Oh, Clare Bear! You are 14 years old today. Some years there are hiccoughs on your birthday, for example, it falling right before spring break so your friends are out of town. But this year really takes the cake...we are at the beginning...middle...end...who knows...of our social distancing home isolation thanks to COVID 19. We are stuck at home with everyone else, except everyone else is also stuck in their homes too. We did our best to make your birthday special. You are a good sport. We tried to go to the bishop's storehouse but there were too many people and not enough work. So we had a regular homeschool day and partied at home, together.
I know I have your birth story recorded in your baby book and you can read it any time you want. But it might be nice to come across your story here in the blog every so often. I don't think I've told your birth story on the blog yet. Maybe...but I don't want to check. So your story (or what I can remember right now of your birth story)! First of all, you were late. Daddy was in his second year of business school and had two weeks off for spring break. You were due at the beginning of those two weeks, which would have been awesome because Daddy would have been home to help every day. But you wanted to wait. On a Thursday I had a doctor's appointment where they tried a couple of little things to get labor started and sent me home. I did all the tricks I knew at home but you were not interested in being born on my time schedule!
Finally, Saturday morning I started having real contractions. Lorien had gone with a friend for the day and they agreed to keep her as long as labor took. I was frantically trying to get ahold of any of my friends to take Wyatt so we could go to the hospital but no one was answering their phones. At last, we were loading up the car with hospital bags and Wyatt shrugging at the idea of a two-year-old attending the birth of his sister when my visiting teacher, Katherine, screeched around the corner of the road and into our parking lot, windows down, yelling: "I'm here! I'm here!" We didn't have to take Wyatt to the hospital with us after all.
We made our way to Stanford Children's Hospital, which is so fitting since you would become the biggest Stanford Football fan on the face of the planet. I was checked and admitted in short order. I'd say we went to the hospital around lunchtime. It didn't take long for things to get going and for me to know I needed an epidural for this labor. Stanford is a teaching hospital and we had interns in and out of the delivery room for all of your delivery. The man who placed my epidural was an intern and it took him a few tries to get it right...that was not fun. But the medicine kicked in and I felt much better. It only took a few pushes (once pushing time arrived) to get you out. I remember thinking in a flash what two scenarios faced us: a little boy or little girl? It was exciting!
Out you came and up you were placed on my chest, you immediately peed all over me. Nice. You were perfect! Sweet and tiny, soft and squishy! You wiggled and peered up at me with big, baby eyes and I was in heaven. You were the only child to be born in the day time! The only child I got to be rested and enjoy being with for the day before it was time to sleep (not that you had any concept of day or night). It was lovely to spend the afternoon with you in the hospital.
Will left that evening to collect the big kids and bring them in to meet you. They were happy to see their new baby sister...but did not like the way you smelled. And just like that, we were a family of five! It has been a blessing to have you as our daughter and sister Clare Bear. We love you!
I'm glad we get to be braces twins...although you'll get yours off way before me...if the orthodontist ever opens up again. We might be braces twins FOREVER!
Oh, you did get an actual working smartphone with a phone number for your birthday! That was a pretty exciting present.
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