Our baby girl turns 8 today!
Some things to know about our Tessa Anne:
Favorite color: blue, because she thinks she's outgrown pink
Food: pizza, chinese, or anything with sugar
Holiday: Christmas, "because it's so fun to watch everyone else open their presents"
Book: I Love You Forever
Toys: Webkinz or her babies
Things to do: anything as a family, doing art and making things for people, playing with her friends
Nicknames: Tessie, Annie, Penelope, Lambie, Baby Girl, Princess, Munchkin Mouse
Her real name: Tessa Anne - 'Tessa' means 'fourth born' and Anne is after her GranDebbie, my mom
Her strengths: reading, writing, drawing, and especially loving
Dislikes: if it's possible to dislike it as much as her mother does... being the center of attention - we both hate it
Likes: Being the baby of the family - she reminded me last night before she said prayer that it would be my last time to hear my seven year old say it, and that I should make sure to tuck her in, because it would be the last time I got to tuck in my seven year old. Ouch, those tugs on my tender heart strings!
The following is because I'm such a sentimental sucker on my kids' birthdays... you really don't have to read it. But I've got to write it.
Eight years ago, I was at the hospital again after having been there twice already that week to get my labor stopped. The most important thing to me was that my baby was ready to meet this world. That she was fully developed and healthy. But I couldn't help hoping they would keep me (us!) there this time. We still had 17 days until her due-date of the 26th. And yet, her personality shone even then... she'd get here when she wanted to, and she wasn't going to wait around for anyone to tell her when that would be.
Although I'd had Katy and Trevor completely natural with no pain meds... (was I crazy!?!?)... I think there hadn't been enough time between Trev and Tessa for my mind and/or body to complete the time warp that makes us forget that pain and decide to do it again. As soon as they said I was staying, I asked for the epidural. Besides, it was already a late night to a long day, and we were just getting started... I think it was about midnight when I was admitted.
I'd had a horrible epidural with Chris (a whole other story, but just so you know, it was bad enough that I had those next 2 without one. 'nuf said.) and so I was fearful of having another one. But more fearful of that pain again. Boy, is there a big difference between a 'bad' epidural and a truly WONDERFUL one! I was watching that machine with it's peaks going almost completely to the top of the screen with my huge contractions, and saying, "wow, I hardly felt a thing!"
So Mike pulled up one of those rock-hard reclining chairs that for some reason look as inviting as a feather mattress in the middle of the night... and we both slept... for a little while, at least.
I woke up because I heard a huge GASP from the nurse standing by my bed. I sat straight up... Mike jumped up out of his chair... every hair on my body stood on end. From the look on the nurse's face, we knew something was wrong. After her initial shock, she calmly turned to Mike and said, "go get the midwife... this baby's head is already out."
So Mike runs (no, he did not walk... he didn't even jog... he full-on RAN) into the hall, in the very early hours of an otherwise quiet morning, and yells at the top of his lungs, "GET IN HERE NOW! THIS BABY'S HEAD IS OUT!"
The midwife chases him back into the room, pulling gloves on as she's running, staring wide-eyed at my 'place', and says, "okay, Tricia, I want you to take in a big, deep breath and give me one good push." So I huff, and I puff... okay, just kidding.... I actually started to inhale deeply and before I even let out a hint of air, she lays my new baby girl on my stomach and says, "here she is!"... wait, was I supposed to push?
And in true Tessa style... coming when she was ready, no waiting around, taking no guff from anyone, in total 'I can do it by myself' fashion... one huge spirit in that teeny tiny body (only 6 lbs 3.7 oz)... my life would never be the same. It had never been so wonderful.
I don't think I'll ever forget how blue she was from not being able to breathe. Or the fear that engulfed me when they pulled her off my stomach as quickly as she appeared there, to get her under the oxygen tube... watching all of them hover over her, rubbing her and gently telling her (begging her!) to breathe. My world stood still.
My world stands still again today as I look at this miracle I've been blessed with. Today is our day. I've taken the day off work, and she off school... we're off to play! An entire day of snuggling, hair-doing, lunching, shopping, picture-taking, and if we can fit it in, ice-skating!
She grabbed my hand super tight last night and told me, "I'm so excited for tomorrow... it's going to be the best day EVER!"
No, baby girl... that was the day you were born.
