Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Happy Birthday, My Bigger One!!

Today, is Issei's 10th birthday.
When he was born, Mommy was 35, Daddy was 41 and they had absolutely no idea as to how their lives were going to change. Oh...we knew things would be different, but...yeah...we were pretty much clueless!!!

I could get very deep and say that I felt as if I had waited my whole life for him. That, when he came into our lives, I...we...were complete. Those first weeks were so crazy...I was (am!!) a capable and smart human being and yet, this little creature turned me into an insecure, WTF-am-I-doing-??-kind of person. And then....at along about 3 weeks, Issei decided to have colic and our lives were no longer our own. But...we survived...it wasn't easy.

I used to wonder how the hell some women could hurt their children...especially babies and had no compassion for those mothers. And then....I saw, with my own eyes and heart, how that could happen. If you have a baby that cries...constantly...only stopping to nurse or sleep...for days...weeks on end...the thoughts are there....sometimes just slightly...But...the difference between those women who hurt their babies and me was that I could see what was happening. My mom, at one point in an international phone call, told me to put. the. phone. down...go out side for a minute and just breathe. I have never felt so scared in my life. The very thought I had that if I could just make him stop crying for a minute it would all be okay, scared me to death.

I look back on those times and thank God for my family in America and the friends I have here and there. Without those people, I'm not sure how I would have managed. So 10 years may be a bit long to wait to say "thank you", but....you know how I feel and how much you all mean to me.

So...now...back to better times...This morning, I was going through some old pictures to find one, or two, or three, to download (10 years ago, we just had a regular old camera!). I see these and just smile....he really was a pretty baby!!

This picture was taken on the day we went to the temple for his blessing. My mom was here and it was a beautiful day. Amazingly enough, on this day, he didn't cry...well...not so much anyway. When the priest started chanting and banging on his little drum, that kind of shook him up (and Grandma Linda!) a little, but the day passed very nicely!!!




This was Issei in the hospital, the day after he was born!! It's amazing how, between this picture and the one before, he lost all his really nice "baby hair"!!!
He was such a peanut!!!

And this is how Issei and Mommy spent 80% of the time for the first 3 weeks of his life!!! Sometimes we were on the sofa....sometimes on the futon...sometimes in the rocking chair. I think we were both surprised at how tired we made each other!!!


And now...Issei and Mommy 2008!! (We got over that being so tired!!...well...he did, anyway!!! I just handle it better now!!)


We will have 2 celebrations this year. Tonight was just us....with taco salad and a very "interesting" (as Daddy called it!!) cake. I will post pictures tomorrow....Issei is inviting some friends over on Sunday to have cake and play. The cake is a surprise...they think they are just coming to play!! (We tend to do things differently here at the Kuroiwa House!!) He has given me his request for a cake....and since my motto is "I'll try to make anything once...twice if it works out good!", I will do my best!! This won't be my biggest challenge, but it will be in the "top 5 most interesting cakes" list!!!

Happy Birthday, Issei. We love you!!!

(you knucklehead, you!!)

11 comments:

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

Oh, the colic! Big Red had colic. Luckily, gas was cheap back then and we just drove for hours every night--it was the only time he quit screaming.

Happy Birthday from America!

Susan C. said...

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to Issei,
Happy Birthday to you!

Have a good one Issei, can't believe your "10"

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Issei! You probably don't even remember me anymore, but we were pretty good buddies at one point. Deb, do you remember "see da moon?" I can still picture him in the backseat of your car saying that. With love to all of you on a very special day!
Kim

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Big Guy....hope your day is very special.
Shellie

Mrs. G. said...

Happy Birthday Issei...such a handsome lad.

ms-teacher said...

Tell Issei I said happy birthday. Next year he will no longer be able to show his age with his fingers :)

While my kids never had colic, all three were prone to ear infections which they seemed to get almost every other month.

Anonymous said...

To my two # 1's - I'm glad you're here/there! And I'm VERY VERY glad #1#1 has such remarkable personal restraint!!
Most happy of happy birthdays, #1G'son!!


Papa R

Mary Alice said...

Happy Birthday Issei.....and Happy Becoming a Mama Day to you Debbie.

dkuroiwa said...

Thanks everyone for such nice messages...and a song, too!! I just read to him what everyone wrote and he, being the 10-year-old boy that he is, just smiled, did his version of the "ah shucks" and then walked away!!

Oh...and Kim...are you kidding?!?! Of course we remember the "see da moon"!! That is one of my fondest memories!! Still now, both of the boys will say that whenever the moon is extra bright or full!! And yes...we still do the "moondance" on full moon nights!!! And yes (again) Issei remembers you...we go through pictures alot so that helps. Koji says he remembers you too!!! :-D

Lauren said...

Yesterday on Flickr I even wrote that I knew 2/20 was important for some reason! I thought I figured it out that it was my half birthday. Then last night as I was falling asleep I remembered: "DARN! It is Issei's Birthday!" And I even drove you to the hospital early that morning!

I also remember Issei's screams - HOLY MOLY could that boy scream. I think he is responsible for Aida finally coming out. Do you remember when I watched him for 15 minutes while you ran out to get some milk when he was almost 1 month old? That was the day I FINALLY went into full labor. I think the constant screaming of that boy finally woke Aida up. {well that and that I walked to your house from Gaitan, and then I almost walked home from your house - I was desperate!!!}

10 years. Amazing.

Spending my first pregnancy with you was pure joy.

Leeann said...

Happy birthday Issei! You know you have a cool mom when you get a donut cake like that! My kids would flip out over a cool cake like that!

Leeann