And in case you missed it, we have new improved videos.

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Never a dull moment at the Wise household. For my son’s third birthday, my DIY husband decided to make a 340 foot slip-n-slide. Check these videos out:

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Three years ago you came into this world… silent. Never a cry or scream. You could have heard a pin drop on the floor.

Four weeks earlier, you tried your hardest to make an appearance, but the doctors said you needed more time. So while puking from the medication they gave me to keep you cooking longer, I went home and I waited. And then 12 days before you were supposed to be born, I again felt you trying to make your grand entrance into the world. And this time you and I were more than ready… or so we thought.

After being sent home twice from the hospital in the next 18 hours, I knew you weren’t going to make your grand entrance easily. Fast forward another 16 hours and you still wouldn’t come out. No matter how hard I tried, you were just… well… stuck. I gathered up all my strength for the next two hours and we could finally see your hair. And then your eyes and nose.

This was all wrong. You were facing the wrong way - sunny side up. But I didn’t know that until later.

In a split second you were pulled out of me, but I never heard you.  Everything was silent and seemed to move in slow-motion.  I finally mustered the strength to ask “is he ok?”  No answer.  I looked to my left and saw the swarm of nurses surrounding you, but I couldn’t see you.  Nor could I hear you.  Then  one of them stepped to the side, and as quickly as I glanced at you, you were gone.  Rushed out of the room in your plastic incubator, I felt the tears welling up in my eyes.

I was told your lung had collapsed.  And in that instant my world collapsed.

I was told you weighed nearly 10 pounds.  I was told I had third degree tears.  All I could do was cry and feel every stitch during the 45 minutes the doctor tried to prevent me from hemorrhaging.

And yet, all I had seen of you was a blurry glimpse.

Three hours later I finally got to see you, but I couldn’t hold you, cuddle you, or feed you because in 1 minute you were being rushed to the NICU 35 minutes away.

I cried as I watched them take you.  I demanded that everyone go with you on your long journey.  I would be fine.

And there it was again - silence.  I was alone.  My body ached for you.  I couldn’t believe I was without you.  I couldn’t sleep, so I spent the entire night hooked up to a machine trying to even get one ounce of food for you.  But the stress of everything prevented me from doing the one thing I knew you needed most.  I had nothing for you.  I continued to cry.

I asked the nurse to bring me the video camera lying on the window sill.  I turned the camera on and turned it around.  I spoke to you, begging you to forgive me, telling you that even though I wasn’t with you that I loved you.  I still have yet to ever watch that video.

Morning broke and it hadn’t even been 12 hours since you were born.  I made up my mind that I would never spend another night without you.  I called the doctor and told her I was leaving whether she allowed it or not.  I couldn’t walk yet, but I knew that if I had to crawl to you, I would.  So, by wheelchair I went to stay with you for the next 4 days.

I finally held you, cuddled you, and tried to feed you.  I was in awe of you.  My strong little man fighting.  You were the biggest baby in the NICU.  Again, I cried.  But this time they were tears of joy.  You were going to be ok.  I never slept on a more comfortable couch, touching your incubator, holding your little fingers in mine.

This is what 5 nights of no sleep and crying looked like…  I couldn’t have been happier.

And now my big boy, you are three.  Three years have passed, and look at you now.  No more silence.  You’re loud, funny, opinionated, and too smart for your own good.  And everyday I revel in it. My strong-willed little man, always fighting.  Always making me laugh.

I love you.  Happy Birthday Dootzie-Doo.

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I am a SAHM Monday through Friday, while my husband works full-time. I work on the weekends to bring in an extra income and to keep current with my physical therapy license. This is the arrangement. And I love it.

I do love being home with my boys (wouldn’t trade it for the world), but I also love the non-babytalk interaction I get by working. Although I don’t have to dress up for work - just scrubs, I at least have an opportunity to do something different with my hair and actually wear some makeup. Oh yeah, and add to our income, which is always necessary nice, especially since my husband’s favorite thing to do is destroy remodel our home. All. The. Time…

This morning started out like any other Sunday morning. My alarm went off. I snoozed it three times too many. I awoke in a panic realizing I was running late.

Brush the hair, tuck it behind the ears, a little bit of hairspray… now brush the teeth, deodorant… put on my scrubs…

and…

Coffee. I had to make a pot. And might as well toast an english muffin too to go with the coffee. Time is ticking, but I don’t care because I am the only one there on a Sunday. No one really minds if I come in at 9am or 9:30am. I love my job.

So, I walk out the door… second cup of coffee in hand. Definitely need it after the sleepless night I had. Oops, forgot my purse. Go back inside, grab my purse and the cell phone which I also forgot to remember.

Drive.

Halfway there… red light. I finally look at myself in the rear view mirror to see how bad the bags are under my eyes.

Green light… wait… hold on… the bags under my eyes are INSANE! Wait… I see one, two, three zits on my left cheek. And where are my eyelashes? Dear god, I forgot to PUT ON MAKEUP!!!

My heart in my throat, I look at the green light and then at my foot on the brake pedal. Um… um… um… ok, breathe. My purse! I reach in and pull out a Hot Wheels car, a binky, a Kit Kat bar, and an old Target receipt. Glad to know I have my priorities straight… but no makeup, not even some damn powder. The gears in my brain start turning… there is a grocery store across the street, I could go buy some makeup.  No, that would still take too long and I already have way too much makeup that takes up my bathroom.  And plus, people would see me looking like this at a store that I shop at weekly. I look again in the rear view mirror. No one behind me. And I still look hideous. Can I turn around and still make it work by 10am? No, not really. But I am almost there… will anyone care that I don’t have makeup on? Will anyone notice? I think I need to turn around…

My foot pushes on the gas pedal and, defeated, I continue on to work.

Park the car, untuck the hair from behind my ears and hide my face for the next three hours.

I guess I could look on the bright side - at least it wasn’t Monday and at least I put deodorant on.

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Today I wanted to highlight two of my favorite bloggers in the blogosphere, and award them with:

The Wise Word Award

The first is Opalstorm from If Mom Says OK. She’s been with me from the beginning of my blogging journey and has been one of my most loyal commenters. Her blog is witty, funny, and insightful, filled with great pictures and MEMEs which give us a glimpse into her life. Oh, yeah and if you go check her out, don’t forget to wish her a Happy Blogaversary!

The second is Angie (aka Hooch) from A Whole Lot of Nothing. What couldn’t I say about this gal? Awesome comes to mind. I never met someone who could make me pee my pants daily from laughter (she should be proud of that!). She and I will be smiting toasting all the ladies going to BlogHer as we sit and plurk with each other into the wee hours of the night. Go check her out - she won’t bite, that is unless you want her to!

These two ladies join the other bloggers who have earned this award in the past: BusyDad, SecretAgentMama, OHmommy, KimmyLyn, And Melissa

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