Saturday, June 20, 2009

Happy Birthday G-Man

Happy birthday son. Today you turn 17; you are 6’1 ½ “and 138 pounds.

17 years ago today you were lying next to me in a hospital bed, all swaddled up. We called you butterscotch boy because everything about you was golden and caramel colored. Dad still calls you his golden boy, but only partly because of your complexion. Mostly because everything you touch seems to come easy for you. Good grades, math, sports, having fun, knowing what you want and not being afraid to go after it.
You know your birth story, but this year I’ve got this new thing going – you know about the blog - I haven’t really used it too much to chronicle you and your sister’s lives. But that’s what this is about today.
On the night you were born, you came into this world with the same speed and lack of fear of the unknown that you possess to this day. It was Friday, June 19th, and your father was working. I had been on maternity leave for two weeks and was enjoying being off my feet and eating my way through the house. I had just called your dad at work and asked him to stop by the store on the way home. On this night I asked for sour cream and onion potato chips and clam dip. While I waited for him to bring my snacks I got ready to watch a TV program that I had slotted in for 11 PM.

As I was positioning myself on the bed, you positioned yourself too. Athletic and impulsive even in the womb, you moved so abruptly you kicked me really hard. So hard I stood up to take a deep breath and it turns out you’d kicked me so hard you broke my water.
Since your sister took 19 hours of labor to bring into this world, I figured I had more than enough time. I got dressed, packed a bag, and when your dad got home told him he had time to take a shower.
The water breaking had started my contractions. But unlike your sister, this time around things went fairly fast. Maybe it was you. Maybe it was the holistic heath regime I had going through my pregnancy the second time around. I’ve personally always thought the raspberry leaf tea I drank daily might have come through like the literature said it would. At any rate, I had to holler to your dad to hurry it on up.
By the time we got to the hospital, a little after midnight, the contractions were really close together. Auntie D showed up to be my second coach, and she’d figured it would be like the first time too, bringing a basket of all sorts of stuff she felt might come in handy.
Meanwhile, the doctor said everything was good to go and I should start pushing. I had not been in the room for more than 10 minutes.
You were born a little after 1 AM. Your dad was exhausted. He’d come from a full shift at work. Auntie D stayed for awhile. After that, it was just you and I and I did not fall asleep until after 3 because I could not stop staring at you.
You still take my breath away. Oh, I know we have our days. You are tenacious and impulsive and thinking before you open your mouth is certainly not your strong suit. But your dad and I have always been in awe of your fearlessness, your single mindedness towards a goal, and your incredible sense of humor. You bring a lot of laughter to the world and to our family.
You also have a huge heart. Beneath all that bravado is a good soul. A kind soul.

I know that the things that may seem like challenges as you grow are the very same qualities that, once you learn to be on top of them, will work in your favor. I’ve always believed that and anyone who has ever tried to break your spirit has been my enemy as well as yours.
I love you and I have your back.

Happy Birthday big guy…
Love,
Mom

35 comments:

Lilly said...

Awww a lovely tribute to your son and it says a lot about your relationship. We need more good souls in the world (especially tall dark and handsome ones with a sense of humor). Happy Birthday to you.

Great post Mom (my eyes watered for some strange reason, must have got something in them...).

Lucy Filet said...

Happy birthday! What a beautiful tribute (and lovely photos!).

hillgrandmom said...

What a lovely lovely tribute to your son. Birthday wishes to him.

Liz Mays said...

Awwww...that was so sweet! I didn't know that you had a teenage son too. Mine is 18. Time flies, doesn't it? I'm glad yours is every bit as wonderful as mine. :)

Kate Lord Brown said...

'you take my breath away' (wipes away tear :) Happy Birthday to your big guy, and happy Birth day to you Pseudo (never forget do we?) x

sanewithoutdrugs said...

Beautiful!! I love the surfing photos. Very fun.

Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!

Now go clean the house for your mum.

cheatymoon said...

Beautiful. Makes me a bit teary. Happy b.day to your boy...

:-)

Sandi said...

