"Guys, I'm Here!"

Every mom has a dream for how she'd like her child's life to unfold. I certainly do with Matthew. From the moment he entered the world--all 4 lbs. 10 oz. of baby--I imagined who he'd be and what he'd accomplish. He'd already met his first challenge: he remained in the womb for an entire 32 weeks. In our book, that was full-term, though technically he came on the scene two months early. He was a toughie. Needed only one night on oxygen and (thankfully) spent a mere 10 days in the NICU. This time, we were blessed.

From the day we brought him home, he's had us at full attention. As paranoid new parents of a preemie, we made sure that we rigged the nursery with one of those monitors that not only allows you to hear baby's sweet murmurings, but also sends off a warning signal if it doesn't feel movement for 30 straight seconds. We figured if he had any bouts of sleep apnea (preemies often do), we'd be alerted and would have time to go over and poke him. Well, he never did have any breathing issues, though he set off that alarm on a regular basis. Seemed to think it was a real kick to shimmy to the nether-regions of the crib--beyond where the monitor was placed--to see just how fast mom and dad could run.

Yes, Matt's quite the character. Not afraid to make himself known. Kind of thinks the whole world is his bud, and he likes to greet everyone he meets during the day with a big "Hi!," "Hello!," or "My name's Matt, and this is my mom!" He's perplexed when someone doesn't acknowledge him, and throws me a look as if to say "What'd I ever do to that guy?" One day at the park, when Matt was closing in on his third birthday, he busted through the gates to the playground and announced to all those present (none of whom he'd ever met), "Hi guys, I'm here!" I fell in love with him all over again for that generosity of spirit.

I was never one to worry about what percentile he was in. I found plenty to obsess over, make no mistake, but when another mom would ask me about those stats, I could never seem to remember what had been reported at his last well-visit. I simply didn't care. He was here. He was alive. He was healthy and thriving, and that's all I needed to know. So for Matt, my dream isn't necessarily that he rise to the corner office of some Fortune 500 (though that might be nice) or that he head off to distant shores to save a rainforest. For him, I only ask that he hold on to that warm and loving spirit, the one that allows him to think that everyone-knows-his-name and that the world is essentially a wonderful and joyous place (because it is). I hope he always walks into a room with a smile on his face, confidence in his character, and a true love for people, bellowing "Guys, I'm here!"