Dear Clara,

This is my final love letter to my child, for now, unless I get more children one day.  ;)
Dear Clara,
     Of all 6 of my children, you are the only one who never had a nickname stick.  I'm not sure why, but Clara just fits you so perfectly.  You are the star of many blog entries because of all of the funny things you said and did when you were "little."  Lately, you've declared yourself to be a big kid, but it seems like yesterday that you were born.  We lived in Holladay, Utah and had the pleasure of delivering you at the Birth and Family Place Birth Center just a block and a half away from our house.  This was my first birth center experience and I would never go back to the hospital after- it was so wonderful!  Daddy really wanted you to come on his birthday, which was about 8 days before my due date.  I wanted to cooperate, so I made myself the "labor inducing" eggplant Parmesan recipe from the internet.  I ate it the day before Dad's birthday.  His birthday came and ended with no signs of labor.  We were disappointed but not surprised. We went to sleep around midnight as August 15th ended, taking with it all chances of a shared birthday.  At 1:30 a.m. I woke up feeling funny.  I thought I needed to go to the bathroom.  I got up and went and got back in bed, but the funny feeling came again.  Judd asked me if I was in labor.  I whimpered,"I don't know!"  He reached over and felt my belly. It was hard and firm from the contraction  was having. "You're in labor." he told me.  "Okay, I guess. You're probably right."  Within a few minutes I knew he was right. We called Grandma Kristie and woke her up to come and also called Grandma Dellory to come and help me.  Grandma Kristie lived pretty close but we couldn't wait.  We left the other kids home asleep and headed to the birth center a few minutes before she got there.  Things had gotten intense very quickly. The midwife, Rebecca Williams met us there and we went inside.  I remember laboring in the tub and my mom gently rubbing my arm and encouraging me to breathe in and out and to release the tension. It was very soothing and helped me stay focused on relaxing.  After a fairly short time I felt like you were ready to be born. I got out of the water and climbed up on a big comfy queen sized four poster bed.  Daddy sat next to me while I got on my hands and knees and rested on a pile of pillows.  I was really tired at this point, but ready. I waited for the next contraction .They had been coming every 1-2 minutes the whole time.  But, they stopped for about 10 minutes and I just relaxed. Then, they started up again and I quickly pushed you out.  Your amniotic sac broke as you were born.  Start to finish was 1 hour and 15 minutes!  You were born at 2:45 a.m. on August 16th, missing your Dad's birthday by less than 3 hours!

One of the most exciting things about your birth was that we didn't know if you were a girl or a boy. When you were born I flipped around and held you, pulling you up to my chest and checking you to find out if we had a new son or daughter.  That was one of the most incredible moments of my life.

We brought you home in an adorable yellow ducky outfit and you quickly became part of the family. You were a very easy and happy baby.  Grandma Dellory told me that you had mischief planned- she could see it in your eyes. Well, dang it all, she was right.

You waited a while to let us know, cause you knew you needed to wait, but you became quite the wild thing- about one month after I became pregnant with Audrey.  And you stayed a wild thing for several years.  When Audrey was 2 weeks old and you were almost 2, you stripped her naked and rubbed desitin all over her body while I was in the bathroom.  As you grew older, your wildness evolved into a more controlled zest for life- usually.  You are still very, um, fiesty.

We know that as you grow up you will be a powerful force for whatever you put your mind to do.  You have a way with people that is clearly a gift from God.  You see all people as worth getting to know and are not intimidated by age or unusual dress or grooming.  We had to tell you that you were allergic to men when you were little so you would stop climbing on stranger's laps all the time.  It took you a long time to figure that one out.  Sorry.  You are just very friendly.

One of my favorite stories about you is from last year when your class at school visited a nursing home and performed for the residents. You sang a song. Afterwards, you visited with the people and treated them with such kindness and interest that your school counselor sent you a letter in the mail praising your behavior.  What she didn't know is that you are always like that. You love people! And they usually love you back.

You are a determined kid at anything you do, whether it is dancing, soccer, softball, or convincing someone you are right.  You are a loving sister and daughter.  Clara, I wrote this in the blog about your baptism, but it's really important and true, so I'm writing it again. You ARE your name.  You are a "bright bringer of light" Clara Lucille.  I can't wait to see who you become and be your cheerleader as you continue to progress and achieve everything you set your mind to doing. I love you Clara!

-Mommy

 

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!