Tuesday, April 1, 2014

A is for Angus


April 1. 

It may be April Fool's Day, it may be the beginning of the A to Z Challenge, but in my world it is, and always will be, a sweet reminder of a mystic morning 17 years ago. Even the light seemed different in those moments, spring sunshine filtering through closed blinds, spilling magic into what otherwise would be a banal hospital room. Bird song drifted through an open window. Nurse Ginny's zen eased me through the mother's work – work as old and as mysterious and inevitable as time. 

When this picture was taken I held you in my arms for the first time, dear Angus, and even though my hair was messy and my face was flushed, it is one of my favourite photographs. In it I see a beautiful baby boy, my son, and a girl who suddenly understood the meaning of love.

Happy birthday.

75 comments:

  1. Would you look at young you......good times eh?

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    1. They were good. Especially since I had an epidural... :)

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  2. It's a timeless photograph, Cathy, and even though it's snowing (in April, for Gosh sakes), this shines through it all.

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  3. That is really sweet. Hope he sees it.

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    1. Thanks Alex, me too! (I'll make him ... mothers can be, um, quite convincing when we need to be...)

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  4. Happy Birthday, Angus! What a great picture of you and your mom.

    Blessings and Bear hugs!

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  5. ♫♪♫ Happy Birthday Dear Angus... Happy Birthday To Youuuu ♪♫♪

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    1. Nice musical notes there Rhondi! (Don't quit your day job - HAHAHAHAHA!)

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  6. Awww that is sooooo sweet!!! happy birthday Angus!!!!! Great picture too.

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  7. Lovely, so very, very lovely!

    Happy Birthday - April is a very special month!

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    1. Nice to see you here, fellow Minion! Hope you're having fun!

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  9. Great post! So true, everything seems different when you hold that new baby, your baby, in your arms. It's a whole other level of focus.

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    1. Sigh... you are absolutely right. It's the very best experience life has to offer. :)

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  10. Drat you Cathy. If your first post has sentimental tears leaking from my eyes I am getting a bit scared about what the rest of the month will bring.
    Happy birthday Angus - and a happy birthing day to you.

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  11. Couldn't help but think of John Lennon's Beautiful, beautiful boy! Beautiful memories, Cathy.
    Gail visiting for AtoZ

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    1. Isn't that a gorgeous song? I used to sing it to him all the time - until recently, when it just ticked him off. :)

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  12. A good day for birthdays; my brother's too. Happy birthday to the seventeen year old. Time just flies, doesn't it.

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    1. And my aunt's!

      Yeah, time flies way too fast for my liking ... I wish someone would clip its dang wings.

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  13. Who cares what your hair looked like - you only had eyes for that gorgeous wee babe! :-)

    (Congrats on attempting the A-Z - I've flunked out this year, so perhaps I'll just try and get round to reading as many other people's blogs during this month-long meme!)

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    1. I think I flunked out halfway through last year... oh well. We do what we can do, right? And pffffft on the rest!!!!!

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  14. Happy birthday, Angus! And happy birthing day, Cathy! I think WE ought to get the presents on our kids' birthdays, don't you? Or at least CHOCOLATE. Hugs to you, dearie!

    Marian Allen, Author Lady
    Fantasies, mysteries, comedies, recipes

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    1. ABsolutely, we should get presents AND chocolate! We did all the freaking work!

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  15. Excellent start to the A's. And Happy Birthday to him!

    Cat

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  16. This is the BEST start for an A to Z Challenge yet! Happy Birthday, Angus!

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  17. Aah! That was sweet. Having experienced birth too, I know this is a moment that is forever etched in your memory. Thanks for stopping in with me today!

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  18. Far better start to the A-Z than mine, Cathy! Beautiful. Happy birthday to Angus.

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    1. Pffft! Now you're just kissin' my butt! :) But thanks!

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  19. Lovely! This is so dear and being in grandbaby mode I am surely thinking of the first days with my now old kids! Still it all comes back 44 years whoosh by like nothing.

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  20. That's a gorgeous photo. A beautiful, captured moment.
    Happy birthday to Angus.

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    1. Thank you so much, Lynda! Credit where credit is due - my ex DOES take nice photos. :)

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  21. Beautiful! And so great that it all lined up for the first day of the Challenge. :-)

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    1. It was a HUGE amount of work, giving birth on EXACTLY the first day of the challenge. I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

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  22. Awww, that's sweet! Happy birthday to Angus, and now I've got you in a browser tab so I won't miss anything this month!

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  23. How sweet! Love this day 1 entry! Happy birthday to your son!

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  24. That was so beautifully written. That last line really caught me. A fantastic start to A to Z. :)

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  25. Happy birthday to your son! What a great way to start off the A/Z Challenge!!

    betty

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    1. Thanks so much, Betty! I love your name, by the way. Some of my favourite people over the years share your name. :)

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  26. This is beautiful! At eight and a half months pregnant with my first right now I am simply gushing! My due date is May 16th - we shall see if I can pull off a picture half as beautiful as yours for the Mr. A of my own (he will be Alexander!).

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    1. So exciting, Nicole! Oh I remember pregnancy so well. I loved it. I still miss the kicking, the mystery of it all, the complete and utter anticipation. Enjoy every moment and yes, take lots of picture of your Mr. A. ox

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  27. Wow. Wonderful start to the challenge. Happy Birthday Angus.

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  28. I am in tears. Happy Birthday, Angus! xox jean http://prettykittydogmoonjewelry.blogspot.com/

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  29. It's a beautiful, beautiful photo!
    Happy Birthday to Angus.

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  30. Thanks Cathrina - beautiful name you have there!

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  32. Been a while since I visited here...that's one wonderful thing about A-Z, finding old friends. Adding you to my reading list!

    D.B. McNicol
    Romance & Mystery...writing my life

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  33. Ohhhhh! Happy 17th birthday to Angus. That is such a lovely picture. Must be hard to imagine he was once that small! *grin*

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  34. Lovely, Cathy. Just lovely. And a great start to the A to Z Challenge

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  35. Awww, what a lovely post. I hope Angus had a happy birthday.
    Tasha
    Tasha's Thinkings

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  36. Awww, that's so sweet! And the photo is adorable.

    Random Musings from the KristenHead — A is for 'Almost Human' (and Action and Androids)

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