Welcome to my Circus : A Tribute to Brooklynn Rae on Her Birthday!

As I was trying to fall asleep the other night, the day Brooklynn Rae was born re-played in my mind. Today is her 15th birthday and over the past few weeks some of my most treasured memories of her life thus far have been playing in my mind like old home videos. It seems like just yesterday she was born but it has been 15 years...so hard to believe!
The day I will never forget began the evening of, Thursday, August 19, 1999. That is when I went into labor with her. So many different thoughts and emotions ran through me as the contractions grew stronger and closer together. At first I was terrified more than anything, something I find funny today as she is child number three out of four! Later that evening as I prepared our hospital bags, the fear turned into anticipation and excitement.
Her father, Brandon, and I made our way to the hospital at two o'clock in the morning. Once we arrived the nurses began to monitor Brooklynn and I for a few hours. Then they had me up walking around the hospital for an hour or so.
My sister, Melissa, met us at the hospital bright and early the next morning. Shortly after her arrival the doctor ordered Pitocin in my IV to speed up my labor. Right after that the anesthesiologist came in to give me my epidural to help ease the pain. I then began nodding off between contractions. You would have to know Brandon and Melissa to predict what happened next, but then again I did not even see this one coming.
I knew the two of them were up to something by the way they were giggling and whispering across the room. I just for the life of me could not figure out what they were plotting. They both came over to check on me once the doctors and nurses left the room.

Once they knew I was ok the "snooping" in all the drawers and cupboards began! Within just a few minutes the two of them began to play "dress-up" as Brandon modeled the treasures they had found! In no time at all, Brandon looked like a doctor prepping for surgery. He was wearing shoe covers on his feet, a funky looking hat thing that covered up his hair, paper like scrubs covering his clothes, and the final touch that left me hysterical and what I believe set off the really hard labor were the rubber gloves he snapped really loud once they were on his hands.

Brandon left a few minutes later to try and find something to eat. Not too long after he left I was feeling the urge to push. Melissa was by my side holding my hand and lovingly supported me as the urge to push became more intense! Her smile faded away as looks of fear and concern took its place. She had never experienced nor observed labor until that day. Brandon almost missed Brooklynn's birth as we could not find him anywhere!
I cannot remember feeling so relieved as I did when Brandon walked back through the door just as I was about to push for the first time. After only three pushes my little peanut, Brooklynn Rae entered the world at 11:27 am on Friday, August 20, 1999.

Brandon cut the umbilical cord and said, "Oh my God babe," with tears in his eyes, after all this was the birth of his first child. Then as they placed her on my chest I said, "She is beautiful!" Melissa, Brandon, and I all had tears in our eyes from the beautiful moment we had just shared. No one but the four of us seemed to be in that room. Then all of a sudden a nurse swept Brooklynn away from us.
We had not noticed but the doctor and nurses did. Brooklynn had not cried once she was born. Just as the nurse took Brooklynn my brother-in-law, Frank, and my parents came rushing through the door. Brandon and my parents hurried to Brooklynn's side and stayed there until we finally heard that sweet little cry! Thankfully she was perfectly fine and weighed 6 pounds 1 ounce and measured 20 inches long.

Finally my sweet, little peanut was back in my arms as we all took in this beautiful creation made by Brandon and I. Slowly through out the day several visitors came to meet Brooklynn. It was an amazing day to say the least!

The special moment that Melissa, Brandon, and I shared was over but has never been forgotten, at least not by me. Because of what we shared that day and of course it being the birth of one of my children, this day will forever be one of my most cherished memories! I wonder if they remember at all the way I do? I also wonder if they feel the way I feel about that day?
Happy Birthday Brooklynn Rae! Your mother, father, Aunt Moe, and our entire family love you so very much!