Two Trips, Three Birthdays

We celebrated birthdays in State College 5 days apart. Our youngest grandson turned 1 and one of our favorite sis-in-laws turned 55. And yesterday our very favorite 3rd son turned 31. We get to celebrate with him later today.

My good friend Nadine was reminding me of what a beautiful day it was when Adam was born 31 years ago. She was watching the 2 big brothers, Nathan 6, Aaron almost 5, her own Matt 5, and Laura 3. She remembers being outside clipping her raspberry bushes while the children played. We thought nothing of watching each others children -- friends like family is what we were are, for lack of our own families nearby. As I recall, we took our two little boys over to her house around 9 o'clock and tucked them in bed. Waited a few more hours to make sure this was the real deal, then headed to the hospital. It was a long night of labor for me, but 'round about 7 in the morning a most welcome little boy arrived, slightly blue, breathing, but not screaming. It had no doubt been a long night of labor for him as well. And his reaction to the end of the drama of childbirth would be indicative of his personality: tenacious, calm under pressure, firm in his persistence to see things through to completion -- his way. Traits that have served him well.

Those were the days when very few of us knew what gender of baby we were getting in advance. For the third time in a row I was hoping for a girl. When he emerged, very much a little boy, I joyfully and enthusiastically said to Tom, "It's a boy, it's a boy, it's a boy!" Tom, who was standing right there and could see for himself that our new baby was a boy, looked at me questioningly and said, "I thought you wanted a girl." And I said, "Yes, but it's a boy! He's a boy, and I'm so happy!"

(Secret -- I was so exhausted from labor, I think I would have been happy with a monkey at that point.)

But it wasn't a monkey, it wasn't a girl, it...he...was a fabulous, wonderful, terrific little boy. And now he's a man. Yesterday he turned 31. Today we celebrate his birthday with him, his dear Alicia, and her parents, here at our house with a birthday dinner. Which I better go get ready for.

Happy (day after) Birthday, Adam Michael!

Oh, by the way, on his birthday 2011 it was not a beautiful day...or wait, it was a different kind of beautiful day. There were no little children running around yards unless they had snowsuits and boots. No one was trimming bushes, which are all ice covered. Because... We had another snowstorm. I'm looking out the window, across the snowy landscape to the flooded flats where geese are swimming right up to the bank that delineates our yard from the field below. (See picture from previous post -- River front property.)