September 15, 1997

I was nine months pregnant with my second child. Tristan was five years old, Mike and I hadn't even been married a year yet, and I was miserable. I couldn't wait for this baby to be born.

As I lay in bed on the night of the 14th, I was restless. By some miracle, I managed to drift off to sleep. Some time after midnight I awoke, wet. Something was running out from between my legs and I was powerless to stop it. I yelled for Mike to wake up.

"Wha....what?" he asked, half asleep.

"I think I'm peeing the bed, but I can't stop!" I scream.

"I think my water just broke," I say, climbing out of bed and waddling to the bathroom.

Mike jumps out of bed, turning in circles while he tried to comprehend what I just said. "Hurry up! Get dressed!" he yells at me through the bathroom door. "We have to get to the hospital!"

I come out of the bathroom with a towel between my legs, and look at him. He's trying to put his clothes on. He's got his shirt on around his neck, and was trying to pull his pants on. The shirt was inside out, and the pants weren't cooperating. It was a comical sight, and I laughed at him.

"What's so funny?" he asked me. "We have to go!"

"You are funny," I say. "Settle down. I'm not even having any pains yet. We've got time."

He apparently didn't hear that last part. He was still running around, throwing on clothes, and grabbing my suitcase as he flew out of the bedroom. I preceded to get dressed, putting on clean dry clothes. Mike kept rushing me, telling me we had to go.

I finally got dressed, and we headed out the door. The hospital was a good twenty minutes away, but I wasn't worried. I hadn't even had one contraction yet. Mike, on the other hand, wasn't so calm. I could tell he was freaked. He kept talking really fast, as if that would make us move faster. His eyes were practically bugging out of his head, and he cussed anyone that happened to be in front of us on the road. No one moved fast enough. I had to remind him to watch his speed more than once. The speedometer would creep up over the speed limit until I would tell him to slow down.

At the hospital, they called the doctor on call who informed us that since I wasn't having any contractions yet, the odds of this baby coming that night were slim. I would have to wait until the next morning at 8am to be induced if nothing happened before then.

So, into a room I went to sleep the rest of the night. Of course I didn't sleep. I was too excited, and scared.

Right on time, I was induced at 8am on the 15th. Four hours later, with Mike, my mother, my mother in law, and my sister in law beside me, Rebecca was born. She came into this world weighing just a little over seven pounds. A perfect baby girl. The little twist to this story is that she came into this world on my mother's birthday.

This coming Monday, Rebecca will be eleven years old. Almost a teenager, and quite the young lady. I'm proud of her. She's a good kid. I look at her, and see a lot of me in there.

Today, as a surprise for her birthday, Mike and I went to the pet store and bought her the hamster she's been wanting for months now. We bought all the accessories for him, and had everything put together by the time she got home. She had no idea, and was thrilled! Her new hamster's name is Cookie, and has made his new home in her bedroom.

It makes me a little sad to think she's growing up so fast. I want to keep her by my side and keep her safe, but she's becoming quite the independent person. She has her own ideas and her own tastes. She doesn't need me as much as she used to, although we do have fun time and fix each other's hair and makeup once in a while. She's my only girl.

So, happy birthday, baby girl! I love you very much!