Flashback Friday - 13 Years Ago

So I'm a little late for Flashback Friday.  Details.  

For this post, I'm rolling back the clock 13 years, when CJ first somersaulted out of the cramped quarters of Carol's belly and into this great big world of ours - with a full head of hair standing on its end that would've made a pencil-sitting troll beam with pride. 

Like most babies, he was a PECS machine - poop, eat, cry, sleep.  That's all they do for those first couple of months.  He had the "C" part down extremely well.  Because of his maximum capacity lungs and the above average crying ability that went with them, the nurses nicknamed him, "Pavarotti."

That's Alice Cagnina who delivered CJ at the Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida.  Although the actual delivery was more complicated than expected, the entire experience at the hospital, especially Alice's personal attention, was really great.

Those first couple of days were surreal.  We weren't sure whether we were coming or going.  Thank goodness for all of the help from family and friends.  Fred wasn't sure what to make of our new addition.  They soon become fast friends though.  Until CJ learned that he could stick his fingers into certain places that is.  That's another story.  

 Our intent was for CJ to breast feed.  I say "our" as if I'm the one with the boobs.  He was having a hard time latching on at first so we gave him a bottle every now and then at the hospital just to make sure he was getting enough to eat.  Little did we know that giving a baby a bottle would result in the full wrath of the La Leche League and their fanatic cultdom philosophy of world domination through breast feeding.  I believe their weapons department has recently developed a laser that instantly disintegrates baby bottle nipples upon initial detection.  Maybe it was just this one La Leche League lady that was off her kilter, but dang.  I get it.  Breast milk is good.  But don't throw us in the hole with Charles Manson just yet cause we wanted to give our kid a bottle for a whole quarter ounce of milk.  CJ did get the hang of the breast feeding thing.  Good thing too.  I would've hated to be on the LLL's black list.  BTW, if you see these whopper-sized kids still breast feeding - I'm talking 4 and 5 year olds with a full set of teeth and size 9 Skechers on - that's just wrong.  I'm sure the LLL had a little something to do with that.  If your feet are hitting the ground while feeding, it's well beyond time to stop with the booby.  I digress.

And now we have a teenager!  Weened and all.  Let the Parenting Olympics begin! 

Carol and I are extremely blessed to have such a fine young man.  I salute you CJ!