My six year old!

Adam is six! Six is such a big one. Adam is on the verge of being a real grown up kid. He really gets things and is so mature. There are of course still meltdowns over Legos and TV, but then there are those moments when Malcolm is crying or Miral is hungry that Adam catches my eye and gives me such an adult knowing look and then he tries to shush Miral or calm Malcolm down. Where did my teeny little baby go!

I went back and found the first email I wrote Adam about his birth.

Dear Adam,

Before I forget I want to write you emails about how you entered into this world and what happens week to week. You’re changing so fast if i dont write it to you I’ll forget!

We were so excited to get pregnant with you and the whole nine months were so anxious to meet you! Your daddy treated me with such love and kindness, he didn’t want anything to happen to the little pumpkin in my belly!

Here is the story of how you came into our lives.

I had gone to the doctor on Mon, Dec 5th for my last doctors appointment. I was due to be induced on Thur but i was hoping you would come early. At my last sonogram you were measuing 8 pounds 13 ounces! Daddy came home from work and I felt fine, we had dinner (chicken cutlets and a rocket salad) and went to bed early. I woke up at 3 to go to the bathroom and just had a feeling something was going on! I went back to bed and couldn’t sleep and about an hour later I felt my water break! I leaped up and went to toilet and I was so excited and nervous that you were going to arrive soon! I woke daddy up who leaped out of bed and asked me my water broke. He was ready to go and already getting dressed before I answered! When I said yes he replied well done!

We got in the car and drove to the hospital. We’re lucky you decided to start coming at 4am cause the hospital was 40 minutes away during the day with traffic. I wasn’t having contractions yet so it was a nice excited ride! We texted grandma gertch and grandma youssey to let them know you were on your way so they could drive down to Washington DC from New York.

We got to hospital and went upstairs to the birthing room. We were super excited and not even tired! The sun came up and I knew today would be your birthday. Daddy went to get some breakfast since he would need all his strength to help me! The contractions started around 6 am but not too strong yet. The doctor on call- Dr. Snyder came in little later and said I was still at three centimeters dilated (I was at three the day before) so she started me on pitocin to move things along. Then the contractions started coming for real. Around 11 am they checked me and I was six centimeters dilated so we were excited it was moving along and you were getting closer! By 3 I was nine centimeters dilated and I was really ready for you to come 🙂 the contractions were about two minutes apart.

Your daddy was amazing and stayed right next to me all day rubbing my back and encouraging me. I couldn’t imagine not having him next to me and couldn’t wait for him to become a daddy. He loved you so much from the minute we found out you were in my tummy and was so excited to be your daddy. He used to sing to you and talk to you when you were in my tummy. Every time you moved in my belly he would get so excited and want to feel every move you made! He would never get bored or move his hand away until you feel asleep and stopped moving. He used to want to talk all the time about what you would be like and who you would be! He couldn’t wait to find out and I could feel how excited he was all day that he was finally going to get to meet you!

The doctor came and checked me but I hadn’t changed in about two hours and I was still nine centimeters. Your head was too big and we would have to do a c-section. First we tried an epidiral to see if maybe that would help you come out! So I got the epidural and it was awesome actually. It was nice and relaxed for an hour and this is when we decided on your name- Adam Malek. When the doctor came back there was no change so c-secion time! Now we knew you would be here so soon. They took me into the room to get me ready and daddy came in right after to sit at my head. After some tugging they pulled you out and the first thing they said was that you had alot of hair (they never saw your cousin roman’s hair) and then they said it’s a boy! The Adele song- Someone Like You was playing, so now when we hear it we say that Adam’s song is playing. I had tears in my eyes knowing our lives were about to change and we would have a wonderful little boy with us. You let out some healthy cries right away and we were so happy you were here and healthy. They took you over and checked you and then gave you to daddy to hold. Daddy was so happy. We took some pictures and then I finally got to hold you and they wheeled us back to labor room. You wanted to eat right away and were so good at eating from the start!

Your sugar was a little low so they had to take you to the Nicu and daddy went with you and I stayed in the room. I already missed you so much! Grandma Gretch and grandma Yuyu came into the room, they had been waiting all day in the waiting room to see you! Poor grandma gretch was sick so she only got to see me, but grandma Yuyu went to see you. Then then finally brought you back to me and your sugar was fine! I was so happy!! They took us to our room then and we stayed there for four days. Daddy stayed over too and the three of us got to know each other! Mommy and daddy had to learn to change your diaper and to dress you! We were in shock that such a beautiful little baby was all ours and we would get to take you home!

You learned to nurse at the hospital and we learned how to take care of our little pumpkin! We loved spending those first four days all together, our first as a family!!

After four days, we got to take you home on Sat, Dec 10th to our house in Capitol Hill. We were so nervous to put you in the car seat, you were so teeny and it was so cold out! Aunt Sandra had gotten you a take me home outfit, a little white sack and a white hat and blanket that we put you in and then daddy drove super carefully. We had loved our time at the hospital with you, it was like a mini vacation 🙂 with no sleep of course.

Grandma Yuyu was there and Aunt Daphne had come down to meet you! Poor Grandma Gertch was still sick so she had to wait to meet you. Aunt Daphne had taken the train down for the night to meet you. Grandma Yuyu went back to NY that day and Aunt Daphne stayed the night.

That first day home was so exciting! We had to figure out what we were doing 🙂 but we were so excited to have you home with us and couldnt wait for all the many more days to come! Daddy helped set up some diaper stations and organize things for us. You were sleeping in your bassinet on your carriage so we carried it down and put you in there all swaddled in a blanket. You slept so much and only woke up to eat and then fell right back asleep. We wanted to hold you all the time.

You were up alot that first night and we weren’t sure what we were doing. I was worried you would be cold and then you managed to poo all over us (and the chair behind us) and right after that you peed on us! It took us a couple days to get settled into life with you, but we loved every second of learning how to make sure you felt loved and taken care of.

We have never loved anyone as much as we loved you right away. From that first day home we couldn’t imagine what our lives could be like without you in it! We love you more than anything!

Six years later to this day we were in California for Adam’s sixth birthday. There to celebrate with us was Aunt Das, Uncle Nooj and Laurel! We let Adam pick what we did and he of course picked fishing! But first Adam woke up to some special balloons we got for him.

Then it was off to fish! There is a beautiful pier right in Capitola and you can rent fishing poles. We had done it two years ago when we were last in California and Adam loves talking about it so we knew this is what he would want to do!