A year ago, Rita-Marie was experiencing premature labor. Her water had broken too soon, and she was on complete bed-rest trying to make it 48 hours before giving birth, to give the lung maturing steroids a chance to take effect. Joe waited out the 48 hours, but not much longer before making his appearance.
While labor and delivery went well, he spent the next 23 days in the NICU learning how to eat, breathe and swallow. He was so small, so delicate, so still. I didn't realize until I met him how quiet preemie babies are - they spend ALL their energy growing with almost none over for moving.
We rejoiced when he had no breathing problems and was able to come home over a month before his original due date. He's been a champion grower ever since. He made his way to 5% on the growth charts by his November appointment; for his one-year checkup last week, he was in the 97th percentile for height and 85th for weight.
He's completely caught up to his age-mates. He's got the crawling thing down, and has started to use his little walker to help him take his first steps. He loves sticks; has mastered up-stairs. We have to keep close tabs on him when he's loose because there are times he'll get halfway up the stairs and decide he's tired and try to sit down. (I hope his complete trust that there will be always someone to catch him to keep him from falling lasts a good long time.) He hasn't mastered the down-stairs motions at all, so caution is warranted, but soon. Soon.
He's selected his first word, "Uh-oh", but has otherwise gone a bit quiet. I miss the background noise of his happy babble - my theory is that he's busy sorting the sounds into words.
He's almost done being a baby - racing around the corner into toddlerhood as I watch. As much as I will be happy for all of us when he and his parents are finally able to move out of my home into their castle, I already dread the occasion, for I know I will miss seeing him every day. (On the plus side, their new home is much closer to my place than their old one, so I anticipate I'll be able to see him fairly often.)
I still find myself trying to hold on to the days, the hours; to capture those perfect moments when I walk into the room and he sees me and smiles his slow grin that reminds me of my dad's. While I will likely never figure out how to pause time, the futility of wishing I could has me learning to stop and savor the moments when they are there - no small feat.
Happy 1st Birthday, Joe! I am so grateful you are here to brighten my days and lighten my heart. Keep growing strong; you're doing a great job!
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