Gabriel Burton

The Last of my kids is Gabriel Burton. And I mean last for sure of the kids coming from my body! My body has been pregnant for a total of 45 months and nursed a baby for 41 months that is 86 months, so for over 7 solid years my body has been given for my children. I think that that is enough. Especially since I had the last 2 (including Gabriel) by C-Section. 2 surgeries where I was a totally healthy individual and yet cut open. It made the recovery that much faster since I was healthy to begin with -- I NEVER want to have surgery if I'm sick-- but it was quite a lot to go through. I had a C-Section with Gabriel because I had one with Ezra and my midwife's practice do not do VBAC (if you don't know what that is, it's no big deal but the people who DO know what it is no explanation necessary!) I wanted the same doc's and midwives that I was used to and trusted to help bring in my last child into the world. So from the beginning I knew what would happen, this was after RAMON convinced me to have just one more. I'm so glad he did, because Gabriel is such a blessing! It is usually the wife wanting more kids, but it was the husband in our case who brought it up before we were totally out of the "baby stage" why not just one more? I think I asked if he was on something at the time, but I prayed about it and indeed just one more was what God wanted. It happened pretty quickly from there as well. I am so thankful that it was "easy" for me to get pregnant and sustain the pregnancy. I do not take that for granted at all. I see heartbreak after heartbreak in this area and I just have to say that each and every child is a total miracle and that no one is here except for the hand and grace of GOD Himself. Two more things I will add about when Gabriel first got to us, I had to schedule the C-Section for a Wednesday around 39 weeks or so (THAT was really nice, too because I never went through labor with Gabe, boy, am I thankful for that!!) anyway, 39 weeks was around my nephew's birthday and the last year's birthday party we missed because of Ramon needing to go to the ER for something, so I decided to schedule it for 40 weeks which the date was April 5, 2006 or 04/05/06 isn't that the coolest birthday in the year 2006?? I was so thankful for that and I was not worried in the least that I would make it to that day and that I would not have any labor and since everything was prepared I would have a quick recovery. All that happened as if I scripted it. But it wasn't me, it was the Lord answering my prayers. Thank you LORD! Another thing about that is after Gabriel was out and they were "putting me back together", they told me why the last 2 babies were breech (I would have never had them the regular way, it would have been probably very bad for me had we tried). The doctor and midwife said that my womb was heart shaped and the baby's head got "stuck" in one of the sides of the heart and then couldn't rotate anymore! Isn't that the coolest thing ever????? My womb shaped like a heart -- wow! Let me tell you again how great God is!!!!
Anyway, so now we have Gabriel "hero of God" and Burton "famous". Gabriel was suggested by my mom and meant something cool so that's where that name came from, and Burton was after Ramon's Grandfather, Duane Burton Bassett. I thought it was a very cool name for a middle name so I wanted to find a first name to go with it.
He is 2 years old at the time I write this and right now looking at me with his HUGE brown eyes! He is so cute with the huge dark brown eyes and then everything else, skin and hair are so LIGHT! He has such bright blond hair it is almost out of place with the other kids who are pretty similar. I used to look at him and say "where did you come from" since he is totally different (except you can see it in the eyes). He weighed 8 pounds 15 ounces, which isn't that bad (almost 9 pounds!), but my next biggest baby was 7 pounds 9 ounces, that is a whole pound and a half bigger! He also has spots. Yes, you read that right, he is spotted with this thing called "Erdicaria Pigmentosa" and it's supposed to make him more prone to allergies and be itchy, but none of that has happened -- thank the LORD! He takes a low dose of Singulair everyday, but that is nothing. The spots are supposed to go away when he is 5 or so, and not hurt him. So no big deal! They look a little strange to others who are not used to it, but soon they will be gone anyway. He is my little spirited one, too. He loves to explore and get into everything. He has the sweetest habit, though. He sucks his thumb but then with the other hand, rubs his ear -- OR the ear of the person closest to him! It's hilarious! If you are the lucky one to be near him, it feels so good. My mom says it's like a little massage! He is all boy but so very friendly and has a winning smile to boot. He is potty training now and it's been the easiest of all the rest. I am going to have a big party with the theme "I Don't Have To Buy Diapers Anymore!" after he is potty trained. Yes, I have been buying diapers now for 11 years, 2 months, and 10 days. I am so done with diapers. But on the other hand, I love the snuggles and ear rubs that come with the diapers so I am not wishing away this and missing out on the good, I am really just looking forward to my "diaper raise"! (Which is what all families get when you no longer have to buy $30 in diapers every month -- or more!)
Gabriel is a welcome addition to our family and even though we have 5, with him it seems even. We have 2 boys, then a girl, then 2 more boys. There is no perfect number of children to have (pudding comes in packs of 4 but juice in packs of 6 so who's the expert here?) you have to listen to your heart and to God for your perfect number. I would never tell anyone to have more kids just because they "only" have 2, that may be THEIR number. Who am I to say anything to them?? They can ask me what it is like with 5, I will be happy to tell them over dinner (their treat) with someone babysitting the kids. But 5 is not for everyone. 2 is not for everyone. 10 is not for everyone. I do chuckle a little when I hear someone complain about having problems with 2. One thing that is essential for every family is to have a mom and a dad who love each other and love the kids. You can go anywhere from there! If you don't have that, then until you get that you cannot move on to the next cool thing for your family! (For all you single parents out there, who are not single by choice but by the bad choices of others -- I salute you and you can do and overcome anything with this next step-->) The next step would be for everyone to love God together. If you have that the SKY IS THE LIMIT!
I will focus on my husband next, I am VERY thankful for him and it will be an honor to honor him especially this month, for on the 30th, we will be married for 14 years.