Dear Audrey

Dear Audrey,

Today is your 8th birthday. I want you to know how proud we are of you and what a beautiful person you have grown into. As I promised, the following is the story of your birth. Your story is a little sadder at times but the day of your birth is a day I will always hold dear in my heart.

Some interesting facts -

I craved lobster, crab and any kind of fish...you culd not get enough. (This is probably why you are so smart.)

I could not eat pizza, even looking at pizza on T.V. made me sick.

I wore Army BDU maternity clothes for the majority of your pregnancy. You looked very cute in camouflage.

I ended up losing 16 lbs (all muscle) when I became pregnant with you. I went on the baby weight loss program.

Daddy read several books to you when you were in my womb; Lord Of The Rings, the Nania series and a few others.

Mommy loved drinking root beer for a couple of months, until I learned that the root beer in Louisiana had caffeine in it. That explained why I couldn't get enough of it. Mommy went cold turkey after that.

After you were born, we were moved to another room, Mommy was watching the television. On the news they were doing a story about local singers trying-out for a Jazz basketball event, when I spotted that one of the hopefuls was my best friend, Tricia (Cunningham) Erickson! Mommy hadn't seen Tricia in about three years. Hi!!! Tricia:)

The following is your story -

Mommy and Daddy were stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana and we found out that you were coming to join our family. We were ecstatic. Mommy had not been that happy in a very long time. A few weeks went by and we went for our first ultrasound and found out that we were having twins...I will not lie to you, Mommy and Daddy felt overwhelmed but so happy.
Mommy started to get nice and fat, and we were getting ready for you both to come into our family. Daddy loved watching me waddle like a penguin to the Rigger Shed (that is where he packed parachutes).

Six months into the pregnancy, Mommy got really sick. I got to take a helicopter ride to a city called Shreveport, Louisiana (it is not a place you need to visit) and the doctors told us that you were both in trouble...you are turning 8 so I will be honest with you...the Army hospital did not do everything that they could to help you and your brother. Instead of putting me on bed rest they sent me back to Active Duty and sometime between that hospital stay and a few weeks later you brother passed away. I know that this makes you sad, it also makes Mommy and Daddy very sad but I want you to know. You were so strong and brave and you fought really hard to come into this world. That is when Mommy and Daddy did everything in our power to protect you and Mommy got out of the Army. We moved to Salt Lake and lived with Grandma and Grandpa Breakfast. For the last few months of the pregnancy you could find Mommy wherever she was because I was always eating ice chips and crunching really loud. That is all you wanted. We couldn't keep enough ice in the house.
Mommy was still really sick and at 7 months my pelvis fractured (I believe it was a break). This was very painful and Mommy was miserable...but I kept taking really good care of myself and you got stronger. Even with the 16 lbs that Mommy lost I weighed 145 pounds which is really big for me. After you were born Mommy suddenly lost 55 lbs.
Mommy and Daddy did not know which baby had survived. The doctors could not get a good view of the important parts so before were you were born we did not know if you were going to be a boy or a girl. We had talked about naming you Audrey from early on...Mommy and Daddy thought that Audrey Hepburn was classy, very graceful and beautiful and I knew that my daughter would be too. In fact we had come up with so many names that we chose to give you three. The last two were not decided until after you were born. We had a few boy names picked out, but I thinnk I knew that my little girl would be coming into the world. We did decide to name your brother and picked out John Wesley (after Daddy's late father and Daddy).
Mommy was not due for you to be born until the 2nd week in October...you were 5 weeks early.

September 17th (1.5 days to go...)

As I had mentioned before, Mommy was very sick and miserable. You had been giving me contractions for weeks before you were born (the doctors gave Mommy medicine to stop you from coming a couple of times: you just wanted out). Andrew Johnson was your doctor, and Mommy liked him a lot...two days before you were born he told Mommy that we were not going to wait any longer and you were going to be born. They really wanted to give me a C-Section, that is when they cut your tummy open and pull out the baby. I told them No...only if you were in danger would I agree. As usual Mommy got her way. It is the Rook in us. Mommy and Daddy were so happy, I was admitted to LDS hospital (downtown Salt Lake) and Grandma, Grandpa, and Great Grandma were there to help Mommy. The Sydney Olympics in Austrailia were on T.V., this is an important detail in your birth story.

