On March 15, 1984 I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy weighing 7 pounds 5 ounces and measuring 21 inches.  The very second he was born there was a lightening strike that lit up the delivery room.  The Dr. said " Woah, now that's a sign."  I knew from that moment that our lives would never be the same.  His name, Gregory James.  After his daddy, of course, and his Uncle Jim Barnes.

The nurses at the hospital dubbed him " the little wet fish" because he was flopping around like a fish out of water.  He had to be placed in an enclosed incubator.  He couldn't be trusted in an open one.  Gregory was born almost five weeks premature, so he needed some special care.

The first three months were a little frightening.  He was a very sick baby.  When we passed the three-month mark, there was no stopping him.  He did everything early.  He was sitting alone at five months, quickly moved on to crawling and was walking at 9 1/2 months.  As for talking, that came later.  Talking clearly, much later.  At nine months of age I found him on my refridgerator.  He loved to climb and he climbed everything he could his whole life.

Had his first stitches at 13 months.  Second set at 15 months.  At three he decided to ride his bike off the front porch.  Needless to say, that didn't end too well.  Had his first surgery at three.

He was a very athletic little guy, even as a toddler. He could throw and catch a ball very well.  When he was three, he kicked a kickball over our house on Burr Road, and was so proud of himself.  He was in constant motion, and this never changed.

Every gift for the next several years was either some sort of ball or it had wheels.  We invested a lot of money in knee and elbow pads and helmets and when all else failed trips to the emergency room.  I remember going out the front door one day and Gregory had an old rotten piece of plywood, a garbage can, two recycling bins, a mop, a broom and of course a skateboard.  What are you picturing?  That's right a makeshift ramp.  I yelled, Gregory No!  But was too late, he was already in motion. He jumped up and said I'm OK I'M OK.  Whenever he got hurt, he would always jump up and say I'm OK, didn't matter how much he was really hurtring.