Dear Mamie,
Two years ago right at this very moment I was hooked up to all kinds of contraptions with a dodgy epidural in place, a pitocin drip and the phone glued to my ear (TCB in the OR!) In between phone calls, I sucked on many lollipops and watched exciting back to back episodes of Ambush Makeover. By the time Live at Five came on I was informed that it was time to push. Up until then it had been a pretty painless labor.
Then they turned the epidural off.
I'm not going to wax about the pain, but let's just say that I was very happy when you arrived. Happy to see your little beaten up face, happy to count your ten little fingers and toes and happy to get some of that them there painkiller in the IV turned back on. The nurses at the hospital told me that very night that you were the loudest baby they ever met. They were not smiling when they said that, but I thought that was funny. You are still loud. And I am still laughing at that. Keep screaming, Mame.
This last year has been incredible. You learned to walk and talk and you even got yourself a boyfriend too. Your once dark hair has turned blond, although your father and I are natural brunettes. You sleep well, eat better and the top of your head is still my favorite place to kiss on you. This is you in a nutshell: you like to hold hands with anyone that will let you, you love the bath and especially when it's time to wash the "nits out of Bebe's hair" (yes, your baby has cradle cap), you like to eat almost anything but only in a yellow bowl (today, anyway), you like wearing my hoodies and so I let you even though you look like old skool Carol Burnett in them, you cannot get enough of "Head Shoulders Knees and Toes," especially when the Teletubbies sing it (kill me). You are the mascot of Harmony Playground (shout out to the ladies there) and Cathy at the local Barnes & Noble now carries a picture of you ON HER BADGE because you are so fucken cute. Mamie, you are like, the most friendly kid in the world.
So today is your birthday and yes, it is your day and we shall do many fun things like go for a walk to the shoe store for the sole purpose that you can gaze (and kiss) yourself in the mirror. You shall have a tasty dinner of whatever you want, even if that is only crackers like last night, because it is your birthday. But it also my birthday too. My birth day. Birthdays aren't just about presents, they're also about remembering your birth. On this day at 6:02 I believe I will always remember that incredible moment.
I am so happy you are here, Mamie.
Happy birthday to both of us.
