Twenty Five

I find the stories that make up an oral family history fascinating.  Our family stories include K using the word 'bread' when she lifted her glass instead of 'toast',  s trying to sound out the word breakfast, S leaving me on the golf course in the hail storm, the list goes on.  Growing up, my Mom always told us the stories of the day we were born on our birthdays, and I tell my children their stories as well.  What pivotal events those days were, the days we met K and s.

As the first child, K's story is longer.  It begins tomorrow, Nov. 15, a day I was certain I would be no longer pregnant.  I knew the chances of a first timer going over due, but managed to convince myself that the workload of a resident would hurry labor along.  It didn't.  So, beginning on November 15 and continuing for the next seven days, K listens daily to "You still weren't born".  The septuplets were born in that week.  Every year, they are in the Sunday paper the week before K birthday.  Along with the "you're STILL pregnant?" comments, I was also hearing "Aren't you glad you don't have seven?"

Finally, on a Friday evening, the contractions started and worsened.  At midnight, we went to the hospital.  The every two minute contractions were not doing much and we spent the night fitfully sleeping, me sedated, sitting straight up to be as comfortable as possible, vomiting hourly.  The next day brought pitocin and finally an epidural which helped speed labor along. At 8:00 pm, we got to meet our K.  The pain, the struggle, all wiped away in an instant to meet this unique, special girl. 

My mother, who had been as impatient as I the past week, eventually called the hospital after we hadn't answered the phone all day.   At 5:00 pm, as the epidural had just taken effect, a nurse stuck her head in the door and said "Your mother is on the phone, she wants to know if she should come".  We asked the nurse to tell her to come.  My parents arrived in the waiting room 15 minutes before K was born, waited until she was all cleaned up, came in to sing her happy birthday and turned around to drive the 180 miles home.

As all new parents are, we were enthralled with our girl. We still are.  K is an amazing person; I am so lucky to know her and so proud of how special she is.  Without a doubt, all worth it.

K, I love you with all my heart, I always have and always will.