Mighty Mite

It's been a bit since I've blogged. Do I need to apologize? I'm not sure. HOWEVER, it has been a while. Everything I know went a bit topsy-turvy and I've spent any spare time holding myself together OR holding my new grand baby. Yup! You heard me right. I have a new grandson. His name is Tyson Trenton Jackson and was born on January 27, 2018. Do I need to say that he is adorable, sweet, strong, demanding, funny and absolutely-beyond-a-shadow-of-a-doubt the cutest baby that ever lived? Ever.

Do you think I'm a bit prejudiced?

I am.

Tanna and Jerico have stayed here in Provo for a while now. Tanna kept her OB Doctor here and was pretty adamant that baby was to be born in Utah County. She was right, you know.

January 26 rolled around and Tanna had been having labor pains off and on for a couple of weeks now. You know the kind that stop after a hot bath or relaxing on the couch for a while? Tanna was dialated to MAYBE a 2 and according to the laments of Tanna "This baby is NEVER going to come."

"You're right Tanna. You're going to be pregnant FOREVER. Get used to it." I don't know how to put an eye roll in black and white - but my eyes were rolling around in my head. Hard.

Back to January 26. Tanna, Jerico and I watched television for a while. We kept having to pause the show in order to time Tanna's contractions. I went to bed thinking "We're having that baby tonight."

Tanna woke me up aout 3:00. "Mom, the contractions are steady. And worse. We have to go."

I jumped up, put on my clothes, grabbed a blanket (because I'm always cold), ran a brush through my hair, brushed my teeth and readied myself to greet my new grandson.

I followed in my car as Jerico led us to Timpanogos hospital. We got Tanna in a room and settled in a bed and the games began. Between moaning and groaning and cussing and swearing and crying and hollering, Tanna decided to go with an epidural.

I had all five of my kids natural. No drugs. No epidural. Just labor. And pain. It was a decision I had made and at times I forget that the entire world DOES NOT have to think like I do. I'm pretty against epidurals, however as I watched my baby hurt like that, tears streamed from my face and all I could think was "Thank goodness." The wimp that I am COULD NOT handle the hurt any longer.

Rest came. We all napped a bit and before we could process everything, it was time to have a baby.

I have never seen a birth. I have GIVEN birth 5 times, however, this time I was able to hold the hand  of my beautiful daughter and witness her becoming the single most important person in the world to another human. A mother. A lifeline. A best friend. A leader. A gift.

Tyson Trenton Jackson changed our world on January 27, 2018 at 3:50pm weighing in at 7 lbs 1 oz and measuring 19.25 inches.

Tyson took one breath, turned a black/purple color and went limp.

I have been on a super-hero kick. I'm currently watching season one of Jessica Jones on Netflix. Tanna, Jerico and myself watched 2 seasons of the Punisher, moved right into Daredevil, and just wrapped up The Defenders.

I watch every-day-normal people find an inner strength to match their capabilities.

My baby Tyson did that. NICU rushed in the room, grabbed the baby and began working on him. I watched Mark - both hands grabbing his head - pacing back and forth without saying a word, yet daring the doctors to mess up. I wobbled between the new little guy and my daughter reassuring her that all was well and back to Tyson willing him to breathe. Just breathe! I watched his chest pump up and down. He was trying with ALL OF HIS MIGHT to breathe in and I was willing him with ALL OF MY MIGHT to gasp the breath of life.

Tyson began to breathe - shallow gasping breaths. But he was breathing. Tanna was able to hold him for a minute before he was whisked away to NICU.

Baby Tyson had blood infections. He was a sick boy. He endured a spinal tap, feeding tubes, MULTIPLE IV's, a picc line and all of the worries that come with NICU.

Guess what? Two weeks later, he decided that enough was enough and that boy went off the oxygen, dismissed the infections and squalled like a champ. Tyson came home and slept mightily in Grandmas loving arms.

I think about super heroes. I have portrayed my entire family in one way or another in the same circle as a hero. When others run from fear and hurt and danger, my family will be there to stabilize the fear and slay the dragons. I have no doubt.

Welcome baby Tyson. Nope. You don't get a cool cape or form fitting spandex to prove you are a super hero. However, you are. You have the strength of a champion and the heart of a hero. You're going to change the world. Deason style.