Happy Birthday Katie, 9/4/2023

I like this post so much; I think it is worthy or posting again on my daughter's birthday. Not before long she will be reaching into her 40's. My how time flies doesn't it.

My daughter's birthday will be 9/4. Let me tell you a story about this birth. My former husband and I knew if I did not go into labor prior to Labor Day that year I would then have to go to the hospital very early the next morning to be induced. Our daughter at that point was 2 1/2 weeks overdue. We took the Lamaze classes had the hospital bag all ready to go and now I had to wait. They had me monitor for a few days the number of times I felt movement while at home. I was fine. At this point I was ready to give birth. We checked into the hospital, and they started the dreaded Pitocin. The reason I say that is because it kind of made you fearful if they had to use Pitocin because of the stories you heard when taking Lamaze classes. One thing I will say is that Pitocin was not as bad as they led you to believe when watching the Lamaze videos. Well, the only thing Pitocin did for me was cause my waters to break and then I was informed if the baby was not delivered within a certain period of time, I would have to have a C-section performed. There really was no active labor per say but I do remember that when I would get a contraction the peak of the contraction lasted a few minutes. I didn't know any better because I never delivered a baby before.

I checked into the hospital the prior day @ 6AM they started the Pitocin drip and the next day I was informed I had to prep for the C-section. I remember it being cold in the hospital and when they gave me the epidural it felt like a warm blanket that covered my body. I was mostly all protruded stomach with this overdue baby inside of me so it was a little uncomfortable getting into the right position for the epidural to be administered in my spine. I think at this point of no sleep and just wanting to give birth I was a little apprehensive because I was having to go through major surgery to deliver our child but relieved that the birth would soon take place. I do not like pain, so I think I made the doctors test a couple of times to make sure I was numb before any surgery began. I was numb. Our daughter was born 10 pounds 3 1/2 ounces due to being overdue 2 1/2 weeks. She was beautiful with so much hair it looked like she was born with a shag haircut. I thought she was stylish with that natural hairstyle when she was born.

We had a picture of her in the nursery at the hospital and she happened to be next to a baby I think the baby was 6 pounds, she even looked so perfectly filled out next to this other baby.  

This young woman is smart, kind, an avid reader for as long as I can remember, a goal setter/achiever, beautiful and still gives the best bear hugs when I ask. She is very responsible and when she recently visited, she was the one that kept us on our time schedules, so we got to where we needed to be. An example of her goal setting...she worked at an amusement park during high school and college Summers and then the weekends they would be open during the Fall. Her goal before leaving there was that she wanted to skipper the paddle boat ride and have to tell corny jokes at the same time. She did it and I sat on that boat ride enjoying every bit of it. She applied and was accepted to the Disney college intern program, and she spent time there also during college. That was a great mini vacation we went on because of her great discount on property hotels and then passes into the different parks. She was assigned to work a new ride being opened at the park and she was able to see some musical personalities along with a favorite television star that was in a series she used to watch when she was younger. I can only imagine what it was like being there to experience that.

I am blessed to have her as my daughter and know that she will plow through anything because she accepts challenges and does not quit. One regret I do have is that we signed her up for horseback riding lessons and she loved it and she only participated for that session of lessons. She was pretty good at it also. I have a video of her riding the horse and something got caught and the next thing I knew she was riding upside down on the side of the horse. One of the instructors went to her and they did not allow us to go out in the arena to go and get her. The reason was if we did, she would not want to get back on the horse again. She did get back on the horse. I guess I regret not being able to sign her up for more lessons because I think that would have blessed her with us going through with a divorce. Nevertheless, I am honored to call her my daughter.

Look at this adorable shag hair style she was born with. I think she was either 3 weeks old or a little over that when she received her first hair trimming.

Christening day. My hand was bandaged because I was making formula and somehow scalded my hand it really hurt. Thank God I was not scarred from it. That was either mine or my sister's christening dress she is wearing.

Christening evening. We propped her up next to a doll she received, and they both are sitting in the doll rocker.

Grown up and she still is a beauty and he is handsome. I may be a bit partial considering they are my children.

My mother was concerned about my health post-surgery. My ankles began to swell sort of when a Dr. is concerned about a pregnant woman whose ankles swell during the pregnancy. I really could not see the swelling in my ankles I just came out of surgery and was lying flat in my hospital bed. It was explained that post pregnancy swollen ankles were not a concern as they are when you are pregnant. During pregnancy there is a concern of developing preeclampsia, but my mother was assured by the Dr. it was not the same post pregnancy. They must have swelled up a lot for my mother to have concern. Thank God for caring mother's that still look out for the welfare of their grown children. Bless her Jesus bless her this very day.

When my daughter was a toddler, my father blessed her with an overstuffed and big in size Easter Bunny. She named it Bun Bun and I think she still has it somewhere to this very day. Well, she added an addition to her household, and it is a bunny. Do you know what she named this bunny? Of course, silly, she named it Bun Bun. Look how adorable this bunny is:

The original Bun Bun

Meet Bun Bun

Can you tell that I love my daughter? I didn't even eat dinner yet because I was determined to find more of my favorite pictures of her. Do you ever wish they would go back to being a baby again. I do but I know they can't because it is our job to train them up and then they get to experience God's divine destiny for their very own life. Praise God that He is faithful. Amen

Since I first wrote this, Katie added an addition to her household. A bunny named Mrs. Honeybun. See, grandparents out there you never know what gifts given to your grandchildren will have an effect on them in their life.

The first picture I added was one she took when working @ Universal Studios. Doesn't it look like it could be a postcard?  Mrs. Honeybun is the bunny that is white in color with the pink colored eyes. Bun Bun is the other bunny you see. Ben is my son's cat. I have never met yet the bunnies but one day I will get back home for a visit and have the great pleasure of meeting them too. Happy Birthday Katie.