I had been awake more than 39 hours straight. I had been pushing for 3 hours. Luckily, I hadn't been in labor ALL those 39 hours!
It was a matter of timing... just as I thought about going to bed on the 18th of October, 2000, I realized that my contractions were getting longer, stronger, and closer together!
Woo-hoo! I wasn't about to go to sleep and miss all the excitement of giving birth to my first baby!
So I stayed awake... not foreseeing that my body would take its sweet time opening ("like a flower" -- that was my mantra) and letting my beautiful boy be born.
He was the first. He had to pave the way. It took a lot of work... but he did it! Every labor since then has been blissfully fast, and I have him to thank for it!
My TJ. My Ted, Junior. I really wanted to name him after his dad -- my phenomenally wonderful husband. I felt like it was giving a gift to the world to allow another Ted Franklin Barnes to exist in it!
How blessed I have been to have this boy in my life.
He is so strong -- perfect for handling the mistakes of his first-time parents. His younger brothers and sisters have him to thank for all the bruises he's taken so they wouldn't have to.
He has a gorgeous smile! How I relish in his grin! I love when he laughs!
He has a big heart. Always ready to love me, love his dad, love his siblings.
His eyes -- he's always getting compliments on his eyes. Eyes are the windows to the soul, you know... just like a window, though, it can only give a glimpse of his soul's greatness. He is amazing!
I adore him more now than I did that first night, after he finally arrived, as I sat there holding him in my arms. He's a little harder to hold in my arms now, considering he's bigger than me (well, I still weigh more, but that's not comforting to me).
I'm glad he'll still snuggle and still give me hugs -- even, sometimes, in front of his friends. He's not too big to be my baby!
I can't believe how quickly these thirteen years have gone. Faster than those 23+ hours of labor! And I can only guess that the next thirteen will go just as fast. What a thrill! I hope he's enjoying the ups and downs as much as I am.
I'm so blessed to be along for the ride of his life!
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