4 Years Gone By

I hate to sound cliche, but they just grow up too fast. My son is four. I am starting this post before his birthday because I know it will take me this long to do properly without having to stop and cry. Yes, I'm one of those mothers. My kids will probably ban me from recitals, championship games and graduation. I just can't help it. The mere thought of them doing something wonderful, a certain smile, a profound statement or question - and on come the waterworks. We all watched ET together recently and I always cry twice for that one. Ford turned to me and asked why I was crying and I felt a little silly. Then he came and climbed into my lap and everything was right with the world.


So, my little boy is four. I have posted things about my first child and I think that's a good place to start. Enjoy...





1. Were you married at the time? Yes.


2. What were your reactions when you found out you were pregnant? I was a little worried because I knew they would be closer in age than I had planned but I was very happy!


3. How old were you? 27 when I found out, 28 when I gave birth.


4. How did you find out you were pregnant? I knew as soon as I felt queasy. I just bought one of those stick tests and - voila! I tried to surprise Baxter with the results but he figured it out.


5. Who did you tell first? Besides Baxter, Abby was the next to know. I really went to great lengths to explain it to her in words she could understand.



6. Did you want to find out the sex? Yes! Since we had a little girl and for health reasons, knew this would be our last, we really hoped for a son. Somebody up there likes me! At the much-anticipated 20 week ultrasound in which those of us who like to plan things and decide on nursery colors find out the sex of their babies, he was very obviously a boy. Immediately after the announcement, Abby hurled her sippy-cup across the room. That pretty much sums it up and works as an explanation for the pictures in my slideshow of Ford wearing a dress. She just couldn't help herself.



7. Due date? January 16, 2005


8. Did you deliver early or late? 5 WEEKS early on December 12, 2004


9. Did you have morning sickness? I got a little nauseous but I never puked with either one


10. What did you crave? Chocolate and carbs and walnuts


11. Who irritated you the most? my mother and all of Baxter's family - especially Nana who told me that my butt was big - you just can't say that to a pregnant gal!



12. What was your second child's sex? Boy


13. How many pounds did you gain throughout the pregnancy? over 40


14. Did you have any complications during your pregnancy? I was put on bedrest again. Since I had Abby early, they were concerned when I started contracting at 32 weeks again. I was reading "East of Eden" (trying to keep my mind on something else) and my parents were visiting. It was my mom's birthday, 12/11, and at about 11PM I had a pretty high fever. My doctors didn't like that and told me to come in to the hospital. He was nonresponsive on the ultrasound and we made the decision to get him out quickly. More on that later...


15. Where did you give birth? In Savannah at St. Joseph's-Candler Hospital


16. How many hours were you in labor? I never experienced labor with Ford


17. Who drove you to the hospital? Baxter


18. Who watched? Baxter


19. Was it natural or c-section? c-section


20. Did you take medicine to ease the pain? I took whatever they gave me...


21. How much did your child weigh? 6 pounds exactly


22. Did your child have any complications? He wasn't breathing and they had to rush him to the NICU. Once there, he was placed on a ventilator, then a chest tube and given several shots of surfacton over the course of several days. He popped his lung once and they almost lost him several times. The first time I got to hold him, he was almost a week old. God bless those doctors who saved my precious baby boy. I still remember all of their names and faces and I only hope they have some idea of how many times I have poured out thankfulness from my heart because of them.


23. What did you name him/her? Baxter Crawford Crane, IV - but we call him Ford


24. How old is your first born today? 4




The most amazing part of being a parent is watching your babies become little people of their own. All babies have a way about them and each one is different. But it's not until later that you start to really get to know them. I have enjoyed every day of the past 4 years and I am still getting to know Ford. He can be a moody child and I sometimes find him frustrating. He sometimes finds me frustrating too but those can be his most endearing moments. If I need him to go upstairs so I can cool off, the first thing he does is stomp upstairs and firmly shut his door. Then a few minutes later, I will usually hear him with his little push-button guitar, playing a song and singing something like, "I just wanna do what I wanna do...." or, my personal favorite, "You Get Time-Out," which he has been perfecting since he was 2 1/2. I just love that little guy. So, happy birthday Ford. You really are my sunshine.

Mama Mia

I am writing something for someone who I know will never read it. My mother does not own a computer. Even if she did, it would soon gather dust and go unused. Today, however, is her birthday and I feel compelled to write her something of a tribute. It is late and forgive me my tired words.

• To the best of my knowledge, my Mother has never stopped believing in me.
• My Mother has always told me I was beautiful, even when I teased my hair and wore clothes from the set of "A Different World"
• My Mother is responsible for my very best cake recipe
• Although she was always older than most other mothers, my Mom understood when I needed to rebel through short skirts and strange hair colors
• My Mother always knew when to ask questions and when to play dumb
• When I brought my babies home from the hospital, my Mom left because she understood that I needed space to bond with my newborns - but she cleaned the house first
• My Mom never minded mud on my shoes, torn jeans from tree-climbing, or black eyes from line-drives. She just kept buying dresses until I felt like wearing one.
• My Mother always took my side
• Some of my most precious memories of my Mom are of things she said that once embarassed me like when she used to call me her "caboose baby" or when she would tell me that I'd always be her baby, even when I was grown up. Now I tell my children that all the time.
• My Mother gave me life and then supported me through all my phases while I learned how to live it.

You're the best - Happy 76!

Elfin Country Christmas

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Driven To Distraction

I am in a very strange mood. I can't eat and I had trouble sleeping last night. I really need some good news right now. I am nervous and easily distracted. This is much like the way I felt towards the end of both of my pregnancies! I'm not getting much work these days and I really need something to take my mind off of stuff. Well, this is what I came up with:

Psalm 20

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
May He send you help from the sanctuary,
And strengthen you out of Zion;
May He remember all your offerings,
And accept your burnt sacrifice.

Selah

May He grant you according to your heart's desire,

And fulfill all your purpose.

We will rejoice in your salvation,

And in the name of our God we will set up our banners!

May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed;

He will answer him from His holy heaven

With the saving strength of His right hand.

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;

But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

They have bowed down and fallen;

But we have risen and stand upright.

Save, Lord!

May the King answer us when we call.

Total Friend Randomness...

I love this kind of thing, so when Jennifer mentioned me in her random friend post, I had to do it too. I have to pick someone who reads this (that may be hard!) and do the following:



1. Say something random about you

2. Tell you what song or movie reminds me of you

3. I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me.


Okay, who's first?

Jennifer

1. I missed having you in class with me and we signed up for keyboarding together with that really mean old woman, remember her? It turned out to be pretty boring and we didn't exactly get to "study" together anymore, but you are the reason why I learned how to type properly, thus I owe you a percentage of my income.

2. Brian Adams' "Everything I do" and the movie that goes with it and the movie The Cutting Edge - "toe pick!" Oh, and SNL even though it's not a movie or a song

3. I love ewe!

Baxter - (I could write a book here!)

1. I love that look on your face when you have bagged a real trophy buck. You are so excited and out of breath from dragging it out of the woods. It's very sexy...

2. Trading Places will always be "our favorite movie" of course, Braveheart, Gladiator and Last of the Mohicans always make me think of you.

3. Secret Asian Man!

Mandy

1. Cover charge at Sky's: $5, 3 Amaretto Sours: 75 cents, walking home without ending up on the nightly news: priceless

2. "You Never Even Called Me By My Name" by David Allen Coe - I have no idea why, but it does

3. Gumbys is cheap but you can't live off of it for months at a time