So - she's 15 now. She has friends with driver's permits. She's itching to get behind the wheel! Just 15 years ago - we had driven through a snowstorm to get to the hospital to have this chickie! We had taken all the childbirth classes, I had read all the "What to Expect When You're Expecting" books, I had studied for this day, and I was PREPARED!Or so I thought.
When her heartrate dropped, and they decided to take a blood sample to measure the oxygen levels in her bloodstream, and J got lightheaded and sat in a corner with his head between his legs and a juice in his hand - and the resident ran in and announced that we were having an Emergency C Section - I no longer felt prepared!
After she was born, and they put her in the Special Care nursery because of a rapid respiratory rate, and I couldn't see her - I definitely wasn't prepared!
But she recovered - and I got to see her - and took her home on schedule - and I was prepared again! "Now we can get back to normal" I thought, as we left the hospital. My very next thought - "I don't even know what normal IS anymore!"
This E - she's my fighter. 8 1/2 years after the unexpected turn of events surrounding her birth, we got another (not so nice) surprise. What we thought was a bladder infection? Type I Diabetes. I was not prepared. We spent three days in the hospital learning how to give injections, calculate carbs, watch for highs and lows. The last night - I'm up at 2am reading the "manual" they gave us - (the Pink Panther book - for those in the know) with my highlighter. The nurse comes in to check E's vitals and wants to know "What are you doing?""I'm cramming for my final! You're making me take her home tomorrow - and I need to know every single thing in this book before I leave. I need to be PREPARED."
And we wonder where she gets her OCD tendencies. hmmmm
She's rocked my world. She's risen to every challenge, she's exceeded expectations, and done it all with grace and charm. Her figure skating coach once said to me about her"I wonder how it feels to be good at everything you try?" Well, we know better - we've seen her play softball and basketball! But the truth is - there isn't much she can't handle!
I love her - and I'm so glad she joined this family 15 years ago!
Oh - and since it seems to be a Griswold thing - she got Crocs for her birthday too! (She picked them out in Hawaii!)
3 comments:
Happy Birthday to you BOTH! It's your day, too Kate! ;-)
Were you trying to make me cry? I vividly remember both days too! I remember finding out after school that E had been born and being furious that they waited that long- someone should have called the school to pull me out of class to tell me! Then I remember J coming back from a trip to the doctor, dropping A off and saying "I'm taking E to the emergency room," scary stuff! She is an absolutely amazing young woman though- I couldn't be prouder (and I know you agree)
She reminds me a lot of another amazing young woman I know - someone who couldn't be a better role model for my daughters - their cousin Kim!!
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