Me and My Big Guy

The teens are at my parents' house helping with yard work today. Sooooo, I am alone with my Alex.

Alex is four years younger than Alan and six years younger than Anne. He is also the spitting image of Beaver from the old television show.

Nothing phases him. He is almost always happy and ready to give someone a hug. Many of the other 9 year olds in his class are already jaded, but not Alex.

Alex has a sunflower garden and a pet cabbage. The cabbage was given to everyone in third grade as a summer project. It is supposed to be of the gigantic 50 pound variety, but Carl isn't that big. He is actually well taken care of and even has stories read to him daily. Personally, I do not know of any cabbage who is read to on a daily basis so I am going to assume this is the most well-read cabbage in the United States.

In order to know why this kid has such a special place in my heart, one needs to know the circumstances of his birth. When I was pregnant with Alan, the doctor discovered that I had stage 3 dysplyasia. In other words, I had cervical cancer. Alan was born three months prematurely. It was a blessing that he did not have birth defects and was considered above average at all of his checkups. The bad news was that the doctor told me I would never have any more children because my cervix was so week I would abort within the first month.

Guess what? I found out I was pregnant with Alex when I was four months along. The little fellow was not about to listen to a doctor or anyone else. I had a cerclage inserted, which pretty much resembles on of those purple rubber bands used to hold bunches of broccoli together. Alex was born fat and sassy on his due date (after 5 days of labor) via c-section. He was the baby I was never supposed to have.

It doesn't make him more special than the other two because, eventually, I will tell of their births on this blog. He is just special for his own reasons. He was the last baby I could have. (I had my tubes tied due to the complications and for some reason the insurance company did not consider my near death a reason to let me have a hysterectomy.) He is the happiest child I have ever seen. And he personifies the 1950's good kid in almost every way.

So, today was an "our day" together. I am soaking wet from assisting Alex water his sunflowers and Carl. Dinner tonight will be macaroni and cheese. We will watch silly cartoons and probably fall asleep together on the couch before church tomorrow.

And I will have a memory of his childhood and the unconditional love that simply flows from his soul.

Someone once said children are a blessing.

I am greatly blessed.