46 Years Ago...

Forty-six years ago, very early in the morning, our youngest daughter Dawn was born. She was in a bit of a hurry, arriving less than three hours after she made it plain she was on her way. I am a bit surprised we actually made it to the hospital as her brother had actually taken longer to arrive then our first-born daughter. I was NOT expecting a quick labor.

As a matter of fact, just two days before we had gone on a several hour trip with Forry's Sister Gracie's family into the Wenatchee National Forest to cut our Christmas tree. Though I was due the next week, I distinctly remember remarking that I would have plenty of time if the baby decided to come early...

Son Sean is autistic and as a toddler and young child, he was extremely hyperactive. It took us until he was five years old to decide we wanted one more child. And what a blessing she has been to us!

We named our first daughter Mary Mae for my maternal and paternal grandmothers. And I named our son Sean Forrest as I had always loved the name and it paid tribute to both my Irish forebears and to his Dad. So, Forry insisted that he would get to name our third child. (And you have to remember that in those days they didn't have ultrasounds that would reveal the baby's gender!)

We have always joked that the babe decided to be a girl because Forry was planning to name a boy Wolfgang Derrick! He was debating between Dawn Tiffany and Tiffany Dawn for a girl. We had neighbors in the Carico Hills where I grew up that named their daughter Dawn, which Forry really liked. My dear Mother-in-law was quite emphatic that she didn't want her grand-child named after a store, so he settled on Dawn as a first name and Tiffany as a middle name.

I had made a felt stocking for the baby back in November to go with the stockings I had previously made for the rest of the family. (I had made stockings for my parents and siblings when I was still in high school. I've kept up the tradition as we've added sons-in-law and grandchildren to the family.) The red stocking had a Santa carrying a diaper just like a stork. I had cut out the letters for both names, not knowing which we would use. My mother glued Dawn's name on the stocking and brought it to the hospital for her.

Being cognizant of the active five-year old we had at home along with our eight-year old daughter, Dr. Young decided I should stay in the hospital for FIVE days and rest! I can remember becoming extremely bored (in those days, they kept the babies in the nursery except when they were nursing!) and actually helping the Nurse Aide Eloise make beds. Eloise and I became friends and when Forry finally took me and the new baby home, we also took home a large jar of her special homemade hot sauce. (Eloise later gave Mexican cooking classes for several of us and taught us recipes I still use...)

So many years ago.

Now Dawn is an adult with a husband and three children of her own. But, in my heart, she is still the precious infant laid in my arms that very early morning.