Happy 12th

I can't believe Will is 12 today. He should still be my big Ole Rollie Pollie Ollie that I use to lug around with plenty of bibs and rags because he was just so full of slobber pouring out. He wasn't a small baby by a long shot. With so many rolls covering from head to toe I couldn't decide if he was a cross between the Michelin Man or the Pillsbury dough boy. And I loved it. Always smiling and laughing William was the best baby. He would hardly ever get cranky and we all just loved making him laugh.





His favorite things back then was Bob the Builder, Buzz and Woody, his sister always and every ounce of milk we could give to him. We still go through about 3 gallons of milk a week at our house and even though he has thinned out greatly and shot up in height he'll still eat you out of house and home. He's a loud one, my boy. Dealing with an ear problem his whole life he speaks loud and sometimes we have to bring it down a notch but I smile sometimes when he does it because he's just showing his excitement.





When he was about two we got him a wagon. He would sit in that thing with his rope in one hand a toy in the other with his cowboy hat on and a bib around his neck and just laugh and smile when Sam would pull him all around the yard. When not outside following us around he would be inside sitting in front of the TV with his hat, rope and bib and on top of his favorite steed. Of coarse it was a play horse where he thought he was Woody in Toy Story, watching it over and over again hootin and a hollerin.





After a time he jumped on to the 3 Stooges but even though he loved them we quickly had to discontinue letting him watch. He would take what he saw and think it extremely funny and practice it on his friends at daycare...Not good. So then he got hooked onto Batman and then the Power Rangers, Star Wars and anything else that had to do with fighting and you would walk through the whole house and you could hear Will swishing his pretend sword or see him kick out or punch an unseen foe. To this day William still has that imagination within his spirit. I know that one day it will begin to fade like it does in use all. When the child steps into a man but I will try my best to always keep that part of his spirit alive, his imagination.





When I learned of my pregnancy with Will it was a blessing. Sam and I went in just for a routine visit because I wasn't feeling well and walked out stunned and happy. I was healthy and exercising, trying like hell not to gain the weight and have the health problems like I did with Sam when we thought I almost lost him. Turns out I was exercising a little too much and too hard so I just needed to slow down. I did and it was a very enjoyable pregnancy until just like with Sam, the seventh month hit and with him I started getting severe pains all over my back and around my sides. Turns out it was gall stones so I had to cut out as much fat as possible until after I had him. It was hard. Sandwiches and oatmeal were my only foods those last two months. If not and I ate anything with a high count of fat I would have spells of extreme pain up to 8 hours at a time. I remember one time when it hit was right before I went to sleep. I spent hours in the tub with the water as hot as I could stand. The water would get cold and I would fill it back up again. I had quite a few episodes like that and a trip or two to the ER.





I guess it really won't hit me that Will is getting older until another birthday is upon us. I don't know what number it'll be but I know when it hits me I know ill shed more than a few tears. William has a spirit that is just so pleasant. A Patience that surely surpasses my own and a heart to love the world and beyond. I look at him and see so much of the man he will be and I smile and thank God he's in my life. He'll be hurt more than once, he'll be betrayed, lied to and taken advantage of. His spirit will be tested and his emotions will try to be hardened. Like i've said before...One day I will have to start letting go....but not yet. I'll do what I can as his mother, his protector and his support to help him hold on to what makes his spirit smile. It's a lonely road when bitterness and hardness take you and I will do what I can not to let that come to be.





I could get so emotional right now but I won't. I'm fixing to take off to go get him and try to help him enjoy his day.





HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILLIAM GREYSON MATHIS