Happy Birthday Cape Cod Kid

Cape Cod Kid is 23 today. And surprisingly that doesn't make me feel old.
Just really proud.

Last night he called because today he is working 2 of his many jobs. I told him I would be thinking of him all day and reminded him to be thinking about what I was doing 23 years ago today. Because it took him 34 hours to arrive into this world.

His beautiful little face was blue from the nose down because the cord was around his neck. A few years later I would wonder if that was why we were facing problems involving fine motor skills and educational issues. But he walked at 9 months and I have pictures of him kicking a soccer ball around the yard on his first birthday. His first sentence was "Mommy, I saw a baby Easter Bunny". At 3 I would take him to Disney movies and he would spend the ride home telling me he had thought of a better ending for the movie.

About the same time, His teachers were concerned and I kept telling doctors that I thought there were problems. I heard "boys will be boys" and "you have strong opinions about your child that are not necessarily appropriate". I fired THAT doctor's ass!
I shed tears of grief when one doctor told me that he might never function in a normal classroom or graduate from high school. Four years later I would shed tears of relief when a team of 5 doctors at Children's Hospital would sit in front of me and say "We can't tell you anything you haven't already known for years and you have already done almost everything we would have told you to do and we can certainly help you do more."

At 8, he found a passion for KungFu and stuck with it for the 8 years it took him to get his black sash. He is still passionate about it and continues to study. He has learned from international champions and recently from a Shaolin Monk. He has taught many kids and seen them earn their black sashes.

The school years were ROUGH! He graduated from high school, and gave college a try, but he was weary of the struggle.
Today, he is strong, sensitive, hardworking, funny, a loyal friend and role model to young kids.

My best story about him: 2 years ago I had major foot surgery. I was told I would be off my feet for about 3 months and could possibly take 6 months to a year to completely heal. It was my right foot and I wouldn't be able to drive.
His dad was working an hour away and many 12 hour days. His sister was in high school, a competitive dancer and teaching assistant at the dance studio 6 days a week.
My Cape Cod Kid made me breakfast and lunch every day, drove me to physical therapy and doctor's appointments and he did the grocery shopping. He took such good care of me.

When we decided to move to FL, he decided to stay on the Cape. We told him he would have to work really hard to make it alone up there, but he was willing to try. At times, he has worked construction, landscape, and retail along with his teaching.

I miss him a lot and I still worry about him.
I am so proud of how hard he works and how he presents himself to the world.
I love him fiercely.
Happy Birthday Cape Cod Kid.