Turning Leaf Part II

 Sarah says:

Wine update:  Still amazing!

School update:  Well, we survived the first day of school.  Of course Liam loved it, loved his teacher, and is looking forward to going back tomorrow.  It’s not like I expected anything else to happen – but still, we mom’s are made to worry.  Today was a day for tears – between the rainy weather and the first day of school, I just felt teary.  I started thinking about the past 5 years of Liam’s life – today was definitely not the first time tears were shed for him. 

April 19, 2007 - my due date… not the date Liam was born.  I specifically remember my boss going on vacation a few days earlier and telling me he’d see me in 3 months, then coming back a week later and saying “what the **** are you still doing here?”  I’m not sure exactly what date the tears started flowing, but at some point they did.  I was so overdue and ready for Liam to be born!  I was huge and emotional.  That’s a scary combination.

April 29, 2007 – I finally went into labor!  I had never been so happy to be in that amount of pain!  The happiness quickly turned into “omg, that freaking hurts!” ... tears flowed.

April 30, 2007 – After 12 hours of labor and an emergency C-section, Liam was born.  The only emotion possible when you hear that first cry from your baby is to cry yourself.  I cried, Jon cried, Liam cried, we were just a big mess.

The entire first year – holy cow did I do a lot of crying.  I cry pretty easily – but this was insane, especially this first few months.  I could just be looking at him and start crying.  The first smiles, giggles, words, rolling, crawling, walking.  The breastfeeding, the colic, the first solids, the bottles, the sippy cups.  The first leaving him with a babysitter, the move to a crib, the first teeth, the first fever, the first day of daycare, first haircut.  Tears – lots of tears.

October 30, 2008 – By this time, Liam had had a ton of ear infections.  I don’t even know how many he had, it was ear infection after ear infection after double ear infection.  I’m convinced he just had one big ear infection for months that never fully went away.  Every time we went back for a follow up appointment, (you know, those kind that are supposed to be super fast, just so the doc can tell you everything is fine) we went home with another ear infection and another dose of antibiotics.  This was the day he got the tubes put in.   Please keep in mind, I was pregnant with Mary at this time, so I was probably even more emotional than normal, but there is nothing quite as terrifying as standing in a hospital waiting room, watching your 1 year old, wearing his one piece footie jammies, being rolled away on a hospital bed so they can put him under anesthesia, so they can cut little holes in his ears and insert tubes, while you just stand there holding his little tiny 18 month size jacket.  Tears – lots and lots of tears will flow.  It doesn’t matter that ear tubes is the easiest, fastest surgery known to man.  That moment that they take him away from you is terrifying.  I remember pouring myself a cup of coffee from the complimentary waiting room pot and setting it aside so it would cool for a few minutes.  I never even got to take a sip of that coffee, because the doc was back out telling me it was successful before it had time to cool.  It was that fast.  And yet, there were loads of tears.  The good news is, Liam has never had another infection!  He’s had other ear issues, but that's another story, see below.

January 30, 2009 – Liam becomes a big brother!  Tears.

April 25, 2010 – That horrible day.  Tears.

June 2010 – Liam was 3, I was ready for him to be potty trained, he was not.  At this point, I had 2 in diapers for over a year.  I remember him sitting on the potty and he actually went!  So I clapped and cheered and danced, and he cried.  Going in the potty was terrifying for him, and he wanted nothing to do with it, (although now he thinks he’s a hot shot because he can do it standing up and Mommy can’t).  After days of this awful scene I decided to give up on my diaper free dreams for a few months.  Tears.

First day of Kindergarten!

April 2011 – Liam, like all kids, can tell their parents they love them.  But at some point they begin to actually understand it.  Liam has always been kind of quiet and shows his love through hugs and actions more than words.  Somewhere around his birthday, we were talking about something that he was just so excited about.  He held my face with both hands and said loud and clear, “Mommy, I love you.”  Tears.  Don't get me wrong, I'll take a tight Liam squeeze any day - but those words on that particular day just got me going.

April 27, 2012 – Popcorn in the ear.  Tears.

 September 4, 2012 – Liam’s first day of Kindergarten.  Tears.

There are so many other tearful days of a kids life.  And I know there are more to come.  Here’s to hoping tomorrow is a little less drippy.  (Note:  I'm raising my wine glass and taking a sip, feel free to join me!)

Even with today's success - I'm still terrified for tomorrow and the bus ride.  One of my facebook friends kids bus got into an accident with a car this morning, and another one had her kid get lost for almost two hours.  I cannot imagine waiting at the bus stop for Liam and not have him get off.  I truly admire her ability to keep her cool, and hope that I am never in the same situation.  My nerves are completely on edge!  Tears.  While I won't be following the bus tomorrow (I have to get Mary to preschool, kind of forgot about here, huh?), Jon agreed to go to the elementary school and wait there until the bus shows up to make sure Liam gets off it and into the proper door.

Once I get through this - I get to look forward to the first full day (ie. bringing a lunch!) on Friday.  Here come the tears!