Happy 11th Birthday Jimi Lee

Well, we had a BIG birthday bash here on Saturday! Complete with about 16 kids pizza, karaoke and pizza,soda,cake and ice cream. They dressed up like rock stars, I even joined in on the fun. Some of the other parents stayed to keep me company. It was definitely fun for the kids, but I would probably never do it again. We do feel blessed that she made it to her 11th birthday, we try not the think about it, but she was so close to not making it that it's hard to not look back on her life and be thankful. We have a tradition in our house. For every kids birthday, I go in there room to tuck them in and tell them about the day they were born. So I was telling Jimi about her day and it was hard for me to remember details so I thought I should write it down. So here it is.

I wasn't due until I think March 16th with Jimi, we lived in Bakersfield. For about 3 days before I had her I was having braxton Hicks contractions, and not the small ones, they were horrible uncomfortable, I thought I would die, I even went to the hospital and got sent home. Finally I was so uncomfortable the Dr. decided to induce labor on the morning of the 13th 1997. Jims mom (Tommie) and Tabi (sister) came down to be there with us, we had a friend Michelle come to watch Alex and went to have my baby boy. (The ultrasound was POSITIVE that she was a boy)When we got there they said all the beds were full and I would have to wait. We went to the cafeteria had a bite to eat and went back up. They hooked me up the pitocin at about10am by 11 I had my epidural (remember I had been in pain for days) I was nice and relaxed. So when it was time to push I had a pretty easy time and I looked up to see our new son when I said, before the Dr. could "Oh my gosh Jim, it's a girl" when he said, "no it's not" and the Dr. said yep it's a girl. We were so excited, we wanted a girl, we already had Alex and were happy to have a daughter. Tommie and Tabi ran down and exchanged some shirts they had bought that said "I am the baby brother" before it was too late. Easy labor, once I got there, and easy delivery, right around 4 hours she weighed 7lbs 4oz. She was beautiful, but I was tired and Jim stayed up with her most the night while I tried to sleep between feedings. Believe it or not thinking she was a boy her name wasn't going to be Jimi, it was going to be Trever. I wanted a girl named Jimi. Jim was a little less enthusiastic at the time, but it fits her now. Alex just loved his sissy, but wondered why we didn't feed her, he used to sneak his dinner plate to her and want her to eat it, he didn't understand nursing a baby. She had colic for about 2 months and Jim used to bounce her on one arm for at least 2 hours a night, and she LOVED her swing and baths in the sink. She has blessed our lives greatly, and caused A TON of stress and heartache and I know it won't be the last time. Happy Birthday Jimi Lee Hurley, we love you so much! glad you stuck around for another birthday!!