Happy 31st Birthday Sarah!

I had dreamt about her. She had dark hair (curls) and dark eyes and looked a little like me but was better than me in every way; she was my daughter, my first born.
So, I had better think of a really great, super fantastic name, a girly one, and no one could talk me into a boy’s name because I simply wasn’t carrying a boy!

I had always liked the name Sarah, it reminded me of this really cool girl I met as a teenaged gawky girl (me not Sarah) up in Michigan on vacation with my family. She was really cool and nice, had long hair and a wonderful complexion. She was popular with the boys and the girls, a trait I longed to emulate. Everybody liked Sarah. Sarah, meaning “lady” or “princess” in Hebrew, yep, it seemed the perfect name for my darling baby girl to be. I’d pat my belly, and think of her, of the relationship we’d have, and how she would be at one, and two, and twenty-two.

It was a fairly easy pregnancy. I never really lost my girlish figure during this pregnancy; of course I was very young by today’s standards, just 19, about to give birth. I had about 10 more days to go, when suddenly I felt the contractions. I waited until about midnight, packed my bag and we went off to the hospital. A “glorious” 30 hours later, she was born, February 4th very early in the morning. I was very tired, this was way back in the days when “natural childbirth” was popular and it was frowned upon if you took any type of pain relief. Creepy frowners. When I looked at that doctor holding the nekked baby Sarah up for me to view, I saw my hips, my chin and all that hair!!! This was indeed the baby who haunted by dreams. My princess, my Sarah.
So, all you first borns out there know how hard the lives you have until the sibs start consuming some of the focus from first-time mom, now don’t you. Well, Sarah was perfect in every way; she was quick to learn, was very curious and had a large capacity for retaining any and all information. (Still does) She was like raising a daughter/sister/friend right from the very beginning. When the siblings did come, one right after the other, she took them in stride, knowing that she was in charge, higher up on the kid ladder in this family, and the siblings just followed along. Born leader, she excelled at most everything she attempted (YOU did, except for tumbling, and tap dancing, I’ll give you that) although I never think she ever thought she really did succeed. Shy to the core, it takes a lot of effort for her to stand up for herself and to meet new people. She was always referred to as mom’s clone, which didn’t help much, as most kids are embarrassed by their mom, and because I’m outgoing and such a goof, she had something to be embarrassed about sometimes, no most times. (love you baby) Today is her birthday, I miss my baby girl, the one who haunted my dreams, and early life. I’ll miss this day, as right now I’m vacationing in Mexico, and this was typed last week, when a teary eyed mom wished you well. Hope your birthday is Great! Happy Birthday Princess!

Note from the author: focus on the darling baby of mine and not the nifty 70's hair or the cool glasses.