The Gift You Are...

reprinting from last year...because I'm snuggling my baby today. 

I will always look back on my pregnancy with Alex as being perfect. From the moment I found out I was expecting, I felt a peace and joy that I wasn't expecting. We had lost a pregnancy 7 months before and I was nervous but somehow I knew everything was going to work out.

When I was six weeks pregnant I lost my job. At the time...I thought it was the worst thing that could happen but soon realized it was a tremendous blessing. Being home...allowed me to enjoy each and every day of my pregnancy, plan and make a quilt for my beloved.

The day that we found out we were having a little boy was another fabulous day. I remember Calvin and his Mom holding my hands during the ultrasound and we all cried. And then we went to breakfast at The Village Inn and to Babies R Us to register. Another perfect day....

My Dad helped me paint Alex's room and soon after my Mom came from Dallas to attend my baby shower. I made candles and gave them to all of my friends and family for them to light when I went into labor. The thought of all of those flames burning for me as I brought my first born son into the world made me so happy.

I was born on my due date and my midwife told me that is a rare occurrence. So on April 16th when I started having contractions I thought Alex would arrive early. These off and on non-painful contractions went on for two days...then on the 19th I had them more frequently and once evening came they where coming much faster. I didn't want to miss my favorite show so I waited until after The Amazing Race was over to call my midwife and she said I could come in. We called my Mother-in-law and she met us at the hospital.

When we checked in around 10:30pm, I was only 2 CM dilated and I decided that I still wanted to try to have Alex without drugs but I was so tired from not sleeping well for the last two days and I was dehydrated so around midnight I got the epidural. I was thrilled because it looked like Alex would be born on his due date!

I should have taken this opportunity to get some sleep but we were all too excited! Finally at 2 AM, I fell asleep. The nurse checked me at 4 AM and I was 7 CM, then at 7 AM I was 9 CM...almost 10. I was told my midwife had just arrived and I could start pushing in 30 minutes! And this is where I freaked out! I started feeling sick to my stomach and had horrible heart burn. They gave me Zantac but I threw it up so they gave me a cracker. An hour later that came up too. Maybe I should have had TWO crackers.... I started pushing (which made me even sicker) at 8:30am and after almost 2 hours of pushing....at 10:04am my precious baby boy was born.

Alexander Calvin Weiss III
7 pounds 1 ounce
20 1/4 inches

He was perfect and so adorable and an hour later I was eating the best chicken fried steak ever (the maternity ward had it's own chef) and watching The Young and The Restless! Alex has been the most amazing joy of my life. He is so funny and devious and witty and frustrating. He adapted well to becoming a brother so quickly in his life and is Mallory's best friend. I look at those piercing blue eyes that mirror my own and I melt.

How can he be 4? He is still my baby boy....

Happy Birthday Alex!

Imagine a month of Sundays
Each one a cloudy day
Imagine the moment the sun came shining through
Imagine that ray of sunshine as you

Remember your darkest hour
With dawn still far away
Remember the way that you longed for morning’s light
And think of yourself as a candle in the night

Make believe this is the first day
Everything all brand new
Make believe that the sun is your own lucky star
And then understand the kind of gift you are

The gift you are
like the very first breath of spring
The gift you are
all the joy that love can bring
The gift you are
all of our dreams come true
The gift you are
the gift of you