Eight is the Magic Number
Today is Dakota's eighth birthday and on my children's birthdays, I spend alot of time reflecting on who they are now and remembering them through the years as they have grown up to this point.
I remember Dakota's birth so clearly. I had a scheduled C-section on a Friday evening. We went to the hospital, waited a long time and then I got prepped to go into surgery. My mother made her way into the room before I went in, which did not make me happy. She is too nervous, too high maintenance and does not make me feel better about anything. My husband was distracted. I've never really figured out why other than it was football season and the opener for his youth team was the next day, but I guess that's enough. My three older kids were excited...ready to welcome this little brother and get their mother who had spunk and energy back!
They wheeled me in, right past the crowd of "spectators" that was my family. Ugh. My husband came into the room and then boom, boom, boom...out he came and back into the room I went. That's really how I remember it. From the time I left my room to the time I returned having given birth was, no kidding, twenty minutes. They didn't bring him in right away, but they did let in all three kids and my husband and my mother and really anybody else who wanted to come in. I was tired, I couldn't feel anything from my chest down and my neck hurt. I just wanted my baby and for my kids to see him and be taken home. Dakota was born at 6:48....they brought him into my room around 10:30, if memory serves me correctly. I have a picture, both on paper and in my mind, of my husband and Keri and Brian David going out to get him from the nursery and wheeling him back into the room in his little plastic bed. Both kids were looking down at him with curiosity all over their faces. I never had a younger sibling, so I can only imagine what it must be like to have your family going along and then someone handing you a newborn and saying "here. Love him. He's all yours for the rest of your life". But love him they did. My oldest daughter took on the role of second mother right away. All was well.
Dakota was actually my easiest c-section (I had four). I had little pain in the incision, but alot of residual pain in my neck from the spinal. The hospital staff left alot to be desired and there are some stories I tell about the incompetent things they did, but all in all, it was an uneventful stay for both of us and after his Friday night birth, we were allowed to leave early Monday morning. Then life moved on. We became a family of six. We all took on new roles. Dakota became a very important and very active part of all our lives. It's been eight wonderful years since that time and I thank God on a regular basis for this gift of a last child to keep me going now that the older three are independent and grown.
Happy 8th birthday, Dakota! Have fun! Be good! Don't grow up too fast! You are a funny, silly, charming, handsome, devilish little boy and I love you with all my heart.
I remember Dakota's birth so clearly. I had a scheduled C-section on a Friday evening. We went to the hospital, waited a long time and then I got prepped to go into surgery. My mother made her way into the room before I went in, which did not make me happy. She is too nervous, too high maintenance and does not make me feel better about anything. My husband was distracted. I've never really figured out why other than it was football season and the opener for his youth team was the next day, but I guess that's enough. My three older kids were excited...ready to welcome this little brother and get their mother who had spunk and energy back!
They wheeled me in, right past the crowd of "spectators" that was my family. Ugh. My husband came into the room and then boom, boom, boom...out he came and back into the room I went. That's really how I remember it. From the time I left my room to the time I returned having given birth was, no kidding, twenty minutes. They didn't bring him in right away, but they did let in all three kids and my husband and my mother and really anybody else who wanted to come in. I was tired, I couldn't feel anything from my chest down and my neck hurt. I just wanted my baby and for my kids to see him and be taken home. Dakota was born at 6:48....they brought him into my room around 10:30, if memory serves me correctly. I have a picture, both on paper and in my mind, of my husband and Keri and Brian David going out to get him from the nursery and wheeling him back into the room in his little plastic bed. Both kids were looking down at him with curiosity all over their faces. I never had a younger sibling, so I can only imagine what it must be like to have your family going along and then someone handing you a newborn and saying "here. Love him. He's all yours for the rest of your life". But love him they did. My oldest daughter took on the role of second mother right away. All was well.
Dakota was actually my easiest c-section (I had four). I had little pain in the incision, but alot of residual pain in my neck from the spinal. The hospital staff left alot to be desired and there are some stories I tell about the incompetent things they did, but all in all, it was an uneventful stay for both of us and after his Friday night birth, we were allowed to leave early Monday morning. Then life moved on. We became a family of six. We all took on new roles. Dakota became a very important and very active part of all our lives. It's been eight wonderful years since that time and I thank God on a regular basis for this gift of a last child to keep me going now that the older three are independent and grown.
Happy 8th birthday, Dakota! Have fun! Be good! Don't grow up too fast! You are a funny, silly, charming, handsome, devilish little boy and I love you with all my heart.
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