Today is really important in Australia – its remembrance Day. But for our family its actually a VERY important day. You see 18 years ago I was holding another sweet baby in my arms after 19 hours of labour.
Wish I Was There To Give You A Hug
18 years ago at 9.31am you were born into this world. With hair so very white that you couldn’t actually see it unless you looked closely. With eyes so blue that we knew they were going to stay blue.
With pale skin, fair as possible and with the most cutest face ever. At first your Dad was freaking out because you came out with a cone head, you know like that movie where they do have a very pointy cone head? Well yours was like that for a few hours, only because you were so swollen.
So wished I had photos on my computer, all your photos are in Albums in our Shipping Container.
The Day Before You Were Born
We lived in Moranbah – a HOT mining town 2 hours from Mackay. I was so very hot that I had face washers on my head, my feet in a bucket of water and was sitting next to a fan. We had my late Grandma with me, as well as your Dad’s Parents. AND we also had your cheeky older brother who was splashing around in a toddlers pool to try and keep cool.
Your Dad was off doing a Job Interview Test – he had to actually sit and do a 2 hour Test to apply for the position, to which we never heard why he didn’t get the job!
I was having five minutes contractions, and then they moved onto 2 minutes apart. We had to drive to Mackay to have you because at that point in time the local hospital was not letting Mums deliver there! So I tried to hold on as long as possible, and I tried not to let family members know that the contractions were so very painful and so close together….but I guess they could tell.
Because your Grandad went to where your Dad was sitting his test, and let him know that he WAS needed at home. So he raced through every answer and finished it in 20 minutes. Smart Dad you have there.
He came flying through the door, grabbed our bags and was flying out the drive way before I could blink.
Before we knew it we were on the Highway to the Mackay Hospital….little did we know that our trip was going to be so much fun.
You see you were letting me know you were coming but I was crossing my legs because I did not want you in the car.
There was also road works going on – and there was lots of loose gravel on the road. Yep – a Truck went by our car and a rock hit our windscreen.
Now in those days {yeah I get told how old I am from your other brothers!!} the windscreen breaks differently to now days. This one shattered into tiny little splinters but didn’t fall out, nor could your Dad see anything at all.
IMAGINE this ::
A windscreen with no visible view to see the road, no lines on the road due to the road works, and lots of traffic. Dad ended up driving with his head out of the window until he could find a safe spot to pull off the road.
Then he made me climb out of the car, with 2 minute contractions coming on fast n thick.
He grabbed our picnic blanket and wrapped his hand up tight, smashing out the broken windscreen completely. We still had 1.5 hours to go before we go to the hospital….
Yeah we arrived with bugs in our hair, our face covered in dust and our clothes were no longer what they looked like when we got into the car.
The first thing I ask for is a shower!
The first thing Dad ask for is a phone book to call up a local windscreen guy to come out to the car to fix it asap.
Oh and he was hungry so he went off to McDonald’s for Dinner {he has the worst taste in food!!}
All the mean while I was still in early labour with you….gee if that was early labour then I was in for a wild ride.
Can You Guess What Your Dad Did Next?
He was so very tired so he grabbed the bean bag, the one I was meant to use if I wanted a change in position and went to sleep! Leaving me alone for most of the night.
So much for a quick delivery – I had an infection so for the 19 hours I had to have a drip every four hours filled up with antibiotics. I have really bad veins so they kept on closing up and they had to keep on finding a new vein. After wards my arms were covered in bruises – looked like I had come out of boxing ring.
I remember going through the night asking “How much longer” and wishing you were here already.
I remember squeezing your Dad’s hand – that is when he woke up – because it was so very painful
I remember asking the nurse “How much more stuff do you need to put through the drip? Haven’t you already put enough through?”
To which she told me “Every four hours until Baby arrives”. That was all the motivation that I needed, within a very short time frame you were out.
And you were in my arms. Never ever did I feel so much happiness. You were here, you were safe and you are so loved.
So 18 years later you are loved, you are so very brave, you have chased your dream and you have made your life. YOU make us so very proud to say we are your parents.
We are so very glad you chose us to be the ones to see and share your journey.
Thanking You For Letting Us Be In Your Life
Watching Your March out Parade was So Good
Have a great day – and when you move from the base in Melbourne to Sydney we will celebrate with Cake and we will shout your first Beer. Today you will be learning new skills related to your Navy Job but we hope you realise that if we were close by we would be hugging you tightly and saying happy Birthday, hope you have a great day.
Now with your Navy Position I can see how much more Remembrance Day will mean to you. I can see how much more this day will touch your heart in so many ways.
“Happy 18th Birthday” little Man. You will always be my baby.
Love you lots
Mum and Dad, plus your four brothers
xxxx