5 Years Old?!

 

As I sit here and reflect on my life five years ago, I can't believe how different it is. Today is Sunday and I have been thinking about the Sunday before Zander was born. I was on bedrest and the I hadn't felt the baby move in several hours. My friend Paige came by and called my doctor and they wanted me at the hospital. They admitted me right away and then I began to worry. It wasn't time. He wasn't due for another month. My blood pressure was very high and the baby and I had to be monitored. This was so scary and I couldn't help think about my previous miscarriage and my nephew Sam that passed away unexpectedly during child birth. The next few days are really a blur to me. They induced labor later in the week but those of you that know Zander know that he is stubborn. He did not want to come out and was not going to without some help.
I did OK until they decided suddenly that I must have a C section. They gave me too much medicine in my epidural and it felt like I was suffocating. I don't think I could do it again. I was so freaked out that they let Paige and Summers go into the operating room with me. It didn't seem to take very long and they got to watch the whole thing. I remember the doctor saying, "He looks like Goliath!". They took him and weighed him and he was 9lb. 9.6 oz. He was the most beautiful baby that I had ever seen.
They let me take him to recovery with me for quite awile. I tried to nurse him but he couldn't figure it out yet. They took him after a while and did his bath, etc. The next morning, I found out that he had jaundice. I didn't really know what that was but really wasn't worried as I had heard of many other babies that had it. They would come in every hour and take his blood. It was horrible. He was premature and did not know how to eat yet. We tried finger feeding, nursing and bottles and had little luck. He looked like a little glow worm because they had light paddles in his clothes to help with his billirubin levels.
They kicked us out the next evening. I had to take him home on a light table. It was awful! He was in something that resembled a straight jacket and was attached to a table with lights. I could only take him out very briefly to try to feed him. We had to check in with the pediatrician first thing in the morning. She of course said that it was worse and put him immediately in NICU. Now I am freaked out. It was so hard because I had to stand beside of his bed and I had just had major surgery. I also was in alot of pain as my milk came in and had to go pump every 2 hours. They needed his bed for children that were sicker than he was so they moved us to the new 6 bed pediatric ICU unit where the nurses were great! Zander had his own bed with huge blue lights and Summers and I shared a tiny single bed, but we were all together. The blue lights made his ICU doctor and me very sick so I had to have a big screen in between us. I remember nurses from all over the hospital coming to see "the beautiful baby." He really was. I think we finally got to go home after 4 days. He still had a very difficult time learning to eat and it was very stressful for us all.
I can't believe my teeny baby (that wasn't ever teeny) is going to be 5 years old tomorrow. I have enjoyed every minute and I can't figure out where the time has gone.

Oh yeah, his birthday party. Saturday was a great day, but we are all very tired. We went to eat breakfast with CiCi andn PaPa and then to Zander's soccer game. It was fun but very hot. He had to play most of the game so he was tired. When it was over we had to go set up the party at the park. By the time I finished, guests started arriving. Zander was so excited to see his new friend Blake, old friends Kaden and Charlie and all of his cousins. Well not the Texas cousins, we missed you guys. The kids went to play on the playground which was conveniently right beside of the shelter and Zander promptly has his first accident. I kid on the monkey bars with cleats on fell on his head and then landed on his arm. I don't know how it wasn't broken. Only a few minutes later, Kaden's dad pushed him on the swing. Zander didn't tell him it was only his secont time on a swing and he wanted him to push him higher. As he did, he leg go with one hand and did a complete flip out of the swing. Once again, I don't know how he wasn't seriously hurt. He did cry and need to sit with me for a few minutes so I know it hurt.
After about an hour of playing the kids came to have cake and a snack. Then he opened presents. Thanks for all of the great gifts! The kids then enjoyed blowing bubbles for a while. Next came the dollar store water guns. The parents and kids had a ball and everyone left wet. Who knew that would be their favorite part of the party. Almost everyone stayed an extra hour playing with guns. Then it was time to go home.
Everyone was gone except for Kaden, Charlie and their parents, Wendi and Kevin. All of the sudden I realized Kaden wasn't where I could see him. Kaden is 5 years old. Everyone immediately started looking for him including the other children and parents at the park. It was the scariest 15 minutes of my life. My heart still races thinking about. Kaden is autistic and sometimes wanders away. We all split up and after about 15 minutes of frantic searching his dad found him. He had gotten far enough to be past the fence and next to the highway. I have never been so scared. Thank God, that he was found and was safe.
We then went home and changed clothes to go to Zander's favorite Japanese Restaurant where his favorite chef was waiting to cook for him. It is always a treat but he made it extra special this time. Zander ate a huge amount of food and actually stayed awake until we got home. As soon as his head hit the pillow he was out! IT was a great day and I think everyone had fun.