Finn's Birthday - Part One

When Finn was born it was hot as blazes (hello, Kansas City in July, what was I thinking?!  Oh, right...that whole not-planned thing.).  We'd had a storm the weekend before that knocked out power to pretty much the whole southern part of the city and our house was without power for 5 days, 2 of which we were actually at home for.  Luckily they got it turned back on the day before we came home from the hospital, because if they thought that a psycho pregnant lady calling them every half hour to find out what they were doing to get power back on was bad (no lie, I had KCP&L's phone number memorized.), wait until they had a psycho-hormonal-new-mom calling!  It didn't resort to that.  In fact, it was a whole week before another storm went through and knocked out power again.  And again I psycho-dialed KCP&L, and Uriah, who was working, freaking out in a house with no power and a newborn (Abby was staying at my parents house).  After Uriah left the wedding he was cooking for to come home and reassure me that it would be okay, and after I had everything packed in my car to go stay at my in-laws, where there actually was air conditioning and lights, the power came back on.  I was so exhausted from freaking out and packing everything but the crib (because you never know when you'll need a baby snow-suit in July in Missouri, I find it best to be prepared.), that we decided to stay home, wait for Uriah, and keep our fingers, toes and eyes crossed that the power stayed on throughout the night.

Those first days after my boy came home were pure anxiety-inducing hell, which was why I was going to celebrate regardless of the rain we woke up to on Finn's birthday.  And regardless of the fact that Uriah had to work all day long and part of the evening, too. 

Finn woke up his usual chipper self and Uriah and I both went in to get him.  Since we weren't sure just how long Uriah was going to be at work, we decided to let Finn open his presents right away.  I suspect that Uriah, who has less patients when it comes to surprises than I do, couldn't really wait any longer to get the birthday officially started.  Finn opened his presents from Abby and from Uriah and me...he really got into the ripping of the wrapping paper.  Abby had taken her hard-earned working money and went up to the book store to buy Finn a new book.  It was really sweet.  Thank goodness he still has a little bit of his goldfish brain because Uriah and I had taken him with us to buy his birthday presents the week before and he wanted to hold his new truck all around the store.  When he opened it on his birthday, he was pretty excited. 

Uriah left for work and I made the kids rainbow pancakes.  It was a spur of the moment idea that thankfully worked out.  I think Abby was more excited about the novelty of eating multi-colored pancakes; Finn will eat just about anything (except peaches) so he was just glad to be having breakfast, regardless of what it was (pancakes without syrup because I love his little teeth too much!).  Note to self, however: Clean all rainbow pancake crumbs off of the baby before putting him on the white carpet to play with his new toys.  I spent the morning scrubbing with  Resolve to get blue crumbs out of the carpet.  Also, note to self: White carpet and kids = poor choice. 

Anyway...we had mostly a laid-back kind of birthday.  There was lots and lots of playing and lots and lots of reading.  We ran a couple of errands to get some last-minute things for the birthday party.  I fed Finn an early dinner - nothing as exciting as those pancakes! - and Uriah got home in time for us to be able to go for a walk with us before bedtime.  I managed to keep my crying in check (surprising, considering the emotional roller-coaster I'd been on for about a week prior), although I did read him the book, On the Day You Were Born, by Debra Frasier, and I almost didn't make it through.  Almost.

On the day you were born

the Earth turned, the Moon pulled,

the Sun flared, and, then, with a  push,

you slipped out of the dark quiet

where suddenly you could hear...

...a circle of people singing

with voices familiar and clear.

"Welcome to the spinning world," the people sang,

as they washed your new, tiny hands.

"Welcome to the green Earth," the people sang,

as they wrapped your wet, slippery body.

And as they held you close

they whispered into your open, curving ear,

"We are so glad you've come!"