Bassetluv
Well-Known Member
I can't believe it's been 26 years since my son came into this world. An awful lot has happened in between then and now...including he and I moving four times; his moving away to Toronto, where he now resides; him having to leave behind both his grandad (who he adored) and his dog, on the first move; having to repair a rift between himself and his father, who was barely in his life for the most part; losing his grandmother, and then a year later - almost to the day - losing his dad; and just so many other things that has made his life, and mine, a wonderful, hard, sometimes exhausting, but glorious time.
Stephen was born two weeks late, on Easter Monday. I was going through a terribly rough time emotionally. His dad and I had separated three months earlier...his father became scared at the prospect of being a dad for the first time, and he ran...had an affair and left me an emotional trainwreck. And truthfully, I wasn't even sure I wanted children. The pregnancy was unplanned, and I was naiive and immature. I wound up living back at my dad's house, not knowing what the future was going to bring, or how I - someone who didn't have any self-confidence and no income - was going to take care of myself, let alone be responsible for a child. But the day of Stephen's birth my life transformed. I called my doctor at 6 in the morning, complaining of lower back pain and not feeling well, and he told me it sounded like false labor, and to make an appointment to see him when his office opened. Half an hour later I called the hospital, and they also felt it was false labor...but they told me I could come in and be looked at just to reassure myself.
When I went in and was examined, it turned out I was 7 cm dilated...so then the rush was on to deliver this baby I wasn't sure I wanted. After much poking, prodding, and whispered conversations on the part of the doctors and nurses, I was wheeled into surgery...my baby had decided to take the less scenic route into the world. He was born via Caesarian section at 1:00 p.m., and the moment he arrived he made this most odd sound...for a moment I thought they'd let a cat into the OR. The doctors feared there was something wrong, so they put him in an incubator and whisked him off to ICU. However, they stopped momentarily so I could see him. And this was the point where I felt my life literally change. I looked down at this little guy, a tiny baby with a perfectly-shaped head, bright cheeks and the largest brown eyes I've ever seen, and I experienced something for the very first time. It's hard to put into words, but I knew him. It was as if I was meeting a very old and dear friend, someone who I hadn't seen in eons...and I remember the first thing that went through my head was, "There you are...I haven't seen you in so long!" It wasn't so much of a feeling of a mother's love for her child - though that was certainly to come - but it was something much deeper, I think. This was soul recognition...I felt as though he and I had lived many lifetimes together, and once again was coming back to me.
And now, for the past 26 years I've enjoyed all of the blessings that come with having such a beautiful person in my life. We've had our minor disagreements, we've dealt with the typical parent/teen issues, but we've also grown up together. He has taught me things that I never thought I would learn, he's been a pillar of strength through the tough times, and both of us have been leaning posts for one another, as well as comic relief throughout.
So here's to my son, who's matured into a wonderful, sincere, and incredibly beautiful soul. May his life be a long and happy one, may all of his dreams come true, and may he be blessed with love throughout.
Happy Birthday, Stephen!
Love, Mom
With his cousin, Emily:
Playing Guitar Hero:
Stephen was born two weeks late, on Easter Monday. I was going through a terribly rough time emotionally. His dad and I had separated three months earlier...his father became scared at the prospect of being a dad for the first time, and he ran...had an affair and left me an emotional trainwreck. And truthfully, I wasn't even sure I wanted children. The pregnancy was unplanned, and I was naiive and immature. I wound up living back at my dad's house, not knowing what the future was going to bring, or how I - someone who didn't have any self-confidence and no income - was going to take care of myself, let alone be responsible for a child. But the day of Stephen's birth my life transformed. I called my doctor at 6 in the morning, complaining of lower back pain and not feeling well, and he told me it sounded like false labor, and to make an appointment to see him when his office opened. Half an hour later I called the hospital, and they also felt it was false labor...but they told me I could come in and be looked at just to reassure myself.
When I went in and was examined, it turned out I was 7 cm dilated...so then the rush was on to deliver this baby I wasn't sure I wanted. After much poking, prodding, and whispered conversations on the part of the doctors and nurses, I was wheeled into surgery...my baby had decided to take the less scenic route into the world. He was born via Caesarian section at 1:00 p.m., and the moment he arrived he made this most odd sound...for a moment I thought they'd let a cat into the OR. The doctors feared there was something wrong, so they put him in an incubator and whisked him off to ICU. However, they stopped momentarily so I could see him. And this was the point where I felt my life literally change. I looked down at this little guy, a tiny baby with a perfectly-shaped head, bright cheeks and the largest brown eyes I've ever seen, and I experienced something for the very first time. It's hard to put into words, but I knew him. It was as if I was meeting a very old and dear friend, someone who I hadn't seen in eons...and I remember the first thing that went through my head was, "There you are...I haven't seen you in so long!" It wasn't so much of a feeling of a mother's love for her child - though that was certainly to come - but it was something much deeper, I think. This was soul recognition...I felt as though he and I had lived many lifetimes together, and once again was coming back to me.
And now, for the past 26 years I've enjoyed all of the blessings that come with having such a beautiful person in my life. We've had our minor disagreements, we've dealt with the typical parent/teen issues, but we've also grown up together. He has taught me things that I never thought I would learn, he's been a pillar of strength through the tough times, and both of us have been leaning posts for one another, as well as comic relief throughout.
So here's to my son, who's matured into a wonderful, sincere, and incredibly beautiful soul. May his life be a long and happy one, may all of his dreams come true, and may he be blessed with love throughout.
Happy Birthday, Stephen!
Love, Mom
With his cousin, Emily:
Playing Guitar Hero:
