Friday, October 14, 2011

Birthday Girl

That's Birdie at a whopping 1 day old!
Today my sweet precious Birdie is 23 years old.

I was quite the lucky woman with all four labors/births and Birdie was no exception. From beginning labor tug to ending birth, Birdie's process took all of an hour and a half. That's it. No problem, right? Wrong.


The problem was that the birthing center was an hour and a half away from our house. It was 1988 and there were no midwives around here so we had to travel an hour and a half away to our midwife and the birthing center. By the time I called Hubs and he got home, we had way less than an hour and a half to get there.

And it was rush hour.

As we sped down the interstate at a crawling 10 mph to no movement whatsoever, the time for her arrival became imminent. Hubs may have been really, really close to panic mode. I would have found the whole situation humorous, but I was busy.

We did the only thing we could and pulled into a hospital that we passed along the way. We were rushed into an emergency room and, as the doctor walked by the curtain, he stepped in and 'caught' Birdie. Just in the nick of time took on a whole new meaning for our family.

Birdie's hair used to stick straight up when she was an infant. Our pediatrician, who was the sweetest man, used to laugh and say, "It's no wonder. The hair raising way she was brought into this world!"

That was 23 years ago today and, while she made have arrived with her hair standing on end, she has been the most patient, go with the flow kid of the four.This child has brought us absolutely ZERO difficultly or heartache--well, there was this summer when she moved TWENTY HOURS AWAY to stupid TEXAS for GRAD SCHOOL---but other than that, no heartache at all.

Birdie is our athlete. She played soccer for 8 years and loved every minute of it. Until high school when she disagreed with and refused to participate in the politics that are a part of soccer in our area and quit soccer. It was at this time that she discovered athletic training and became a student trainer all through high school, majored in it in college and then left us to get a master's degree in athletic training in TEXAS which is TWENTY FREAKING HOURS AWAY.

Birdie and DoodleBug
She has a contagious laugh, loves old black and white movies, Frank Sinatra, Elvis and the Beatles, dogs, and sports (especially soccer and football). She is loyal beyond belief to her sisters and has had the same best friend since the age of three. She is independent and has better financial savvy than her dad and I ever had. She drove herself out to Texas after being accepted into a grad program and is the head athletic trainer at a high school out there. She loves decorating for holidays and celebrations. She has the patience of a saint (which she gets from her dad) and is creative in multiple ways. She is strong willed and independent. She never, ever ceases to amaze us.

And so, my wonderful Birdie, it's your 23rd birthday and I am so very, very glad that you were born!



 I'm linking up with FOLLOW FRIDAY 40 AND OVER with JAVA over at NEVER GROWING OLD 



AND FRIDAY FRIEND CONNECT with Jan over at Midlife Parenting 

35 comments:

  1. Wonderful post for Birdie on her 23rd birthday. Happy Birthday Birdie! Pam, the love you have for your beautiful daughters always shines out from every post. I bet you're a wonderful mum! Have a lovely weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  2. aw, lovely post, your mother-love shines right through.
    Happy Birthday to Birdie!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Happy 23rd Birthday, Birdie! You have brought your family so much joy, but I know it's been reimbursed in barrow loads. Pity you are celebrating so far from home this time, but we all hope that you'll be having a lovely day, whatever you'll be doing by way of celebration!

    This is a beautiful tribute you your precious daughter, Pam! What a wonderful tale of how she entered the world!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lovely tribute to your daughter. I'm glad the drama stopped after her birth! Happy Birthday

    ReplyDelete
  5. Awww...love this post. Happy Birthday to your Birdie so far away in Texas!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Happy Birthday Birdie. Those pictures are precious. Love the one in the tub.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Awww, what a lovely post this is. Birdie sounds like an absolute gem, and the pictures are great. I only hope I can do such a good jog with raising my own daughter ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Diane- You are so sweet, thank you! The girls make it all so easy. I don't know how we got such great kids but I'm grateful that we did!

    Mimi- Aw, thanks! She's having a great day, her boytoy flew out to Texas to spend the weekend with her!

    Desiree- This is the very first time she's been away for her birthday so it's been a bit difficult. BUT we sent her a package that she opened this morning and her boytoy flew out to visit so we sent her cards and $$! Thanks!

    Betty- I'll give her a hug when she FINALLY gets home in December! Meanwhile, I'll send her a virtual hug! Thanks so much!

    Kim- I'm glad it did too! We got very lucky with the drama- none of the girls liked drama...well, OFF stage anyway. LOL

    Laura- Thank you! I know, I wish she was here!

    Debby- Thanks so much! They had such a blast with that soap!

    Annie- Thank you! She truly is. OMG. Are you kidding? You're a fabulous mom! Izzy is great and always will be!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great post for Birdie on her 23rd birthday. Happy Birthday!! :-) Wow, sometimes I don't think I can even remember EVER being 23. It is on a distant horizon somewhere.

