Snake turns 15 today and I can hardly believe it. 15, how did that happen? Well, I know how it happened, it comes right after 14 but I can't believe how fast it has gone. Considering he had a bit of rough time coming into the world, it has all worked out. Shortly before my due date, my OB politely pointed out that this baby was looking considerably bigger than my last baby. Since we needed to go in and take Kiki by C-section because I wasn't able to do it the other way, she thought that I might have some difficulty with Snake. (Which angered me, because as it turns out my hips weren't child bearing after all and that was the only thing that comforted me over the years!!) Anyway she scheduled a C-Section for a week before Snake's due date.
So we go in and have the operation. At first, I thought he was a girl because Chizz (who had a better view) said the baby looked just like Kiki. Well apparently not just like Kiki, as it turns out there were a few differences. But he wasn't quite cooked yet and had some breathing issues, he had to take too many breaths to get oxygen in his lungs and as a result sounded like he was panting as he struggled to get breath. We were concerned but the doctors were so good at reassuring us he was going to be fine, I don't think we realized at first how sick he really was. They took him away and he had to go to the Neo-natal ICU.
As it turns out, Snake probably would have stayed in for a while. We all know women who have gone overdue, days and sometimes weeks. I would have probably had a 42 week pregnancy and Snake would have been gaining weight all that time. The doctors using their doctor magic figured out he was approximately 3 week premature. He was 8 pounds exactly, an 8 pound premie. They guestimate he would have been around 10 pounds had he stuck around. Yikes!!! 10 pounds. When we went into ICU to see him, he barely fit in the isolette - the incubator. Like a big Baby Huey with tubes and wires all over him. He was in ICU right next to babies born at 30 weeks, really tiny. There was a little girl so tiny and so fragile, you could practically see through her skin. Then there was my baby, arms and legs practically draping over the edges of his little basket. I had to defensively point out several times, "He's sick too!!". Originally they told us to prepare that Snake would be in the hospital for several weeks but he was allowed to leave a little over a week later. He had other plans, things to do, a sister to terrorize.
Since that time, it has been a blast having him around. He marches to the beat of not only a different drummer but sometimes a whole different instrument. He is handsome, funny, thoughtful. He has "liberal hair" but is a conservative at heart (how, how, how did that happen?). He gets great joy from terrorizing and teasing his sister but not so secretly really kind of likes her. He likes strange sports teams, heavy metal music (again how?) history and politics. Snake was the first one on board for our move to London - he couldn't wait for the adventure to start. He can be annoyingly stubborn, messy and sometimes talks when he shouldn't. He hugs me every day (oh, wouldn't the guys love to know that).
Happy Birthday Snake, we can't wait to see what the next 15 years are like. The first fifteen have been pretty cool. We love you.
3 comments:
Ahhh! Just came across your post and it sounds like my 2nd child, also a huge baby boy. My oldest turned 15 last month and I also can't believe how quickly it's all gone.
Pity they didn't let you go for the VBAC (Vaginal Birth After C-section). I did, although I was convinced my pelvis wasn't going to move again. Somehow I managed to get a 23 inch, 9.5 pound baby boy out, my biggest baby and sandwiched between two bloody c-sections. Go figure.
just wait - kids preparing for college... it is what's next.
We're glad Snake is here too.
UFS
... but Snake, there is a car in Sudbury, Mass that still is waiting to be washed! Do you think you might be able to get around to that before you're 21? Go Eagles!
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