I can't. I know it always seems like yesterday that they were born, but seriously...
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| Carter getting some help from big brother, Caleb |
1997 doesn't seem like it was all that long ago...
Carter was due at the end of November. He never came. I'd had one induced birth and honestly, it hurt. So, I wasn't thrilled to do it again. My doctor agreed we'd let this little fella keep baking. But then the end of November soon rolled into mid-December, and I wasn't even having the warm-up contractions. Carter wasn't in any hurry to be born, that's for sure. During a fetal stress test, he didn't get high marks. He didn't fail, but he didn't excel, so an induction was ordered.
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| Carter and his little brother, Conner |
My doctor told me to head on over to the hospital from the appointment, but I wasn't ready. I didn't have a suitcase, or even my husband with me. I asked him if it would be all right for me to drive home and get my stuff and my husband...
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| Carter waving hi from the Jr. High playing field |
The poor guy's eyes about bulged out of his head as he said, "You drove? You're a ticking time bomb. What the hell? Fine. Drive home, and for crying out loud, have your husband drive you back in."
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| Carter on the high school line |
Next morning, in the very wee hours, my husband drove me into the hospital. By 10:00 am, this little bruiser was born, weighing in at a whopping 11 pounds 15 ounces. My husband swears if the nurses had weighed him before he peed for the first time, he'd have been an even 12 pounds. He still gets annoyed that I listed the accurate weight in the baby book. He wants an asterisk and a pre-pee weight listed.
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| Carter (54) and big brother Cole (75) |
Okay, so giving birth, sans drugs or surgery, to this guy was neither easy nor fun, but it was well worth it. For him, I'd gladly do it again.
He's a sweet boy with the biggest heart and the brightest smile. And holy crap! He's all grown up!!
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| Carter with his Block of Granite award |
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| Join the Goals Blog Hop Here! |
Here's an update on my balanced goals for 2016!
1. Lose weight. Loving the FitBit. It's a reminder to move! Small loss is a good gain.
2. Declutter rooms to declutter the mind. Cleaned out the outdoor building!
3. Publish two books. Swept Away is ready. I got the paper back proof yesterday!
Last week, I mentioned that Swept Away was done, and I was planning a book tour of sorts for May. Even though I was vague and my planning was poor, you guys still offered to help. This blogosphere is pretty darned awesome.
A cold/flu knocked me out for a bit this week, so I'm behind in contacting bloggers. I'll get all that started today.
This May, two of my babies will be graduating. Carter from high school, Caleb from college. Wow. Never should have let them out of their car seats. I swear, they were in those forever. Let them out and they grow like weeds.
A LOVE THAT DISTURBS by Medeia Sharif
Evernight Teen, June 17, 2016
Maysa Mazari is alarmed by her mother’s talk about arranged marriage. Meanwhile, as a hijab-wearing Pakistani-American, she wants to find love on her own. Her judgmental Muslim clique has protected her from racist taunts, although the leader, Aamal, is turning on her as Maysa strays from the group because of her attraction to Haydee.Haydee Gomez is a former gang member and juvenile detention student. Now living with a clean-cut aunt, she wants to turn her life around, even though one person will never let her forget her roots—Rafe, her abusive pimp. Haydee attempts to pull away from a life of prostitution when she develops feelings for Maysa, although Rafe isn’t willing to give her up too easily.
Finding themselves in danger from Maysa’s friends and Haydee’s pimp, it’s apparent their love disturbs everyone around them as they fight to stay together.
Find Medeia – YA and MG Author
Well, he's baked now!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to both sons.
Yep, he most certainly was cooked until well done!
DeleteThey grow up too fast :( Congrats to Medeia her book sounds wonderful. I was thinking of getting a Fitbit. So you Like it???
ReplyDeleteI do like it. It's a little embarrassing some days just how lethargic I am. It's been a good way to get myself off the computer and moving around.
DeleteCongrats to both indeed. Got some good goals going too at your feed
ReplyDeleteThanks!! Trying to mark off those goals.
DeleteWonderful; read Elizabeth. Congrats to both sons. Our kids do grow up so fast my grandchildren certainly have grown up quickly. my eldest one Josh will be 18 this year and already knows he wants to join the navy.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your week-end.
Yvonne.
I am my mother's baby...she reminds me of that every time I complain about mine growing up so fast.
DeleteHoly crap. They do that.
ReplyDeleteBoy, yall get out of school early up there.
Only the seniors. They get out a lot earlier than the rest of the school. This year they are getting out earlier than usual. They went back early and had extra snow days in the calendar and didn't use them.
DeleteMy daughter was like your son, where she didn't want to come out. We had to evict her two weeks late. Glad to see your boy grew up so well!
ReplyDeleteAll of mine were late, all but the last one...he got evicted on his due date.
DeleteI love your Mom story! :) (I had some similar baby birth experiences - I'm 5'3" and gave birth to one daughter who was 22.5 inches long, and another daughter who weighed over 10 lbs. They were both late.)
ReplyDeleteWay to go on raising such amazing boys!!! Congrats on graduations!
On your goals - Wow!
