C is for Craig and Christopher

This one is for my two eldest boys.
Craig was born 9 weeks prem and weighed in at just 3lbs 4oz. I had a bad case of pre-eclampsia and had to have an emergency caesarean. Pretty scary for a first birth, I can tell you.
I wasn't able to see Craig because he was rushed off to another hospital, St James in Leeds, as his lung collapsed soon after birth and he needed better care than our hospital was able to give. So there I was, feeling like I'd been hit by a truck, wanting my baby and all I had was one of those awful Polaroids they leave beside your bed. No compensation, may I say.
I finally got to see him after two, very long, weeks. It was one of the most emotional points in my life. I wanted to hold him close and whisper in his little ear that I would always protect him but all I could do was stare at him through my tears and stroke him, occasionally, through the door in the incubator. But my boy was a fighter and after a couple of setbacks he began to gain in strength and pounds.
He came home at the age of two and a half months and he was the perfect baby. He only ever cried when he was hungry, he slept all night and was a happy little boy. He did everything on time, teething, talking, crawling, walking and was a joy to have around. He grew up to be a fine young man. He had his moods and sometimes he backchatted but all in all he never gave me a sleepless night. He has flown the nest and lives with his lovely partner, Kate.

Now, Christopher was a different kettle of fish, all together.
He was born three weeks early due to a mild case of pre-eclampsia, natural birth, induced. He came out fighting and never stopped. He weighed in at 5lbs 6oz so was just a bit small but otherwise healthy. He went home after three weeks and boy did we know he was there.
He cried incessantly and around 6pm every night he would set up screaming at top lung capacity. Nothing and nobody could quieten him and the only thing he was screaming for was screaming's sake. That would last about two hours then he would go off to sleep, and around 3am, wake up ready to play, for another two hours. That went on for 18 months and I was like a walking zombie doing everything on automatic pilot.
But as Chris grew his lovely personality started to shine through. He has a very happy outlook on life. He was always laughing and was eager to do anything just so long as he was moving. He was rebellious, though and hated being told no to anything. And from the age of 12 he got into more trouble than any boy should.
I was soon on first names terms with most of the local police and solicitors, almost had my own seat at the court house and police station and felt like wringing my boy's neck just around every hour of every day. But at the age of 16, one very wise policemen gave Chris, the talking to that turned his lfe around. He stopped getting into trouble and became the charming young man that I knew was hiding in there. He met his partner, Leah, when he was 16 and they now have their own home and my two beautiful grandchildren, Kalem and Lacey. Chris is a devoted dad who works hard for his family. He is also starting to understand what a trial he was to bring up, thanks to Kalem who is just as mischievous as he once was.