Birthday(s)

Mimi Smartypants was writing about her experience on the bus the other day. A young mother didn't know what day her child was born because "he was born real late at night..." (Yeah, I'd have snickered to myself, too. Come on, it's like the second or third most obvious (and often asked) piece of information about your child. Sex, age/birthdate. That's what everybody asks.

But it reminded me that I did have two birthdays. Sort of, really not just multiple birthday parties in the same year. This is really Mom's story (I don't have a clear memory of all of this and wasn't present for some) but she's not here just now. You will have to deal my imperfect memory of family stories.

I was born premature and the docs spent a weekend trying to stop labor. (Yes, she was in labor for ~72 hours.) When Mom's body decided that I was going to go, no matter what, it was pretty late on Monday. But I liked it in there (warm, snugly, private - what could I ask for?). So they had to do a C-section . Mom was out cold. First cut wasn't big enough, so they cut the other direction. (She bears a literal cross for/from me.) Mom starts hemorrhaging; I'm losing blood; my lungs collapse.They wheel me out and transfer me to another hospital with a NICU and patch Mom up. An exciting time was had by all.

(Now the part I'm not sure I remember correctly but it makes a good story) By the time anyone got around to writing up a birth certificate it was well into the next day and that was the date written down. Dad knew when I was born because he got to see my wheeled by (I opened my eyes and looked at him and he knew I was a "keeper") and that was before midnight. Later my parents went to the court and got my birth certificate corrected. Because, damn it, I'm a Monday's child fair of face not a Tuesday's child full of grace. (Right!;)

Make a long story short - there could be a legitimate reason for confusion involving birthdate. But no reason it should still linger nearly two years later. And no, my mother's never reminded me of the long hours she was in labor or the cross she bears or tried to use them to make me feel guilty.(:o) I can't believe you would think that;)