Happy John's Birthday

Today John is three. Pound for pound, it would be hard to find anyone to match his zest for life. I wonder if it is because down deep, he has some sort of knowledge of his early days and realizes what a gift life is. It was tough from the onset. First, the doctor didn't think there was a baby in the embryonic sac and encouraged surgical removal. Later, at about eight months gestation, when John's mom went for a prenatal check-up, the doctor found him to be very large and in a fetal position that was going to make for a tough delivery. After unsuccessfully trying to get him to shift, the doctor decided an immediate C-section would be necessary. John was pulled out blue and struggling and was rushed to NICU. He had to have all sorts of tubes and needles in his little body, and he had skin tones that were scary. Undiagnosed gestational diabetes caused the complex problems. Thanks to some fine care, he made a remarkable recovery. When he was almost three weeks old, he came home to be with his family. Then last summer he had another scare, an abscess behind a tonsil. He was hospitalized and had surgery, then another successful recovery. John is now an exuberant little fellow with an infectious joy. Here he is in an unusually still moment. Happy Birthday, my little grandson!