This is my little guy in 1994. He was 2 years old here. Having a snack at his little "snack table" in his jammies. Simon's birthday is September 7, 1992. He was born on Labor Day. This year his 17th birthday falls on Labor Day again. That doesn't always happen!
Every year on their birthdays I tell the kids the story of the day they were born. They kind of roll their eyes now, they've heard it so many times! But that's what my Mom does for me, so I do it for my kids. Best conditions for this story telling are the two of us cuddled up on a couch talking in soft, quiet voices. "Ahh, I remember..." Not having the chance to do that this year with Simon, I'll do it a different way. Here.
Si was my first baby. I wanted him immediately after I was married, so when it finally happened four years later there was no greater joy in all the world for me. I spent 9 months smiling like a fool, savoring everything! I won't bore you, but it was great. I loved being pregnant. I ate a lot of pears and drank a lot of Chamomile tea. And every Saturday evening, Si's dad and I would walk to the corner market and buy a vanilla It's It (SF Ice cream treat-look it up. My favorite!).
He was due on Saturday, September 5th. I was so ready for him to be born! On Sunday, we went to SF with friends and sat around on the grass at Golden Gate Park near Stowe Lake. I had been having serious Braxton Hicks contractions for days so I was sure he was going to be born very soon! I remember sitting with Karen Finlay, holding my huge belly trying to breathe through the tightness. Looking back, I'm sure it was the beginning of my labor. I came home and walked 3 miles trying to make something happen. Nothing!
It wasn't until Sunday night, very late that I realized this was probably it. I was excited and timing the contractions which went something like 7 min, then 3 min, then 9 min, then 4, 4, 4, 4, you get the picture. I went to bed around 12:30am, it didn't really hurt, I was getting used to it. At 4am I knew it was the day. Labor Day. Literally. I took a shower, shaved my legs (that is so hard when you have a huge belly!), painted my toenails, did my hair (I was not going to have a baby without looking beautiful!), all while having contractions every 3-4 minutes. I woke Simon's dad and we drove to get him a latte then on to Kaiser in Walnut Creek and were admitted. I was only 4cm. We watched US Open tennis most of the day. I will always remember that! However, my old mom brain was remembering Ivan Lendl playing John McEnroe, which never happened. John McEnroe was 16th and was eliminated in the fourth round. Ivan Lendl (having become a US citizen that year)was a quarterfinalist and was ranked number 9, just after Andre Aggasi. It must be the Boris Becker v. Ivan Lendl game I am remembering the most, in which Lendl won in 5 sets. And Jim Courier and John McEnroe. It was a long day of labor and tennis!
Si was born at 9:07pm on Monday, September 7, 1992. He weighed 7lbs 4 oz and was 21 1/2" long. We named him Simon Harrison Mijatovich. Harrison after my beloved Papa, Col. Harry Thomas Sharkey, USAF ret. and Simon because, well, just because when he emerged from my body I looked at him and he just looked like a beautiful SIMON.
I kept him with me from the second he was born. He never left my side and was in fact in my arms most of the 36 hours we stayed in the hospital together. Up to that moment I had never had a greater blessing in my whole life. I was finally a mother. It was all I had ever dreamed of. And it's all thanks to you Simon. My little man. How I love you, you will never know. I can't imagine my life without having been your Mama. I will always be thankful for you. My greatest gift. Happy Birthday.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
I don't have baby pictures to upload here, but here are a few others so you can see what a handsome son I have!
and here is Si about 8:
and Si is 6 here:
Simon at 14:
Tennis names that will remind me of Simon's birthday forever are: Ivan (Lendl), Boris Becker (He was handsome with red hair, which is just what Simon was when he finally decided to be born!), John McEnroe, Andre Aggasi, Pete Sampras, Goran Ivanisevic (talk about a tall, dark and handsome Yugoslav!), Carlos Costa, Jim Courier, Guy Forget. We seriously considered naming Simon Ivan, but didn't because we knew people would call him EYE-VAN instead of EE-VON, and we didn't want our little guy to fight that battle all his life.
(Side-note: Even though he won the mens French Open title in 83, Yannick Noah must be mentioned as our friend Nigel Washington had a son and named him Yannick after the great tennis star.)
And here is Si last April ready for Jr. prom:
(it's a cell phone picture, so please excuse the quality!)
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