Four Years ago....

Four years ago tonight I was not even close to falling asleep in my friend Angie's in-law's house in Ruston, LA. We had evacuated our home and driven like 7 hours north. Hurricane Katrina had made landfall as a category 5, with the eye of the storm going DIRECTLY over our town. We were all safe, we were all together. I remember packing for our evacuation, hugely pregnant, wondering if I should bring any baby stuff with me. He was still snug in my belly at that time. I decided to bring a small diaper bag with a few baby outfits and at last minute I grabbed the infant carseat "just in case." Well sure enough, we were had no choice but to have our baby. The town we lived in was essentially shut down. There was no electricity. downed trees everywhere, 8 feet of flooding in some places and overall no one was allowed in because the storm hadn't quite passed yet.
We had no idea the state of our home. But we knew DD had brewed in there long enough and just had to come out.
We found a hospital and a new doctor (who was waaaaay better than my original one). Our moms and dads drove down to be there. Jeff and I got up at the crack of dawn to go to the hospital for the scheduled c-section. The doctors were so good to us, and the nurses too. Everyone showered us with gifts, because we had NOTHING for this baby boy. I remember the night before he was born we went to babies r us to get a bassinet for him to sleep in! The nurses bought us a swing! Wow, looking back at all of this I'm amazing I held myself together!
Back to the boy at hand, Deagan came into this world at 7:50am (maybe that's why he's an early riser?) He was a ginormous baby. All swollen with fluid from the c-section and didn't look at all like himself. I think it took him about three months to look like "Deagan."
Deag kept us hoping from day two of his life, with his first of MANY, many fevers. He had to have a spinal tap at two days old! How terrible for a baby! Then he had an IV board stuck to his arm for the next few days. Silly kid... they never did find out what was wrong with him. And ever since he's been the king of fevers. When he gets sick he gets very high fevers, four hours on the dot apart, for about four days. Honest. Fever king!
Mr. Man has definitely had an eventful life. He's lived in many houses, six to be exact. He's been on more plane rides than most adults (ahem, brynn).
He hit the ground running and hasn't stopped. He's our little man who loves anything with wheels. Bikes, scooters, skateboards (with a sled on top going down the driveway), quads, quads and more quads, specially if he can ride them with poppie. He loves to go fast. He loves to feel like he was in danger (not sure that's really a smart thing, but it's a deag thing). He likes to wear his helmet, which is a good thing because he uses it frequently. You'll frequently hear him yell across the culdesac, "that was awesome, did you see that?"

He loves Mac 'n Cheese. And asks for it daily, despite my efforts to only let him have it once a week.
He loves his "sippy and a snack" every morning, first thing. When he wakes up in the morning he runs, literally as fast as he can, breathless, as if someone were chasing him, into my room. And yes, it cracks me up daily. You can hear a "thump" as he falls out of bed and then the pitter patter of his running feet as he races to my room before the monsters under his bed can get him:) Oh sweet boy, how I love you!
He HAS to go outside, everyday, before 10am. Otherwise he doesn't function properly and will start to destroy things, or pick on his sister. It's like his body requires the fresh air in the morning like I require coffee.
He still takes a TWO hour nap, everyday. And he loves to be tickled, hard and as fast as you can, before you tuck him into his nap. You may think it would rile him up, but no it helps him "get his energy out" and pass out.
He loves to watch movies, or better yet go to movies.
He loves his big sister, who he used to call "sissy" but now calls "Livia."
He loves to play fetch with maverick and jumps up and down with delight each time Mav goes to get the toy, like he's amazed the dog is actually listening to him and doing what D says.
It's his mission in life to win at everything, and if he doesn't he cries. Like a baby.
He's a momma's boy. ;)
He's sneaky and he'll try to swindle many, many things with those dimples.
He's got a pouty lip that rivals most babies. When he cries he hops up and down and strums his hand on his belly like he's playing the guitar. I call him hopper and ask him what song he's playing, then he laughs through the tears.
He loves his baby sister and greats her with "where's my pretty girl" every morning in this super cute voice.
He's very rough with Tess, but she loves it and smiles at his crazy antics!
He can't be trusted with her, at all, ever. He'll shove something in her mouth, pinch her, pull on her, anything he can just to see how she'll react. But she'll never cry for him! I'll say "deagan stop pinching her feet buddy, it hurts her!" and he'll reply "no it doesn't mommy, she would cry if it did!"
He loves cookies. and popcorn. and orange juice. and coffee- you must hide your cup or he'll chug it!
He doesn't like cake. or anything green to eat.
He's sneaky.
He's adorable.
He's VERY hard headed.
He will ask you before he does something what the punishment will be, then weigh his options. Hmm, five minutes of time out for one super cool jump off the kitchen table, ok it's worth it!
He doesn't like to listen to his mother.
He misses his daddy who pushes him to do more fun, crazy things! Like ride a two wheeled bike at 3 years old!
He's my baby boy! He'll always be.
Happy Fourth Birthday Deag! I love you!