This time six years ago you were born

It’s your sixth birthday today. I can’t believe it. The time has flown by so quickly, yet moved by so slowly.

Six years ago I was thankful that I had a natural birth with you. I was very close to having a cesarean, but stuck to my guns and made them wait for you until you decided to show your face, and then the rest of you. I think that stubbornness has stayed with you throughout your life so far and hopefully you can put it to good use in the right situations.

I’d made the mistake of phoning Nanna and Pop the night before I had you telling them I hoped to give birth to you by midnight so you’d share the same birthday as my Nanna. Silly me. That didn’t happen and the downside was that Nanna kept phoning me up to make sure I was okay while I was in labour. I should have known you would take your time because apparently I took 48 hours to appear. They say that what goes around comes around.

For the first couple of days you were a dream baby. You slept a lot and when you weren’t sleeping you laid there soaking up everything around you. That changed, however, when my milk came in. You sensed that it was a good thing and always wanted it and when you weren’t feeding you were crying. I make a joke about it with you now when we sit down and both go ‘wah wah wah wah’ and have a laugh, but it wasn’t funny at the time.

The first night you came home from the hospital you’d slept all day. If I knew then what I know now I’d have made you stay awake so you slept that night. But you kept me awake nearly all night. We finally both got to sleep around 5am and when I spoke to the midwife at 9am I asked, half seriously, if I could send you back.

I finally got your sleeping sorted out and you’ve been easy to put to bed at night since you were quite young. The secret is learning to put yourself to sleep which I taught you how to do.

I really enjoy your company now that you’re a bit older and can take care of yourself a bit better. I’m not one of these mother earth types that really relishes a young baby or a toddler so I’m very glad you’re past that stage and you’re a bit more independent. Not that it’s all smooth sailing that’s for sure.

Despite saying that, as I’ve said it before and I’ll always keep saying it, when I first saw
you I’d never felt such an overwhelming feeling of unconditional love. I love you I
love you I love you. I can’t say that enough and I can’t give you
enough hugs and enough sloppy kisses. I soon learned to treat each day as a new day so if I had a particularly bad day with you the next day was always better, or at least different.

You’ve got a busy day today. You are going to school but I’ve made 24 cupcakes and iced them so that your classmates can sing you happy birthday and have some cake.

It also happens that you are getting your face painted today at school so that will be a great birthday treat.

After school you, me, Auntie N, Auntie R and Auntie C are all going out for dinner for your special favourite – fish and chips.

Then it’s more cake – another one I baked.

You have a great birthday, gorgeous boy and many more to come. I love you heaps!