Happy BIrthday Golden Boy.

I love kids. Aren't they the greatest?

Amy said...

Wow 17. The pictures and story were really fun to read. I hope you show this to him. My little one had to be pulled out. She likes to do things at her own pace.

K Dubs said...

awwwwwwwwww you brought a tear to my eye!! How proud you are of your son, and righteously so. Happy Birthday Pseudo boy!!

Rikki said...

aren't they the most wonderful concoction of beauty, mystery, and frustration...

I love the ladybug picture! I hope he has a great birthday and is grateful that you've let him live this long!

Michel said...

WOW! What a great story. Its neat that you shared that for him. I also really love the photos!

happy birthday!

So sorry you have to share it with stupid father's day - I have the same dilemma with mother's day! Tis an outrage.

Michele said...

Isn't it amazing how fast they grow up. I look at my sons and wonder where my babies went. Then they give me a quick cuddle and they are my babies again.

Happy Birthday G-Man!

Kristan said...

How very sweet. :) And wow, he's light considering how tall he is!! My bf is scrawny and weighs the same, but at 5'9".

Also, WHAT is he doing in that picture where he's freefalling?!??! o_O

Pseudo said...

The freefalling picute is him diving off the roof of a friend's house into the pool. He does shit like this, All. The. Time.

He had a great day. His sister and I took him shopping and bought him clothes. He's been growing so fast this last year nothing fit him well. He let us pick out tons of clothes and tried them on for us. But he would notlet me take pics of him coming out of the dressing room. He insisted as his birthday perogative.

Jeanne Estridge said...

What a beautiful boy -- growing all too fast into a beautiful man. Nice work, lady!

Fragrant Liar said...

I love this literally "moving" tribute to your son. That boy doesn't sit down much, does he? He looks like he's always on the move. :) Hoping his birthday is one of the best!

darsden said...

Happy Big 17 wow and a beautiful tribute. Beautiful pictures!

Casey said...

Happy Birthday little Pseudo! I love the birth story and the accompanying pictures...

Christy said...

aw....happy birthday to the boy...and happy summer to you.

Anonymous said...

Wow! 17 years old amazing. He's tall and handsome. Happy Birthday!

Sharon Rose said...

Happy birthday to your Golden Son! What a lovely way to give tribute to the love he has brought you! He is a handsome. . . fearless looking. . . amazing young man!

Tricia said...

Happy, happy birthday to your Golden Boy. This is a beautiful post.

Jack said...

Aw, what a lovely tribute to your son! Happy Birthday G-man!

Girl Tornado said...

What a lovely and moving tribute... happy belated birthday to your son!

Ah, how I remember when my son turned 17. Ten years ago. Time, regretfully, does move along way too fast.

Cristin said...

So sweet... great photos of the handsome dude..

Happy Birthday!

Wild Child said...

I hope he read the post and found that to be the best birthday present. My eyes watered, too. I think I'm tired today. ;)

thistle said...

Great story and AMAZING pictures, he is a crazy boy!! Thanks for sharing :)

anymommy said...

This is gorgeous. I adore birth stories. Happy birthday to your son!

creative kerfuffle said...

those are great pictures! and so lovingly written : ) i love it.

Mama Dawg said...

That was absolutely beautiful. In a manly way of course! ;)

Mrsbear said...

Aw, Happy Belated to your boy and to you since it was your day too. ;) Some of those photos were stunning.

Marina@EBMR said...

Coming over from SITS and just want to say this is such a beautiful writeup...sniff!!

Come bunny hop over to my blog...got 4 giveaways running and would love for you to enter them :>

http://energizerbunnysmommyreports.blogspot.com/

msprimadonna67 said...

Your son and my daughter share a birthday. Mine turned sixteen on Sunday. Still seems like yesterday I could hold her little tiny self in my arms....

Brigit said...

Motherhood isn't easy sometimes, especially during the teenage years, but you reconnected me with all the love of motherhood with that post, and I am so, so, grateful I've been blessed with the gift of raising a child.