Happy Birthday Kelli Lynne

Thirty-two years ago today at 9:08 a.m. I gave birth to my first child, first daughter,

Kelli Lynne.

She was due September 20 but due to breech presentation she was taken by Caesarian section from a very young 23-year-old who had never had a spinal before or surgery except for tonsillectomy.

She had a headful of the darkest hair...the nursery said I needed to buy a blow dryer for her hair.

She was named after my first boyfriend in 2nd grade, Kelly. His dad owned a pharmacy and on the shelves he had scratched Kelly loves Vanessa found years later when his dad moved the pharmacy. Sadly we lost Kelly about 10 years ago. We remained friends until I moved my junior year.

I just fell in love with the name Lynne, especially the spelling, so that was the only name I chose. I never chose a boy's name and this was long before sonograms. In fact, they had to take an x-ray and she was sitting up in my abdomen like a little Buddah.

We took her home 4 days later after the nurses paraded her around in the Labor Room with several ladies in hard labor to show them what they will get when they're done with later. She was all dressed in pink and looked like a doll!

Her first night home I set my alarm for 1:45 a.m. to prepare her bottle because everyone knew that babies take a bottle at 2 a.m. At 2:05 a.m. I called the hospital nursery and told them something was wrong with my baby because she did not wake up for a 2 a.m. bottle.

God bless the nurse on the other end of the phone who said that Kelli Lynne was OK, to put the bottle in the fridge and go back to bed.

Kelli Lynne slept through the night from the first night home.

She was an easy baby. Her dad cared for her during the day while I worked and he would give me a report on her as he walked out the door to go to his 2nd shift job. My dad came over every night after work to see Kelli.

I think we had her picture made at least once a month whether she needed it or not! :-)

She was my A student in school, very quiet and so talented in voice and piano. She played the school Masses for several years until she graduated from 8th grade.

She was the only child for almost 8 years until Michael Timothy came along in May of 85. Kelli didn't want a brother, didn't need a brother, life was good and she wasn't having anything to do with that baby! I did get her to help me pick out a Care Bear theme for his nursery because she loved the Care Bears. She was forced to come to the hospital to take us home and we had to stop at WalMart on the way home for formula and other needs. Kelli must have walked at least 10 feet behind us. She wanted nothing to do with that baby. She wouldn't help pick out any clothes or anything.

We got home and since the next day was Friday I decided to take her out of school and let her "help me put Michael's things away" aka Mom's plan to let her bond with Michael. By the end of the day he was HER baby. She fed him, changed him, dressed him and when she got off school she would make a bee-line for Michael.

We call her his Other Mother today. She still worries about her brother and what lies ahead for him in Afghanistan.

She got her LPN and decided this year to go for her RN. I know when she graduates she will be prepared to get a job wherever she wants to live.

She was a rock for me in raising her sibs and I will always be indebted to her.

Happy Birthday, Kelli Lynne.

I hope your first child(whenever that may be) blesses you like you have blessed me.

Love,

Mom