Thirty years ago

Thirty years ago today, when the world was watching the royal wedding,

I was giving birth to my very own princess.

After the birth of my son three years before, I suffered two miscarriages.

I was thrilled to carry this pregnancy to term.

Finding out it was a girl was a bonus.

I went into labor on her due date.
She's been on time ever since.
I was in a room by myself when I really thought it was time to deliver.
Everyone had gone to lunch, including her dad and her doctor.

I had an IV and couldn't reach the bell to ring for a nurse.
(Things were different back then - not much technology.)
I didn't want to yell, so I politely kept asking "Is anyone there?"

When no one showed up, I took the tissue box and tried to hit the bell.
Nope, I missed it.
Finally the doctor walked in, eating an apple.
(Isn't it funny what I remember?)
I told him I thought it was time and he agreed.

My husband and I were convinced that this baby was also a boy.
We were very surprised when the doctor said those classic words -
It's a girl!
although maybe they don't do that any more since many couples know ahead of time.

I've always thought my two children were different due to gender,

but I've had friends tell me that all children are different.

All I know is my two were different.

My son would eat anything from an early age ~

even raw oysters that his grandma gave him.

My daughter wouldn't eat anything.

My son read everything, including the cereal box at breakfast.

My daughter seldom read anything. 

(She reads a lot now, books like this.)

This is who she's reading them to.

They had many of the same teachers in school.

(The princess didn't like that, often feeling the need to assure

tell teachers that she wasn't like her brother.)

He participated in sports.

She took dance and piano lessons and was a cheerleader.

She went to all of his games.

He rarely went to her recitals. 

(How did he get out of going?)

They went to proms, 

graduated from high school,

graduated from college,

and now work in the real world.

My princess has always followed her brother.

If you read my post on July 19th, then you know

that she followed with her birthday 10 days later.

When you have a daughter, you become friends with their friends' mothers.
When you have a daughter, you take pictures like this.
We started with prom pictures.
We have pictures at bridal showers.
We have pictures at weddings.
Now we take pictures at baby showers.

Cory is the second from the right.

Happy birthday, Cory!