Happy Fifth Birthday Kayla!

Five years ago today, December 27th, I was awakened by movement, then a very bright light. It was Mona walking into the room putting up laundry.

What time is it, I asked, certain it had to be early.

She told me it was around 4AM.

I asked why she was up.

She nonchalantly informed me her water was leaking and she was getting the kids' clothes up to wear to the hospital, along with putting up laundry.

Uh, squeeze me?!?! Your water is leaking? Your water is leaking and you're doing laundry?!

Mona casually told me to go back to sleep, she'd wake me when it was time to go to the hospital, and promptly turned the lights back off and exited the room.

My head was spinning as I laid in the dark. My niece who was due around January 7th was going to make an early appearance. Yippee!! I jumped out of bed, quietly so as to not disturb my own bundle of joy, and went to see nesting at work. My sister and I cleaned and cleaned, I tried to get her to sit down but she refused. There's something wrong when someone in labor is sweeping the floor or trying to mop. It's like you've entered bizarro world. Then finally a little after 6AM, she said, go get dressed, it's time to go to the hospital.

We woke the boys. I threw on some clothes and decided to let my one year and two-day-old baby keep on his footie pajamas because I knew he was going to sleep the morning away.

The boys grabbed her overnight bag. We put it in the trunk. All of it became completely real to me, when she handed me the car keys so I would know how to get back home. Wow!

After a few hiccups, we arrived at the hospital and within the hour my sister, whom they had been expecting, was checked in, told she was having a c-section, and was being prepped for surgery.

Mijo, Tigger, a bright eyed Jory, and myself kissed Mona and watched as she was rolled away to bring into the world the newest member of our family. My boys and I roamed the halls of the hospital, called a friend of Mona's, who graciously came to wait with us, and ate at the hospital cafeteria.

My mom asked why I didn't go into surgery with Mona and I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of that myself. This was probably my first and last opportunity to be able to watch a surgery, a c-section, being performed up close and personal. To be seen in real life, not just through the eyes of a lens on my TV screen from Discovery Health and TLC. As much as I would have loved holding Mona's hand while peering over the curtain and looking into the mirror to see what was going on, to watch my niece come into the world, I knew my sister would have preferred me being with her other two babies more. Ah, the sacrifices we make for those we love.

After a few check ins, we were finally told she had delivered a healthy baby girl. Ah, yes, the girl I had been waiting for for years was finally here. While Mona recovered, we tried to catch a glimpse of the new baby but being a small town hospital two days after Christmas, the place was a little short staffed. Finally a nurse came into the nursery and we told her the baby we were here to see. So she showed us one, but we had a feeling that wasn't our baby, so we kept moving around the nursery and found there were three babies born and we couldn't read any names on the bassinets so we weren't quite sure which one was our baby.

We didn't actually get to meet the baby until Mona was back in her room, a little loopy and nauseous. She had them bring in the baby. I had never seen a baby that was only a few hours old. She had a head full of dark brown hair and beautiful dark brown eyes. She wasn't as wrinkly as I thought she would be. I handed her the nameless, adorable newborn. Ahh, my girl.

We watched as Mona counted her toes, fingers, made sure she was all there. I held her again and as I was rocking the newborn, Jory wanted to be held. I picked him up and carried them both. A few minutes later, someone's hand went up and down. Yes, hours into the world little girl and you're being hit by your cousin. Welcome to the world! I quickly reprimanded Jory and when I saw he was going for a second time, I handed the baby back to Mona. Jory sat in my arms for another forty-five minutes, refusing to sit on the bed with his beloved Auntie Mona or play with Mijo or Tigger.

Mona and I were amazed to see a baby so young be so incredibly jealous. Any time I made a move to pick the baby Jory was all over me. He couldn't be put down, didn't want anyone else to hold him. Who knew?

As I was bringing our visit at the hospital to a close, I heard Mona comment that they hadn't bathed the baby yet. Uh, she still has amniotic fluid on her? Yeah, no kisses from this group tonight. We love her, but we're not that close. So I had the boys hug mom and wave at their sister. We'd kiss all over her when she smelled like Johnson & Johnson.

I can't believe that was five years ago. I can't believe that nameless baby became my Kayla, who is more like my sister than her other two. Happy Birthday, Kayla, your favorite auntie adores you! I love you!