Life Changing Date

Six years ago today, our lives changed forever.

Mrs. LB was pregnant with our first child, and while we knew things were going to be different, we had no idea how different they would become. We had been married more than four years at that point and had enjoyed life as a married, childless couple. We'd done some traveling and had changed a few jobs but mostly we enjoyed those carefree days because we were only responsible for ourselves. We went to the movies a lot. We ate out a lot. We slept in on the weekends.

But in January of '03, Mrs. LB was sick. Very sick. Throwing up sick. For a Christmas present to Mrs. LB, I'd arranged a weekend stay in Ensenada, Mexico, for us and we were both looking forward to it. That entire weekend, though, was spent with her throwing up and unable to move and function, so I spent most of the time watching TV.

We soon found out upon returning that she was indeed pregnant. We'd been sorta trying to start a family but hadn't had much luck. Until then. The rest of 2003 then seemed like a countdown. It would be the end of one part of our lives and the beginning of another.

As the year grew on, we were anxious to find out the gender, but several ultrasounds showed nothing. I don't remember if one of the ultrasound techs told us that we could be having a girl or I got it stuck in my head because I wanted a girl very badly, but we kind of assumed that we'd be having a girl. Both Mrs. LB and I have three brothers and no sisters, so a girl would have been special.

The due date came and went, and changed. First, it was Sept. 12. Then, it was Sept. 26. Finally, on Sept. 30 our doctor told us that the baby was in the breech position, and a natural delivery would not be possible. So Mrs. LB would have to deliver via C-section. He scheduled us for an appointment on Oct. 1, 2003. Now, up until this point, Mrs. LB had felt no contractions. Nothing. But the doctor had hooked her up to some sort of apparatus and it showed there that she was having very mild contractions, but having them nonetheless, which is why he wanted us back soon.

That night, we went out to dinner and a movie. We got home after 8, turned off the lights and went to bed at around 9. The house was quiet and peaceful. It's never been the same since.

On Oct. 1, a little after 1 p.m. Mrs. LB gave birth to our daughter. She was so small, covered in ick and crying. The doctor who'd taken her out lifted her very quickly so I could see before nurses whisked her away. That was it. I was a changed man. I knew everything would change. I knew that little fragile life depended on me and Mrs. LB, and that we had to deliver. But I was ready. I'd been ready.

We'd decided that, if it was a girl, we'd name her after our grandmothers, so we named her Yvonne Esperanza.

We called her Yvie for short.

Happy Birthday Yvie. I love you.