Sam is 8!

The years go by so quickly, my first baby is now 8 years old. He was born 9/12/2001, the day after the traumatic event of 9/11. I will always remember the joy that we felt waking up that warm sunny morning of 9/11, so excited that this might finally be the day that we would be blessed with a baby. I had an appointment at the clinic to have my cervix "gelled" by my nurse midwife. I was overdue and anxious to get this huge baby out of me! She came into the treatment room and asked us if we had heard the terrible news. She then told us. We were of course shocked and after we left the clinic we had no idea what to do or feel. Many conflicting emotions. Souls leaving this world, a new one arriving.

As the day progressed, my labor did too. I checked into the hospital late afternoon and they broke my water. I was a bit worried about delivering on 9/11, so I tried to hold off until after midnight (I had absolutely no control over it, but I like to think that I did!). Sam arrived at 1:36am on Sept 12th. He was healthy and adorable. I remember one of his tiny ears being folded over. I also remember getting him dressed to go home, and I was hesitant to put him in his "going home" outfit. Prior to Sam's birth, we did not know what sex he was, so I had bought both a pink and blue outfit. The blue outfit had 4 little airplanes embroidered on the front of it. We had the TV on while we were gathering everything for the car ride home. Obviously all of the channels were showing nonstop footage from 9/11. I pulled out the blue outfit and noticed the airplanes...hmmm...airplanes. I was hoping not to appear insensitive, but it was the only outfit I had brought for him (other than the pink, of course). I put it on Sam and the hospital took a picture of him in it. Every time that I look at that picture I remember all of those who died that tragic day, and just what a blessing Sam is.

**Notice that Sam is attempting the "shaka" "hang loose" with his right hand. He must have known where we would end up.

I recently found this fun website called Smilebox, you can make slideshows, photocards, tons of stuff with your downloaded photos. I put a few pictures from our bday celebration together in a slideshow. We were so busy that day that we did not take too many pictures, but it was a great (exhausting) day!

Smilebox slideshow: Sam's 8th bday" src="http://smilebox.com/snap/4d54457a4e6a677a4e6a6b3d0d0a.jpg" width=386>

slideshow - Powered by Smilebox" src="http://www.smilebox.com/globalImages/blogInstructions/blogLogoSmileboxSmall.gif" width=386>

Make a Smilebox slideshow