You Say It's My Birthday (Duh Duh Duh Duh Duh Duh)

It's true. Thirty-four years ago today, I entered this world in a small hospital in Wisconsin on a cold, cold winter day. Here's my birth story straight from my mom's mouth... (sorry for those who don't know me - for the graphic details - but I think this is cool. Something to save... show my kids...)

"December 30, a Sunday, so you are a Sunday child according to the old English rhyme – I think it is a “child bonnie and fair”. At any rate, it’s a good day to be born and here it is a Sunday again1973 was. It’s your lucky birthday. It was very cold, snowy and icy back in ’73.

A month before, I was at work and slipped on a wet floor in the operating room and landed on my tummy. I was so off balance that I couldn’t catch myself. I was absolutely terrified that something bad had happened to you, but thankfully, everything was OK at that time. I’m not sure whether that fall had anything to do with your early delivery, but I think it did. Then, a couple of weeks before you were born, I took call in the operating room and worked 27 hours straight. I was so exhausted, I remember coming home and getting in the bathtub and just sitting there – Dad had to help me get out because I was too tired to help myself.

But by the time of the 30th, I was working half days and would come home at noon and sleep the rest of the day.

On that Sunday, Dad and I had gone on the tour of the hospital (which was a good thing since we knew where to go!) in the afternoon, and I started to get contractions. I remember one of the nurses asking me if I was OK when we were in the child birth classes. We went home and laid down in our bed and watched TV, and all I remember is that Dad was eating potato salad in bed and scraping the bowl with the spoon, and it was so irritating to me, it was like he was scraping on my every nerve. Then my water broke with a huge pop, I soaked the bed and the contractions started very fast and big time. Took my breathe away! I had to go to the potty and Dad had to help me up, it hurt so bad.

They were coming very fast and very hard, so Dad called the doctor and we headed out for the hospital. Every bump in the road was torture, and it was so cold and dark and snowy. We got to the hospital and the nurses put me in a wheelchair to wheel me upstairs while Dad went to park the car. They put me in a room and were getting ready to do the regular prep (you know, the shaving, the enema, etc.) but they left me alone for a while. I remember going to the bathroom again and then the resident came in (major babe – black and very handsome). Even in my pain, I remember thinking how handsome he was. He checked me and started shouting that I was about to deliver. They shoved me on a cart into the delivery room and put me on the table and my legs into stirrups. My legs were shaking so badly, it was like I was having seizures. They never did the other stuff, which I was very happy about.

The resident started the delivery and then my OB and Dad showed up at the very end (it was that quick) and I remember the OB commenting on all the dark hair you had. Thankfully, Dad got there for the delivery and he stood at the head of the table and helped talk me through it. This all started around 4:30 and you were born around 8 p.m.

You were so small and skinny, but so brave. And so beautiful. Long, angel eyelashes. Dad and I fell in love.

We shared a room with a mom who had had a baby boy. The first day I stood up, blood flooded out of me because the birth was so quick. I also remember holding you and you peeing in my lap.

Took you home two days later and Grandma came down to help. I fixed oyster stew for New Years and she had a major gall bladder attack and was in bed for a week. And, my boobs were leaking everywhere and hurt like heck. So, new baby, leaky boobs, very sick mother – in –law and me trying to recover from childbirth. And I cried and cried. And leaked and leaked.

I wouldn’t have traded it for the world, and giving birth to you was the highlight of my life. Truly.

I know it has not always been easy for you having me as a Mom, given everything that has happened. I am what you got and you made the best of it, but even though it hasn’t always been easy, you have always been my first consideration when you were growing up and I have always loved you the most. I am very proud of you.

I do not apologize for the kind of Mom I was – you and your friends could learn a lot from my generation!

Love you much

Happy 34th!"