Nick turned 15 yesterday and we celebrated by taking a trip to the DMV on a crowded Monday for him to take the test for his Learners Permit. It didn't quite hit me though until he got up this morning to drive me to the grocery store. As I was sitting in the passenger seat next to him I couldn't help but think about this day 15 years ago when I had to leave the hospital without him in my arms. It was one of the hardest days of my life to leave my tiny little premature, 3 pound baby in the care of the of the competent doctors and nurses in the NICU unit at LDS hospital in Salt Lake. I was having such a hard time leaving that the sweet nurse broke the rules and let me hold him for a minute before I left. I think we were only home for about 2 hours when I looked over at Brian and told him he needed to take me back to the hospital to see my baby boy. And like the good husband he is, he did.
For the next 3 weeks I spent every waking moment sitting in the rocking chair of the Newborn ICU unit next to his incubator waiting patiently for the 20 minutes of time that I was aloud to hold him each day. It's also about the only time I looked forward to changing diapers because at least then I could touch him, even if it was through the holes in the incubator. But as he has proven throughout his life, he was a fighter and exceeded all expectations. I was told to expect a two month stay for him in the hospital but he came home 3 weeks after he was born.
The 15 years since that day have absolutely flown by, but I have appreciated each and everyone of those days! When you're given "survival odds" by the doctor before you deliver your baby, you appreciate every moment you have with them!!!
I love this boy with all my heart and so grateful he is my son!
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