October 7th, 1986
As told to me
It was dawn and I started to feel something, so I turned over and gently woke up Dad, “I think it’s time.” We got up and while Dad took a shower, in between contractions, I lovingly ironed his shirt because I was still a good wife at that time, and I wanted Dad to look his best when he met you.
We were admitted into the hospital around 7am very excited to have our baby. I was having contractions all day and it was getting worse, so I kept thinking you’d be coming any time.
What time is it right now? Oh yeah around this time, well around lunch time, I remember the doctor came in and looked at me and then looked at her watch and said, “I think I have time for a sandwich.” I remember thinking, “what?! She has time for a sandwich?! Now?! At a time like this? Does she know that I’m about to have a baby???”
A little while later it was time, so I started pushing but you were coming out the wrong way. I don’t know backwards or upside down. Something was wrong about the way you were coming out so we were rushed into a c-section.
When you came out you were so hairy, and your shoulders were so fuzzy like a little monkey so we called you Chim Chim from Speed Racer.
You were the most beautiful thing we had ever seen. I thought I understood love before, but I never really knew what love was until I met you.
This is the story my mom tells every single year and has a version for each of my brothers on their birthdays.
Happy birthday to me and happy Birth-day to my mama!
P.S. This post was loosely inspired by Bess Kalb’s Nobody Will Tell You This But Me: A true (as told to me) story, a very sweet story of a girl and her grandmother and all the stories and advice her grandma shared.
P.P.S. This is the end of my 61-day sprint. I don’t know what’s next but I’ll most likely resume a blog every other week. Stay tuned!
:-) Every word is true (I ironed dad's pants too). I don't hold grudges, except... to this day, I'm still mad at that doctor - stopping to get a sandwhich while I'm trying to have a baby - uugghh.
Congratulations on completing this latest challenge, we are now addicted to the posts, so I sure hope you write more than every other week!
On one of the whiteboards in my office, I wrote this quote 5 years ago, and I see it daily:
"When you keep the promises you make to yourself, you are one of the most powerful people in the world". That statement is something I aspire to and you're definitely far ahead of me at keeping the promises you make to yourself - so proud of you. Always have been.
Hope you have a wonderful birthday, Rebecca my Joy. Love you so much!