Thirty seven years ago this evening, we welcomed our second child and second daughter. She weighed 7 lbs. 15 ounces. We were very delighted to greet her. Alyssa, (as we ended up naming her) was not really due until March 22nd. I remember a conversation with a friend several months before Alyssa was born. She asked if I felt like my baby was a boy. I remember saying, "I feel like I am having a girl and that my Grandma will be bringing her." (My grandmother has just passed away in January of that year). I continued, "I will know if she is born on the 8th or the 17th. The 8th is too early, so she will probably bring her on St. Patrick's Day." Mind you, this was in the days before sonograms, so I really had no clue that I would be having a girl.
The 8th was Grandma's Birthday. Grandma always celebrated St. Patrick's day and recited the Poem about his birthday. I was in light labor, with my pains 15 minutes apart for three days, so Alyssa would be born on St. Patrick's Day as I had predicted. This also gave my mother time to get to Provo, Utah from her home in Moab, Utah.
Alyssa was one of the original "drive through delivery," babies. Utah Valley hospital, was in the process of being enlarged. The night Alyssa was born, there were were not enough labor and delivery rooms or recovery rooms for all the women who were there delivering babies. Because both Alyssa and I were doing so well, the hospital sent us home early (after less than 12 hours) without charging us.
We actually made money on Alyssa's birth. Jerry had bought seven insurance policies that paid out a flat $2,450.00 upon delivery. We cannot remember the cost of the premiums, but they were very low. The doctor bill was about $450.00 back in those days. We were able to put the money we made toward a down payment on our first home in Texas where we moved about a month after Alyssa's birth.
Alyssa was the ideal baby. When I wanted to hold her and play with her, she was happy. When I needed to do dishes, or cook dinner, she was happy to lay on her blanket on the floor and play with her hands, feet, or toys. At two weeks, she started sleeping through the night. Soon, she was sleeping 12 hours. I would put her to bed about 7:30 PM and would have to actually wake her up at about 7:00 to 7:30 AM. I think I kept having babies in the hopes that I would have another one just like Alyssa. She was just like having a doll to play with, except she was alive.
The 8th was Grandma's Birthday. Grandma always celebrated St. Patrick's day and recited the Poem about his birthday. I was in light labor, with my pains 15 minutes apart for three days, so Alyssa would be born on St. Patrick's Day as I had predicted. This also gave my mother time to get to Provo, Utah from her home in Moab, Utah.
Alyssa was one of the original "drive through delivery," babies. Utah Valley hospital, was in the process of being enlarged. The night Alyssa was born, there were were not enough labor and delivery rooms or recovery rooms for all the women who were there delivering babies. Because both Alyssa and I were doing so well, the hospital sent us home early (after less than 12 hours) without charging us.
We actually made money on Alyssa's birth. Jerry had bought seven insurance policies that paid out a flat $2,450.00 upon delivery. We cannot remember the cost of the premiums, but they were very low. The doctor bill was about $450.00 back in those days. We were able to put the money we made toward a down payment on our first home in Texas where we moved about a month after Alyssa's birth.
Alyssa was the ideal baby. When I wanted to hold her and play with her, she was happy. When I needed to do dishes, or cook dinner, she was happy to lay on her blanket on the floor and play with her hands, feet, or toys. At two weeks, she started sleeping through the night. Soon, she was sleeping 12 hours. I would put her to bed about 7:30 PM and would have to actually wake her up at about 7:00 to 7:30 AM. I think I kept having babies in the hopes that I would have another one just like Alyssa. She was just like having a doll to play with, except she was alive.
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