To Dalton:

January 14, 2008

Dalton,

I just wanted to write down how I was feeling today, the day before your 9^th Birthday, to tell you how proud I am of you and how much I love you!

Today was the day you were originally expected to come, but you had other ideas! ;0) The Dr. felt like you were ready to make your appearance so we made plans to check into the hospital later that evening. We went to eat dinner and walked what seemed like a million times around the mall! When we got tired we decided to go to Joseph Beth Book store and browse until we were ready to check in the hospital. I sat for a long time in the new Mommy section reading books about the new baby I was getting ready to have. When we finally decided to leave for the hospital we came outside to discover SNOW! Our Explorer was completely covered!

When we arrived at the hospital we were so excited because we knew we would meet you for the first time very soon... little did I know then that it would be 12 hours later!! It wasn’t long before the rest of the family arrived! Nana, P-Pa, Ninny, R.G. and Dede and Poppy! They spent the very long night in the waiting room taking turns checking on Mommy.

Sometime during the night we discovered that our brand new video camera did not work! I was so upset! So when morning came and you STILL were not ready to be born… DeDe and Poppy went to Best Buy and waited for them to open! We didn’t have our receipt with us, but DeDe did not have any trouble ‘convincing ‘ the store that we had to exchange and exchange it quickly. They didn’t have the exact model so they replaced it with $100 more expensive model … FREE!

Wouldn’t you know it, but the nurse told us you were ready to be born before they got back!! Nana was the only one with me at the time and we started calling for Daddy. He was in the elevator and arrived only a few minutes later. He then called DeDe and Poppy and they were in the parking garage with our new camera! Even though they still had time they came running in! Finally we were all set!!

Ninny stayed in the room with us when you were born! She and Daddy were there to see you first!

At 12:18 pm, I saw you for the first time! Daddy and I cried we were so excited! It was definitely a moment in my life when my breath was taken away. 10 Fingers/10Toes… you were ours…. You were perfect! Our lives changed that day in more ways than one! The Dr. said you were bigger than she thought you were going to be and you had RED HAIR!

Daddy got to hold you first! It was so sweet to see your Daddy hold you! He was so scared of how little you were, but I will never forget seeing him cradle you in his arms and talking to you. You recognized his voice! Finally it was time for me to hold you and that feeling was the best thing ever. You were just perfect and I could not believe you were really mine!

We kept your name a secret from everyone until the day you were born! So everyone was so anxious about that! Daddy got to carry you to the nursery and the waiting room crew met him in the hallway. I didn’t get to be there when he told them your name, but I later got to watch it on video. Nana was so touched that you had her namesake and Poppy loved that you shared a middle name with him and your Daddy!

After 4 hours in the nursery, you were finally mine to hold and take care of. I can still remember what you smelled like and being scared, but already loving you more than anything!

I could write down every detail of the days after you were born because I remember them like they were yesterday!

It is so hard to believe that 9 years have passed already! They have been so fast and it seems like only a few days ago! So many things have changed in our life… we have had so many blessings! I am so proud of you! You have ‘grown up ‘ with Mommy and Daddy and we have had so much joy watching you grow .. and this time next year I am sure you will be taller than me!

We look forward to celebrating many more Birthdays together … but couldn’t they come just a little bit slower!?

I love you to the moon .. and back again … and again … and again ……

Mommy