Happy Birthday my sweet little Lily

When I was younger I loved hearing the story from my parents of what happened on my birthday, and still do. I can hear my mother saying, periodically throughout the day, "Let's see... it was about this time when I was on my way to the hospital" or "Right about now, I called your father at work and told him to leave and meet me at the hospital." A birthday never goes by without my dad letting me know how things progressed from his point of view. I undoubtedly will get the story about the goings on after my birth and how it was more exciting then the previous two because the hospitals had lightened up and let the fathers come back to the nursery with the new babies and help with the bath and such. I love and look forward to each story every year. So I am carrying on this tradition with my children. This is for you Lily.

Lets see....it all started when I went to my last Dr. appointment with your father. It was late in the day I think it was the last appointment of the day. They took the usual weight and blood pressure. My blood pressure was and had been on the rise so we decided it would be a good idea to help progress things along by rupturing my membranes. We made an appointment to be induced as well(on your actual birthday too) , just in case nothing happened on its own. This was on Tuesday and you were born on Thursday. So, your dad and I left feeling excited and a little shocked that this momentous nine months was about to end. However, we had no idea how our lives would change and in as little as two days. It was early Thursday morning about 2 o'clock when I got up to use the restroom. I went to lay back in bed, coughed, and my water broke. It was a very odd sensation, we'll just leave it like that. I woke your father up and told him what had happened. He, not being a "rise and shine" kind of guy, sat straight up and with a very serious face looked at me and asked "what do we do now?". This did not surprise me much due to the fact that this very same man fell asleep in our birthing class. Although a little embarrassing, he was working hard long hours and we were lounging on some nice cushy floor mats with our pillows. Any how, I called the hospital and they asked if I was contracting (yes) and how far apart they were (about 7 min.). So they asked us to get our things together and come to the hospital, no rush. We rushed. I can still remember and do often picture in my mind the moment we got into our car. Your father and I looked at each other, he grabbed my hand, and with great endearment said "This is it" and we drove off. We arrived and were checked into our nice labor room at the hospital about 3am. Now, what surprised me was the fact that they never offered the wheel chair to me. I was in labor. Funny thing is, that when I went in with your brother (Jack), not in labor but being induced, they wheeled me right into my room. Oh well, I survived. So there, while laboring, we tried the ball, bath, but ended up laying in bed for most of it due to my still rising blood pressure. I had a few visitors ( I only allowed my sisters and mother) and of course your dad. Fourteen hours later it was time to push. Twenty-two minutes later the Dr. laid you on my chest. I could not believe you came out of me it was very surreal. So there we were, a family of three, for a while. I think I really enjoyed being at the hospital most with you. This was because you were the first. We had nobody at home to think about or rush back to. I had the most fun laying in bed and having people come in to cater to me. It had been quite a long time since I experienced that. After all, it was about a year since we moved out of my parents. There it is Lily, your birth story. I hope you look forward to hearing it every year. Happy 2nd Birthday! I love you.