Doctor Johnson and the nurses thought you were going to come into the world very quickly because you were trying so hard to get out. They broke my water and Mommy started hard labor. Mommy was in so much pain because of my pelvis, and just childbirth in general that I asked for the pain medicine right away (epidural). Well this was a bad choice...it stopped my labor all together and the nurses had to give me yucky medicine to get my labor started up again (patosin). This was when I knew you were going to be stubborn, just like a Rook. They started Mommy out on a #3 drip and by the time you were born, we had maxed out at a #22...(just so you know that is not normal). I hope that you never have to experience patosin. Well lots of time passed by and Mommy played cards and watched the Olympics. Lots of people came to visit (Uncle Eric, Uncle Andy, Uncle Kurtis, Aunt Danielle, Zack, Nate Derrick, Nick and I am sure there are others I do not remember).
The pain meds had worn off around hour 20 and Mommy was so tired. Dr. Johnson came into see us and checked me and said you would be coming in a few hours. He said he was going to go home to have dinner and would be back. That made me happy, but he was wrong. Dr. Johnson actually got to stay at home and go to sleep for most of the night. The nurse came to check in on me at 3:30 a.m. and told me she was going to call him to come back to the hospital. Praise the Lord!!!!

At 5:15 a.m. Audrey Katherine (after Catherine the Great and Katherine Hepburn) Shyrl (after Grandma) Jordan was born weighing 6 lbs 2 oz. and 19 inches long, with pitch black eyes and a TON of black hair, you were so beautiful. The minute that you were born you filled a great big hole in Mommies heart and I knew that you were very special. A whole team of nurses were waiting for you. The doctor put you on my tummy and Daddy cut the cord. The nurses and Daddy whisked you away to the neonatal unit. Mommy was not done yet about 15+ minutes later your brother was born and the doctor got Mommy all put back together. Daddy followed the nurses as they took you to another room.

(Wes typed the following)

In there, they cleaned you up, and used a little vacuum to suck the mucous out of your nose and mouth. They checked your eyes and ears to make sure you were alright. Daddy stood right next to you when they did this, and he was speechless that he now had a daughter. Uncle Andy, Uncle Eric and two of their friends were standing at the door watching us. They were all very happy. We were very happy. Then, the nurses wrapped you up like a little burrito in a baby blanket, put you in my arms, and said, "Every Daddy should have a Daughter." I walked you back to Mommy's room, and as I did, I talked to you. You opened your eyes when I said, "Do you recognize my voice?" They were two beautifully, deep black eyes. I asked if you recongnized my voice because of all the books I read to you when you were growning in Mommy. When we returned to the room, I put you in Mommy's arms.

When Daddy came back I looked at you and said lets name her Sydney...remember Mommy had just watched 37 hrs of the the Olympics and frankly I deserved a gold medal for what I had to do to get you into this world. This the name we had them put on your baby bassinet: Sydney Diane Shyrl Jordan. The doctor told Mommy that you were ok and that they were going to watch you. They could not believe how healthy and strong you were.
I gave you so much love, I did not want to let you go. Grandma and Great Grandma came in and gave you kisses and lots and lots of love. Everyone else had gone home ( I think they thought you were never going to be born). That is when Grandma gave you your cow, Creme Moo Le. She had bought it at a gift shop in the hospital. A few hours later Grandpa breakfast called and asked how "Cindy" was doing instead of "Sydney" and from that moment forward you were back to being Audrey...we had come to our senses. We only stayed in the hospital for 2 days and then we went home. For the first few nights of your life you lived in Aunt Danielle's room. One of the best stories is when you were 3 days old. Mommy had to go to the store with Grandma and Daddy was left to watch you all by himself. Mommy called home a couple of hours later to make sure that everything was ok and see how Daddy was doing. He told Mommy that he was hungry but was afraid to leave you alone so he could go make a sandwich. I told him that you would be fine. When I got home Daddy told me that he hurried to the kitchen and checked on you 3-4 times while he was making his sandwiches. Little did he realize that you weren't going to begin rolling for another six months. Right there and then I knew what a wonderful father you had and how lucky we were.

Another story about those early days when our little family was borrowing in Aunt Danielle's room comcerns a stuffed elephant we gave you. We both woke up with you in the middle of the night to feed you. You could not have been any older than two weeks. Daddy picked up the elephant to toss it into another part of your bassinet in order to clear some room to prepare your formula. In the process, he said, "Chuck the elephant" meaning to "throw" the elephant. Mommy and Daddy looked at each other immediately and had a moment of understanding. We laughed for a long time about it, because it came out sounding like I was calling it Chuck. The name stuck, he was forever named Chuck. We were soooooooo tired.

Audrey I want you to know how important you are to me (us) and that you are my inspiration. You are an awesome big sister and you have the kindest heart. I know that as the years go by you and are going to surpass every dream that I have for you...well, because your Audrey...and your already doing just that.

Happy Birthday my darling girl...may you always know of my deep love and devotion to you.

Mommy

You are my sweet little girl. I look at you and see so much to be proud about. Audrey, you are one of a kind. Happy Birthday!

Daddy