Sunday Snapshot {Six years ago...today.}

Dear Reagan,

You asked for it...you wanted the story of the day you were born...

Here ya go kiddo!

Your due date was June 24th, 2005.
Your scheduled C-section Date was June 17th, 2005.

Even then you had your own ideas.  You had your own schedule.  We were just along for the ride...we still are!

You were a scheduled C-section.  Yaya was an emergency C-section and the hospital where we were scheduled to give birth you told us you would be a C-section too.  I was expecting you on June 17th, a full week before your actual due date...you my stubborn one had other plans.

May 27th, 2005 started out like this...

It was a normal morning. Things were a little calmer back then. Daddy would leave for work before we woke up and then it was just Yaya and I. Getting ready for school. To be honest, it was always pretty laid back. It was just her and I. It didn't take much to get the two of us ready.

As we backed out of the driveway to drop Yaya off at school so I could head off to work...Yaya got sick. In my car. Without saying a word. She never told me she didn't feel well. She never said she was going to be sick. She just got sick...before we even left the driveway.

I brought her inside, and cleaned her up. Called work and told them I wouldn't be in that day.

Never. Never in a million years did I know it was your day. Never in a million years did I know by the next day I would have you in my arms.

As soon as I called work and got Reilly all comfy cozy on the couch I started to do some things around the house. 

I remember it was really sunny that day and I opened all the windows in the house to air out all the yucky germs. 

Within an hour Reilly was feeling fine.  She didn't feel sick at all anymore.  We sat down and had lunch together.  By the time we were done with lunch I was exhausted.  So I laid down for a little nap.  When I woke up my braxton hicks contractions started....and didn't really stop.  I was having so many of them....and they were coming really fast.  Not HARD contractions..just lots of them!  I called the Doctor and they told me to time them. 

I gave the job to your big sister.  I told her to write it down every time I told her I had a contraction.  We called the Doctor an hour later and they told us to come on down and they would check it out.

I still had no idea that I was having a baby that day.  I thought I was dehydrated.  That I would get an IV of fluids and they would send me home.  I don't think any of us really thought you were coming that day.

Daddy was at work (which was about 40 minutes away at the time) and it was the Friday before Memorial Day Weekend.  There was NO way he was going to make it home.  He left right away and Nana took us to the hospital.

Once we got there they did all sorts of tests.  They hooked me up to a fetal monitor....but still every single time they walked into my room I was ready for them to send me home.  To tell me everything was good and they would see me in a few weeks.

Daddy finally got there and Nana headed for home.  She kissed me goodbye and told me to call her when I got home....I told her I would and waved goodbye.  She only lived about 20 minutes from the hospital and I am sure she didn't expect to hear from me....but she did. 

The nurses kept coming in to check on me.  One after another, after another.  Finally I spoke up...What do you think is going to happen here today I said to an extremely friendly nurse.

She looked at me and said "Happy Birthday!"

um. What?

We weren't ready...we still had weeks until you were supposed to arrive!

Ready or not here you came!

We went into the operating room and to be honest I was a lot less scared than I was with your sister.  With you I knew what to expect.  I knew what was going to happen. 

I just remember lying there.  On the flat cold table....holding your Daddy's hand,crying.  I was so happy.  We wanted you so very badly. There was a time when we weren't really sure there would be another baby in our house... I distinctly remember thanking the Doctors over and over again for you. 

And finally.  I heard you.  SCREAM.  and I cried even harder.  There was nothing soft about that scream.  You were letting the world know you had arrived.

Then they held you up and showed you to me.

I will never forget the way I felt.  Joy.  And even that doesn't come close to explaining it.  You were squeezing your eyes so tightly I wasn't sure you were ever going to open them.  You didn't really have hair, more like fuzz. Soft, yellow fuzz, just like a baby chick.  The softest fuzz I have ever felt.  I remember you were all wrinkly like a pug.  You were born weeks early and never really plumped up.  You had all this extra skin.  I loved it.  You were so very little.  You only weighed 6lbs 2oz. The first thing I ever said to you....was that you looked like TVL (your Papa)!

The waiting room was full of people who wanted to meet you....but we didn't let them.  No way.  No one even got to see you.  Nope.  There was someone who had waiting so long for you .  Someone who deserved to be the next person to see you, touch you , hold you. 

Your Yaya.

The nurses were so good.  They covered your little portable crib and wheeled you right past all those Nana's and Papa, right past all those cousins. They didn't stop for friends or for Aunties or Uncles.  Nope, they just kept on going until they got us into our room...

and then..

She walked in.  And I swear to you it was love at first sight.  I don't have words to describe the look on her face, but I can tell you I had never seen it before that day and I have never seen it since. 

You were her very own little doll, she had waited forever for you and now you were here and she couldn't believe it.

You did eventually meet other people.  As a matter of fact I am pretty sure every.single.person. we knew or had ever known was there to feast their eyes upon you.

We pulled the typical Mommy and Daddy routine...
you know the one...
ten fingers...
ten toes...
but when we went to check out your eyes they were still closed as tight as could be....I actually physically tried to open your little eyes with my hands....to no avail.  We had no idea what color they were...and true to who you are...you made us wait...
for three days!

Proof that you were stubborn from the day you were born.

When you did finally open those eyes, they were like pools of the prettiest blue green I have ever seen.  They were the perfect mixture of the green I secretly wished you'd have and the blue eyes your Daddy hoped for.

I can not believe how quickly 6 years have gone by. 

You are everything I hoped you'd be and more.

There are so many things I love about you.
and...so many things you do that drive me crazy.
Which by the way shouldn't surprise me..your just like me!

I love your zest for life.  I love how you know what you want to do and you find a way to do it.  I love how you love.  I love how you tell my I'm gorgeous (us Moms need that now and then) I love the way your laughter is contagious.  I love how girly you are.  I love how you are not afraid to try new things.  I love your compassion for others. I love how stubborn you can be (sometimes!) I love how smart you are.  I love watching you....by yourself and with others. I love how at 6 years old, you know who you are, and no one is going to change you.  you are way too smart for that!

You have changed my life little girl.  Made it a better place to live.  You've made everything a little brighter and clearer.  You've taught me so much six years.... I can't wait to see what is in store for us. 

I love you Reagan June Leary

Happy Birthday Princess!


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