N. just asked me, "Mom, I wonder what it's like to be a mom."
I told him it was kind of hard to describe and he says, "just try"
so I said,
"It's the hardest thing you'll ever do, but the best thing you'll ever do because you have to take care of people that can really drive you crazy, but whom you love more than anything."
How would you have answered the question?

Seven

My son turns seven today. I'm doing what I guess every mother does on the anniversary of her children's births. I'm thinking about that day seven years ago, and each time I look at the clock I think about what I was doing at this time on THAT day. Seven years ago, I was in the hospital having nurses and residents freaking out about the fact that I was in labor and I had chosen a (gasp!) home birth with a (double gasp!) lay midwife. What a crazy day!

I was exhausted. Dan was exhausted. Neither of us had slept the whole night, I had been pushing for over four hours and the baby was not coming out. We piled into my mom's station wagon and headed to the hospital, no sense in paying for and waiting for an ambulance, I was "fine" the baby wasn't in distress.

The stories that we tell over and over about that day...

1. The nurse that was taking me to labor and delivery was more stressed about the situation than Dan or I. She rolled me into the elevator and pushed the button, but the elevator kept stopping at the wrong floors because other people kept pushing the buttons. Dan and I were trying to keep from laughing and I thought about the irony of me, the woman in labor, having to calm the nurse, the professional.

2. When N was born, the doctor pulled him out and he said "Wheh!" that was it, just one short cry.

3. Dan asked the doctor "how was he?" the Doctor's answer, "wedged." Yeah, that's why I ended up with a C-section.

4. They wrapped him up and held him up by my head so that I could see my baby. I looked at him and then turned to Dan and said, "He has your eyes" Then Dan went with the nurse to the nursery and I fell asleep while they stitched me up.

I have such mixed emotions about that day and the whole birth experience, but the over-riding one is the joy that God blessed us with a son. A wonderful, beautiful son that we have had the joy of raising for the past seven years. I am so thankful that I have been given the privilege of watching him grow and can't wait to see what kind of a man he becomes.

N. on his seventh birthday

How to raise a book lover

N.R. update

I thought it was about time to give some updates, so I'll start with my oldest. I can't believe that N will be turning seven in just a few short weeks. This weekend Dan and I celebrate eight years of marriage. Has it only been eight? It's been eight years already? That basically sums it up. Seven years ago we were getting ready to go away for a weekend. Our last as just the two of us. Today I'm looking at the end of first grade.

This was our first year officially homeschooling. What I mean is I tried to have some kind of schedule and "do school" every week-day. We did all right. I was better at the beginning. I had all sorts of grand ideas of things we could do, then December hit and things started to fall apart a little bit, what with having a new baby and all, but he is reading well, knows a good bit of the phonics rules, even if he doesn't like to use them, and by Friday will have completed the first grade math book. Math is a chore, but that's the way it is for most six almost seven year olds right? I remember having similar conversations with my mom. "I hate math!" " I hope I never have to do math again!" "I'm never going to like math." etc. etc. But like I said, only five more lessons. I'm excited to have a few months to enjoy summer, and re-group before second grade starts. I'm sure it will follow in the foot-steps of first grade, we'll start out strong and by this time next year counting the days until we can call it quits, but that's just a part of homeshooling, it's just a part of the schooling years right?

N. continues to enjoy G. and she him. He has a way of making her laugh like no one else. I enjoy watching this brother-sister bond develop. She's good for him in many ways. She not demanding (not yet any way) and greatly enjoys his presence. It's good to watch his gentle side come out when her interacts with her. It's a side that you don't see much when he's with A. I guess it has something to do with the age difference and the difference between brothers and sisters.

This past weekend N got to go on the annual fishing trip with Dan and the rest of the "men of the family" Last year was his first time with just Dad and Pap-pap. This year was the regular hoop-la with uncles and cousins galore. It's been a good time for N to bond with his dad and have some one on one time without A.

Last week he lost his fourth tooth. He certainly has the look of a grade-schooler, and is getting rich from the tooth fairy. I must confess that that is one child-hood fantasy that we indulge in. I'm sure he'll figure it out soon enough, he's a bright one and Dan and I aren't too subtle about it. We enjoy asking him all sorts of questions about it and listening to how he reasons things out. He's so practical and logical most of the time, I enjoy trying to encourage the creative, imaginative side of his brain.

I love this Man.