Once Upon a Time....

Six years ago, Ronnie and I were anxiously awaiting the arrival of our baby girl.  July 31st was my due date and I was ready to pop.  I had been kicked out of work for having Braxton-Hicks, but considering it was my due date and all my maternity leave needed to start anyhow.  I had grown out of my maternity clothes as my belly had swollen to epic proportions.  Watermelons had nothing on my roundness. 

July 31st, 2004 was a long day of hurry up and wait.  I had a doctor's appointment, and they declared that I had effaced some and baby girl was in position, but it just wasn't time yet.  And there was no talk of induction, as Fort Bragg and Womack were delivering enough babies who were coming on their own.  Nope, the doctor explained, the baby just needed to cook a few more days and we could talk induction at my next appointment.  So I left Womack without a baby in my arms. 

Looking back now, I clearly see this was the beginning of the Mother's Curse. You know what I'm talking about, the utterances your own mother screamed at the top of her lungs, whispered under her breath, or just thought while you were growing up.  Mine had started alright... because the one thing I heard my mom say to me more than anything else.....  The one thing that drove her absolutely crazy...

"Hurry Up Chris!"

Yes, that would be me.  I run on my own clock.  I stop to enjoy my surroundings.  I'm not a morning person and will stay in bed until I absolutely have to get up so I can brush my teeth, wash my face, fix my hair, grab a cup of coffee and get out of the house with seconds to spare.   I'm constantly 5 minutes late for everything.  I get absolutely lost in books, movies, conversations with friends, or my own thoughts and completely lose all track of time.  

We had to wait to finally meet our baby girl, Holly Grace.  I was scheduled for induction on August 10th, but Holly decided to start the process a little early on August 8th.  But she still didn't make her entrance until August 10th, because she is her mother's child.  That was the deadline, so that's when she got it done.

And just as my mother promised, I was to have a little one just like me.  She stops and smells the flowers, finds the most interesting things on the ground, and gets lost in books and movies.  She is the one I have to drag out of bed in the morning to get moving, the one I have to drag her out of rooms and places with friends because she has to hug everyone goodbye, and the one who is most like her momma.