"The 3 lb ones weren't heavy enough for me." I said"But these aren't heavy at all." he repeated as he continued hosting it above his head.
"Yes, but imagine lifting that up in the air and curling it like this" I said while demonstrating. "for an hour, then it gets heavy."
He looked like he might believe me as his arm began to shake from holding the weight over his head.
Ryder pushed by my legs trying to see what was going on. And it hit me. Ryder weighed less than this when he was born.
Born 8 weeks early, weighing only 4 lbs 9 oz --he weighed less than this weight I now held in my hand.A flood of memories both awful and good came flashing back.
"Ryder weighed less than this" I stuttered. "No wonder it was so easy to carry him around all the time."
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If you are new to my blog, or don't know the story, I created a sidebar button with links to the posts about his birth and our experience in the NICU- you can find it on my sidebar or right here.
It's amazing when you make a comparison like that, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteWhen I lost 20 lbs, I thought about the fact that I had lost two 10 lb bowling balls. When I thought about it like that, it suddenly had so much more impact.
Yikes, what a comparison. XOXO
ReplyDeleteThe fact that it's not a present memory is a blessing, I think!
ReplyDeleteLove the new look.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how things can make you remember...
Our baby was born full term, a healthy 7 lbs 10 oz. But he had a difficult delivery and ended up in the NICU for one week. One very long, exahusting horrible week. I felt so grateful and lucky that it was only one week and we lived a couple miles away. I couldnt imagine having a premie in the NICU for a long period of time. That would be awful. Our baby was born the day before Thanksgiving. The NICU played Christmas music non-stop the entire week. I know everytime I hear Christmas music I will feel that flood of memories, good and bad, from Ben's first week alive in the NICU.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness...that is crazy to think of it like that...such an itty-bitty boy he was. So glad everything turned out happy.
ReplyDeletecrazy!!! i love that pic, so small. i still can't believe i'm going to have another here in three weeks. i hope he's not 9lbs like brennan b/c max seemed like more of a newborn at 7lbs and got to actually WEAR newborn clothes:) not that i really care in the end. i'll just be happy with healthy healthy healthy. so glad everything turned out with ryder to be ok. lucky mama!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, what a realization!
ReplyDeleteSo tiny. Sigh...
Wow, that's just crazy! He's come a long way and obviously you as well. You're both much stronger!!
ReplyDeleteI've had this realization many times...my babies were small.
ReplyDeleteThat really is crazy to think about! He really as so very tiny. Oh man, I'm really hoping I don't have to have another NICU baby . . .
ReplyDeleteI forget that we have that in common. Your story is a good one too! Isn't it amazing that they were so small and now they are so big? Sad. =(
ReplyDeleteHe really had such a rough beginning. And you would never know it looking at him now! He's your miracle baby.
ReplyDeleteI will often hold a 5lb bag of flour and think of how Jake and Quinn weighed that when they were born.... Claire was less.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh. I didn't even know! What a beautiful little miracle!!~
ReplyDeleteThat is crazy to think about! What a little miracle :)
ReplyDeleteWow! That is amazing, right? What a sweet, sweet baby. BTW, I'm sorry it has been so long since I've been by your blog. I love the "new" look!
ReplyDeleteGosh it does bring things into perspective when you have an object that weighs as much as or more than your child did when they were born!
ReplyDeleteSo tiny and sweet-- and your lil' babes have grown to be so cute and SWEET!!!!!
I remember this posts!
ReplyDeleteWhat a long way that little trooper has come!
It's amazing how time flies!
You are such and awesome mama!
It's hard to believe he was so tiny once, isn't it? Donut weighed less than 6lbs and was in preemie clothes for a couple of weeks. I look at the clothes now and think "Did she really fit into those??"
ReplyDeletewow 4lbs 9oz he was smaller then my little one at 5lbs and now mine is going to be 12 makes you look back and wonder where all the time goes
ReplyDeleteSo tiny! I'm glad everything worked out and he is healthy!
ReplyDeleteWOW Crazy. Isn't it amazing what little fighters they can be!
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard the story surrounding Ryder's birth! What a little fighter he is! I really enjoyed reading some of your Life in the NICU posts. It really makes you appreciate God's power.
ReplyDeleteI know!! Isn't it absolutely crazy when you compare it like that?
ReplyDeleteBella was my smallest baby born at 3 lbs, 6 oz and it's still so hard to believe she was ever that small.
Hard to believe … and look at him now!!!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you both came through that with flying colors!
ReplyDeleteI remember bringing Itty Bit home when he was exactly 5 pounds even... and they made us keep him hooked up to a giant beast of a machine so we could rarely hold him - even at home!
I love that God sees to those tiniest details to allow our kids to survive and thrive, even when born too early!
Ryder was so tiny and cute. I had one daughter that was slightly a month premature. She weighed only 5lbs and I thought she was tiny. Don't they just grow so fast?
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