Thursday, November 11, 2010

November 11, 2010

Although I have already posted about him, today, November 11, 2010, I am so grateful for my Christian!!!

Today is his birthday! Today should not have been his birthday but it is and I am grateful!

In May 1996 I found out I was pregnant. I was excited but a little (ALOT) scared. I went to the doctor and found out I was due January 11, 1997. A new baby for the new year. I started planning. I remember like it was yesterday sitting in the doctor's exam room and the sonogram being done. As soon as they turned the machine on Christian did a somersault. A full turn! Then, as if he knew what I was really looking for, he swam past with his legs wide open! A boy! I wanted a boy! I never even thought he could have been anything but a boy! I knew this baby was a boy! (In case you can't tell, I really believed he was a boy before the sonogram confirmed it!) In August I started retaining a little water. Not really unusual for a pregnant woman to retain water. No big deal. But as time went on I retained more water and then there were unusually high levels of protein in my urine. In October I had to say in the hospital for a week to be monitored. The doctor decided I should be able to go home. I had been diagnosed with Preeclampsia. Its the new toxemia. So I went home on bedrest. It was Halloween. I passed out candy to the neighborhood kids. The next morning a nurse came to the house to take all my vitals. She saw a picture on my table and remarked how pretty the woman in the picture was. She asked me who it was. Seriously? She can't tell it's me? It was MY wedding picture taken just a couple of months prior! She smiled, told me I looked beautiful and asked to use my phone. (This was before everyone had cell phones.) She immediately called my doctor and told him I needed to be back in the hospital. Turns out she couldn't recognize me because I was so swollen! I didn't even look like myself. So back to the hospital I went and wouldn't come out. I won't get into too many more gruesome details but at 12:36 on November 11, 1996, Christian Alexander Brackenridge was born via emergency C-Section. He weighed in at a whooping 2 pounds 6 ounces and 15 1/2 inches long. He had to stay in the NICU for 6 weeks. It was painful leaving him everyday, 2 or 3 times a day, while I went home and he stayed in the hospital. Painful isn't even really the word. My little man finally blossomed to almost 5 pounds so the doctors let him come home. We had a convoy go pick him up! It was Christmas Eve. My Dad was dressed up like Santa Claus. He was driving his 57 Chevy Belair. My brother, John, was in his car filming us coming home. My car was there but I rode home in the 57 with my baby, of course. I think my sister, Casey, may have driven my car home but I really don't know. Mom was also there and so was my brother, Joseph. Everyone was so excited that Christian was finally coming home. I'm sure the person happiest after me would have been my own mom. I'm not sure how much more of my crying about not bringing my baby home she could stand. Now my 2 pound baby is a young man. A gorgeous, smart, talented, dance card holding, super funny young man! I am going to be his date to his first church dance. Just don't tell him. It's going to be my secret!

Christian - I LOVE YOU! Without you I don't know who I would be. You have helped me to be the woman and mom I am. I love your aqua blue eyes staring back. I love your strong warm hugs. I especially love your luscious lips! You will always be my baby boy. I love you, Son. I can't wait to celebrate this day with you!

2 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh I loved that post! HAPPY BIRTHDAY Christian! I hope this is the best birthday yet! Wish I could give you birthday hug! The thompsons sure miss you! My kids would love to have you over to hang with. Your Mom is super Lucky to have you! Love you!

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  2. I'm over here crying as I read this post. Man, I'm a big baby. Those feelings still remain. I will never forget how special he has been since his early birth. We are all lucky to have such a sweet-hearted, handsome, HILARIOUS young man in our family. Love you, Christian!

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