Happy Tuesday, friends! Today is going to be a great day because it’s MY BIRTHDAY!!!
Instead of blogging today, I’m turning the blog over to my mom and dad. My parents divorced right after I turned thirteen, and the years following the divorce were extremely hard for me. I asked both of my parents to each write their own memory of my birth, and both versions brought me to tears.
I hope you enjoy reading these as much as I did (and will continue to!).
Please excuse my pictures of pictures!
From my mom:
I was so excited when I found out I was pregnant with you!!!!! I was going to have my very own baby!!!!! I was going to have a friend for life! Not knowing if you were a boy or girl didn’t matter to me. All I wanted was a healthy baby!!!! Baby “How to Books” became my current read. Eating healthy was my goal. Cravings of meat and vegetables were satisfied. Looking for nursery items were fun. Enrolling in Childbirth Classes were expected and fun. Being blessed by a sweet lady who sold me her maternity clothes kept me in fashion (for that time) Remembering the first time I wore a maternity bathing suit was SHOCKING!!!! I was too big for a regular bathing suit and a little too small for a maternity suit. Putting that baggie thing on made me look like I had a VERY ILL- FITTING suit on. Took me a while to get use to “those kind of clothes”. Being nervous NEVER crossed my mind. I was confident. Gaining only 20 pounds during my last month (back then, we talked about being pregnant in months….not weeks) of pregnancy alarmed doctors enough to have some type of test done to make sure you were okay. Test results were good and everything was right on target….except my weight.
I remember working the day before you were born. My lower back hurt. That didn’t really concern me. Thinking I overdid it (as I usually do) cleaning the entire house, including closets, your nursery, washing all your clothes again for the hundredth time (called nesting), little did I know I was going into labor. It was a Friday night. We went to a relative’s house to visit. Bill Cosby was on t.v. telling jokes. The last joke I remember was the one about him going to the dentist. I think I laughed myself into labor. At that time, I told your father I was hurting REALLY BAD. Having an EXTREMELY HIGH pain tolerance was not to my advantage. It was then we decided to run by the house for a “packed baby suitcase.” You know, the one you take to the hospital when you are GOING TO HAVE A BABY!!!!!! Seemed like only minutes after arriving to the hospital, I was rushed up to the “baby floor” to have my baby….YOU! Probably within a half an hour, you were born. Wow!!!
From the minute they put you on my chest, you had me.
Happy Birthday to my firstborn!!
Love,
Your Mother
From My Dad:
I remember a lot but, some is blurry because it was an experience for me too! And I thought to myself the day you were born, what a smart kid, she knew to be born on an Alabama by-week! lol
it was still Saturday night! I can’t remember what we did but, at about 10:30 that night, I was sitting on the toilet and your mother walks in and said it’s time to go! Well, I freaked! Wait, I said, I’m on the toilet! But, I finally got myself together somewhat, while your mother grabbed the hospital bag! Off we go!
We made it to the hospital around 11ish, I think, and went straight to the delivery waiting to be delivered, room(?) Folks going back and forth; me sweating but fanning your mother because she gave a natural childbirth (tough woman). I saw every vein in your mothers head and neck and it worried me to see the pain but, it didn’t last that long because, within a short time, here you come and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room! And, who was the first to hold you, beside the doctor and nurse, your Dad! One of my tears dropped on your cheek and that, not only that, baptized you into my heart forever!
Even through some bad times, your Father has never stopped loving you, and never will regardless
I love you SuperSissy!
Daddy Paul Wiley
I am so glad I asked my mom and dad to write these! I will always cherish these memories. If you haven’t ever asked your parents to write down your birth for you, I highly encourage you to do so! I am printing these out and putting them in my scrapbook 🙂
