Colby's 8th Birthday

Colby Watson Cook turned 8 years old today. He is our 2nd of 3 boys. I remember the day he was born like it was yesterday. You see, my first born, Carson, was as close to a perfect pregnancy as you can have. I was induced about 5 days before his due date and he arrived as a healthy 8 lb 6 oz bundle of joy. Of course, the days that followed proved to rock our world. He had terrible colic and screamed non-stop for the first 3 months of his life. Had Bunky not been an only child himself, who really wished for siblings, we would have stopped with Carson.

I went into premature labor at 32 weeks with Colby and they were able to stop labor at the hospital. However, I was sent home to be on official bed rest for at least the next couple of weeks. Basically, it stunk. I like to be moving…especially if I am told NOT to (that's just the rebel in me). The day of my appointment, 2 weeks later, Bunky and I planned to go eat Mexican food after meeting with the doctor. I had felt a little "crampy" but not too bad. Well, as it turned out…I was in labor and dilated to 7cm and didn't realize it. My doctor told me to go straight to the hospital and she would meet me there. I said, "I guess we can't go eat Mexican food first?" and I meant it. I was not happy about missing out on that. She kindly told me "not unless you want to have a baby in a Mexican restaurant."

So, 2 hours later. Colby arrived 6 weeks early and weighed 7 pounds! He was in the NICU for over a week because his lungs just weren't ready. In the months after, Colby had several other medical issues, which turned out to be nothing. They were definitely stressful at the time, but thankfully, nothing of great concern. We called him "Triple H"...He wore a helmet for 6 months, which his dad insisted we paint to make him look like a little Alabama football player. He also had multiple hemangiomas all over his body (about 35 of them!), which can sometimes be indicative of internal hemangioma and life threatening. His were not, and they eventually went away. Then, last but not least, he had a pretty common hernia surgery.

I know most people could care less about all these details. I just feel the need to record everything, even more than normal right now. There is just an awareness that I am now the only one who cares about or may remember details. My new reality is that things can change in an instant…and they really do. If you are thinking about it, do it. You may not have another opportunity.

I will wrap this up. We had a big weekend celebrating Colby with friends and family. I know he felt loved and celebrated. I also know there is just an underlying awareness that his dad is not here. I see it all over his face, even if he is pretty "non-emotional" about it all. Birthdays really are just awful for me. Who do I have to reminisce with about our son's births? Who is as proud as I am to watch them accomplish little things that seem unimportant to others? Who cares as much as I do that they are made to feel special? Who views them through a parent's eyes? That ONE who does all those things is not here to do those things that parents do and he's not here to think about the things a parent thinks about with me. I just miss him so much on these days and I think especially with Colby's birthday, since they celebrated being February birthday boys together.

That is a monkey on the cookie cake, by the way. He is  having a fascination with monkeys right now!

Colby is such a total package. He is kind, quiet, and gentle, yet feisty when he wants to be. He is tender, yet tough. He is laid back and easy going, yet determined and aggressive if there is something he is going after. Colby is grateful and notices little things others do for him. His heart is big. He is a wonderful brother and loyal friend. Colby's smile and laughter are far-reaching, just like his eyelashes! He can melt your heart. He is low key, low drama, and it takes a lot to get him "rattled." However, once he gets upset over something…he feels it fully! Colby also has a really great sense of humor. You are LOVED big Colby Cook. Happy 8th Birthday!!