The delivery took a wrong turn, twenty hours in, and my wife was wheeled away from me to the operating theater, where he was born, out of my sight.
After a long hour of waiting, the nurse brought in a tiny bundle to the nursery, where I had been told to wait. So small, like a precious statue being unwrapped for display.
They said he weighed ten pounds, but he was nothing in my hands. Blond hair, beautiful blue eyes, already alert and inquisitive, and he was perfect in every detail.
I looked at his widow's peak. Yep. My forehead. Poor kid....
Whispered voices overheard from my in-laws: "Why isn't he crying?" "They just experience it in another way, he just has to get to know him."
I was crying.
Our family didn't like our choice of traditional names based on lineage. "Louis is a nerdy name," my mother in law declaimed. It was my grandfather's.
So we decided to make up a name based on our tastes instead. My wife thought of Tristan, we both loved the story of Tristan and Isolde. An ancient name, to be sure. I had one thought: My father's middle name was Andrew, and I wanted something new and different. "How about Ender?" I asked her.
The name stuck.
My wife and I traded work schedules for the first year. She would watch him during the day, and I watched him at night.
He was remarkable. Learned to talk in nothing flat. Never fell down the stairs that lurked so precipitously outside our door. Became a speed demon on a big wheel. He was remarked to be very well mannered when he finally entered day care at the age of three.
He learned to read quite naturally. He wants to read. His questing mind searches for answers and novelty. Entering Kindergarten, he was assessed at a second grade level.
It doesn't hurt that he sees Mom and Dad with books in their hands constantly.
He was bathed and clean this morning. He was sporting his new blue (his favorite color) backpack. We put a couple of crackers and cheese snacks in his pack, for snack.
He bravely stood alone in line, waving at me, and marched into his first classroom.
I was crying. I am right now.
But it's a good cry.... Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
Did you really name your kid Ender?
The first day of school is always tough.
Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
Yeah. It's his middle name. People generally don't pick up on the name.
But I understand that will soon change, with the release of the movie. Get used to kids named Ender. Posted by Sopwith (Member # 4640) on :
Awwww, what a story! Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
Thanks. It was hard to drive home. (Is that fog, or... Oh, wait, my eyes are blurring again.) Had to get it out of my brain!
Posted by Zotto! (Member # 4689) on :
Very cool.
Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
Thanks. It's a lumpy kind of "tough guys don't cry" cry. Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
'Cause you're not gay or anything. We get it. Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
Or a woman.
Thanks Posted by asQmh (Member # 4590) on :
On a completely superficial level, eslaine, I just wanted to say that I liked your writing style. Your word choice and clarity would have made this an interesting post, even if I cared nothing about the subject.
As it is, however, I'm a sucker for kids and therefore all the more drawn in. ^_^ Be strong! Next he'll be saying, "Dad, mom: this is the girl I want to marry."
Q.
Posted by Ryuko (Member # 5125) on :
(blush)
That was wonderful, eslaine... He sounds like a remarkable boy. Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
Yikes!
But I guess that's how it happens though....
::blows nose::
And thanks for the critique! Valuable feedback is always appreciated. Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
*sniff* I still get that feeling every morning as I watch my little man get on that buss he insists on riding. *sniff*
Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
(((Olivet))) You mean this isn't the end of it? Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
I suppose it depends on the person and the kid. Take me, for example. I jump for joy every morning when my son leaves. Of course, he's a couple of months away from being a teenager, so . . .
Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
Boy, I dread that! And if he pulls the sneaky crap I used too... Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :
That's very touching, Eric. It's stuff like that which makes me glad other people are having kids.
Not me of course.
Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
Aww, why not? More intellegent types should breed.
But I'm glad you enjoyed it. Now, I have to go face that school again to pick him up. And now I'm crying like a little girl....
And yeah, It's still a good cry.
Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :
How perfect Tick. You big blue softy!
Posted by dangermom (Member # 1676) on :
I'm acquainted with a guy whose kid's middle name is also Ender. The boy is about 3 now.
And I really liked your post, eslaine. Also, now I know that you're a guy.
Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
I already get that way about my little fella...I can't imagine him going to school yet!
Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
Thanks dangermom! Haven't seen you around all that often for such an older join-date. Just a lurker? Well, that means an awful lot that you posted here. I am honored.
And Tick, don't worry--It gets worse!
Posted by Alucard... (Member # 4924) on :
Excellent post eslaine,
Thanks for the gender heads-up as well! I too also agree that your emotions are well-founded and justified, having 2 of my own: 7 and 1.
See you around!
Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
Thanks. I think it just bled from my eyes to the page.
Glad to clear up that nasty gender question too! I had no idea that it was an issue...
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
Well, if you take the s out of your name, you do realize that it would elaine, right?
Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
Yeah. But there is an actual female hispanic name of Eslaine too.
I was just updating an old psuedonym for the Internet. Erik Slaine--->e(lectronic)slaine. Like email. Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
Proud Dad bump!
Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
He went to bed early last night. He went right to sleep, with no arguments.
This morning, I turned on the lights in his room, saying "Okay, Guy. Let's get dressed. It's Thursday, and we don't want to be late for your graduation."
He popped up, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He excitedly got dressed and headed off to eat breakfast.
He waited in the car for 15 minutes before we left.
And I'm so damn proud, I could just bust.
My first grader....
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
Well said.
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
Wow. It doesn't take long, does it?
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Posted by Kama (Member # 3022) on :
Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
Aww, thanks guys....
Posted by saxon75 (Member # 4589) on :
I don't think I read this the first time around Erik, but that was a great post. And right on for the little guy!
Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
somehow i missed it as well.
Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
Thanks again.
'Scuse me, I got sumpin in my eye....
Posted by ak (Member # 90) on :
Ah, I missed it too! But I'm glad it came back around. This is a great thread, eslaine! Kids grow up and it all happens so fast. My baby niece is going off to college this fall. Their whole lives go by so quickly and we don't really get a chance to appreciate them or savor them.
Posted by tt&t (Member # 5600) on :
Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
Thanks. I think I'll go get him a present when I get off work.
Maybe a video game. He always seems to want a new video game.
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