Happy birthday Sydney!

A few days ago we celebrated your birth with a fun day of some of your favorite things! You basically led the show and chose what we ate and what we did and first up were pancakes for breakfast. To follow, we headed up to the aquarium at Crown Center, but first enjoyed pizza for lunch (FYI D'Bronx pizza is so very delicious!), some ice cream for us and a cookie for you, and a special trip to the Crown Center toy store. Shortly after, we headed over and enjoyed the aquarium and all of the sea creatures! We thought about driving around the plaza to see the lights like we have done for the past couple of years, but you were very anxious to get back home to play with your new toys, so we made our way back home instead. It was a fun, freezing cold, day that you declared "best day of your life!" :)

Each year when your birthday rolls around, naturally I replay the moments and hours leading up to your arrival. You were actually supposed to be a January baby, January 25th to be more precise. I had just had a doctors appointment the Wednesday before you arrived and the doctor didn't seem to think I'd be having a baby anytime soon. The following Friday was my last day of school before going on winter break (I told myself I would work on my sub plans while I was home on winter break--ha!), Dad and I exchanged our gifts for each other and got our gifts for our families situated for Christmas Day. (Oh and a huge snow storm had just came through and another was about to arrive...) Saturday, December 22nd was spent washing baby clothes and sheets, organizing drawers. I vividly recall thinking about packing my hospital bag, but decided against it and went about doing other things. That night we were watching football and eating chili when I soon found out that you were on your way! A quick visit with the nurse and a doctor confirmed it...she said "you'll have a baby tonight!" She was wrong about one thing though-we were having a baby, but you weren't born until after lunchtime the very next day! Whew it was a long time, but when you arrived I remember saying "she's the most beautiful baby I've ever seen!" We were ecstatic to finally meet you and were overjoyed that you were here and (seemingly) okay. Phone calls were made, hugs were passed around--but you were born with a fever so they had to take you to the nursery to see if they could give you some medicine to help you. While you were in the nursery, you started to have trouble breathing which they called "respiratory distress." Since you were so little and the hospital wasn't equipped to care for a premature baby, the decision was made to have you sent to Stormont Vail about an hour away. They sent for the Life Star helicopter and when you were only about 4 hours old you had your first (and only, thank God) helicopter ride! The nurses and staff assured us that this happens at least once a month, but you were our very first baby and in the moments leading up to you leaving and the moments after, it felt like we were the first and only parents in the world that had to be separated from their baby. The day of your birth went from the very best day of our lives to our very worst in just a matter of a few hours; however, once you arrived at the other hospital, they were quick to get you on the road to better health and I was able to join you that night. Daddy slept in the room with you (there was not a bed-just an awful, uncomfortable reclining/rocking chair) and I stayed at our cousins' house. The next eight days were pretty emotionally taxing on all of us, but we were reassured that you were going to be just fine and "respiratory distress" really is quite common in babies that are born early. We were able to bring you home on New Years Eve day and we got to ring in the new year 2008 together as a family of three, in our very own home. The following six years have flown by and we could not be more proud of the little person you have become. We love you so very much Sydney!