    Lovely post.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Happy birthday to your lovely daughter, Birdie.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Happy Birthday Birdie, what a lovely post!
    Have a lovely weekend!
    Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  12. Judy-Distant is right! I know I don't really remember--but then, I was in grad school and partying...LOL

    Vintage-Thank you so much!

    Eva- Thank you! We'll be having a blast with the girls this weekend! Hope yours is fab too!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Her smile just glows! Happy Birthday to your dear Birdie - such a loving post! :D

    ReplyDelete
  14. What a wonderful tribute to your daughter. Happy Birthday, Birdie!

    ReplyDelete
  15. What a sweet, loving post! I loved that "hair raising" story!! Happy Birthday, Birdie!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Biz- Thank you! We sure did miss her today!

    Gail- Thank you! She's a great kid!

    Mommie- Thanks! It is funny, especially since that's the only 'hair raising' thing she ever did. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a great post on Birdie's birthday, she founds like one super nice girl, major happy birthdays hugs from me. What I wouldn't give to have even one of your girls on any of my classrooms....

    ReplyDelete
  18. What a great post Mom! Happy Birthday Birdie! Today is my brother Brendan's birthday too. Good people!! Hugs my friend!

    ReplyDelete
  19. aw, happy birthday to your little Birdie! :) My little 'bean' will be 23 in April, she is our youngest daughter...is Birdie third or fourth?
    Oh, and LOVE the story or her and her hair raising birth! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  20. Beautiful tribute to your girl! I love this! I wrote one out by hand for my daughter. I plan on writing one to each of my children, but somehow, it's easier to write about the quiet one than the ones who come home from school with notes saying they weren't paying attention in class.
    Happy birthday Birdie! You sound like you're terribly easy to love!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Happy Birthday to dear Birdie. I hope she has a great one and the best year ever.
    Mama's love shines right through the whole post. YEAH!!!
    Take care and have a blessed weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Oh my, how sweet... and beautiful she is:)

    Following your lovely blog. I am also inviting you to join Autumn Blog Hop 2011 at Momma's Lounge at Momma's Lounge ( http://olahmomma.com/momlounge ) where you meet more mom bloggers; shout away; add your giveaways and/or blog and business links; and get featured by sharing your crafts, recipes and interesting musings. You can follow us back at http://olahmomma.com

    Thanks and have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Alessandra- You would have LOVED having the lovelies in your class- they were all well behaved but also, they knew how to think for themselves! Well, they still know how to think for themselves. LOL All of the teachers who had all four of them came to Breezy's wedding and we have pictures of the four lovelies with those teachers!

    Mrs. T- Thanks so much!

    Barb- Oh! Happy Birthday to Brendan! Love those Oct. babies!

    Melody- Birdie is the third lovely! Deanie's birthday is in April!

    Sandra- Deanie is our child who always got the talks too much in class reports. But it never stopped her! LOL She is quite easy to love---so are her sisters!

    Julie- She had a great day. Her boytoy flew out to Texas to spend the weekend with her!

    Momma- Thank you! I'll head over there and check it out!

    ReplyDelete
  24. It's a good thing birthdays come around so we can embarrass our kids with how much we love them. And share their lovliness with others. She is so beautiful...and looks so demure.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Stephanie- Most of the time she looks like a tomboy! Always has. She lives in khakis and t-shirts. But she does clean up nicely! I live to embarrass my girls. And I LOVE it! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  26. What a terrific post. Birdie you are gorgeous. Many belated happy returns. Son is 23 in a couple of weeks-you don't think you fancy coming over to meet him....?
    Huge hugs to you all
    XX

    ReplyDelete
  27. What a lovely post and you did good Mama, you are also so blessed to have had short and to the point labors. Not mine, my daughter now, she has to go camp out she has almost had hers in the car. 3 times!
    I love the pictures. Your lovelies are just that so lovely. My son, my 3rd is just like that too. Mr. easy going and happy.
    Maybe he should go to Texas??? Just kidding.
    Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  28. TWIN! How dang cool would that be to connect your Son with one of the lovelies????!!!! Pretty dang cool I'd say!!!!

    FG-Thank you so much! I was very lucky with the labors! All four were just as you say, quick and to the point! It must be the third child syndrome! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  29. Happy Birthday Birdie...I wasn't quite sure your Mom was a little vague...how many hours away did you move?
    Hugs~

    ReplyDelete
  30. Sush- You are too funny! Oh, it's 20 hours. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  31. happy be-lated birthday. birdie sounds like someone that everyone should have in their lives.

    ya done good, momma!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Love this post...
    Happy, happy birthday to your beautiful girl, so far away (TWENTY FREAKING HOURS!). I'm sure she is missing all of you!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Love this post...
    Happy, happy birthday to your beautiful girl, so far away (TWENTY FREAKING HOURS!). I'm sure she is missing all of you!

    ReplyDelete
  34. MG-That's exactly what she's like! Thanks so much!

    Jessica- Thank you! She does miss us- but I miss her more!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! It makes me feel connected to everyone even though we may live far apart! Have a wonderful day!

 
Design by Imagination Designs
Illustration by MerryLittleDoodle
Background by CinnamonDove