Dear Otter

This is the 5th installment in my Love Letters to my children series.  One more to come. Then, I'll be out of children.

Dear Otter,

Otter, otter, born in the water.  You came into this world in the most awesome way of any of your siblings! I was 39 weeks pregnant and taking a nap on the couch on a hot Saturday afternoon. Earlier that day we had picked up the final Harry Potter book and spent some time reading it.  Your dad had jokingly told me I could have you any day except July 21st, the day that book came out. He didn't want to miss out on reading it.  We are pretty big Harry Potter fans.  I told him I  was going to have you that day because he told me not to do it. Well, we were both teasing, but you had plans.  You let us have most of the day to read the book and relax.  Everything was quiet. The clock switched over to 4 P.M. and . . .

POP!!!!

My water broke, abruptly awakening from my peaceful slumber.

Knowing I was likely to have a fast labor (the last one was one hour and 15 minutes), I jumped up off the couch and raced to the phone.  As I ran I yelled upstairs."Judd, my water broke!"  He raced into action loading Reuben, Amy, and Clara into the car. Tim was at a friends' house.  I called the midwife who was driving her son to the pool.  She understood I could have a very fast labor and flipped a U-turn over a concrete median to head to the birth center. I love her for that!

After the call, I ran to the car.  When I say run in the post, I actually mean run.  We were off.  It was about 4:05. The birth center was in Holladay.  We didn't want to take the time to get Tim.  I called my friend who had him and asked if he could stay overnight and she said yes.  A few minutes later, I had a contraction, nothing really strong, but definitely my body getting down to business.  The drive was about 15 minutes.  So, we got there around 4:20.  Grandma Kristie, who was luckily available, met us there to watch your older siblings.  Your dad and I headed back into a birthing suite and Becky( the midwife) checked my dilation. I was 6 cm, which was one more than I had been at my last check, so things were getting going.  I decided to get in the nice hot tub.  During this time I had been having contractions every 3-5 minutes, so not very many. I thought I would labor in the tub for an hour or more, but as soon as I got in, and Becky left to change into scrubs, I felt really safe and I told my body that I was ready to have you.  And my body listened.  With the next contraction, I could feel that everything was in place for you to be born.  I could feel your head starting to come out.  I hollered for the midwife to come back and forget changing.  By that point, a second midwife had arrived to act as nurse.  They asked if I could get out of the tub to deliver on my hands and knees like I wanted to do.  But, I couldn't get out. You were coming! Things went so fast.  I think I had a total of 8 contractions, including the 1 or 2 it took to get you out into the water, then straight into my arms.

  Start to finish- 39 minutes.   You were born at 4:39.

Well, kiddo, you made a grand entrance, and you've been awesome ever since!  You were an angel baby. You went to sleep without any trouble.  You loved to be held but also loved quiet time.  You were cute and sweet and fun to cuddle.  Everybody loved you, especially Clara who is only 23 months older.  She really loved getting a living baby doll!

After a while, your fabulous spunky personality emerged.  Audrey the cheetah/otter- loud and funny, queen of the cartwheel,  friendly, compassionate, silly, and kind.  You are a spitfire! You love going to school, once you've gotten there each day. You love to sing and dance and play with your sisters.

One of my favorite things about you is finding you asleep many nights of each week with a book covering your face.  When you were quite small you carried around a book by Gordon B. Hinckley. Then for a while you toted a large copy of the complete works of Edgar Allen Poe! The other day you had a homemade bow ( like bow and arrow) tucked in with you and tightly cuddled while you slept!

I loved getting to be your preschool teacher and I love getting to be your mom and watch you enjoy and excel at so many things.  I'm so glad to have a kid who loves to be with all of her sisters and who is game to try just about any activity.  I can't wait for you to turn 8 in a couple of months and for the new adventures that await you.  I'm so excited to watch you grow and see you develop into a woman. You're just awesome!  I like it that you say strange things like" Mommy, when you die, I want all of your jewelry. All of it! Oh, and your shoes too!"

You are just full of spunk and sass all squished into a beautiful package with silky brown hair and big sparkling blue eyes.  I must have done something right to get to be your Mom.  I love you Audrey!

Dear Bat Baby,

This post is number three in a six part series of love letters to my children.

Dear Bat Baby, otherwise known as Amy,

     It's probably not good to start out by making you mad, but I couldn't resist. Bat Baby was such a great nickname, even if you don't like it.  You don't remember Grandpa Kevin holding you up high and flying you around the house, while singing "Bat Baby", his own little ditty. You loved it!

