HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRANCES ELENA!

Easter weekend, 24 years ago tonight, as I sat watching Indiana Jones, my water broke. 23 hours later, Saturday April 21, 1984, I gave birth to Frances Elena. She weighed 9 lbs 15 oz and was 22 inches long.

I wasn't actually sure that my water broke. I must have missed that part of prenatal class.

I didn't go to the hospital till...after we went to the bank, the video store, and grocery shopping in the morning. While getting ready (you gotta take a shower and set your hair in hot rollers before you go to labour and delivery, right?) we got a phone call from family in Scotland. When I said that I thought my water broke last night my also pregnant sister in law said "Well, here in Scotland, we go to the hospital when our water breaks!!"

I was under the mistaken impression that contractions would start if my water broke. They didn't. No pain at all. So I figured I had time to get stuff done. And we hadn't figured out a girl name yet. For a boy it was going to be Charles Stewart. For a girl I wanted Fiona. John said no it was too Scottish. The next name in the book...Frances. That's it!! Frances!!

I felt fine, until we finished the shopping. We were over on the east end of Toronto (we lived on the west end) and I started to feel nauseous. I wanted to lie down NOW. So I climbed into the back seat of our station wagon and said we have to go to the hospital NOW. Problem was, John didn't know how to get to the hospital from that side of the city. So I was giving directions from the backseat.

When we went to emerg, I said I wasn't sure if it was actually my water. It was just a trickle. Well they did the test strip thingy and the nurse said "You are definitely not leaving this hospital till you have a baby!" So, with all the groceries still in the car, I was admitted.

My OB was at the museum when she got the page. I know that because she told me when she arrived. She said she had guests from out of town and she had plans to take them to the opera. She said my labour was not progressing, but they would start a drip and see how I go. Then, at intermission, she would come and do a C section if nothing had changed.

I got the epidural at some point before intermission at the opera. And when Dr OB arrived she was ready to get this baby born. Dr OB, the anesthetist, the assisting OB...all women over 50. Probably closer to 60. They were awesome, experienced, caring, professionals. Amazing women.
John said it was like 3 women chatting at the bus stop, it was so routine for them. When I said I had been born in this same hospital 26 years before, they tried to figure out if they were on rotation that day or if they were on vacation!

It was minutes after we started...AND FRANCES WAS BORN!!

"Who has the big feet??" Dr OB said.

"I do!!" John and I both said in unison.Her feet were so long they went over the outline on the place where they put the footprint on the birth record.

Before a cry, I heard the sucking sound. She was already sucking on a fist as if to say Is it breakfast time yet?? Or better still, bedtime snack...it was 10:07 pm.

John held her first and put her up to my face. I'll never forget those dark eyes.

24 years. In the blink of an eye. A beautiful, dark brown eye.

Happy Birthday my beautiful, dark eyed baby girl. You will always have my love. And for you, this is my wish...

Rascal Flatts-My Wish

[via FoxyTunes / Rascal Flatts]

I hope that the days come easy and the moments pass slow,
And each road leads you where you want to go,
And if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose,
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.
And if one door opens to another door closed,
I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window,
If it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile,

But more than anything, more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

I hope you never look back, but ya never forget,
All the ones who love you, in the place you left,
I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,
And you help somebody every chance you get,
Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake,
And you always give more than you take.

But more than anything, yeah, and more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

This is my wish
I hope you know somebody loves you
May all your dreams stay big

WORRY SMALL, DREAM BIG!