6 Whole Years

I was awake this morning at 4:30 with a baby - and six years ago I was also awake at 4:30 with a baby getting ready to join us. I was just uncomfortable enough not to be able to sleep with the first signs of labor. But, really I don't honestly know how well I was sleeping by that point anyway. I had gained probably 80 lbs or something like that. I'm not even kidding you right now. Putting shoes on feet I could not see was a problem. Shoot, breathing was a problem. And I don't even know how on earth someone grows that much. But I did. And I have pictures to prove it.

Get real, I'm not going to post them here. You can use your imagination. Something like that could be used against me in a court of law. But by now [back then], I was shaking wildly coming off of anesthesia. It was so cute, my shaky chub. Not really - but my little family was more like a real life one. We had a complete table settings worth of members. So, I didn't guess I cared about the jell-o'ness of my deflated tummy. And what a cute, sleepy little hunk I had in my shivering arms.

I wish I could say the same for last night - the sleepy part. He's still a hunk. But he was so excited about his birthday, he got out of bed at least 5 times. And I don't know for what. We had a lengthy talk about how he would only be getting the ONE big item he requested because it was all the money I planned to spend. So, what was the big deal? Open one thing and go to school to take standardized tests all day long. Lame.

But no. I had to go and decorate his room with a "Happy Birthday" banner before big bro was completely asleep [I didn't know this until later]. And of course I had to come up with a scavenger hunt so that ONE gift wasn't as lame as ONE gift can seem to someone who had rather big birthday celebrations when she was little.

First clue taped to the door: "Just for you - a birthday hunt - you need to go downstairs. Check the drawer with all the forks and other silverwares."

And what big bro can hold it together without getting out of bed to check it out, [of course waking the birthday boy]? Not the one who lives here. That's who. So, finally by 10 or so, everybody was asleep. And thank God I did all of this last night! Because I just said I was up at 4:30 with Her Majesty - who - tee'teed all over herself. And that'll wake you all the way up... until 6. So, when we finally went back to sleep, I guess the coma took hold and I slept ALL THE WAY thru the morning, thru birthday pancakes on our special birthday plate, thru the hunt...

Clue two: "I bet you thought this was it. This is where it stops. But you'll have to check Mom's closet under her flip-flops."

Lastly: "You don't really think your gift will fit under my shoe! I think the thing you are looking for comes in black or blue. I know the one you wanted. You showed me every day. Go look back under where you sleep; I bet you're on your way!"

I slept thru it all! Thru trampling up and down stairs - thru thank you Mom! and thru the loudest husband opening and shutting dresser drawers and closet doors getting ready for his day. What a lame deal. But M didn't care. He is 6! And he has his little blue Nintendo DSi and that's all that mattered. "Just what I was wanting!!!" *Sigh* He's so great. This pretty much sums up what it's been like having him around: