Look how far we've come

It is hard for me to believe it has been 19 years since you were born. It has been a tough, wonderful struggle that we've been through.

Most of the time, just you and I against the world.

I just want you to know, that I will never regret giving up anything so that you could have your Power Rangers and soccer and skateboards. I've always wanted you to have more than I had, to have a stable environment and a safe home. I am only sorry that I did not have more to give.





I only wished for you to become a man of substance and integrity, that you push yourself to reach for the stars.

Whatever you decide for your life, I will always be there to support and encourage you. But some things in life are better appreciated if they are not handed to you on a silver platter.

I will love you when you stumble and when you succeed; when you make mistakes and accomplishments; if you are rich or poor. Nothing and no one can change the way I feel about you.

Happy Birthday, Codester !!!

Love, Mom

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I saw this at Soxy Deb's
and thought a trip down memory lane would be appropriate for today . Thanks Deb!

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED? Not planned and a complete surprise.

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME? No and we were not really together. Sort of a trial reconciliation after 2 years of living together and BAM!

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS? Shock and fear. I knew that I wanted to have children, but unsure of the time and how it would change my life.

4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU? It was a consideration, but there was no way I could do that. Besides, looking back, it was great up until about 14-15.

5. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 28

6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? I took a trip to Orlando with my brother and could not keep my eyes open. I fell asleep the minute I got into the car. Then, riding a roller coaster, my boobs were killing me. When I got back, I went to the Women's Clinic and had a test. I didn't miss my little friend, so it was sort of a shock.

7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? Sad, but I don't remember. Probably my friend Lynn or my sister.

8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? Yes! I wanted a little girl to dress up and put bows & braids in her hair. I kept referring to little Lindsay. My second sonogram, he had those little legs spread extra wide.

9. DUE DATE? Easter Sunday 1990

10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS? Morning and Noon and Midnight and any time in between. Violently ill. Have to stand in the shower due to lack of any bodily control, sick. After the 1st trimester, the pregnancy was wonderful.

11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE? Buffalo chicken wings and french fries. (until I puked them up one day on the way home from work and singed my throat from the hot sauce)

12. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? Baby kicking at midnight while I was trying to do homework. Having to pee every five minutes.

13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX? Boy.

14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? Yes, but I am glad now that it was a boy. I would not want a daughter in today's' society.

15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY? Thirty five pounds. I lost it all and more after about three months. However, I've doubled that over the last 19 years. DAMN!DAMN!DAMN! Thank goodness I was pretty skinny before!

16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER & WAS IT SUPPOSE TO BE A SURPRISE? Yes. It was suppose to be a surprise. My my cousins came over to take me to "lunch" . Cousins that I saw once every 5 years. You would think that they could've at least put the gifts in the trunk instead of the back seat.

17. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? Bleeding/spotting early on. AND VIOLENT MORNING SICKNESS! Luckily, there was no problems.

18. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH? Fort Lauderdale, Florida. CAB was born in the same hospital I was born in.

19. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR? 16. I went into the hospital for a stress test and they induced me. It was 11 hours until I made it to 10 cm and another 4 hours pushing. Then they prepped me for a C section. They literally pulled him out of me with forceps. Due to the fact that I was on Medicaid, there was no epidural. I got a little Demerol, but mostly, it was all natural! OUCH!!! I do not recommend it.

20. DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL? I drove myself. It was only suppose to be a stress test.

21. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH? My sister as there for the first 4-5 hours and then my BFF Lynn was there for the rest of it. Now, you can have everyone and a monkey's uncle. The baby daddy and I were no longer together, but that is a story nightmare for another time.

22. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? All Natural.

23. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN? see # 19

24. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH? 9 pounds and 8.5 ozs

25. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN ? 4:45 am Wednesday

26. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER? Cody Austin

27. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY? 19, today .