Once Upon a Time There Was a Very Mean Little Balloon

Once upon a time... specifically 12/12/07, there was a very mean little balloon who was making a certain enormously overdue mommy-to be a little bit unhappy. After a few hours of whimpering and a new level of back pain, and a wonderful husband who force fed his uncomfortable wife an English muffin despite major protests, she fell asleep, knowing that the next day was going to be the biggest day of her life. And a long one.



And 4cm later, she checked into a hospital, and was hooked up to ... every machine possible. And a drip. And you've most likely read the story, so no need to go into details.



At 10 cm, a weary but ready mommy-to - be grabbed her oxygen mask, mustered up every ounce of courage, muscle, strength, and sheer will she could get her hands on, and used years of dance training to isolate stomach muscles that she wasn't sure still existed under the enormous balloon her stomach had become ... and she worked harder than ever in her entire life to push out a watermelon sized bundle of pure angelic cherubic love. All 9lbs, 13 ounces, 21 inches of him. Yes, I wear it like a bumper sticker. The kid was huge.



And after the vitals were checked and all was a go, she started in awe, amazement, and let's admit, shock, at what had just emerged... from her. A baby. An entire baby. Living, breathing, being. Otherwise, known as Alex. The Alex. And more recently, he has begun to refer to himself as Astro Boy or Buzz Lightyear...



And here the once mommy-to be sits on the floor of her family room in total darkness but for the laptop screen, 3 years later from the date of the Mean Little Balloon.

How times have changed, how times have been wonderful. Astro Boy/Buzz Lightyear is asleep in his room (for how long, who knows, hopefully he'll stay in his bed tonight until at least 4am - he still likes to hoof it down the hall and jump in with his parents to cuddle the night away). Despite the fact that his actual 3rd birthday is tomorrow, there was a celebration today since Daddy was home and he actually had already located his stash of birthday presents which he kept visiting (downstairs guest room, not creative enough) and plucking a gift at a time and bringing it into the family, announcing "this is my present. i need to open it." so, the parents caved, and some gifts have been opened. The Cat in the Hat lithograph is in his room, and his new Buzz Lightyear is tucked in safely at the foot of his bed.

Now, the once mommy-to be is now full time mommy, and ready for bed, about the same time as she went to bed 3 years ago today. WIthout the back pain or that knarly little bastard of a balloon.