Happy Birthday to a Special Son

Our son at 2 1/2 weeks old weight 8 lbs 5 1/2 oz

The Date: 12/30/72

The place: Albuquerque NM

The time: 8:15pm

The event: Labor!

It was a hard pregnancy with lots of little things having gone wrong and yet every time I heard the heart beat I knew I had to do whatever it would take to hold on to this baby. Hubby had to come get me and fly with me to our new home rather than getting our home all ready and picking me up at the airport. The doctor would only allow me out of the house for a few hours a week and the due date was soon. We were new to New Mexico and I desperately wanted to  get out of the house. I was bored and lonely so when we were invited to go to a drive-in movie the doctor said OK. The movie: a Peter Sellers comedy called "Where Does It Hurt?  It was a satire about how corrupt hospital administrators are and it was before the whole Monty Python type of movie became popular so this film was not well received but I remember it clearly because when the movie began that evening of  December 30th I went into labor. I knew where it hurt! We were in someone else's car so we stayed to see the movie. The whole time the other guy kept saying "Don't have the baby here, I just cleaned my car!" we would laugh and that would take my mind off what was happening to me. Once we got home we went to the hospital and I began the wait game. Back in those days, you went as long as it took to have the baby. Hubby would disappear for a bit and come back smelling of chocolate! Woman know that smell and since I couldn't eat he would go out in the hall! How dare he! We waited, and waited and waited. At one point oxygen was given to me because the baby was in distress! The baby! You can bet momma was in distress as well. Hubby was told that we may not both make it and who should they save. 24 hours later 12/31/72 8:15pm our son was born. I was weak but OK. He was good sized after all and although there would be years of frightening moments he was alive.   It would be 4 years before we would have him home longer than the hospital would have him. At his first birthday he only weighted 17 pounds 13 ounces. It took an entire year for him to double his weight. How big was your child on their first birthday? 

 He has grown up to be a strong, Christian man who still plays like a kid, loves his wife and children and works hards to provide for them.

He is much taller than me now and a lot bigger than the 21 inches, 8 lbs 5 1/2 ounces he started out as, but he will forever be my son - my little man.

Our Son at 7 months! weight 13 lbs 11 oz.

Walking at 1 year old and a weight of 17 pounds, 13 ounces

Happy birthday my little man.   I love you so much and I am so proud of you.

Oh and thank you for the tax deduction that year, it was great! We spent it, probably on you.