HaPPy BirTHdaY GiLLian

I remember like it was yesterday...

It was February 29, 2000 I was feeling very pregnant and over it...extremely uncomfortable. Gillian had dropped very low into my pelvis about eight weeks before she was due. This caused sever cramping and bruising to the inside of my pelvic area. I know it sounds painful because it really was. Grandma Cherilyn took Gentry for the day so I could get a few things done around the house to prepare for the new baby.

Brendan was very determined to have a leap year baby so we tried everything...nothing worked! My mom told me I should drink caster oil, it would make the baby come or completely flush my body. (It didn't do either one) I could stomach only one tablespoon of caster oil washing it down with orange Gatorade (I can't drink orange Gatorade anymore). I waited and waited nothing happened. I thought to myself maybe I didn't drink enough for it to take effect tempted to drink more. I tried but simply couldn't choke down more caster oil. At that point I figured we were going to have to wait a few more days. To further the possibilities of getting my body to go into labor I carried a TV down the stairs. (9 mo pregnant very STUPID!) I must have been desperate. Again nothing happened, no contractions. Finally, late in the afternoon around five or six I did start having some contractions nothing close together or uncomfortable. As time went by the contractions continued to get more regular about nine minutes but still comfortable. Around nine p.m. and hours of continuous contractions now five minutes apart we decided we should go to the hospital. We went to mom's to check on Gentry kiss goodnight and were off the the hospital. They hooked me up to the monitors checked me I was dilated to a four an hour later I was dilated to a ten. The entire family was there except Gentry and Grandpa. I do remember when I was getting ready to push my mother mentioned out loud "see that caster oil really worked" the nurse was very upset and annoyed that I would take it. The actual labor was very easy I had two contractions pushed twice and that little girls was out. At 11:46 pm our leap year/ millennium baby was born.

It amazes how quickly they grow up. It seems like it was just yesterday we welcomed her into this world and now she is nine. Gillian is an amazing daughter, sister, friend, cousin, granddaughter. She is so smart and does so well at school, has become an incredible dancer, is great at everything she does. I love my "Gillie Billie"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!