First Son During Second Pregnancy
At this rate, it may take as long to tell about that second pregnancy as it did to experience it. It's been so hard to keep my mind in the past, with my painful struggle in the present. Fall is setling in and the cooler weather is making my hand stiff and sore. The headaches are bothering me too.
But, back in 1971, my second pregnancy and raising a 6 year old were number one on my chart. It went smoothly till the last trimester. Some of my favorite memories though, had more to do with the son I already had then the baby I was waiting for.
Early one morning I was trying to get J T ready for the school bus. He kept submitting to temptation and couldn't seem to stay at the table long enough to finish his breakfast. I remember losing patience and telling him something about what would happen if he moved or said one more word before he was done eating. He gave me one of his silly grins and finally did as he was told. I had gotten a frozen roast out of the freezer to thaw. J T had two little turtles that one of my brothers had given him. I decided to cut off a sliver from the frozen beef to feed the turtles. I should have waited till it thawed a bit, because the knife slipped and cut my hand badly. I remember standing at the kitchen sink with cold water running over the cut. Then the next thing I remember is re-gaining consiousness on the kitchen floor. When I pulled myself to my feet and turned off the water, I asked my 6 year old why he hadn't helped me or phoned his GrandMother as he's been taught to do in an emergency. With the smugness of an obedient child he told me, "You said not to move till I was done eating." I actually believe it was the first, and last, time he did what he was told. He didn't make it to school that day, and I ended up with four stitches in my hand.
J T was one of those lovable children who couldn't stay out of minor trouble. He even managed to embarrass me his first day of school with his bus driver. I stayed on the front steps while he ran to the drive. The bus doors opened and J T told the driver, "That's my Mom. Isn't she pretty?" The driver got out of his seat and stepped down to the door to look at me. He waved, but thank goodness I couldn't hear what he told J T. It made my son grin from ear to ear as he waved and blew me a kiss and he climbed up on the bus. I received a lot of phone calls over the years from teachers. So many times the first words out of their mouths we, "I just love your son to death, BUT...."
A few years ago, I found myself working with a young man who had gone to school and ridden the bus with J T When he realized who I was, he just started laughing. He said the bus rides were always a riot with J T around. My son kept everyone laughing all the time. He couldn't give me any details, or didn't want to....he just told me how much fun it was.
There was only one serious report from school. Someone insisted both parents come for an immediate conference. A counselor was waiting for J T's stepfather and I with an art project that was colored all in black. After listening to her lecture to us about what dire things this meant, I reached the limit of my patience. No way could anything she was saying apply to my happy go lucky son. I interrupted her to call J T into the room where I asked him if he'd drawn the picture. Looking very confused, he admitted it was. I asked him why it was all in black. J T shrugged his little shoulders and told us, "It was the only crayon left on the table." I was so angry at that woman that day, W P was afraid I'd go into premature labor. She hadn't even talked to the boy. She just saw the picture and jumped to her conclusions. With all the mischief J T started, that was my only negative experience with the school system.
But, back in 1971, my second pregnancy and raising a 6 year old were number one on my chart. It went smoothly till the last trimester. Some of my favorite memories though, had more to do with the son I already had then the baby I was waiting for.
Early one morning I was trying to get J T ready for the school bus. He kept submitting to temptation and couldn't seem to stay at the table long enough to finish his breakfast. I remember losing patience and telling him something about what would happen if he moved or said one more word before he was done eating. He gave me one of his silly grins and finally did as he was told. I had gotten a frozen roast out of the freezer to thaw. J T had two little turtles that one of my brothers had given him. I decided to cut off a sliver from the frozen beef to feed the turtles. I should have waited till it thawed a bit, because the knife slipped and cut my hand badly. I remember standing at the kitchen sink with cold water running over the cut. Then the next thing I remember is re-gaining consiousness on the kitchen floor. When I pulled myself to my feet and turned off the water, I asked my 6 year old why he hadn't helped me or phoned his GrandMother as he's been taught to do in an emergency. With the smugness of an obedient child he told me, "You said not to move till I was done eating." I actually believe it was the first, and last, time he did what he was told. He didn't make it to school that day, and I ended up with four stitches in my hand.
J T was one of those lovable children who couldn't stay out of minor trouble. He even managed to embarrass me his first day of school with his bus driver. I stayed on the front steps while he ran to the drive. The bus doors opened and J T told the driver, "That's my Mom. Isn't she pretty?" The driver got out of his seat and stepped down to the door to look at me. He waved, but thank goodness I couldn't hear what he told J T. It made my son grin from ear to ear as he waved and blew me a kiss and he climbed up on the bus. I received a lot of phone calls over the years from teachers. So many times the first words out of their mouths we, "I just love your son to death, BUT...."
A few years ago, I found myself working with a young man who had gone to school and ridden the bus with J T When he realized who I was, he just started laughing. He said the bus rides were always a riot with J T around. My son kept everyone laughing all the time. He couldn't give me any details, or didn't want to....he just told me how much fun it was.
There was only one serious report from school. Someone insisted both parents come for an immediate conference. A counselor was waiting for J T's stepfather and I with an art project that was colored all in black. After listening to her lecture to us about what dire things this meant, I reached the limit of my patience. No way could anything she was saying apply to my happy go lucky son. I interrupted her to call J T into the room where I asked him if he'd drawn the picture. Looking very confused, he admitted it was. I asked him why it was all in black. J T shrugged his little shoulders and told us, "It was the only crayon left on the table." I was so angry at that woman that day, W P was afraid I'd go into premature labor. She hadn't even talked to the boy. She just saw the picture and jumped to her conclusions. With all the mischief J T started, that was my only negative experience with the school system.
posted by LeeAnn | 4:07 PM
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