Wow. I can hardly comprehend that my baby is seven years old today. He was born just after midnight on a Thursday morning. Hospital staff, including nurses, were on strike then. I remember getting off the elevator on the third floor of the Weyburn General Hospital, and not seeing a soul. It was like a ghost town; I almost expected to see a tumbleweed come rolling down the hallway. Lyndon and I looked at each other, and called out a few tenative hello’s, and finally a nurse came padding down the hallway with a cup of coffee in her hand.
Oh, she said. I didn’t know anyone was here. Can I help you?
Yeah, I think I’m having a baby.
My babies have all come quite quickly, but Carter took a little more time. I started fine, but labour slowed down about halfway through. He was facedown, and his arms were kind of up around his head. When he finally came out, it was a sort of head-shoulder-hand dismount. Ouch. He’s kept us guessing ever since.
Happy birthday, Number Three.
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Yesterday, Lyndon, Carter and I took a trip to Assiniboia to get a haircut for The Puddle. (The Puddle is the way Lyndon refers to my sweet, girly poodle, Bella.) We checked out the Prentice African Safari exhibit while we were there. The boys and I had been before but Lyndon had not. Pretty cool if you don’t mind looking at the heads of dead animals hanging on a wall. I am always amazed at the number of different types of antelope that live in Africa.
We took Carter for lunch, did a little shopping, picked up The Puddle, and headed home. We picked up Tyson and then went back into town as Lyndon and Tyson were scheduled to have their last Hep A and B injections. There was a long wait at the doctor’s office so we left for awhile to buy groceries and get water, and then went back to the office. Of course, like any small town, we knew most of the people waiting with us so there was lots of visiting going on. Lyndon and Tyson were finally called and had their shots. We were getting ready to leave, gathering coats and chatting with the others still waiting, and I heard Tyson behind me say, Mom.
I turned to him just as he swayed and then crumpled to the floor. I was reaching for him and trying to get the attention of the receptionist to let her know Tyson had fainted. Carter was doing something silly at the time and everyone was focused on him and laughing. Finally, Lyndon realized what had happened, and hoisted Tyson up, and the receptionist called the doctor. Lyndon was holding Tyson up, and Tyson was just sort of sagging in his arms, and Lyndon says, Are you feeling okay, Son.
I almost laughed. That is the weird way my brain works under stress.
Anyway, we got him back in the doctor’s office, and before long he was okay and we were good to go. The doctor had a name for what had happened but I don’t remember what it was, and said to always mention that this had happened any other times Tyson was getting needles or whatever. A little scary for poor Mom.
Also big news in our family — Colton and Carter got buzz cuts last night. Their hair had gotten so long and it was needing to be cut. They both look great, and Lyndon is much happier. Tyson was a holdout. He is keeping his long hair.
