This month marks the surprising birthday of our baby boy, Simon. His birth and the craziness surrounding it didn’t make for great writing opportunities. Here’s his birth (short) story
On May 21st, I’d had some contractions but nothing major. I slept all night. Woke up a few times in minor discomfort. Not a big deal. The next morning, during the mad breakfast scramble before Daniel headed off for work, I realized that they were coming faster. Every 7-9 minutes. I hung out on the couch until about 9:00, but when they were every 5 minutes, we went to the hospital to get checked out. I was 4 ½ centimeters. I was 35 weeks and 5 days pregnant, so they/we decided to go on and let him come. And he did. Easy labor. Easy delivery. Docs and nurses had told us that since I wasn’t a full 36 weeks along, that a neonatologist and pediatrician would be attending his birth. “Of course, of course,” we said. It’s standard. He’ll be fine, of course, though, just a precaution. Simon Coe entered the world May 22, at 5:00pm. 7 lbs. 1 oz.
We barely saw him before they whisked him away in an incubator. That first week was dark. We couldn’t touch him. For days. He was 1 week old before I held him. His lungs were underdeveloped. Docs told us he just needed time. I was a wreck…leaving the hospital without my baby and no idea how long he’d be in the hospital. Seriously, I get shivers just writing this and tear up at the thought. It still feels too soon to relive those weeks. I’ll save that for a future post. Maybe distant future.
May 22nd will always be Simon’s birthday. May 24th was the day Reid and Annelise met him for the first time. But May 29th will be the first day I held him. June 9th was the day we brought him home. June 19th was the day he was taken off the oxygen and the pulse ox. So many joys during such a hard time.
Simon’s name means “God has heard.” God heard our prayers and those of our church community and so very many of people who were praying for our baby. He heard and chose to heal our son.
And now, we celebrate a year. The first year of a boy who brings so much joy wherever he goes. The joy he brings to our family just seems impossible. Our hearts overflow. He has so many nicknames – Simey, Simoney, CoeCoe, Cocoa Bean, Coconut, Cocoa Krispy, Chubber Bear. Some from Reid and Annelise. Some not. I won’t say which
He’s our third child, but I am just amazed at what we’ve learned during his short little life thus far. Patience. Endurance. Um, when I say these things, it does not mean that they were learned easily or with a happy heart every time. My heart is stubborn. We’ve learned to slow down. We’re definitely laid back with Simon. I feel like I can never have enough Simon hugs or smiles. He is cherished. He is loved. He taught us how to love stronger and faster than we had ever known how to before. Maybe that’s what trials do. And maybe the sweet thing is that Simon seems to love that way too. Maybe he’s learning that from us.
Happy Birthday, Simon Coe.
