Happy Birthday "Tookie"

10 years ago today, I was 22 years old, living in Hawthorne, CA waiting for 12:00 am to hit. My doctor had schedule my labor to be induced on "Labor Day" which meant I only had a few more hours at being a non-parental figure. So many thoughts and emotions ran through my mind: scared, relief, anxiety, excitement are just a few of them.
The hours before the actual arrival of my daughter went something like this:
- 2-6p - I attended a labor day b-b-q w/my friends, Lynn and Janon(she was PG)
- 7-9p - I tried to get some sleep but was too tired and scared to fall asleep
- 9:01p - My mother begins drinking w/my baby-daddy (the beginning of the end)
- 10-10:30p - They are official drunk and saying things like "Look at my baby..."
- 10:31p - I call a sober friend to drive me to the hospital (I'm not chancing it)
- 11:45p - Lynn arrives and takes me to the hospital
- 2a - My mother and equally drunk aunt arrives at the hospital. They are making all
kinds of noise and stealing pillows (for me) from other rooms
- 11a - I get "the shot" to reduce pain (some serious cramps)
- 3p - I get an epidural (that damn shot didn't do anything)
- 5:30p - My doctor tells me that we are going to 'start pushing at 6'
- 6p - "SHOWTIME" (my focus point was a king size snickers my mother got me)
- 6:42p - My little baby girl was born; 7lbs 11oz 21in

She's my only little girl, and I love her with all of my heart. Ryann turns 10 years old today (time sure does fly by). I'm blessed to be able to see her grow up right in front of my eyes. I'll never take any of these moments for granted.



Happy birthday baby...... your family loves you!