Friday, October 9, 2009

Afton---Surviving Supermom

We brought you home from Sherman Hospital, and had you to ourselves, well not really, for such a brief time(hours)until your Daddy had to ship out. We didn't know where he would be stationed, or indeed, when we would ever hear from him, but the general plan was we would follow him to Europe as soon as possible.

You and I occupied ourselves in his absence with eating. And only eating. First time Mom, I thought the answer to everything was feeding you. So you I nursed you with a passion, till you had rolls on your arms and legs within a couple of weeks. Four or five pounds in a month? Who does that? When you weren't being fed, you were sleeping, and I felt I had to watch you round the clock, so you wouldn't forget to breathe. So I would gaze at you endlessly and will you to inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. Seemed to work. How seriously I took that mission, not just to give you life, but to protect and preserve it; yes sir, 24/7, I wouldn't let you have a moment to yourself. I was just exhausted and sore, but you poor baby, were nearly overmothered to death.

Six weeks later you and I were on a plane over the Atlantic. Germany, America was about to bring you to your knees! Well, at least make you suffer a little. Or give you something to laugh at. Your Daddy picked us up at airport in Frankfurt, and we headed for our first real home, in Bavaria.

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