Today is the anniversary of the birth of my first child, she who I call on this blog the Girl Child, a most remarkable/astounding creature by any measure. While I was out of the house again this morning, as is my routine, long before sun up, I left her a birthday card on the kitchen table, along with some presents she will open with my wife (who beautifully wrapped them). To say she is excited about her birthday would be a gross understatement. She has been counting down the days for weeks now.
This was most of my entry last year, on the subject:
January 12, 2001, my wife and I were at NY Hospital, 65th and the River, and at precisely 10:00 that morning, my wife gave birth to our first child, the Girl Child. Shortly after giving birth, my wife basically passed out and remained passed out for about an hour and a half. That meant that when they finished weighing the little thing, they brought her to me. Now, she was crying her little heart out, not at all happy to be taken from her mother's womb and pushed out into a cold, January morning. But, happily for the Girl Child, I listened to an old nurse some months back at the hospital who counseled us to speak to the baby while in the womb. She said it would be helpful at the time of delivery. So, every night, I used to read to my wife's belly and otherwise just chat to it for awhile. The result was that when the nurse handed me my little wrapped up bundle of shrieking baby, and I cuddled her to my neck and spoke soothingly to her, she stopped crying, let out a little sigh, and snuggled into my neck, totally at peace. It was altogether magical and I sat there with her, talking quietly to her, until the nurses made me give her back to be taken to the nursery.
That was five years ago, today.
Happy birthday, my daughter, and many, many more!
Happy birthday to your darling little girl! May it be a wonderful day for years to come.
Posted by: Jordana at January 12, 2006 10:06 AMHappy Birthday, Girl Child! :-D
Posted by: Jim at January 12, 2006 10:39 AMHappy Birthday, GC!
Posted by: Kathy at January 12, 2006 10:41 AMHappy Birthday to the Girl Child!!
Posted by: phin at January 12, 2006 11:01 AMHappy Birthday to a fellow Cap!!!!!!
Posted by: Mark at January 12, 2006 11:11 AMHappy Birthday Girl Child! Hope it is as special as you were hoping for.
Posted by: oddybobo at January 12, 2006 11:27 AMHappy Birthday to your lovely Girl Child. Five is such a special year. Oh wait, so is 6 and 7...they're 'all' so irreplaceable!
Posted by: Jocelyn at January 12, 2006 12:35 PMHappy Birthday to the GC!
Yip! Yip! Yip!
Posted by: Robert the Llama Butcher at January 12, 2006 01:25 PMHappy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday dear GC
Happy birthday to you
Awwww! Sweet story! Happy BD, GC! :-)
Posted by: Amber at January 12, 2006 03:21 PMVery happy birthday, GC!
Posted by: Nic at January 12, 2006 05:42 PMAWWW!!
One of these days she's going to read that!
HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
; )
Posted by: Christina at January 12, 2006 07:10 PMmay GC next year...be even better than her last...
happy birthday.
You just made me cry. Happy tears, of course.
Posted by: Allison at January 12, 2006 09:32 PMBeautiful. Odd, but I don't remember reading that last year. Glad you reposted it! Repost it again next year 'cuz I'll prolly forget it again by then, too.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GIRL CHILD!!!
Here's a silly song lyric for ya:
When I'm five
I will wash my face me hands all by myself
When I'm five
I will chew and spit tabacco like my grandfather Jones
'cause I'm only four and five is far away
When I'm five
I will read the magazines in mummy's drawer
When I'm five
I will walk behind the soldiers in the May Day parade
'cause I'm only four and grown-ups walk too fast
Yesterday was horrid day, 'cause raymond kicked my shin
And mummy says if I am good, she'll let me go to school in August
Daddy shouted loud at mummy and I dropped my toast at breakfast
And I laughed when Bonzo licked my face, because it tickled
I wonder why my daddy cries and how I wish that I was nearly five
When I'm five
I will catch a butterfly and eat it and I won't be sick
When I'm five
I will jump in puddles, laugh in church and marry my mum
And I'll let my daddy do the washing-up
If I close one eye, the people on that side can't see me
I get headaches in the morning and I rode on Freddie's tryke
And everywhere was funny, when I ran down to the sweetshop
when I fell and bleeded up my knee and everybody soppied me
I saw a photograph of Jesus and I asked him if he'd make me five
I saw a photograph of Jesus and I asked him if he'd make me five
When I'm five
When I'm five
When I'm... **oah**....
--David Bowie, circa 1966
Posted by: Tuning Spork at January 12, 2006 10:10 PMShe can share the cake over at my place.
Happy Birthday GC.
What a sweet, sweet recollection.
Happy birthday, GC!
Posted by: Jennifer at January 13, 2006 08:25 AMExcellent and touching post.
Watching my daughter being born was both humbling and awe inspiring- I have yet to ever find any event to duplicate that. (But I don't think I should be looking either.Some things are better left as they are.)
To the GC, ad multos annos!
Posted by: MCNS at January 13, 2006 06:34 PMI'm crying big tears because: 1) I can so totally see that beautiful painting of a newborn Girl Child snuggled into her Daddy's neck; and 2) I missed the Big Day! Poopie on me!
Belated Happy Birthday, GC!!
And for you, Dear Daddy and Mommy, Happy Birth Day!!
It all moves so quickly past us, doesn't it? I absolutely loved your advice at Jennifer's place regarding the "be there in the moment." That's very wise advice and I intend to follow it as much as I possibly can.
Love to you all,
Posted by: Margi at January 14, 2006 01:34 PM