Happy {FIRST} Birthday C-McC

Today is C-McC's {FIRST} birthday!

I vividly remember the day... by this point on that day I had

• Called my boss to let him know that "I don't think I'll be coming in today"
• Startled the hubs awake
• Called my mom
• Called my aunt to see if she could watch TT (she couldn't, was driving her eldest to university... so her lovely girlie's came and watched TT for me)
• Was nagged at (numerous times) by the hubs that we should "get going", so as to not deliver in the car, on the side of the road (I didn't listen)

As a second time mom this labour was the same and oh so very different from my first

• I knew that I could do it
• I knew that the pain I was feeling was my body doing what it needed to do 
• I knew that relaxing into my contractions was far more effective than fighting them
• I knew that transition would.be.a.bitch
• I knew that once I hit transition, it wouldn't be long
• I knew that the moment you were in my arms, it would all be worth it

 I can honestly say that up until transition, labour was a freaking breeze, the second time around.  I wasn't so overwhelmed and scared out of my mind.  I'd prepared myself a lot better (by reading different labour techniques instead of scoffing at them and saying they were for hippies).  There is a certain power that comes with the knowledge that "Yeah, I can fucking do this".  And when C-McC made his grand entrance (not to be outdone by his older brother who was delivered by our nurse because the O.B. on call did not make it in time), he arrived after two great big pushes, into the one gloved hand of our frantic nurse.  To be fair, I did warn her that when I'm ready.  I.AM.READY.

C-McC in a year you have changed so much. 

• You have gone from my itty-bitty teeny-tiny, skinny-minny to my long & lean one year old. 
• You have lost your soft & squishy newborn-ness
• You are crawling, cruising and I'm sure soon (so very, very soon) that you will be running (because walking is such a brief period)
• You are babbling (mom being your first word, followed by Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiii and dad)
• Your eyes light up when you see your brother and you now take great delight in torturing him (by pulling his train tracks a part, playing with his cars and being a general nuisance)

And through this all, you are still my little snuggle bug.  You love nothing more than to curl up in my arms (or more accurately in a sling around your mama).

I love you as much today as the day I found out that you were going to be joining our family. 

I can't wait to see the boy (and then the man) you will become, you are already so different from your loud, brash, opinionated brother.  You are a quiet, more serious young man who offers everyone quick smiles.  Everyone who meet you says they feel that you're an old soul (I agree... I see so much of your pépère in you... which could mean you'll give us a run for our money later on, but I hope not).

Happy birthday C-McC

Much love,
Your Mama