Happy Birthday Jake!

Yesterday our oldest son turned 20.

 I wish I had baby pictures of him online, but those were before the days of Facebook and I'm pretty sure we didn't even own a computer back then.

My pregnancy was an easy one. I enjoyed every minute of it. Well, that was up until my due date. My due date came and went and I began enjoying it less and less and less. He was 2 weeks over due and  labor was finally induce. If you have ever been induced then you know what I say is true. Contractions come hard and they come fast.

I remember it as if it were yesterday.

He was very active during labor and deliver. Swimming inside his cozy little space while I was anxiously awaiting for him to arrive. I remember very vividly having trouble dilating those last couple cm. The nurse finally determined that the baby was facing up, instead of face down. Her solution was to fool the baby by getting on all fours. And it worked! Almost immediately, his position changed and I dilated to ten and was ready to deliver him.  A couple strong pushes his head emerged and the doctor felt the need to inform me that the hard part was over. But, as soon as Jake's little head came out, Jake rolled over and looked up at the doctor. I then proceeded to try to deliver his extraordinary large shoulders. Yeah, the Doctor, put his foot in his mouth.

Jake was 8lbs 14oz. Lots of Jet black hair and a very wrinkly face. Someone said he looked like Charles Bronson!

He was a delightfully easy baby and rambunctious child. He loved all things farm. When Jake was a toddler we would often drive through the parking lot of the farm implement store and he would get so excited to see the tractors and machinery we thought he would hyperventilate.

Like most parents I could go on and on with stories of his childhood....I won't.

I will just say, I am very proud of the man he is today.

Happy Birthday Jake!

Love,

Mom