Update from yesterday:  We had blood work run again this morning and M’s liver enzymes are still slightly elevated which indicates that he did ingest something toxic.  The doctor today took things very seriously and was very thoughtful throughout our discussions with her.  We need to repeat the blood work until things are back to normal – so there are more needles (hopefully very few) in M’s immediate future.  M is feeling and acting great – you would have no idea that he went through what he did yesterday.  We are very thankful for the way this situation turned out!  Many thanks to you all for your words of support and encouragement  🙂

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Today is my birthday.  I’m not a big birthday person, and I know that that needs to change now that I have a child.  I want M’s birthday to be very special, each and every year.  I don’t want him growing up thinking that birthdays aren’t a big deal – because they really should be.

Given the events of yesterday, we did not have big plans.  Well, let me rephrase that.  B did have a weekend getaway planned, which was unbeknownst to me, but called the hotel on the way home from the ER yesterday to cancel.  We had to stay in town in case M got symptomatic again.  We also were prescribed to get a repeat of M’s blood work this morning, so going out of town was not an option.  Honestly, on the way to the ER yesterday, I told M that all I wanted for my birthday was for him to get better and to be OK.  And I got my birthday wish – thank G0d!

B and I don’t do big presents for each other for holidays or birthdays.  Instead, we buy something big for the house, or go on a trip, or make a fun (unnecessary) purchase prior to a birthday and say that’s our present.  This system works out great!  For Christmas this year, we bought the professional family photos for the house.  There is nothing that B could have given me that would warm my heart more than photos of my family throughout our home.  In February when I needed (wanted) a jogging stroller, I said, “this can by my birthday present this year.”  B knows that I’m serious when I say that, and he honors it and then focuses my real birthday on me and not on a gift for me.  The only thing I do ask for on the day of my birthday (or holiday) is a card.  I do need a card!

M’s birthday will not be treated like this at all.  Oh no!  I am already planning his first birthday party for the end of June and just asked my friend tonight if she’d help me practice his birthday cake.  I took a cake decorating class for B’s 30th birthday (3 years ago!) and that cake was the last one I’ve made that took real effort.  The cake was three tiers, full fondant, with support rods and all.  It was massive (heavy!) – and took almost 12 hours to complete with help from B in the final 4 hours so it would be done in time for his big birthday bash.  It was both fun and exhausting – so exhausting that I hung up my cake apron until now!  I have a smaller cake planned for M’s birthday, but it will be two tiers with fondant owls and trees – and I am rusty at cake decorating to say the least.  I need help and we need a couple practice runs at it so it’s perfect for his big day.  There will also be handmade invitations, a custom shirt and hat from Etsy for the birthday boy, and tasteful decorations and balloons to make the house festive.  Even though M won’t remember this at all, I want it to be memorable!

It needs to be special – because he is special!  There were days when we were cycling that I truly thought that we may never have a baby.  I wondered if I’d ever get to plan birthday parties, breakfasts with Santa, and Easter egg hunts.  Now I have this beautiful boy who makes every single day the best day of my life.  He deserves to be celebrated – and he will be celebrated each and every year – for the special gift that he is in our lives.