Here’s the thing, I can’t remember two weeks ago but I can remember January 23rd, 1994 like it was 10 minutes ago.
Just after delivery.
Was up late the night before, went to the soccer game at the Aud with Beth. Our original plans were to travel to Rochester for the Amerks game but she changed her mind last minute because she was due to have a baby any second.
No idea how much they are loved!!
Got up, went to work the jewelry counter at Ames, it was a Saturday so I opened and worked most of the day. Got a phone call shortly after lunch asking me if I’d give her a ride to hospital later if she needed it. I asked if she was in labor and her response, “I don’t know.”
I went home after my shift, changed my clothes and picked her up and drove her to Sister’s hospital in Buffalo. We got settled into the labor room and hung out. She got an enema (Sorry Beth, just recounting the story) and an epidural and we played cards while the NHL All-Stars competition was on the tv.
Her first hockey game. 6 weeks old. Rochester vs Binghamton (huh!)
I hung out with her for much of the night before Val could get there and be her coach. It was time! Off to the waiting room I went but then the OB spotted me and got me set up with scrubs and sent me into the delivery room.
Bored with this hospital, take me home!
Walked in and Beth said “who the hell are you?” HA! I hung out behind her and a few short pushes later, Jessica Rose entered the world. Such a sweet little cry she had, barely even there. She was laid back even from the moment she took her first breath.
Eighteen, I’m having a hard time wrapping my fingers around the time past. What happened in the last eighteen years? How am I *old* enough to talk about eighteen years ago?
She’s so pretty, so smart (going to college next September!!), so loving and so nice!! I wish her nothing but the best in her life. Before she knows it, she’s going to be writing something like this about her first baby!
While I didn’t give birth to this child, I’m honored to be part of her life. Beth has been my friend for as long as I can remember really. We’ve been close, we’ve been apart, we’ve lived far apart, we’ve lived close together. I loved her so much, I even bought the same kind of car she had because I loved IT so much! Often times I was jealous of her, a few times I was disappointed, but MOST of the time she’s been a sister to me. I put this post in the Family category because they ARE family. Not by blood but we’ve been together for so long, she IS family. Beth: my sister friend, Jessie: my daughter friend.
I was the babysitter, the teacher, the potty trainer (oh baby, that first time was so hard!!), the best friend!!!
College graduation day!
Happy Birthday to my Jessica Rose, without you, my life back then would not have been so happy and would have been pretty darn boring!!
Photo shoot for Father’s Day pictures. This was the day of her first, deep belly laugh. I can remember it like it was 5 minutes ago. (yet ask me about Sonyea’s? Nope, it’s gone. Zia, did she laugh?) A motorcycle drove by the house, windows open, slight breeze coming through the thin curtains. It was loud, her eyes got wide and she was scared. We told her it was ok, just a motorcycle and we made the VVRRROOOOMMM sound. She giggled. We did it again and the laughing started. Oh what a sweet sound. I close my eyes and I’m transported back to the day. I think about that every time I see or hear a Harley!
That hair. Oh that hair. It was so fine, so soft and it stuck STRAIGHT up in the air. My mom tried her hardest with gel, mousse, hair spray to keep it laying down flat. Nothing worked. I still giggle thinking about it and tell that story every time I see a baby at work now with soft, spiky hair.
