six years ago...

...at 3 AM I woke up. I was 2 days past my due date and it was time. This baby was coming. We lived in Bremen (near Atlanta) at the time. Mom had been staying with us for almost 2 weeks waiting on this baby because I was so sure he or she was coming any minute...I went and woke her up and we started timing contractions. I wanted Dave to get as much rest as possible so we waited to wake him up.

When I decided that it was really time I went and told him to get in the shower--it was going to be a long day. After that, he made breakfast for him and Mom. I walked around and around. It was time to call others. My in-laws lived a couple hours away so they could sleep a bit longer. My Dad was here in Brunswick (5 1/2 hours away). He had been up all night working 3rd shift. I called him and told him to go home and sleep and then call later. It could be awhile and he needed to rest. No dice. He would have jumped through the phone if he could of. He had been waiting for this phone call and he was on the road...

When my Dad arrived he came into the Birthing Room for a few minutes. He walked in to let us know that he was there but once another contraction came---he was done. "I'll just be out here if you need me..." He ended up waiting another 5 hours...

Later he would complain about how cold it was in the waiting room. Really? Cold?? Ahhh poor guys were cold....sheesh. I teased him about that a lot.

We didn't know if Reilly-Kate was a boy or girl before we met her. I thought for sure it was a boy. Daddy had always been convinced it was a girl. He was right. Dave went out to let the Grandpas know that they had a sweet baby girl. My Dad's words? "There goes the credit cards!"

Its pretty safe to say that everyone was smitten with this baby girl. We were very blessed to be surrounded by so many family members that day...both sets of grandparents, my brother, dear friends...but my Daddy had traveled the furthest in the shortest amount of time. Nothing could have kept him from that hospital.
We named her Reilly Kathleen after his Mother who's maiden name was Kathleen Reilly. I know that meant a lot to him. What meant even more was the name that he got that day. Reilly-Kate made a Daddy into a Pop. A pretty darn good one, in fact.

Obviously, there is a hole today as we celebrate my baby girl's birthday. Its her 1st one without Pop. He had been at every single one before...Especially that first one. He didn't miss a minute and I know he's here now, too...just in a different way. This year, more than ever, it is amazingly clear that the true gifts of birthdays is not the presents wrapped in paper but the PRESENCE of the people you love.