I Have a Teenager Now!!!

*Sigh*  My baby boy is growing up... TO fast!!!  And what's worse...  he's not even here with me today.  He's off... all by himself, ok maybe not ALL by himself... with his classmates and a few teachers in Washington, D.C. on a five day trip.  It's hard enough to see him becoming a teenager, but to know he's out there in this great big world WITHOUT ME???!! Oh boy... will I ever survive him someday moving out??? LOL

I've always referred to Steven as my "Angel Baby" and luckily, he's not offended or embarrassed by this... at least not yet. HA!  When I was 35 years old I decided it was time to have my first child.  It only took me about a year of trying before I went to find out why I wasn't getting pregnant.  Then... it took another 6 months of infertility treatments.  If you've ever had to endure the daily shots or even the EXTREME PMS that comes with this... you know how very grueling this was on me.  Finally... $12,000!!! later,  I decided I couldn't do it any longer.  Not only could I not afford it any longer, but mentally it was draining.  I cannot even begin to tell you how much and how long I cried realizing I would probably never have a baby and for no known reason other than perhaps... God just wanted it that way.  Then... a whole YEAR later... I became pregnant.  No meds, no shots, nothing... just the good old fashioned way.  I was ecstatic to say the least!!  My whole family was thrilled beyond words for me.  I happen to go out of town with my mother-in-law to visit her sister and we had soooo much fun that few days we were there.  On my last day there, I woke up and told them I felt the baby move.  They laughed.  I was only 3 months along.  They told me there was no way I felt it move that early.  Well... I did.  But sadly, what I felt was my baby beginning to abort.  The doctor said he believed I felt it separating from my womb.  It WAS a thud.. and I remember how it felt to this day.  Sadly, I didn't find out until my husband and I went for our first ultrasound and they had told us to bring a blank video tape and they would record the baby for us.  Then to have the technician tell us... "I can't find it." I went home that evening and looked up my doctor's HOME phone number.  Yes... I called him at home. He told me he thought I would abort the baby very soon.  He was right... the next morning I had.  I don't believe anything... not one thing... can explain the sadness my husband and I felt that day.  I remember I couldn't stop crying.  They told me to go to the hospital and the doctor would meet me there.... I cried all the way.  When he came in to talk to my husband and I ... I was still crying.  And... when I came out of surgery.... I awoke crying and hugging my mom.  I couldn't stop.  The next day I called my dad at the office and told him I was ok and asked if he wanted me to come in... all the while crying.  Then I apologized to him and said.. I didn't know how to stop myself from crying.  Being dad... he said... "I'll have your mom call you." Ha.  I know he didn't know what to say... no one did.

I remember waking up one morning... a couple weeks later and just lying in bed talking to my husband he was getting dressed in the bathroom  next to our bedroom and I told him... "I don't want to try to have a baby any more."  I know I couldn't go through such an ordeal again.  You know they say God works in mysterious ways... he did just then as well.  Little did I know at that very moment, I was already pregnant with Steven.  Thus.. my angel baby was born.  *smile*

You ever wonder how kids end up the way they do??? I do.  Steven is my "sensitive/emotional" one of my two kids.  I honestly believe, I was so full of ups and downs and truly scared to death the whole time I carried him that I think... somehow... he got all that from me and what I went through to get him.  I couldn't be prouder of him... he's a straight A student... going to Central Campus for the second year in a row and taking advanced classes.  Actually high school work he is getting credit for towards his GPA.  He has taken piano for going on 9 years now and clarinet for 4 years.  Steven is loved by everyone and I am so proud to be his mom and yes... he was worth it all and still is.  *smile*

Ok... enough bragging. Hee Hee (Hey, this is NOT just any old birthday! LOL)

My card for Steven was made with Melanie Muenchinger's newest set, "Candles on Your Cake" from Gina K Designs.  I made sure the cake was orange (Steven's favorite color) and added the numbers for candles adding a wick with my Inkssentials White Opaque Pen.  If you count the candles I did in various colors AND the #1 and #3 ON the cake... it comes up to 13.  Clever, huh? LOL  And... it just wouldn't be a card from mom without purple in there somewhere.  *smile* (Oh by the way... my post went up when Steven was born... 8:52 AM today. *smile*)

Happy Birthday, Steven!  I am so proud and honored to be your mom!  *HUGS & KISSES*