Galen, My 5th Born is 5 Today!!!

Happy Birthday Galen Benaiah

Galen is such a great little guy. He is very sweet and has a calm nature about him. He is very smart, and has an eye for detail and follows directions very well.

I remember when I taught him how to change the bathroom trash, he made sure he did it "exactly" how I showed him. To this day, he still does it just right. He is also in charge of organizing the shoe closet in our house, which gets VERY MESSY, real quick!! He organizes the shoe closet "exactly" how I taught him. I love teaching him his school work. He catches on so well, and again...does it "exactly" how I have taught him.

Here are a few recent funnies he said after having the newest baby:

When I was changing his baby sister's diaper one day he asked these questions:

With a surprised look on his face and a surprised sounding voice says...

"Oh, oh, oh, mommy...where is her p*n*s (I didn't spell out the word to protect from google searches and sickos pulling up my blog)!! All she has are arms, legs, a head, and b*lls."

I say..."Honey, Ana is a little girl and she doesn't look like you and your brothers."

He just stayed quiet and thought about it for awhile, then asks me.

"Oh you don't have a p*n*s either, or the girls (his sisters)."

"No, honey, we don't." I answer. Galen walks away with no further questions.

On a another day he asks a unrelated questions but this time about our bones.

"Mommy, are our bones in our body, chicken bones?"

I just laughed and explained to him that we have bones but they are not chicken's bones...he still didn't totally understand.

He is such a funny little boy. He is our golden boy and we call him The President because all he needs is a little suit and briefcase and off to work he goes. Oh, another funny was when he was doing his handwriting and he happened to mess up. He is so careful with his schoolwork. On this particular day, he had messed up and I told him so. He then looks up with a sad look and says "I can't be the President anymore?" I just laughed and patted his head. "Of course you can...President's mess up all the time."

Galen was also my first actual "home" birth baby. My fourth born, Shiloh, was a home birth baby but at the Birthing Center which is a house. Galen birth story is a bit eventful because of what happened during the month of June and the day of his birth.

On June 4th, 2004 we had just bought a beautiful home. This was a the nicest home we had ever lived in. It was brand new. Had beautiful wood floors and lots of room inside. The neighborhood was not my favorite. The houses were close together and I personally prefer big yards...the bigger the better. When we had moved into our new home, I was about 35 weeks pregnant but felt like I was 42 weeks. I was huge and in the Florida sun, felt like I was a sweaty cow. Two weeks later my oldest son, two days shy of his 10th birthday, was outside rollerblading, fell down and broke his arm. That was an eventful day I will never forget. My friends were over with their kids and one of the little boys runs in and says "Justin fell and needs you outside". I start to waddle outside, barely can walk at this time of my pregnancy and see Justin crying and screaming down at the end of the street. I didn't have my shoes on and I start to waddle down the sidewalk and asking loudly "What happened?" When I get to Justin, I noticed his arm was truly broken....it looked disgusting. I tried not to panic and I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how I was going to carry him home. The drama continues when I find out my friend had called the ambulance. Sooooo a few minutes later the ambulance arrives. LOL....I know, over a broken arm. We could have easily taken him ourselves. Oh well, he got to ride in an ambulance. We all laugh about it now.

I week later I start to show signs of labor: I loose my mucus plug and start contractions. The day before the loss of the plug, I decided I wanted to birth this baby in the comforts of my own home. Not knowing I was soon to have a baby, I proceeded with changing my birth plan. The following day, I loose my plug. I immediately start feeling contractions. This was on a Friday. I contact my midwife who happens to be out of town and my appointment wasn't until that following Monday. I continue to have contractions all weekend long. When Monday rolled around, I had told Donnie that if I don't hear from my midwife, we will go on ahead to the Birth Center. Around noon time on the 28th, I start packing my bags. My contractions are now coming about every 10 minutes apart. My midwife calls and says "So, you want to have the baby at home?" "Yeeessss?." I say, unsure about what her response is going to be. She says...."No problem. I will be at your house within 30 minutes. Just make sure you have these supplies..." Since I was originally going to the Birth Center , I never ordered the home birth kit.

I continue to have contractions. I called some friends and had them pick up a few supplies. I also didn't have any curtains or blinds up in my bedroom, so I needed my friends to bring their drill to put the curtain rod up. Ok so picture this, I am having contractions every 3-5 minutes, my friends arrive and start drilling and putting curtains up in my room. In the meantime, the word gets out to all the neighborhood kids that I am about to have my baby "AT HOME". The neighbors next door come knocking at the door while I am now in intense labor and want to come in. My MIL sends them home. During my transition period of the labor, I start to scream like someone was killing me. I don't know why, but I felt so much pain. I was totally out of control. The funny thing was, my home was not furnished and the screams echoed throughout the house and I am sure they were heard outside. Neighbors coming in and out and my children scared about what was going on with mommy. What an Event!! I will never forget that day. Funny!!! At 4:44 pm Galen Benaiah was born, weighing 8 lbs 4 oz.

We are so happy to have this little guy in our lives. He is such a cutie and as far as complexions go. He has alot of the "white" in his genetic makeup. He has the golden brown hair and the lighter color eyes. His eyes were greenish blue as a baby, but now have turned more hazel in color. He is gorgeous.

Happy Birthday Galen....WE LOVE YOU!!!!

(He loves his big brother Shiloh)

Chris