Planes, trains, and automobiles...and Mom

The day Marvin and I had one of our first ultrasounds with Evan is a day I’ll never forget. When the technician asked us if we wanted to know our baby’s gender, both of us enthusiastically answered, “yes.” Since I am a total type-A personality, there is no way I could go through an entire pregnancy and prepare the rest of my life without knowing, planning, and trying to control everything. I just knew we were having another girl, because I come from a family with two girls, and my sister has two girls. That's just what happens in my family. So, when the technician said, “You are definitely having a little boy, “ both Marvin and I were shocked. If I wasn’t already lying down, I probably would have fallen over.

As the ultrasound continued, and the technician labeled all of Evans "parts," I had a million things racing around my brain. It couldn’t be true. We already had a girl’s name picked out. And, between my nieces and Olivia, I was completely comfortable around baby girls. I didn’t even know how to change a boy’s diaper… 

Naturally, I eventually came to terms with the news. We donated all of our girl clothes, and prepared for life with a baby boy. While I don’t usually subscribe to stereotypes, trains, trucks, and baseball would be a welcome change from tiaras, dolls, and princesses.

When Evan was diagnosed with having suffered a stroke, we weren’t sure how his stroke would affect him. I secretly wondered if he would ever throw a baseball with his Dad, play with Matchbox cars, dig in the dirt, or climb trees. 

And, while we still don’t know all of the effects of his stroke, we do know that Evan is 100 percent boy! He is fearless. He climbs on everything. He plays for hours with his cars and trains. He is fascinated by airplanes. He hits and throws baseballs. He digs in the dirt and throws rocks. He has an unexplainable connection with his mother. That's one stereotype that I do believe - there is something very special about a son's relationship with his mother. So, I feel very fortunate to have a son, and today’s special thing about Evan is that he is a typical boy!

OLIVIA'S STREAK