A few weeks before Theresa was born, Mary and I were fighting over something. I don't remember what we were fighting over, but Mary won. I was crying and to get me to stop, Mom said that the baby she was pregnant with would be mine. She said I could be the baby's second mom, and I could help care for him or her. I now realize that her saying that really didn't mean anything, but to my 5 year old self, I was sure I'd gotten the better deal. So from then until Theresa was born, I bragged about how the baby was going to be mine.
The day after Christmas, early in the morning, Danny and Mary woke me up to say our mom was in labor. I didn't want to get up as it was still dark and the bed was so warm, but my excitement to see my baby won out. Downstairs, we snuggled up together on the couch in the other room from where Theresa was being born.
We could watch from the other room, but I could only see the women who were there to help our mom. She had two of her friends and the midwife who had delivered Molly and would later deliver Timmy. It seemed to take a long time, but then I was called into the room.
They told me I could cut the umbilical cord. I was a bit scared, but my mom's friend Caron smiled at me and I felt better. The scissors were placed in my hands and guided to the cord. I squeezed with all my 5 year old might, but couldn't cut all the way through. I felt so disappointed when the midwife had to help me.
Theresa was very thin when she was born. There was something that was wrong and required a trip to the hospital. This worried me immensely. It was so cold and she seemed so fragile, too fragile to leave the house. My parents also had to say that she had accidentally been born at home. I was scared the whole time they were gone. Scared that she wouldn't be well and scared they would take her away because she'd been born at home. I was so relieved when they returned with my baby.
Bridget, Mom & baby Theresa
Theresa was a screamer. She screamed loudly and often. As expected, this would often frustrate my mom. Having my own child, I now completely understand how hard babies are, and I don't even have four older children also needing my attention. When Theresa was a baby, I did not understand this. So when Theresa had screamed and cried forever and our mom would exclaim that if she didn't stop, she'd throw her across the room, I really thought she'd do it. As she was mine and I was responsible for her, I had to protect her. So I told myself I'd have to catch Theresa. I stayed close by, expecting at any moment to have to run and save her.
Of course it never happened and eventually Theresa stopped screaming. Throughout our childhood, I always felt a bond to Theresa, as I still considered her mine. I was especially pleased when she actually liked my clothing style, although she has much improved upon it. I'm sure our mom's gift of Theresa to me was a spur of the moment, get-me-to-stop-crying decision, but I've always been incredibly happy to be her "second" Mom.
Bridget & Theresa Belly Dancing
No comments:
Post a Comment