I think I need to get a fitbit . . .
Congrats on de-cluttering!
And, wow! Way to go with writing!
Please count me in for any book blog hoppiness. :)
I'm short too! When Carter was born, two ladies who worked in the cafeteria came to my room to congratulate me on my turkey-sized baby. And there were the jokes that he'd have to carry me home instead since he was almost my size.
DeleteI think you and Chad have done a wonderful job with your boys. Congrats to both the graduates even if it only seems like yesterday to you.
ReplyDeleteSomehow, we did manage to have some really good kids. But then we were blessed with ome really good souls to work with.
DeleteCongrats. Mine are still in middle and elementary school, but I know graduation days will be here before I know it. Seeing pictures and videos of them as toddlers is bittersweet.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the fun. It seems like the older they get, the busier and faster it all goes by.
DeleteThey grow up and you don't remember how that happened. Great to see him from little guy to graduate.
ReplyDeleteThat's how they get away with so much too. I look at them and still see the little guys, not the hairy men they've become.
DeleteCongratulations Carter!! Time really does fly by. I still consider my daughter my baby, and she's 24 now. You'll have many more great years to share with Carter, I'm sure. Boys never fly far from the coup - or so I've heard :) Great post. Thanks for sharing Elizabeth and thank you for all your support throughout the A to Z Challenge.
ReplyDeleteThey're always our babies, right? I'm not sure about how far they'll fly, but I've already warned them, there isn't anywhere on this globe I can't come find them!
DeleteYour A2Z posts were fun. I really enjoyed them.
Isn't it crazy how fast they grow up? You try to enjoy each age, but it seems like the next thing you know, another birthday is coming around. I'm just a stepmom, so I can only imagine what it's like for a real parent!
ReplyDeleteBeing a step parent may be harder! I get the same feeling of nostalgia looking at my nieces and nephews.
DeleteCongrats to both your sons!
ReplyDeleteI just started using a FitBit, too! It's fun to see all of my steps, especially after a hard day at work.
Carter has done so well. You have amazing sons.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to buy a FitBit.
Thank you for sharing my cover.
Happy birthday Carter!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so freakin' tired. I read this and knew it was about Carter's HS graduation, but then you started talking about the birth and... well, that explains the horrible first comment. A to Z... I've enjoyed you, but I'm looking forward to May.
DeleteHappy graduation, Carter!!!
It's all right, Robin. I do that all the time!! He just had a birthday in December, so that works too.
DeleteIsn't that funny how births are never the same from one to the other. I guess every child was as individual then as they turn out to be when all grown up. Congrats on the graduation, the weight loss, and receiving the proof. All ahead full for the release & on to your next book! Woohoo! :)
ReplyDeleteYou are totally right there! They are each so different, from birth to personality.
DeleteCongrats on your progress!
ReplyDeleteAll the best for your son. :-)
Thanks, Misha!
DeleteYou're so right, 1997 wasn't that long ago... Except, since then I've left home, got married, had two kids and 3 books, and retrained for a new job. I guess it's just a little longer ago than I want it to be.
ReplyDeleteWow, and I thought I'd had big babies!!
Looks like your goals are right on schedule :-)
When you put it that way...LOL
DeleteCongratulations to Carter! They do grow up too fast! Or maybe we want to hold them and keep them small for us?
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Medeia!
Yep. I'm totally being selfish. I know he's eager to conquer the world.
DeleteCongrats to both Media and Carter big time. The flu is going around and I'm on the mend as well Liz so happy recovery!
ReplyDeleteGood to hear you're on the mend as well. The cough still lingers, but I feel so much better!!
DeleteCheers to Carter! They do grow up fast, sure, but at least he grew up well. Definitely worth a pat on the back... as you kick him out of the house and enjoy just a bit more freedom. :)
ReplyDeleteI keep telling myself how much money I'll have soon as they grow and I no longer have to feed them.
DeleteWoohoo! Look who got to comment. *sigh* Life is good now.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Carter. You must be a proud mom. And congrats to Medeia too.
You are the most amazing to keep trying. It's a happy dance kind of day!!
Delete11 pounds, 15 ounces! My aching body! More power to you, Elizabeth. And all the best to Carter, too. Many congratulations. I love your stories. They make me feel right at home. Thanks for sharing this account with your readers.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear you enjoy them. It's make blogging that much more fun. :)
Delete12 pounds or not! My gosh you're a brave woman! Two graduations wow, and a book tour. Sorry I backed out of May's post - can we do it in June or July? In the meantime I'll buy your book and have a good read while I take this break
ReplyDeleteI like your goals - good luck with them. That's another thing I'm doing this May, setting my goals for the year and on that list is finishing two books. Rest and relaxation first though! And for me that means decluttering the house, and writing! Complete organization of my home and life. Yeah, that's the ticket! :)
Not a problem. I totally understand the need to pull back from the blogging every now and then. I'm trying to do my own decluttering, though I have put writing on hold for a while. At least until I get everything caught up.
DeleteAnd I'd be happy to visit your blog any time. When you get back to work, we'll set a date. :)