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10-18-09 (Birth Days)
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Stephanie McIver
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Oct 18, 2009 15:56 PDT
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Steph’s Stuff
10-18-09
(Birth Days)
Today is my daughter’s birthday. The anniversary of a day that will
live in my heart and mind for the rest of my life. I finally got to
meet the child that grew under my heart, the one I had longed for since
I was a little girl who wanted more than anything else in life—to be a
mommy.
What do I remember about that momentous day? My water broke at 2 a.m.
My husband called my mother—we had a flat tire that we hadn’t gotten
fixed yet. “Stephanie’s water just broke!” he said excitedly.
“Are you KIDDING me?” she replied sleepily. Why were you skeptical,
Mom?—it WAS one day after my projected due date. Did you really think
we would call you in the middle of the night just to be funny?
She thought about that for a minute and realized she had better pull on
some clothes and take her daughter to the hospital—the first member of a
new generation was about to present herself—and it was long enough ago
that we didn’t KNOW her sex yet. I had secretly hoped for a daughter,
but was determined to be happy no matter what. But please, Lord? A
girl? I really want a girl!
No labor pains at that point. The soon to be father teased me when we
pulled into the parking lot. “Are you going to skip into the hospital?”
he laughed. So I did. Don’t put me up to something if you don’t mean
it. I skipped! That was the last dare he voiced that day. We went
into the obstetrics unit, the unit my mother was the manager of—and rank
hath its privilege. The entire staff fell into line. This wasn’t just
any baby—this was the BOSS’S first grandchild! Pay attention!
Still no labor pains. After being checked, the sad news was revealed.
She was still breech. She wasn’t gonna budge. The doctor was called
and said he would be performing a C-section ‘later in the day.’ He
wasn’t in any hurry. He wanted to sleep—and I didn’t blame him—but
shoot! I was bored. I wanted to get this show on the road! Get that
kid out of there! We watched what there was of late night television—no
cable in those days (it was a LONG time ago!) People came and went. I
was too excited to sleep. I read old Reader’s Digests. I talked to the
nurses, most of whom had been my mom’s friends and co-workers for a long
time. It was almost like being at a family picnic—only I was in a
hospital gown and every time I went to the bathroom, I leaked amniotic
fluid all over the floor—you can file that in your TMI file, okay?
My dad showed up, with a giant cookie that said “I love you’ in icing.
I thanked him and reminded him that because I was scheduled for surgery,
I couldn’t eat it. But it was sweet. Looking back, I don’t remember
ever eating that cookie! Who got it? A mystery on the day of my
daughter’s birth.
Finally, a trembling aid came in to prep me for surgery. At this point,
they had already given me a pre-anesthetic. I was feeling no pain. In
fact, I was feeling pretty darn good. I howled with laughter as she
begged me to hold still. “Please Steph! I don’t want to lose my job
because I cut you!” She didn’t cut me and so she remained employed in
spite of my ticklish belly.
There are lots more details that come to mind. The spinal anesthesia.
The doctors talking about the last episode of ‘Charlie’s Angels’ (I TOLD
you it was a long time ago) as they performed mysterious functions I
couldn’t see behind the drape above my belly. But the next event of
note was a tiny cry—and the exciting words, “It’s a GIRL!” The doctor
asked her name and said most respectfully, “Welcome to the world,
Heather”.
My life changed forever on that day. The first time I held that little
body, I KNEW her. And she knew me. She looked at me with eyes that
looked the same then as they do today. And miracle of miracles, she
trusted me to care for her—so I did. I still do. Once a mom, always a
mom—and those of us who know that love are blessed beyond measure.
I never had another child. She was my one and only. I am proud of her.
She exasperates me sometimes—but I exasperate HER sometimes too. It is
the way of mothers and daughter—and she is learning the generational
flow of that with her own daughters.
This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in
it, remembering that a LONG TIME AGO on this very day, I gave birth to
an amazing, beautiful, talented human being, who carries on the legacy
of motherhood. I pass the torch and look forward to seeing her own
amazing beautiful talented children take something from the pages of
their personal history—and remember that a part of how they learned to
love was from their grandma Stephanie.
When we celebrated H’s birthday Friday night, we got lost getting to the
restaurant. We were a few minutes late, but when we walked in, we were
greeted with two children running up to the door—‘GRANDMA! GRANDMA!
You’re HERE! (oh, hi Rick…)” And I looked at my beautiful baby and HER
beautiful babies. October 18th will always be a big day for us.
Thank you Lord!
Fondly,
Stephanie
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