There are some days in your life that no matter how old you get or where you go, you'll always remember. You remember exactly where you were, what you were wearing, who was with you. You may even remember how hot or cold it was outside. It's a day that you mark time with. Life happened before that day, but after...everything changed. A wedding day is probably, hopefully, one of those days. Or maybe the day you got engaged. Or maybe you saw your team win the Super Bowl. That moment was a tsunami in the normal ebbs and flows of life.
August 13, 2007 is one of those days for me. Three years ago today I met Grant. Wilson was only a baby himself while I was pregnant, so I really didn't pay much attention to my growing belly until about a month before his due date. At that point, I got scared. How was I going to deal with two? Two BOYS? How were we going to afford them. Would they look alike, would he act just like Wilson (at the time that would not have been a plus). Would my boys fight or be friends? Would Grant ever feel second-best to his big brother since Wilson had been adored and spoiled from birth?
Grant came into the world at 12:02 AM on a Sunday. He was 8lbs and 5oz of mutinous baby. He was not as happy to see me as I was him. He screamed his head off the entire time they were tending to him. I was so proud. "Tell them how you feel, baby", I thought. He seemed so much smaller than Wilson had been, but that little yell was meant for a baby twice his size. All worries about how I was going to love this little boy as much as my first disappeared completely in those first few minutes.
Grant wasn't entirely healthy when he was born. He had a blood count issue that required a IV to be put in his head for two days. It was awful and my heart ached for the parents who had babies with even bigger mountains to climb. Grant just seemed so fragile...
...he got over it. For the past three years that mutinous cry has turned into a very smart mouth and that fragility to steely determination. What Grant wants, Grant gets, or Grant gets his grandparents. He's got everyone who knows him wrapped around his finger and he's not afraid to pull on the strings. These are just a few of the things we've learned from Grant this year.
- There is no such thing as too many sweets
- They sedate kids these day when they fill cavities for having an overacting sweet-tooth
- Boys will find guns whether you buy them or not. An empty toilet paper roll makes an excellent weapon.
- Whatever's Grant's is Grant's, whatever's yours is Grant's unless you hide it.
- Utensils are a suggestion, not a requirement
- Everything tastes good with peanut butter
- Every animal that is worth talking about says "RRRAHHRRRR"
- I am Bossy the Cow
- Daddy is not allowed to drive mommy's car
- Grandpa will give you anything you want if you hug him and say "I love you"
- Grandma and Nana will always give you whatever you want, nothing else required.
- You CAN adopt a Deep South accent overnight.
- Everything sounds better with an extra syllable. "Tha-yat", "Da-yown", "Ye-yah"
- The only sure-fire way to get mommy and daddy to let you out of bed is to claim you have to pee.
- If you talk to your poop, it comes out.
- It ain't a party unless there's cake.
- Is there cake?
Most importantly, Grant has taught us to wake up ready to live well, eat well, play hard, and do everything with passion. Today, three year's ago, Grant came, full of life, into the World. Dear World: your welcome.
Happy Birthday baby! Mommy loves you to the moon and back.
