Sunday, August 23, 2009

Happy Birthday, Ollie!

Four years ago today, I was about 10 {out of 12} hours into labor. It was at hour number 12 when I was wheeled into an emergency C-section. And it was in that surgical room where I learned the first inkling about the personality of our first-born son; he likes to make a grand entrance.

I heard the staff shouting numbers after he was born:
"11- 2!"
"9-15!"
"10- 5!"

I couldn't understand what they were guessing until they someone told us his weight: 10 pounds 8 ounces. Honestly, one of my first thoughts was, "Well I haven't gained 40 pounds for nothing!" And I was {selfishly} pretty glad he wasn't one of those scrawny babies. I knew he wouldn't be, but I had no idea he would be mistaken for a 3 month old in the newborn nursery.
The nursing staff sent me home 3 days after the C-section with specific orders not to lift anything over 10 pounds- except my child.

Just as he entered this world with a bang, he is still gregarious, outgoing and free. He's quick to swipe a toy, but also quick to apologize. He loves trains, robots, pirates, cars and super heroes and very rarely sits still. I am starting to see the baby-ish traits slip away as he prefers to play with his friends and actually cared who attended his birthday party. But that's okay. I'll take what I can because he still likes to sit in my lap, asks for hugs and requests pretty often that I be on his team for catch, Play-Doh or soccer. {What? You don't have competitive Play-Doh at your house?}

So, here's to a wonderful 5th year, O-man.
May you thrive at pre-school and soccer, make new friends and continue to love your brother. May you use your strengths for good {great negotiator} instead of evil {talking your brother into stealing candy for you both}. And most importantly, may you know that God loves you- more than Spiderman, the Backyardigans and even more than us.

I know you're starting to understand that discipline is no fun, that Mommy and Daddy don't always see eye to eye with you and that you can't always get your way. But at the end of the day, I will always be on your Play-Doh team.
Happy Birthday, my man.

O- 4 yrs

Photo courtesy of my good friend, Melissa Tash.
You should use her for your photography; really, you should.

24 comments:

Lydia said...

Happy Birthday to your little man! Those eyes!! Boy, he's going to be making the ladies swoon one day, if not already. :-)

The Incredible Shrinking Woman said...

Yippee! 5 is fun! How did the parties go? I bet you were a wonderful hostess and gracious as always. Me? I stress out at kids parties. I have learned to take asprin BEFORE attending. Makes the ride home much more enjoyable! lol

TexasBobbi said...

Love the idea of competitive play-doh.

Melissa said...

What a beautiful photo! Happy birthday, little man!

Diana Williams said...

Happy Birthday, O! Logan entered at 9lbs 1oz and was the giant of the NICU (breathing problems then sucking/eating problems). Cate was 9lbs 8oz. Here's to big babies!

Jenny said...

So sweet! We love O-man, too! Happy Birthday to him!!

amykat said...

What a sweet birthday tribute! Competitive play-doh...??

Eve said...

Happy Birthday Ollie! I remember running into Jason in the hospital while I was waiting for my niece to be born and meeting O when he was only a day old. It doesn't seem like 4 years ago....

Susannah said...

Love the photograph! He's getting so big! Happy Birthday!!

Rebekah said...

Happy 4th Birthday! :) He's so big, I can't get over it.

Jennifer said...

Happy Birthday to your little man! Great picture...love those eyes!

Katie said...

Happy Birthday to that handsome little man. This next year is full of a new independence that is both frightening and exhilirating...hold on for dear life! Here's to a good ride!

Tami VanHoy said...

Happy Day! What a joy to celebrate the lives God gives to us. For years though, I would casually mention to my kiddos that it seems kids should bring gifts to their moms on their birthdays since they are the ones that agreed to go through pain and suffering to bring them into the world (heehee)...I would share that it would be a great way to say 'thanks mom' ;-) Strange...they never took me seriously (*giggle*)

Enjoy year 5...be sure to keep a pencil handy...I call it the year of 'I can't believe he said that!' Cute year!!!

Mr. and Mrs. Nurse Boy said...

That picture is breath taking!!!

Happy Birthday to your little man!!

Mrs. Nurse Boy

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to your little man! He's so handsome. And you go girl for giving birth to the giant baby! Mine was 9lbs. 6oz and people in the hospital made special trips to view the "giant baby" in the nursery! They had him nestled in between a 5-pounder and a 6-pounder and he looked like he could eat them!

Emily said...

Happy Birthday, O!! hope its a great day for you!! what a big boy. love the picture, too!

Anonymous said...

Hillary, Why do you love to make me cry??!! I love your tribute to Owen... He's so adorable... We loved being w/y'all! Mom

Unreasonable Grace said...

awwwwwwww! made me cry!

He's a cutey. You may need to start screening phone calls within a couple of years. Girls are learning to dial phones much earlier than we did.
kim

mary caroline said...

sister and I just read your post together...many birthday wishes from all of us!

And I'm pretty sure we had competitive play doh at our house...if Holly had anything to do with it :)!

Amy Kennedy said...

He is soooooo CUTE! And I love that photographer-I need to check her out-that picture is beautiful. Happy 5th B'day Ollie! Hope it's a fun and happy year for you and that you are loving your new school year! And happy b'day to you too Hillary-hope it's a happy one!

Kara @ His, Hers and Ours said...

Happy Birthday! Like I used to tell my daughter...you're a whole hand old! lol

He is just precious! I can see that southern charm just oozing out! I hope his day was great!

And wha?! A Play-Doh team!? Wowza!

Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect said...

Oh my goodness, that picture is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen! Love It!!

Happy birthday to Mr. Ollie. And congratulations to you for birthing a 3-month-old infant. :) Because, seriously.

Shannon (muzbeecrazy.com) said...

My daughter turned 8 on August 23rd. It's a good day! Although she wasn't quite as big at birth!! 8lbs 6oz which was plenty big for me! Happy (belated) birthday to your little man!

Tina said...

This child is incredibly beautiful!
Happy late birthday little dude!

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Hillary

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