January 20, 2017 -- Part 2

Eleven years ago right now, I was lying on the operating table trying not to bleed to death.  I gave birth to Miles at 9:33 p.m. on January 20, 2006.  When they pulled him roughly from my stomach, the doctors and nurses all started gasping and shouting.  I was so worried something was wrong.  But they were just so amazed that he was such a big, broad-shouldered baby.  They thought he looked a couple months old, at least.  He was 10 pounds 2 ounces and completely filled out.  When I was able to wake up enough to open my eyes, I kept craning my neck to see my new baby.  Greg tried to hold him near my face.  I remember laying eyes on him for the first time.  I thought he was so beautiful!  He was my son.  I was so thankful to finally have him in my arms and out of my belly.  He had three long scratches across the top of his blond, little head.  But he was perfect!  And he was hungry.  Since I was practically unconscious, Greg was trying to satisfy him with his first pacifier.  

Today we celebrated Miles's eleventh birthday.  It was so much fun to surprise him with a stuffed owl on the doorstep holding his "Harry Potter" Hogwarts acceptance letter.  We are taking him to Universal Studios as soon as school gets out so he can see the new Harry Potter world.  Miles was so cute when he found out.  He pretended to faint right there on the entry rug.  We all laughed and laughed.

Miles named his owl Bernard!

Tonight when I sat on his bed to say goodnight, we smiled and talked about the surprise.  "Mom," he said, "I never thought you'd do something like that.  I'm so excited!"

"I'm so glad, Miles," I said, and I rubbed his arm.  "We love you more than you could ever know."  His lips started quivering and he got tears in his eyes as we tightly embraced. Oh, how I love that boy.  I love his tender heart.  I love his funny sense of humor.  I love the way he thinks and the smart things he says.  He is growing into such a handsome, accomplished young man. This morning as I listened to him practice his piano, I couldn't help but marvel at how well he plays.  And my heart swelled with love and pride.  Miles will always hold a special place in my heart.  It has taken a lot of mothering to get him to his eleventh birthday, and it took all I had to bring him safely into this world. But he is my firstborn son, and

I could not love him more.

Happy Birthday, my boy.