Eight!

My boy is Eight today.  He is truly no longer a little boy.  

Since the morning he was born,  8 years ago today, Wylie has never been anyone but himself:  

Extremely focused, determined, persistent, and serious about his work, with a playful, wiley side as well. 

When we first lifted him from the water of the birthing tub he stared quietly into Rob's eyes.  In the pictures from that morning we can see he has the same deep furrowed brow and scowl he so often wears today. 

My labor with Wylie was text book.  All the early labor signs were present, contractions progressed "normally", and the pain though completely in my back, was manageable.  I was fortunate to have been present at the peaceful home births of my two nephews, and so had some idea of what to expect from labor.  Also fortunate for me (though not her) my sister labors for much longer than I do, so I had prepared myself for days of labor and was pleasantly surprised by 12 hrs. start to finish.  The morning of his birth I called my sister to say, "I think we're having a baby today".  She came right up to our house with a bouquet of wildflowers to offer support and say, "I'm pretty sure it won't be today".  

Two hours later she was doing back compression for me as I labored on hands and knees in the birthing tub. After 30 minutes of pushing Wylie was born to his chest, and then,  proceeded to open his eyes and look around under water, at which point our midwives became a little surprised and encouraged me to quickly push some more.  Rob and our midwife caught him and lifted him out of the water. Wylie squinted in the pale light, and intently focused on Rob's face.  He didn't cry at all.
  

I still remember the feeling of not believing this baby was actually mine.  

And in the same breath feeling as though I knew him completely.  

  

Happy Birthday sweet boy.