Happy Birthday Li'l Brother!

18 years ago today, life as I knew it changed forever.  My mother cam in to my 2nd grade classroom and explained to me that she was going to the Dr and that she would possibly be having the baby(that everyone but me was really looking forward to) tonight.  I have to say, being the only child for so many years, I wasn't exactly very thrilled.  She arranged for my teacher's aid, who happened to be a friend of hers, to take me home and relatives would pick me up later that day.

Little did I know that the situation was actually more serious than my mother let on.  She was 34 weeks pregnant and the baby was in distress.  His heartbeat was irregular and they were afraid that he was going to die because of the problems he was experiencing.  My mother was taken in for an emergency C-Section where she gave birth at 8:29pm to a 7lb 11oz, 21inch baby boy.  At 34 weeks he was a pretty large baby and seemed that he would do quite well on his own once they could get his heart beating regularly.

After 10 days, they sent him home, attached to cords and monitors.  One being an Apnea Monitor that would sound if he stopped breathing and alert the nearest person to pick him up and stimulate him until he began breathing on his own again.  Not only was I not thrilled with this kid "stealing my thunder", I was equally annoyed at this monitor going off several times a night. 

Then there was that day....my mother left me by the baby so she could take a shower and told me what to do if the monitor went off and to make sure I called her.  Sure enough my mother stepped into the shower and the alarm went off.  I panicked...picked up the baby and began to rub his back and scream for my mother the whole time.  The episode lasted no more than a few seconds, but it seemed like forever for me.  I think my screaming may have startled him into breathing again more than me rubbing his back though.  From then on he was mine to protect and he kinda grew on me like a fungus. 

Since then he's not stopped growing. Now he's 18 years old, with a 6'7" stature that finally fits the name he was given- Hubert Barrington McCarthy III

So....with that said.....Happy 18th Birthday Fungus!  I love you Little Brother!