AlisonH
Filed under: Family
It’s official: now they’re 22, 24, 26, and 28.
He was due Memorial Day. He came on D-Day instead, exactly 40 years later. He missed my dad’s birthday by a day, but I got the obstetrician I wanted that way.
I called the OB’s office that June 6 and asked which doctor was on call.
The nurse on the line immediately shot back, and this is a direct quote, “Why, if it’s the wrong one are you going to go out of labor?”
Note that I hadn’t even told her I was *in* labor, but I shot right back, “Yes.” I am an honest person.
I googled St. Joseph’s in Nashua, NH this morning and was pleased to see that it still exists and still by that name.  Hopefully they’ve got a new AC unit by now. That day, New Hampshire was having a record heat wave, 106, and somehow, at St. Joseph’s, a record baby wave to match: the nursery was used to having a half a dozen. There were 37 newborns, among them, my little guy, and the AC blew its cool.
He’s not so little now. A friend of mine once saw him walking up to us, and from his height of 6’6” or or, exclaimed, “Wow. I’m not used to looking UP at people!”
I used to be bigger than you. You’re a good man. You picked the best bride on earth, and I am so proud of you both. Now I’m the one who has to live up to whom you’ve chosen to be, and I look forward to seeing all that is to come. To life!
Happy Birthday, Richard!
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Our mutual friend says that her sweetheart is short in comparison to the guys in her family; I see what she means, and I still look up to him.
Comment by Lynn 06.06.10 @ 11:25 pmHappy belated birthday to Richard and to your father!
Best wishes for many happy and healthy returns. 🙂
Comment by Suzanne in Montreal 06.07.10 @ 5:39 amhappy birthday Richard — and happy birthday Dorothy (who turned 27 on the same date!)
really? you were going to go “out” of labor — nice trick!
and aren’t these June babies great?!
Comment by Bev 06.07.10 @ 6:14 amCongratulations. Such a good story
Comment by Sherry in Idaho 06.07.10 @ 7:05 amHeh – Nashua is only a few miles away from me and I’ve been by St. Joseph’s many times 🙂 Happy birthday Richard!
Comment by Robbyn 06.07.10 @ 8:04 amOh, my! They do tend to grow up, don’t they! I’ll have to email you a couple of photos appropriate to the subject, including June birthdays.
Humor –
TOMBSTONES
London, England: Here lies Ann Mann, who lived an old maid but died an old Mann.
Ruidoso, New Mexico: Here lies Johnny Yeast… Pardon me for not rising.
Comment by Don Meyer 06.07.10 @ 9:35 amlovely post to your baby! Happy Birthing day to you and birthday to him. g
Comment by gMarie 06.07.10 @ 10:28 amHappy birthday, Richard! And, happy birthing-day, Alison! My baby, who’s 26-almost-27 now, is taller than me these days, too. However, I can still cut him down to size with a word when he gets a bit too big for his britches! Mom power is a truly awesome thing.
Much love!
Comment by Pegi 06.07.10 @ 10:32 amHappy Birthday, Richard!
Comment by RobinM 06.07.10 @ 12:04 pmTo life, indeed! Happy birthday, Richard, and congratulations, mom 🙂
Comment by Jocelyn 06.07.10 @ 6:48 pmHappy birthday, Richard! What a sweet tale… minus the 106 degrees and feeble AC…
Comment by Channon 06.07.10 @ 7:36 pmI don’t know when they last renovated, but I suspect you wouldn’t recognize St. Joseph’s these days. It looks like a cross between a shopping mall and an office complex- information desk, attractive-looking cafe, interior windows, professional-looking signs; here for laboratory services, there for radiology. I can’t speak for the AC, though- the last time I was there was in September!
Comment by RobinH 06.08.10 @ 12:16 pmLeave a comment
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