The Birthday Girl

Dear Rachel,

In about 5 hours or so, you will be 12 years old. The weather today is just about the same as the day as you were born. Rainy, cold, foggy blech.

I had been so sick whilst I was pregnant with you. I was on bedrest at 6 months and very very toxic and I had heartburn from the day you were conceived until days after you were born. Daddy and I had a waterbed that trapped me in it very near your arrival. Daddy was not happy about coming home from work at 11am to rescue me from the bed. After that, I slept on the couch.
On Groundhog day, I went into labour. A rush to the hospital as this was too early and I was 3 cms diluated, but you must have seen your shadow. We were sent home after 12 hours and labour had ceased.
On the morning of March 7th, I woke up in pain at about 3am. I woke Daddy and we went for the lonnnngest walk to try and keep labour going after many false starts. You were almost on schedule this time. Only a couple of weeks early now. At about 7am, Daddy made me breakfast and we called the doctor and he said to go in, this time we were having you regardless. From the time that I was 4 months pregnant onwards, we had a student from the U of C in the registered nurse programme with us. Janet. She came to visit us at home every week until closer to due date and then she was with us nearly every day. We phoned Janet and said it was time to go (again!) and let her know this was it, no more false starts.
When we arrived, the nurse looked at me and said "Are you sure you're due? You don't look big enough?" Thanks for the compliment, but damnit I'm ready for this to be done...
Everyone arrived, and contractions were at 5 minutes apart. Everything was moving along all by itself. Its noon and I'm 5 cms. Then everything ceases. Again.
Stuck onto pitosin, nothing until about 10pm. Then it kicks into high gear, I'm starving and they send Daddy to go find food to give me an epidural. Daddy had to sleep on a pull out couch in the delivery room, and his feet hung off the end and kept tripping the nurses when they would come in.
At 530am, the epidural was wearing off and they checked and I was ready to push. You happily arrived into the world at 640am.
Daddy and I decided we didn't want to know if you were a boy or a girl and wanted to wait for the surprise. But I knew you were a girl ages before you were born. Rachel Jordan Paige 7lbs 7 oz 23inches long ... I've told you the story of how you got your names, but you always ask me. The Christmas before you were born, I was in the mall doing some shopping and resting on a bench, and this adorable little girl with a mop of curls... she was maybe 2.. was running down the mall giggling and her mom called her to come back "Rachel, get back here" followed by a giggle. Jordan, the name of a girl in a movie. And I just liked Paige. I couldn't make a decision so you got all three.
When I got to go to my own room afterwards, I got to talk to Nanna and Poppa. While I was talking to Nanna, they kept sending nurses to check me, to feed me drugs, and to bring me the worst possible choice of food after 9 1/2 months of heartburn... bbq chicken. I was crying to Nanna about it all and she asked what was wrong, I told her that they brought me bbq chicken. Janet & Chelan were your first visitors.
We came home the next day and you and I had a hard time with the whole breastfeeding thing. Between the racket of the newlyweds in the apartment above us (yes really) and my reduction surgery, you spent alot of time squawking. We opted out of that rather quickly.
You were a happy baby. Never cried, slept through the night at 6 weeks, crawling at 7 months. Even as a toddler you were happy. Weaned you off the bottle at 2, potty trained before 3. You didn't hit or spit or fight with others.
Now, you're almost a teenager. Nearly 5'8", bigger feet than me, and puberty is going to be my payback for happy baby isn't it?

Happy birthday baby,

Love Mom