Two Years Ago Today

As I'm working on your birthday cake and happily preparing for your little family party, I can't help but think back to what I was doing two years ago today. Two years ago today I was lying in a hospital operating room -- horribly frightened for the tiny little baby that had just been hurried away by the NICU team. I don't have any "first" pictures of you -- we didn't have a camera with us and even if we had, that would have been the last thing on our mind. Instead of thinking of baby announcements or coming home outfits, I was thinking of statistics -- the doctors told us you had an 80% chance of survival, which I tried to focus on to drown out that unimaginable other 20%. Two years ago today there was small cause for celebration, there was only fear and uncertainty and shock.

Today we are celebrating. Your birthdays will always be filled with a little extra cheer, to make up for day of your birth, when we could not celebrate. What a wonderful year this has been -- you learned to walk and talk and drive us crazy. :) You turned into your own little person -- loving, determined, and busy. You developed a good sense of humor and love to laugh. You became a big brother and take good care of your baby sister. You decided that vegetables are for babies and that big boys should eat cookies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You learned to point out your bellybutton. You grew tall enough to get into all the cupboards and drawers. You made your parents' lives infinitely more joyful. Happy birthday my little boy!

Today, as you are celebrating another birthday, I am so thankful that you are happy and healthy and here. Our prayers were answered, so I'll continue to pray for all the preemies who are fighting their battles now and all the people who love them. I wish them all strength and courage. I wish them all serenity and peace. I wish them all good things. I wish them all a birthday cake with two candles on it.