Here it is - already Jan 3 2010 - and the year is rushing by too fast again :)
It's my middle daughter's (M) birthday today. Even though slightly more than 3 decades have passed since her birth, I still remember the occasion very well. They do say our long term memories become enhanced as we age whereas the short term ones are just that - very short term!
The soon to be Miss M teased me all day about her imminent arrival. Because my previous two babies were very quick labours (less than 4 hours), we didnt want to take any risks so at the first uncomfortable niggles, I was whisked off to the hospital where the pains promptly stopped. Throughout the whole day, I had short sessions of false labour - I knew they were false because they felt so different to the real thing. At 6pm, the doctor told me he was sending me home, at which point I had a proper contraction and it was all on. Miss M (or Ruth as she was first named but as all I could think of was "struth Ruth" we changed it after 4 days) arrived very quickly and it was all over by 9pm. No one had believed how quick my "real" labours were and the doctor had gone elsewhere so it was just me and the hospital midwife doing the work. We didnt have independent midwives in those days - all babies were delivered by an obstetrician or doctor.
So Happy Birthday Miss M (or should I now say Mrs M). You have been a wonderful blessing to me - I am so proud of you and I love you very much.
Some special memories of your childhood years include (in no particular order) :
It's my middle daughter's (M) birthday today. Even though slightly more than 3 decades have passed since her birth, I still remember the occasion very well. They do say our long term memories become enhanced as we age whereas the short term ones are just that - very short term!
The soon to be Miss M teased me all day about her imminent arrival. Because my previous two babies were very quick labours (less than 4 hours), we didnt want to take any risks so at the first uncomfortable niggles, I was whisked off to the hospital where the pains promptly stopped. Throughout the whole day, I had short sessions of false labour - I knew they were false because they felt so different to the real thing. At 6pm, the doctor told me he was sending me home, at which point I had a proper contraction and it was all on. Miss M (or Ruth as she was first named but as all I could think of was "struth Ruth" we changed it after 4 days) arrived very quickly and it was all over by 9pm. No one had believed how quick my "real" labours were and the doctor had gone elsewhere so it was just me and the hospital midwife doing the work. We didnt have independent midwives in those days - all babies were delivered by an obstetrician or doctor.
So Happy Birthday Miss M (or should I now say Mrs M). You have been a wonderful blessing to me - I am so proud of you and I love you very much.
Some special memories of your childhood years include (in no particular order) :
- Being able to wear white clothes and still look clean and tidy
- Rope skipping and managing to keep your socks pulled up at the same time
- Being described as a "chocolate box" beauty
- Knocking your top front teeth out on your 5th birthday and still managing to blow the candles out.
- Always wearing a handbag over your shoulder - even when skipping
- Your beautiful voice - it's always been a pleasure to hear you sing
- Telling a busload of youth group members that your mother had been speyed
- Breaking your arm and cracking a rib while roller skating - and still coming to the ballet with me that night.
- If you said you would do something, you would do it ... you could always be relied on.
There are many other memories too of course. One in particular "haunts" me from time to time and here I will publicly apologise for washing your mouth out with soap. I have no idea why I would have believed your brother's tales over your version of events because you were not a naughty child and I certainly did not ever hear you swear. But for some reason on that particular day I made a bad choice and you suffered an injustice. I am sorry.
You once asked me why I said no to a particular request. My answer was "you will understand when you are a mother." I recall you saying to me just after your first child was born, "now I understand ..."
Now you have just finished your training to be a nurse and are looking forward to a new direction. You are a born nurse .... your gentle, caring, yet practical nature is a gift and you will use it well. May the year ahead be all that you dreamed of and more.
Love Mum xxxx
You once asked me why I said no to a particular request. My answer was "you will understand when you are a mother." I recall you saying to me just after your first child was born, "now I understand ..."
Now you have just finished your training to be a nurse and are looking forward to a new direction. You are a born nurse .... your gentle, caring, yet practical nature is a gift and you will use it well. May the year ahead be all that you dreamed of and more.
Love Mum xxxx
I've just read this for the first time mum! Thank you:-) I officially accept your public apology for the mouth washing incident, and shall no longer mention it at each family gathering!! Its nice to hear all the funny quirkey things that make me 'me' and that you noticed all the unique attributes of all of us kids. I love you too. Mrs M
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