blogs.kxly.com

       Growing up… every year on my birthday, my mom would tell me the story of my birth… what happened that winter day on February 23rd, 1980. Now it’s my turn. My baby girl turned 1 year old yesterday. And now I get to tell my daughter her story… the birth of Leialoha Lani Deyo.  July 30th, 2007.

       You were due July 25th. Of course just like every other pregnant lady… I wanted you to come earlier. But you had your own plans. I felt no contractions, no sign of labor, nothing indicating that you were ready to enter the world. Finally, four days after your due date, early Sunday morning I felt contractions (I do have a very accurate, graphic description of what contractions feel like… but I’ll spare you blog readers from that description and keep it between my daughter and I).

       By night, I was in pretty bad pain. Your daddy, being the computer knowledgeable person he is (I’d refer to him as a nerd if I were talking to anyone other than his daughter) set up the laptop next to the bed and opened an excel spreadsheet. Every time I would have a contraction, he’d promptly sit up in bed and type in the time and length of the contraction. Though I was in pain, I managed to laugh at that spreadsheet. I still do to this day. Hahaha.

       At 3 AM we got in the car and headed to Sacred Heart. Before they checked us in, they had your daddy and I walk around the birthing floor for an hour. They wanted to make sure I was really in labor. I remember being in the worst pain of my life walking the floor in the hospital that night. I had to hold the railing along the wall when the contractions hit and I ordered your daddy not to look at me. I didn’t want anyone looking at me. I don’t remember this… but your grandma says that when I was a teenager I didn’t like her looking at me either. I don’t know why. Anyway, I digress… back to the labor story.

       By 5 AM they checked us into the hospital. Then, the good stuff came.. a big needle into my back that pumped drugs into my body easing the pain (Okay, I might hold off on that part until she’s older). Nonetheless, after I checked in, we got settled and watched Good Morning Northwest while we ate popsicles. After a tough night of contractions, I felt like I was in heaven… feeling nothing and lounging with your daddy as you got ready to enter the world. But that heavenly feeling ended when the nurse stopped the epidermal and it became time to push. Two hours later (a lot happened in that two hours that I will also spare readers of), you were born. My baby girl… weighing 8 pounds even and stretching 21 inches long. You had a big cone head and not much of a chin.

       Still, you were beautiful. You were beautiful then and are even more beautiful now. Here’s what you looked like when you were just one day old:

The people from mom’s work came to get footage of you to put on the news.  They were the first people to meet you… even before your grandmas and grandpas, aunties and uncles.  I banned all of them from the hospital because I wanted you all to myself.  I love you baby girl. Happy birthday.

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