Happy Birthday Ben!

Four years ago this morning I was awakened by a feeling of pressure being released.  I knew before my feet hit the floor that my water had broken.  But how could that be?  I had 3 weeks to go before my scheduled c-section.  Both John and Noah had been scheduled c-sections due to John being breech, so I was totally unprepared.  I had not even discussed with my Dr. what to do, since I had never even so much as felt a real contraction with the other two.

I called the on call Dr. who said to get to the hospital to get checked ( I felt bad for waking him up, especially when I saw him at the hospital later, to assist in my surgery).   I took a shower, threw some things in a bag, we woke up the boys and we started driving to Lincoln.  It was about 6:00 am then.  I waited until we were just about to the hospital to call my Mother-in-law to come get the boys (she likes to sleep in).  I waddled in to the hospital lobby, sat in the first wheel chair I saw, and the boys escorted me upstairs to the maternity ward, while Randy parked.

It did not hit me until right before going into surgery, (when Randy found the first game on TV)  that Ben was going to be born on the first day of  the NCAA tournament.  Looking back now I know why he picked that day to be born.  The boy loves basketball.  Or maybe it is our fault for exposing him to so much basketball at such an early age. We may never know.

The c-section went quick and soon I was brought  my little sweetie for a quick glimpse.  (that was all I had gotten of the other two also)  We knew from the prenatal diagnosis that he would have Down Syndrome so that part was not a shock. I could hear him cry from the warming table while they patched me up, and knew he would be OK.  Next came an hour long echo that I got to watch from the bed just a few feet away.  Ben cried an cried while they check him over to verify that tiny hole in his heart the prenatal scan showed was still there.  This time I was bothered by all his crying.  I just wanted to scoop him up and snuggle him to let him know I was there and he would be OK.

I don't even remember now when I finally got to hold him.  I know John really wanted to be the first one in our family to hold him (other than me) and I am pretty sure he was.

Noah was so proud too.  Black eye and all.

Both boys got to take him and help give him his first bath. 

 

This sweet little bunny was what they brought me on Easter morning.  

They wanted us to stay one more day, but we were ready to go home.  I had big boys who needed to celebrate Easter with their family.  So we broke out.  

  

 Ben has been doing great.  He has hit most of his milestones with just a slight delay.  We go to speech twice a month and OT once a month.  Ben graduated from PT at age 2 because he gets plenty just being a boy who lives on a farm, with lots of room to run.  Plus, did I mention that Ben loves basketball!

Today Ben is a happy energetic 4 year old.  His heart is good and he is always on the go.  He likes to copy his big brothers, play with his football guys, shoot hoops, practice reading his sight words, going outside (to shoot hoops), sing "This Little Light of Mine", read the phone book, fold laundry, tear up the house, watch Signing Time videos and eat.  He likes to make friends where ever we go.  We are so blessed to have this little sweetie in our family.  Happy Birthday Bennie Boy!