The Spencer Baby is 10!

We started referring to her as “The Spencer Baby” at Woman’s Hospital because the radiology department called her that for weeks before she was born. Cecilia was our fifth baby and three of her siblings were born early at Woman’s. It’s easier to call the high-risk ones “Last name-Baby” in case they don’t make it, but The Spencer Baby was more of a worthy opponent or a frustrating chore because she was our first to approach full term and she was big, bold and HATED invitro monitoring.

They took turns tricking each other into landing the chore – The Spencer Baby is waiting in Room 4!

She was almost 9 pounds, transverse and breached – yeah, ouch – and when monitored, she turned and twisted away and once just “kicked” at the probe so all the radiologist saw was a big foot pressed against the screen. I would say that’s a good sign, right?

She was born one week before my own birthday. The first time I saw her was from a bed in ICU. They told me I couldn’t hold her alone because I was on too much medication and hooked to too many monitors. OK, I said, take them all off and point me to the hallway. Her father walked into ICU and was wondering why I was in the hall, clinging to the side of the wall. I looked at him, turned my head to the side, smirked a little and said “Tell them to bring me my baby.”

She’s been my motivation and muse every since. I know I’m one of those “old mommies,” but children need all we can give them and I put a lot into my health, career and life because Cece needed me. Along the way, she became the source of endless blessings. “I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging bread.”

I quit jobs because they were not best for Cecilia and took jobs that sounded “like fun” to Cecilia. Basically, she was the barometer that the Lord has used to guide me from newspapers to Web development to higher education to PR to consulting to “whatever I do now” as I work for Spencer Media Solutions. Got to admit, this job is “great” for Cecilia.

I’m 10 years older, but more than 100 pounds lighter and a non-medication-maintained diabetic and problems with hypertension and back and knee pain are a thing of the past. I didn’t want to be the skinny mom. I wanted to be the productive, ALIVE mom when my daughter walked across the stage to accept her Ph.D. – I figured I would have to tie her shoe strings at least.

I know I’ve become older, wiser and stronger because everything in my life was geared to being the best, the healthiest or the most industrious mother this child could have. God is blessing her through me and vice versa.

We have been blessed with the most tremendous village and I’m thankful to you for being a part of it.

Happy Birthday, Cecilia Grace Spencer …The Spencer Baby is rolling in the double digits!