Mikey 4.0

Just four short years ago we drove into Chicago to St. Joseph's Hospital to have this boy. With him being our third, I knew what to expect. I knew to expect Nurse Kim and her tender ministrations (you may read the sarcasm between the lines here). I knew to expect the nurses to have trouble finding a vein for an IV (it took four nurses, three tries each, I loved it.). Mike knew he'd have to watch the silent tears roll down my cheeks as I let them take their stabs at me. (Why do nurses never believe you when you tell them your veins are hard to find? Anyone have an answer? Just call the best vein finder and be done with it!) I knew labor would go faster than the doctor and the nurses would predict (thankfully).

Abuela stayed home with the two girlies and my in-laws came out to the hospital to sit in the cramped and dingy waiting room. My sister in law, Crista, is really good about welcoming half the town into her labor and delivery rooms, I don't do that. So Mom and Dad arrived at the hospital around noon, came into the room to say hi and quickly retreated to the waiting room. The nurses and doctor had told me, and I told them, that we'd have a baby within an hour and a half, but since I was sitting up on the side of the bed chatting with no trouble, they didn't quite believe that. They settled themselves in for a long wait. Well, half and hour later, we had a Mikey! I'm of the opinion that if you are going give birth without pain meds you should do it as quickly as possible.

We had a few names picked out before we met this boy, but as soon as he was born we knew we had a Mikey. His dark complexion, his full head of brown hair, his little nose, his sweet lips. He looked just like his Papi, and it would have been a crime to name him anything else.

Our favorite part of Mikey's birth was bringing him home. The girls were so very excited to meet their new brother! Josie promptly claimed him as "her baby" and would not let anyone else hold him. When we finally pried him out of her loving arms she wailed in outrage and sadness that we would dare steal her baby away from her.

He has continued to be our sweet baby boy. He will inform you that his name is Mikey NOT Mike, not Michael, not Michael Peter. If you must call him by his formal name, you should call him Mikey, Mikey, Motorcycle. But nothing else. He is tender and loving and makes these adorable little prairie dog whimpers when he snuggles into you in bed. He makes his sisters crazy and delights in destroying things - what things? anythings!!! ...which of course makes me crazy.

But we are crazy for him, our sweet Mikey.

We have a big day planned! First we are heading to the dentist - a win in my kids opinion - then we are off to the jumping place. We'll dine on pizza and brownies and popcorn, per the birthday boy's request and end the day at Sleepy Time Stories at the library. A perfect day.

Happy Birthday Mikey Peter the Fourth!!