Monday, November 19, 2007

Sweet Baby James

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"So goodnight you moonlight ladies, and rockabye sweet baby James! Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose, won't you let me go down in my dreams, and rockabye sweet baby James."

I wonder if there are any mothers from the last 30 years who have had sons named James that didn't sing this to them! Well I did - I sang it to him as I held him in my arms, as I sat by his bed at night, and many, many times - upon request - as we rode in the car together. When James received an Ipod for his 18th birthday, it was one of the first songs he programmed into it, then handed me the earpiece so I could listen. My sweet baby James turns 20 today and this seems an opportune time to reflect on just what a true blessing his presence in my life has been.

True story: James had just had his fifth birthday and I was a few weeks away from giving birth to his younger brother. We lived in the country at the time, and the morning trip from house to car was somewhat of an adventure - we were always carrying armloads of stuff, and there are no handrails on the stairs leading from the deck to the driveway. On this particular morning, there was the added element of rainfall which made the deck a little slippery. So as we gingerly made our way across the deck and approached the stairs, I heard James behind me say, "Careful, Mom!" to which I muttered some lame reassurance. Then he said something else, so softly I almost didn't hear him - it was as if he were really talking to himself. He said, "Don't worry. I'll catch you if you fall."

Today James is a strapping young man, six-foot-something-or-other with a grin as big as Texas and a heart even bigger. I love you, James, and if you receive back even a fraction of the joy that you have brought to me and your dad, then your pastures will be forever green.

4 comments:

Freewheel said...

Wow. You raised him well.

AnnPW said...

Thanks, Freewheel! I always hesitate to take much credit for the wonderful way that James (and his little brother also) turned out. Their character seemed so completely FORMED from the time they were born, almost, and part of the reason I tell this story is to show how James was the way he is at a very, very young age. Don't you find this true with your kids, too?

Mike Thomas said...

That's a really wonderful story. Happy birthday to James!
We just celebrated my little girl's second birthday this weekend and are still recuperating from a houseful of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and family friends.

AnnPW said...

Thanks Mike, and to your daughter as well! Parenthood is a glorious roller coaster ride, indeed - exactly as Steve Martin portrayed it in his great movie.