The Tale of Two Preemies: Would You Do It?

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Would You Do It?

Before I started cloth diapering Tate, I bought my diapers online. I got large quantities and I didn't have to go to the store to get them. It was great. Now I'm just plain lazy and wait until the last minute hoping I won't really need to buy more diapers, but alas the second child is very stubborn.

Anyway, that's not what this post is about. So I "liked" my online supplier (diapers.com) on Facebook. They post a question of the day. About a week ago, the question was "when did you tell everyone you were expecting?" What cracked me up were the posts of "I'm so many weeks but we haven't told anyone yet." Um, you just announced it on facebook, idiot.

That isn't what this post is about either. Yesterday, the question was "If you could buy your child anything, what would it be?" I was surprised that the top answers were a big swing set/playhouse, a house remodel so the kids could have their own rooms, and a college education. Now, I'm not opposed to any of those things, completely, just partially.

The swing set/playhouse I have no issues with. Who wouldn't love a playground conveniently located in their back yard?

My boys share a room. They probably will for the rest of their lives in this house. Our house is set up so that even if they had separate rooms, one of them is far from private. I'm ok with that. My sisters and I shared (rotated every year, so one year alone, 2 years sharing), but only until I was 7. I think there are many benefits to sharing rooms, especially when the kids are young. Privacy is important, but sometimes so is the invasion of it.

Next, a college education. We fully intend to help our kids pay for college. The key word is help. I don't want college to put my kids into eternal debt, but I don't want to give them a free ride either. I know many kids who were given a free ride by their parents and wasted it because they didn't have to pay for it. I hope my kids have a better work ethic than that.

One commenter even remarked that they give their kids everything and how very blessed they must be. *gag* Sometimes denying your kids is the best thing you can give them. Don't get me wrong, my kids have plenty of stuff, way more than they need. The things I want for my kids, money can't buy: a strong faith, a good work ethic, respect, education, etc. That's what I want for my kids. Everything else is just "stuff."

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Cole's Story

Cole was born at 30 weeks 3 days, much to our surprise, in 2006. I went in to the hospital because I wasn't feeling well and was afraid I'd get dehydrated. I ended up being air lifted to a larger hospital where Cole was born 24 hours later. He weighed in at 4 lbs. 2 oz. and was 17" long. He had some developmental delays, mostly due to acid reflux. He also had positional plagiocephaly and was in a remolding helmet for 6 weeks. At 14 months he underwent a cardiac catheter procedure to close his PDA. At 25 months he tripped getting out of his kiddie pool and broke his femur. He was in a cast from his hips to his toes for 4 long weeks. He also broke his shoulder at age 5 1/2. His latest medical drama has been a cyst in his left ear. He's had his adenoids removed and another surgery to remove the cyst. He'll have a second surgery in August. He's been through the ringer, but you'd never know it. He just rolls with the punches. He's 100% farm boy. He wants to know how everything works and why. He loves the farm. Farming is definitely in his blood.

Tate's Story

Tate was born at 34 weeks 2 days in 2008. Since I had a previous premature delivery, I was on high alert for another one. It didn't help. We had ultrasound after ultrasound and everything looked great. Tate, however, was not patient. I was admitted to the hospital with preterm labor. He held off for a couple of days, but was still born early. He weighed 5 and a half pounds and was 19" long. Fortunately he had no problems and was released from the hospital 3 days after he was born. He was born the middle child. He desperately wants to do what his big brother does, but has his own interests and wants Cole do to those with him. He's my trouble-maker, fit-thrower, and snuggle bug.