to you Huntly!!! Thank you to both of you for including us all in this amazing day! 🙂
He is just precious! – and so blessed to have you as a mommy. Happy birthday, Huntly!
Happy Birthday! You’re a lucky boy to have such a great mom, and she’s blessed to have you, too! I hope your day is fabulous. Guess what? It’s my birthday, too! High fives for 3/16ers. 🙂
Absolutely beautiful! Happy Birthday little, I mean, big man!
Oh my goodness, you have me crying now. Such a beautiful post and birthday wish to your son.
Happy Birthday Huntly!
What a sweet birthday post this was. I choked up reading it with joy and such love. Happy Birthday, big boy. My daughter is 9 too, which means only one more year until DOUBLE DIGITS! Make it the best one yet saying good bye to single digits years. 🙂
Beautiful! Happy Birthday, Huntly!
What a beautiful post! Happy Birthday Huntly!!
Happy birthday to my birthday twin!
Woah!!! One last year in the single digits, hope you make it a fabulous one Huntly!
Goodness gracious NINE!!! How did you get to be 9 so fast?!?! Happy Birthday Huntly! Stacie, this is such a beautiful post; you are an amazing mother.
What a sweetie!! How fast 9 years go!! Happy Birthday Huntly, hope you have a wonderful day!
Sebastian, Madelyn, Tim, and I are singing Happy Birthday for Huntly. I hope he has a wonderful day!
Happy birthday Huntly and good job mom–expressing just how great he is and how incredibly loved he is, too. For me, the memory of you hugging him when he finished that triathlon said it all. Keep stealing those hugs and kisses!
Happy happy 9th birthday to a handsome & smart young man!
Happy Birthday! What a beautiful post and yes this mom teared up!
What a sweet post and a cutie, that one! I think it is amazing that he was able to go home after two weeks! It must have been all that doctor seuss and milk. Good job, mom!
It’s so hard leaving. I can’t wait till I can take mine home too. Happy Birthday sweet boy!
How BEAUTIFUL! Hope you and your family enjoy the day.
Winks & Smiles,
Wifey
Happy BIrthday, Huntly — hope you have a wonderful day!! XOXO
Happy Birthday, It’s your Birthday Happy Happy Birthday To You!
That is the Disney Birthday Song, or at least it was 15 years ago. LOL
Lee
Happy Birthday Huntly!!! Great pictures and I LOVED your sweet love letter to Huntly.
Aw…I got teary reading this…LOVED it…Happy Happy birthday to Huntly!! So sweet…
What a beautiful tribute to your son, Stacie! Hope you both had a wonderful day together!
Aw- Happy Birthday to your beautiful son! I hope you had a great day as a family! This was a a lovely post:)
happy birthday! time flies he is now a grown up;)
you are both lucky to have each other! a great mom and a wonderful son…
Happy Birthday! He is adorable!
OH my gosh, what a sweet post Stacie! I have tears in my eyes as we have also had to endure the early entrance of a little guy this year. Our grandson was born 11 weeks early at only 1 lb 15 oz and my daughter had an emergency c section. It was so incredibly hard to leave the hospital, even though they spent every waking moment to be with him. He is now at 4 1/2 months and up to 9 lbs. it is truly a miracle, as all kids are, but even more so when they beat the odds and grow to breathe and eat and cuddle and smile and play all on their own. Faith moves you forward, crushing fear. And we have proof of miracles in the eyes of these little ones!
Happy Birthday to little “Charlie Brown”. He’s completely adorable!
Beautiful!
Awww! 9 already! It does go to fast. Wonderful story!
OK, now I am crying!! Beautiful post.
Fabulous! A treasure now for your readers, a treasure for your boy to have forever. Love it.
Thanks for sharing, what a sweet post. He will not understand until he has a child of his own but he has put a lasting impression on anyone who read this,
happy bday big boy!
Happy birthday!! Isn’t it crazy how quickly time flies!?
He is a precious boy= and this post is wonderful. For now he would think it was silly because he is a mere nine… but in a few years he will wipe tears from his eyes knowing how much he means to you.
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What a great post.
Such a sweet post. I’m so glad he is doing well after a rough start in this world. I know it’s cliche, but they grow up so quickly. I look at my son sometimes and feel like I’ve time-traveled into the future. I LOVE his name too.
Thanks Whitney!
Oh *sniffs* That was so sweet! My biggest guy was a whopping 5lb 2oz when he was born, and my other two must have been trying to compete, even though they were years apart, as they were both born at 33 weeks. One was 3 lbs 14 oz and the other 2 lb 14 oz — you never feel so helpless as when you leave your children in someone else’s care. Especially when they are so tiny.
Cherishing the million stolen kisses is familiar, as is remembering the first. What a beautiful post.
This is such a sweet post! My son came a few days early, but I was induced so it was expected. I still don’t think I was ready though! 🙂 I can’t imagine my 19 month old baby boy being 9, but I know that will be here quicker than I would like. I will just have to enjoy the million kisses and hugs like you have!
This is a beautiful post. One of my sisters was born 6 weeks early via emergency c-section and she turned 18 last week. It’s amazing how time flies 🙂