We loved having a first baby and decided we didn’t want to wait very long for the second. Lanny was looking for a boy, of course, but I thought two little girls would be perfect, especially if they were a year or so apart. Kristy was only about 6-months old when I suspected that Lanny and I were soon to have our wish. We was delighted and excited! . The second babe was due March 14, 1973. I continued to work at Postal Finance. That December and January was horribly cold and snowy, while I was pregnant with Erica. I fell once, in the icy parking lot at Walgreens shortly before Christmas. My feet went out from under me and I smacked hard on my bottom. It worried me but after a day or so, everything seemed to be okay and I quit worrying and other than the usual queesiness of the early months and a little heartburn, I had a nice, easy pregnancy and relished the thought of another babe.
While anxiously awaiting this babe's arrival, we talked with Kristy about getting a baby brother or a baby sister, trying to prepare her for the big event. Looking back, Kristy was just a babe herself and at 15 months, probably didn’t have much concept of what we were even talking about but she was interested in babies and hugged, kissed and rocked her baby dolls.
I had quit work, been off a week or so, and was enjoying time with Kristy and getting a few new clothes for the new babe and things done around the house. The three of us were still living in the upstairs apartment. On Friday, March 2, I marched up and down the long flight of outside steps and then, again down the basement stairs, lugging Kristy and a 9-month belly, and got the laundry all done.
Later, Kristy and I went and got groceries for the week. I felt that I had accomplished a lot on this Friday but while coming home and carrying the groceries in I realized that I had a back ache. A bad backache -- and it felt mighty familiar. I can’t remember that I called Lanny home from work. I think it was late enough in the day that I just waited for him to get there. I’m sure I was packing suitcases and getting things ready to go. Once I was convinced this was the real thing, I tried to call Kristy’s babysitter who was going to keep Kristy while the new babe came. But, the babysitter wasn’t home so we took Kristy across the street to the neighbor’s Weir and off we went to St. Luke’s Hospital.
The nurses took immediate charge of me and I was examined and put to bed, flat on my back again. The nurses were in a hurry and I noticed weren't doing the same prep job as when Kristy was born -- there was no razor involved -- and a bit of urgency. After finding that I was well dilated, the doctor broke my water and the next thing I knew they were wheeling me off to the same cold delivery room where the procedure was much the same as when Kristy was born --feet in the stirrups, arms strapped, probably. This time, however, we just got to the delivery room and the next thing I knew, without too much ado and much less trauma, I had my second perfect baby daughter.
The nurses told me afterward that they were discussing who might deliver the babe but Dr. Youngblade arrived in time to catch Erica Jo at 8:30 p.m. Our bonny babe weighed in at 7 # 3-1/2 oz and was 20 inches long. Her baby book reports that her hair seemed dark when she was born but soon turned blonde. Her father and I counted her toes, wrapped and unwrapped her and we (I) commented on who she looked like and her Dad, of course, said "she looks just like Erica Jo".
Erica never curled up in a ball like some babies. Her two little legs were always thrust out; she did things "her way". After she was born and I saw the position of her legs, I recognized the position of her in the womb.
Lanny and I oohed and aahed over the beautiful babe and counted fingers and toes. We wrapped and unwrapped her and marveled again at the miracle of birth. Again, I remember the time when Lanny went home, the nurses awayand I sat and cuddled my new babe. I held her on my chest and we looked into each other's eyes the longest time and I felt again the engulfing love of a mother for her new babe.
I recovered so nicely that the hospital released us on March 4th and I was ready to get home! Couldn't wait to introduce my "Girls" and to see Kristy's reaction to her new beautiful sister. Now, we were a family of four.
Erica was an easier babe or I was a more relaxed mother. Erica didn't have to be held at all times and learned to sit in her infant seat on the counter or table while I worked or cooked. Kristy loved her so much that when left on the davenport one afternoon, Kristy tried to scoop her out of the infant seat and they both ended up the floor. This was just the beginning of the many adventures of the "Sugar Babes".
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