Happy Birthday to our Baby Boy!

Today is my baby boy’s 24th birthday. Being an older mother at 41, this baby wiped me out. During those 9 months, I never saw a couch I didn’t like. Of course, in my defense, my two other ragamuffins, 2 and almost 5 years old, kept me moving. It was difficult running after them from my position on the couch.

Our Kyle has been in a rush all his life—he started out that way. I had watched my friend party through her two deliveries with an epidural, so as I hit the hospital doors I screamed “EPIDURAL!” However, Kyle’s delivery was super short—just 34 minutes from my first pain of labor at home to his delivery at the hospital. Within 5 minutes of the hospital doors, I was in the delivery room with my 8 lb 6 oz baby boy cuddled in my arms.

Kyle has given us many hours of joy. In his early golfing days, Kyle could announce his own Master’s game in our front yard all in a British brogue. On our road trip to Washington, DC, Kyle memorized passages of Harry Potter, again in British brogue, and repeated them over and over until his dad threatened to leave him on the side of the road. When in middle school, Kyle would often rush home and scale down the rocky cliff behind our house to fish in the river. By the time I got home, he had cleaned and cooked up several catfish for dinner.

For every young man there comes a time when he has to decide his future for himself. So last year, two months before his 23rdbirthday, he ventured off to California to set a new course for his life. I am so proud of this kid. I look forward to sharing his 24th birthday with him this afternoon on the California beach. Keep on keeping on, Kyle.

And by the way, how did you get to be 24 years old when I’m still 41? The wonders of life…