Project 365 - Rachel's 20th BIrthday

Rachel's 20th Birthday

So as the holidays wind down, and the New Year begins, I always look forward to celebrating my first born's birthday on January 2.  We used to try to get all of the holiday decorations down and put away before her birthday so that she wouldn't get confused with the holidays.  However, this year, at 20 years old, I think she can figure it all out for herself!

I always get a bit sentimental, think back to whatever I was doing the day that Rachel was born.  We had just moved into this house.   I was 9 1/2 months pregnant (yeah, she was three weeks late thank you).  There were people working in our house, painting, building, installing things.  Yet I was sitting in the den, calmly counting the mintues between contractions.

All of the handymen had young families so as they would pass by the den and look in on me, they would see my face squinched up during a contraction and they would say, "breathe, Jody, breathe!!"  It was surreal actually.

Then my office kept calling me because we were about to go to press with our magazine, Cultural Quarterly.  They had NEVER published an issue without me.  They were a bit freaked out as to what to do, where to find things on my computer and desk.  So I had a lot of calls.  Yet, I just took it all in stride, contractions and all!

At about 3 p.m. the contractions were so strong that I couldn't talk during them.  I still could handle the pain, no big deal, but Joel and I decided to call my doctor and he said come into the office.  So we did.  Well, he took one look at me and told Joel, "drive her straight to the hospital, don't even think about stopping at a red light!"

And so we went straight to the hospital.  My office found out that I was on the way.  Kevin made it to the hospital before I did!  Then I felt as though I were in a Fellini film.  As we got to the hosptial, I was getting contractions closer together and I couldn't walk during them.  The hospital guard yelled at Joel to put me in a wheelchair.  As he wheeled me into the delivery room I saw face after face of people that I knew, but I couldn't focus on any one of them.

I was in the delivery room at 4:30 p.m. and Rachel was born at 7:27 p.m.  Not terrible for a first born!!!

She was the cutest thing.  A full head of curly, almost black hair, big blue eyes and a bright red face!  She looked like a little Mexican child! 

Ok, enough of that!  Jump forward 20 years . . . Rachel has grown up to be fine young woman, with strong moral values, is very opinionated and when she makes up her mind, that is that!  Very proud of her and the path she is on. 

Happy Birthday my sweet daughter!

More photos on my Flickr site