firstborn

(Picture taken on Valentines Day, February, 14, 1977.)

Doug's mom had been calling me first thing every morning to see how I was doing for more than a week. On that day, February 16,  I told her that I was fine except that my back was hurting. She asked me if it was hurting constantly or off and on. I answered that it was off and on, but persistent. "You are in labor!" she cried.

I found that impossible to believe, because I wasn't even due for three more days and I had NO STOMACH pain. She told me to look at the clock when my back started hurting and stopped hurting. I soon realized that I was having pain every 5 minutes.

Doug had a big math exam at school that morning. He ran over to class to tell his teacher that his wife was in labor and could he please take the test later. The teacher said no, and Doug started taking the test. He never did finish that test. (He got a D on it because forgot to turn the paper over and didn't do any of the questions on the back.)

When he got home, I was in a panic. With all sincerity, I told him that I really didn't want to have a baby and I don't know why I ever thought I did. Somehow, he calmed me down and then he started making all kinds of charts and graphs to document my labor.

A while later, we went to the hospital. Eventually, the doctor broke my water and Patricia Ann was born sunnyside up about 19 hours after I started into labor.

She weighed 6 pounds and 13 ounces. My parents and Doug's parents came and talked to me after the birth while I was in recovery.  I hadn't known that I was having a girl.  Doug's mom was particularly happy to have a granddaughter after birthing five sons. My mom was happy that I had a  daughter first, just like she did (which was me).

The next day we were released from the hospital. The car seat is my lap as you can tell, even though the slide was scanned from the wrong side.  We stayed at Doug's parent's house for a few days. The first night Doug wanted to go play basketball, and I wanted him to take me out to dinner. (Of course, he ended up doing both.)

I still remember our quiet little celebration together at the restaurant.

 

Three days later, we took our very new baby to church with us.

Then we headed back to our apartment

to watch and care for our firstborn.

 

Happy birthday Tricia!