My Blessed Son

Today is my 'baby's' birthday...he turns 20 and is technically not a baby anymore, but he will always be my baby. I love him dearly, even when he challenges me with some of his antics. As any mother of a boy knows...boys are full of antics and mischief.

He has a great heart and I know he is going to be an awesome man of God...I am believing for this.

We started the day's celebrations early with breakfast in bed accompanied by sparklers and a rendition of 'Happy Birthday to you...'

I am blessed with three beautiful children. Dylan has two older sisters. I had always wanted a baby son and was so happy and contented to be blessed by God. I felt very complete with my two gorgeous daughters and Dylan was the icing on the cake, when he came along. I am so glad that I had the two girls first, otherwise I may have missed out on my youngest daughter (if Dylan had beaten her in line). I can't begin to explain how content I am with my lot in life.

I love all my children in such different ways because they are so different from each other. It is awesome to see such individuality and variety of character. God is amazing and how true is the scripture...'I am fearfully and wonderfully made...'?

Dylan is a character - I cannot tell a lie and I love his spirit...and I know as he matures, he will only get better.

When Dylan decided to enter the world, he was in a bit of a hurry. He was born at 12:45am on 17 June, 1989 at the Mater Hospital in Rockhampton.

My husband Ian and I, with our two younger daughters and my parents, lived on a property (154 acres) out near the small settlement of Dululu, which is approximately an hours drive to Rocky. Things were tough for us at the time. We were experiencing a severe drought which meant Ian had to secure work elsewhere as we were unable to support ourselves on the property alone. I had recently given up work in order to have our third child and Ian managed to secure some contract work out at the mines. He was due back the day Dylan decided to make his entrance. His father missed him by several hours as his plane was not due to land until a more 'reasonable' time.

I had been for one of my regular doctor visits the week before and the doctor had told me that if my baby had not arrived by Tuesday of the following week, he would induce me. Soon as I heard the word 'induce', I mentally decided that that was not an option...and I began to 'will' myself to deliver this child soon. This situation needed lots of prayer. I did not want to be induced after my first experience of this method when Jossy made her entrance. I had experienced such a wonderful birth when Kimmy came and I was 'spoilt'. I knew in my heart that having my next baby naturally was what I desperately needed...however, who knows that when things are beyond our control they don't always work out the way we want them to? I am sure others have experienced this from time to time.

The day before Dylan arrived was a Friday and the Rocky Show was on. I promised the girls I would take them to the show. So we loaded up in the Ventura Station Wagon and trotted off to town. We started out early and by the time I got to Rocky I had developed the start of a migraine headache. I dropped by a pharmacy and bought some medication, which helped immensely and I was good as gold from then on.

I drove up to a friend's parents home. They lived close to the showgrounds and told me I could park the car at their place as anywhere near the showgrounds was so busy and I would have a hard time getting close enough to walk (and I was very pregnant). I was most thankful for the offer.

I spent a wonderful day with my gorgeous girls Kimmy and Jossy, walking around the show. It was a big and very long day. I was disappointed that the show people would not let me onto the dodgems cars with my girls...:o(, but it was understandable...they had a duty of care I guess...but I felt so good. The girls had a ride on a camel too. We had the best day...and we certainly covered many miles traipsing around the grounds. At day's end, I'd promised the girls Hungry Jacks (their favourite at the time) for supper before the drive back home to the property.

We were offered dinner by my friend's parents when we got back to pick the car up, but I explained that I'd promised the girls Hungry's and didn't want to disappoint them. I thanked the family and we set off for Hungry's. By this stage I was famished as well. I took the girls' order and went up to the counter to place it.

By the time our food arrived, I had lost my appetite...suddenly...which is highly unusual for me. While the girls ate their dinner (a real treat for them, because living out where we did, we never had access to take-away and we couldn't afford take-away back then anyway due to how tight everything was), I began to have the occasional little twinge, but I didn't really think too much about it.

It was about 8:30pm and I was not looking forward to the drive home (another hour), but we headed off. The girls were pleasantly tired and had enjoyed a really lovely day. I suddenly felt very 'bushed' and was looking forward to bed myself.

The twinges increased in size and frequency. It began to dawn on me that I might actually be in labour??? I watched the clock in the car and timed each of the pains that came in waves...they were now three minutes apart.

We made it home okay and I got the girls ready for bed. Joss was six years old and Kimmy was two and a half. I wanted to keep their routine in tact and after they had a quick tub, we snuggled up in mummy's big bed to read a story. They knew daddy was coming home the next day and were excited. As I read to the girls, I have to admit, I was a little distracted and kept thinking about getting out my copy of 'Every Woman' the other 'bible' to see if I was actually in early stages of labour, but I needed to wait till the girls were settled. They finally nodded off to sleep and I quickly scanned the pages of my 'bible' and decided that yes, I was in labour.

I phoned for mum and dad (who lived quite close) to come over and then phoned for an ambulance. By this stage it was about 10:30pm.

Steve, the local ambo arrived. I asked him not to make me get in the back as I did not want to get sick as I sometimes suffered from motion sickness. So, I got to ride up the front. As we drove into Dululu, Steve decided he needed to clean the front window of the ambulance and he pulled up just off from the local tennis courts...I had to laugh because on a Friday night a lot of our friends played tennis together, including Ian and I. This night was no different and by pulling up right where Steve did, I felt like he was giving everyone the 'heads up'. Seeing an ambulance always raised some interest, especially in country areas.

The contractions got quite close together on the return trip to Rocky and I was feeling really tired. This was not what I had in mind, but I was really glad I would not need to be induced. I was disappointed that Ian would not be there this time for the birth.

By the time we arrived at the hospital the pains were very strong and I had problems answering the questions the staff asked me...all the paperwork stuff. They did a check of me and whisked me straight into the labour ward. They tried for quite some time to break the waters, must have been a bit tough, but once that was successfully done, Dylan arrived swiftly at 12:45am. I was ecstactic that I had given birth safely to a gorgeous little boy. He was practically bald with just this very fine white fuzz and a little round face...he was absolutely beautiful. The texture of his skin was so different to the girls. I can't explain it...there is a real difference between girl's skin and boy's skin (as babies)...their skin is smooth but the look and feel is very different. Dylan weighed 7lb 14oz, my biggest baby.

Once I knew I'd given birth to my son, my inner soul felt complete. I knew I was holding my last baby and that I had just met my one and only son...and I now had my complete family. It is such an internal feeling...I don't know where it comes from or why it is there. I was 28 years of age and had all of the children I was going to have over before I turned 30. I was excited now. I was more than ready and contented to watch these beautiful little beings grow and develop into wonderful human beings...my only hope was that they become the very best that they could and that they lived their lives in honour of the One who created them.

Ian arrived up at the hospital later on during the day and met his new son for the first time. Finally we were altogether, even if it was for only a short time before Ian had to leave to go back to the mines where he worked in procurement.

Dylan, for a long time, often asked me why we never had another boy (especially when he was exasperated with his sisters) and nothing I said ever seemed to placate him. I guess he always longed for a brother...until one day I said to him..."well Dylan, if we had tried for another baby, there was always the 50/50 chance that you would get another sister"...he has remained quiet about this ever since...and I know, over the years, his sisters have grown on him and I don't think he minds too much, really...