Monday, August 02, 2010

my whole world changed 5 years ago today...

Dear Brianna,
Wow! I cannot believe you are turning 5 today...I still think of you as that tiny baby with the little tiny chicken legs that we brought home from the hospital. I don't think I ever wrote down your birth story, so in honor of your 5 years on this earth, here is the story of your, and really our beginning.
It was a Monday night and I had just showered, that was the only way I could sleep anymore was to take a shower right before bed, I was uncomfortable and slow moving, even though I had 4 weeks to go. I laid in bed tossing and turning trying to find a way to sleep, with your daddy (of course) completely zonked out next to me. As I laid on my side trying to turn my brain off long enough to doze off I felt a little pop. Strange, but I didn't think much of it. Then I had to go to the bathroom, no surprise since I was getting up about 10 times a night anyway. When I got to the bathroom I knew my water had broke. I yelled for your daddy, he woke up startled and confused, but quickly jumped into action calling the hospital, packing our bags and putting the (uninstalled) carseat into the car. Remember you weren't supposed to be arriving for 4 weeks and we were not prepared at all. I could not stop smiling as your daddy raced around frantic. I stopped him and hugged him and said "you're going to be a daddy!". We drove to the hospital, your daddy freaking out about how we weren't ready and me bouncing up and down like a kid on Christmas morning. We finally get settled in at the hospital and I call your Grandma Susan at 1:30am to tell her we are at the hospital. She did not believe me. Not sure why she thought I'd be joking with her, but she was just as surprised as everyone else that you were going to make your entrance so soon. We settled in to wait, I wasn't having contractions so this was (most likely) going to take a while. I don't remember a ton of details between the hours of 1:30am and about 3:30pm the next afternoon. Grandma Nancy showed up at the hospital to wait for your arrival and I talked on the phone to work and your Aunt Angie during some of that time and we sat pouring over the baby books for a name, we didn't really know what your name was going to be. We had a boys name picked out but were tossing around a couple girls names, so nothing was decided for sure. Around 3:30pm it was time to push. I heard the doctor say to the nurse that I was going to be pushing for a while, I thought to myself...oh no...I am tired and I am ready to meet this baby! Daddy was such a great help, even though he was a bundle of nerves. About 30 minutes later you arrived (I found out later that you were born face up instead of face down like you were supposed to be, wanting to do things your own way from the start). The doctor said you were perfect with 10 fingers and 10 toes and then one of the nurses said "what is it, boy or girl??" Your daddy and I looked at each other and and thought...oh yeah, we don't know. The doctor said you were a girl. They asked what your name was going to be and daddy and I looked at each other and I said Paige hesitantly and daddy said "how about Brianna Paige?" the nurses let out a collective "awww" and we knew we had a winner. I called Grandma Susan and they were just outside of Cascade when you were born and then called Aunt Angie to tell her she had a niece. Grandma Nancy was the first person to meet and hold you (besides daddy and me of course). Papa Bob was at the golf course caddying for Uncle Brian, so daddy called the course and they put up a little notice on the leaderboard (we still have that). I remember calling Dawn, Alli, Marty, Jenn, Audrey, Jill and especially Amanda. When I talked to Amanda she was in the airport waiting on a flight. I told her we had a baby girl and she said "no you didn't" and I argued with her that we did in fact have a baby and didn't she hear her crying in the background? She told me she thought it was a doll! As soon as her flight landed she picked up Ben and came to the hospital to see you. There are so many other details I know I'm forgetting at this moment, but you get the idea of the day you came into the world, so many people excited and happy to meet you, but none more than me and your daddy.

At 4:11pm on Tuesday August 2nd, 2005 a 5lb 12oz baby girl changed our world. My world is immeasurably better with you in it. Thank you for making my life much more colorful and vibrant. My beautiful baby girl, I love you more than you possibly know.
Happy 5th Birthday Chicken!

Love always and forever,

mommy

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