Happy Birthday!

I am sitting here in awe of the fact- that at this time- eleven years ago today.... I was being whisked down the halls of Everett General for an emergency C-section after 4 days of inducement (and they were the absolute longest of my life). 

My heart was racing- I was scared to death- and my heart was broken.  I was ready- I was going to push this baby out- natural with little or no pain meds..... I had take all of the classes- read all the books, had a Douala and my husband....

ME:    "Wait!  Where the hell is my husband????"

As we race down the hallway, she's up on the table with my gown ripped back and rubbing iodine all over my enormously pregnant belly....

NURSE:    "He'll be right here ma'am... he's still changing into sterile surgical scrubs."

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Meanwhile.. back in my hospital room.... Ron emerges from the restroom to find the room empty, me and the bed GONE... he freaks- grabs the first orderly he can find...... by the collar and in a rather uncharacteristic moment  screams:

RON:     "Where the hell is my wife??????"

ORDERLY:  "Sir, if you'll just put me down.. I'd be happy to take you to her..."

RON:     "OH! Uhm, thank you"...

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Clearly not some of our finest moments- and yet- they were- They had my strapped down and cut open in record time and with some pulling and prodding- they pulled out the most amazing perfect, little beautiful baby girl out of my abdomen. (I'd be remiss if I didn't say that I had a fleeting moment when I felt like Sigourney Weaver in Alien(s)... but it was the single most amazing and exhausting experience of my 28 years to date, on this planet.

Little did I know THEN  that labor and delivery was absolutely the easiest part about having children!!!!!  And yet- we choose to do this all over again two years later with Gabrielle... so clearly we were brain damaged from lack of sleep- or.... it really is as cool as we think!

Through the months and months that turned into years, with no sleep, teething, potty training and enough laundry to  wrap the entire planet in... we have survived.  We've survived the arrival of Onika M. Miles- (and Gabrielle L.) and their non-stop energy and talking, endless streams of homework, projects and sports practices... and we're only halfway done.....  We still have homework, and more homework.....more endless sports practices and games, driver's ed and more sleepless nights ahead when they begins dating and we'll long for the days that we could hold them in one hand and be the center of their universe.

I am so incredibly, ridiculously proud- and in love with my kids!  Happy birthday to my brilliant, beautiful and crazy talented Onika.  You make my heart soar! xoxo ~ Momma