Speaking of birthdays - Q is Five!

Five. That number, depending on the context, can be a very little something, or a very big something. Well, around here, it is a very big something.

If it's five pennies, it's not too much. Five cars, that can be a lot.

It's been five years.

Five years ago, on May 8th, I was "due" with my first child.

On May 9th, I rode on the riding lawnmower hoping to get something started.

On May 10th, we went to the hospital because I thought it was early labor. It was, almost too early, but it was labor, so we stayed.

Almost 12 hours later, my son was born, via c-section, under general anesthesia, for face presentation. It was not pretty.

On May 11th, after a night that seemed to stretch on forever, I met my son for the first time. It was like coming home. I had waited for that moment for months, and then the night before, when we thought it was almost "THE TIME", I was so excited, and I just wanted labor to be over so I could push that baby out and meet him or her. I was ready to be a Mom.

The next Sunday was Mother's Day, my very first as a parent. What a great gift to myself.

In those first five days in the NICU, I learned so much about being a parent and the love, joy and heartache it can bring you. While he wasn't "sick", he needed to be watched to make sure the swelling in his face went down, that he didn't jaundice up from the bruising, his breathing was okay, the collapsed vocal cord was going to heal, he could nurse enough to maintain and gain weight.

I had waited to meet my baby, now I had to wait to bring him home.

Then we were sprung! I was in such a hurry to call my husband, that I mis-dialed a few times before I got it right.

He came back up and got us, and took us home. That night for dinner, we had chicken, and a salad and some grapes, and I napped on the couch with my son. I think that may have been the best Wednesday of my life.

And we've had five years of Wednesdays since then.

He has showed me so much, and brought so much to my life, in so many ways, big and small, heart breaking and hysterical ... I don't know if there is a way to thank your child for showing you the world, for giving you a new set of eyes to view things with.

Q is my blonde haired, blue eyed boy, tall and as skinny as a rail. My cuddler, my thinker, my planner. He is my serious one, but with a great sense of humor. He takes such joy in his every day, that you can't help but enjoy being with him. There are a million things to do and discover, and he is so eager to do it ...

My Rooney ... I am so thankful, every day, that I get to be your Mama, and that you made your way to me.