Two in April

Once upon a time, an almost 5-year-old girl became a big sister. The word "thrilled" doesn't begin to describe her emotions, and she immediately became the second mommy to her new baby brother. With Isaiah's birth, I now had two April babies, Isaiah on the 15th and Shulamith on the 30th. My 2021 plan is to tell a childhood story for each of my children in the month of his or her birth, so I'd better get started! But wait. What about this idea? What if I tell a story that includes both of them: a Shulamith/Isaiah childhood story. Yeah, let's try that.

Once upon a time, an almost 5-year-old girl became a big sister, and shortly after, we moved from Oregon to Northern California with three kids in tow: Luke (6), Shulamith (5), and Isaiah (3 months). It was such a fun time of life, full of non-stop action and so much love. Each day, Luke and Shulamith would go off to school, and Isaiah and I would hang out, often get fast food (shocking, I know), and spend the afternoon enjoying the sunny California weather at various parks with my friend Corrie and her 2-year-old daughter, Kelly. 

Shulamith's year in kinder was clipping right along, with various events, including the time she was "Student of the Month" at her school. I knew ahead of time she was receiving this award, so I made sure she was dressed in her cutest outfit, a black velour jumper and white blouse, with freshly washed hair and a big bow. Isaiah and I showed up at the school and hid in the back as all the students entered, so Shulamith wouldn't notice us. Isaiah, by far my most content baby, sat happily in his stroller as we waited for the assembly to begin.

I don't remember what else happened in the assembly, but I know it wasn't until the very end that they announced the Student of the Month. I wish I could have seen her face when the principal announced "Shulamith Webster," but instead, I witnessed her joy from behind as she hopped right up and marched proudly down the center aisle, her waist-long hair swaying behind her, to claim her award. Everyone applauded, and Isaiah joined in, having only recently learned to clap his hands.

This whole deal must have been too much excitement for her 5-year-old immune system to handle, because the very next week she came home from school covered in chickenpox. This began a two-week marathon, filled with oatmeal and baking soda baths, pink calamine lotion, and Popsicles to lessen the itching from the pox inside their mouths. You see, Shulamith was generous; she unselfishly shared the illness with Luke, who then shared it with baby Isaiah. Oh my! I'm sure I slept at some point in those two weeks, but I have no memory of sleep.

Luke and Shulamith fared better than Isaiah, who definitely had the most severe case. He was seven months old and had no idea what was happening to him. I could put the big kids on the couch, turn on the TV, and tell them not to scratch. But Isaiah. None of the above. I so clearly remember his perfect face with big blue eyes and thick, black lashes, looking pleadingly into my eyes as if to say, "Mommy! Fix this!" 

I couldn't. 

Everyone recovered, and I don't think anyone has any residual scarring. Eli had chickenpox a few years later, but by the time Seth was born, an effective vaccine was available, so he didn't have to go through this. Yay for science!

And yay for my two amazing April babies! I love them so.