Ok, so, let's get down to this love letter here.  Amy, you are my special child for so many reasons.  You were my first daughter.  I wanted my first baby to be a girl, but he was a boy.  So, then I wanted a girl second. . . .BOY.  Of course, I then wanted a girl.  And I got one!  I was soooooooooooo excited! I couldn't wait to dress you up. .  hee hee heee.

Amy you were born during a unique time for our family. When I was 7 months pregnant I moved with your brothers from Maryland to Utah, leaving Dad behind to finish law school.  I was due the week of his graduation and we wanted to come back to Utah, so we had to come early.  It was really hard to be separated.   Luckily, we were living with my parents, so it wasn't too lonely.  Daddy flew back the day after his last class. He could only stay for one week, then he had to go back for the graduation ceremony. Usually, we wouldn't spend the money for an extra trip like that, but we didn't want Daddy to miss your birth. You were due May 18th and graduation was on the 21st.  Daddy flew back May 13th during the day.  I went into labor the next day and after 15 hours of wimpy contractions my water broke. You entered the world 45 minutes later, my first baby born "my way".  This was my first delivery where I was assertive with the care providers. It helped that I was able to use a midwife.  You should have seen everyone scramble when I declared that I was about to push out the baby and that I would be delivering on my hands and knees, so "GET READY!"  When you were born your face was black and blue because you had been facing the wrong way and it got bruised. But, you were okay. You started life as my biggest baby- 8 lbs. 8 ounces, and weighed 10 pounds at your two week checkup.  While labor wasn't hard with you, afterwards a piece of the placenta remained inside of me, discovered days later when my uterus started to contract constantly.  It took about 24 hours to get the attention of the midwifes, despite repeated phone calls.  I had to get some powerful medicine to cause more contractions to get that out. But, then I was fine.

You were an easy baby in many ways.  You nursed for 5 minutes at each feeding.  5 minutes.  Total.  about 2.5 minutes per side.  I couldn't make you nurse more and you gained a lot of weight, so I was just grateful.  You had the good fortune of spending your babyhood living in your grandparents house with two parents, two grandparents, and two teenage aunts who adored you.  This was great for us, since you ended up deciding to only like 5 people.  Me. Dad. Grandma Dellory. Katy. and Uncle Eric. For a long time, these were the only people that you really liked.  We were all relieved when you decided to accept the other loving relatives in your life.

I did some things differently with you.
You never had a bottle.
You learned how to eat with a spoon without making a mess by the time you were 12 months old.  You really wanted to and Grandma told me to give you that spoon. So, I did. You could eat a bowl of cereal with milk in it and not spill.  You were a good eater, which was so nice after two picky boys.

One of my favorite baby memories of you is doing your hair.  You didn't have very much, but I was determined, so instead of pig tails, you had pig sticks.  If you look in photos, they are barely discernible.  You were a good sport about that. Eventually your hair grew in. Now you have enough hair for three people.

Amy, you have always loved to learn.  You are a smart cookie.  You love reading books. Sometimes it's like looking back in time at myself.  You love girly things, but you are also very practical.

When you were about two you started speaking in big long sentences, and you've never stopped.  It's so fun to be your mom.  I often get remarks about your answers at church.  People are stunned by your knowledge and insight.  I also frequently hear compliments about your singing voice- the voice of an angel.  I'm so pleased that you choose to share this talent.

Amy, you are a go getter and a hard worker.  You are kind and compassionate.  You have your moments, or your snits as we call them, but you always come back and apologize for being cranky. You know what is right and you want to do it.  You have always believed the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You are such a great example to all of your siblings and friends.

My daughter,  I have watched you now for 11+ years. I have loved seeing you grow. I feel so blessed to have been your Activity Days leader for the last three years.  I know you are anxious to turn 12 and join the Young Women's program.  And I know that you will embrace it and love it.  That's just the kind of person that you are.  What other kid would ask the bishop 6 months ahead of time if she can get her temple recommend for baptisms the minute she turns 12 so she can go perform baptisms for the dead on her actual birthday?    That's cool.

You are smart. You are beautiful.  You are a daughter of God and you know it.  You are good and kind, motivated to achieve, but you would never knock down another person in your quest to better yourself.  When my cousin came to live with us this year, you graciously gave up your beautiful room that you had all to yourself for 6 years.  You did not complain.  You agreed to share with Clara. When that became hard, after a struggle, you decided to take positive steps.  When told you could ask for only 3 things for Christmas, two of your wishes were for a white noise machine and a curtain for your bunk bed to give you a little privacy.  I know it's hard to have your bedroom be a passageway between other rooms. You have been so gracious about this, and it has made it easier for everyone.

That's the kind of person you are.  Amy, I'm so blessed to be your Mom. I could write pages and pages of stories about you serving others. Even though I am your parent, you are a strength to me.  I love you my first daughter!


Love,

Mom