When I was kid, I found it very difficult to fathom that time would always keep going forward. I couldn't get my head around the idea that I wouldn't just stop aging at some point--say my mid-twenties perhaps--and be able hang on around there for an indefinite period. Seriously.
The inexorable march of time has befuddled me again. Exactly one year ago, I woke up in the middle of the night with a splitting headache. I was thirty-two weeks pregnant and had been sick for all but maybe two months of that. The morning of 10/2/06, a Monday, I told Nate I wasn't feeling well and he spontaneously offered to stay home from work with me, which is a testament to how terrible I must have looked because Nate is not a spontaneous "take-off work" kinda guy. I spent most of the day in bed feeling ill, but nothing specific, just a general malaise. That night before going to sleep, I sat on the bed and put my head against Nate who was standing in front of me. I said to him, "Ever have a feeling that something is wrong, but you just can't articulate what it is?"
Around 1 am, I woke up with the migraine. I've been a migraine sufferer all my life, but this was unlike any headache I had ever had. I woke Nate and he called my doctor who told us to come to the hospital.
Well, most people who might be reading this know the story by now: the headache was an indication of a huge spike in my blood pressure and a symptom that I had developed full-blown pre-eclampsia. Unable to get my symptoms under control, they induced me the next morning and little Sethie was born about two months before his time.
I think, though, that he and I both knew that time would come for him early that year. He had developed enough to breathe room air, and only spent about two weeks in the NICU, barely a week more than I spent in the hospital. He has grown so briskly in this last year that looking at him now, it's hard to believe he was ever so small.
Once again, I just can't get my head around the fact that some day he's going to be a grown man--he acted like a newborn for so long that I half-expected him to stay that way indefinitely, my infant Peter Pan. I still don't get time. Its endless forward push seems as alien now as it did when I was little.
And speaking of little...Happy First Birthday my little Sethie, who fills my heart with joy, who blesses me every day with his sweet temperament, his contentedness in my arms, and the ruthless way he tears into whatever food he can manage to get his hands on. That's my boy.
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10 comments:
I remember that day too - we were all so worried. I am glad that a year later you can look back and see the joy that came from it.
Today must be a great day for boys to be born - my sister just had her baby early this morning (12:01 am) so now my kids have 2 cousins born on Oct 3
Love to all - give that little red-head a hug and kiss from all of us in Colorado
Kristi
Thanks Kristi. We really appreciated your family's offer to take Thomas after Sethie was born. What a month it was! The whole family was so helpful and generous. We really feel like we couldn't have made it without everyone's help.
We miss you guys! Wish we lived closer to you Coloradoans.
Love,
Mara
Happy Birthday Seth! What a great slideshow, it's amazing to see how he's grown.
Time is definitely our nemesis - I can't believe that it's been so long since I've seen you guys. I haven't yet met Thomas. And now Seth is already 1! We really need to get our lazy butts to the East Coast!
No kidding. We've got a guest room now that just sits empty if no one is visiting and we're only an hour from both New York and Philadelphia, so there's no reason not to come! So, you know, get your butts in gear already. :)
I can't believe how fast the year has gone!! That movie made it feel even faster! We are so glad everythinghas gone well and that he is healthy! We love you guys! Happy Birthday Seth!
Love, Uncle Brent, Aunt Bec, and Girls
Becky, your help that week was so invaluable, we can't thank you enough. I don't know what we would have done if you hadn't come out and helped us through it. You are the greatest!
Much love,
Mara and N8
heymara
what a blessed woman you are! those were scary times and you were so brave!
i love sethie's big smile.
bestluv
heather
October 3, 2007
One year ago, just hours after we had arrived in Puerto Vallarta, we were awakened at 4:00AM by Nate telling us that Mara was in serious condition in the hospital and wouldn’t be leaving until she gave birth, which actually happened later that day, though her due date was eight weeks away. Meanwhile, we were feeling pretty helpless being so far away with visitors coming to spend two weeks. As we debated what to do, we learned that our children were making plans to help, Catherine and Andy offering to have Thomas, others willing to go to New York to get him, with Rebecca ultimately going to New York for a week. (That, after Thomas wondered that since they had a new Thomas, were they going to put him in storage like the furniture.) How grateful we felt that so many were all working together to help.
How happy we were that we had planned to spend Christmas with our New York family and see for ourselves what two wonderful sons Nate and Mara have. Then again in July we were fortunate to have the excurse of Laila’s wedding to go back for another visit, spend time with their dear family, and see the new home in New Jersey.
It is a great blessing that Seth has thrived and is now one year old. We’re also very grateful that Mara has recovered her health, that Thomas is such a good big brother, and that Nathan has a good job and educational opportunities.
We send love to all,
Mom (Judith Poulsen)
some might even say that Nathan has had at least one too many "educational opportunities"...
;) j/k
He's such a miracle child! What adorable and moving pitures too...I was on the verge of tears just watching the slide show. Happy Birthday Sethie!
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