The Day I was Born

Every year I get a version about the day I was born.  Last year I asked Mom and Dad to write it out so I'd always have it.  So here were the events 41 years ago in a "He said, She said" mode:

The Day I Was Born

From Dad:

Amy,

We had a big snowstorm, heavy snow and very windy. This was at our house on Irving street in Cottage Grove.

The street was totally impassable, only a snowplow could get through. Eventually the plow came and made only one pass before moving on to the other streets.

Within an hour after the plow came by your mother said we have to go to the hospital, now!

So I jumped into the blue 1964 volkswagen warmed it up and shoveled enough snow in the driveway to get to the center of the street. Then through the shovel in the back seat in case we got stuck.

Snow was still blowing around and the snow in the once-plowed street was starting to build up again.
I also wondered if the snowplow plowed our street all the way out (about 1/2 mile) to the highway (hwy 61).

Mom got in the warmed-up car and off we went. I was driving with my head forward, windshield wipers going and trying to stay on the path made by the snow plow. I think we were the first to attempt driving out to the highway. The snow banks were as high as the car windows.

Approaching hwy 61 I had to climb a slight incline .... and in order not to get stuck, I gunned it and drove right into the highway without coming to a complete stop.

The highway was a piece of cake.

........

I'll let mom add dates and the time of day to my version.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Dad




From Mom:

Happy Birthday, Sweetie!

Dad has his version of the day you were born, and here is mine:

It was cold. We had a horrific snow storm either the day before or 2 days before. Roads were blocked all over. Dad & a neighbor were trying to figure out how to get enough people with shovels & snow blowers to get a single trail to the high way. As it turned out, our street had been plowed out--a single car width.

My pains started & Dad thought we had better get to the hospital. He took Toni to the neighbor's 2 doors away & off we went. In our 1964 turquoise Volkswagen. You had one, so you know how much room there is in there to stretch out. Dad insisted we take a brand new blanket (bright yellow) with us just in case we didn't get to the hospital in time due to train tracks we had to cross. Often times trains would go by & tie traffic up for 10 minutes. I told him there was no way I was going to deliver a baby in that car!

Got to the hospital & less than 4 hours after my first pain, you were born. They only had time to give me a hypo to relax me. I remember hearing them comment on how I was already sleeping & in hard labor.

The next day I could hear the babies down the hall. One in particular cried pretty much most of the time. Every time they brought you in to me, you were so good. Ate, went to sleep & off you whisked to the nursery.

Finally it was time to go home. The nurse brought you in, laid you on my bed & you started to cry---the cry I had listened to for 3 days! I looked at the nurse, she smiled & said they didn't want to tell me.

You were pretty much a vocal baby until you were able to get yourself around. I learned to cook & clean with you on my hip. The longest you spent in the mesh playpen (Toni's haven) was 15 minutes. And 10 spent were crying. By 6 months you were climbing up the stairs, but just heading head 1st down the steps. That was a bit hard on your fore head. I showed you how to back down & the rest is history. You were on your way. Any/every where was a destination.

Love you,

Mom