Twenty Two Years Ago Today

On another Monday morning, twenty two years ago, I was getting a ride to the hospital. In an ambulance. Across upstate New York to Burlington, Vermont. They held the ferry boat across Lake Champlain for us.

Sometime around mid-morning, it was decided that my baby had to be born, despite the best efforts of the doctors and nurses to prevent it from happening. One C-Section later, First Daughter came into the world. She was born at 25 weeks gestation, weighing about one and a half pounds, and would spend the next 100 days in the hospital. She was beautiful (still is).

She had her ups and downs, like all preemies, but she did amazingly well. There are lingering effects, mainly vision problems, but she is a smart, loving, wonderful human-being, and I am proud to be her mother.   

While she was in the hospital, I needed something to do to pass the time in waiting rooms, and in the comforting rooms of the local Ronald McDonald House. That was when I started quilting. I made her a baby quilt, from a panel I bought at a local fabric store. I had no idea what I was doing, but eventually it was done, she slept under it, and the rest is history.

When she was a little older, I made her a rail fence quilt for her big girl bed. These two quilts are now stored away for her in the attic. Then, for many years, all I made her was saddle pads! 

Starting at the bottom, a pad for Tanks-a-lot (formerly known as Fox in Socks), Ringo, Patriot, and a pad in Volo Farm colors. 

For several years, First Daughter rode a horse named Patriot, a black and white paint, with blue eyes. When my guild had a black and white plus one other color challenge, I made this for her.

For last year's birthday, the big 21, I made her this quilt which hangs in her dorm room.

No quilt this year, she just wanted a pie plate!

Happy Birthday, Sweetie! Here's to many more (Birthdays, and Quilts)! Thanks for getting me started down this path. 

(If you are wondering about the candle on the cake, I forgot to check the birthday candle supply, and I wasn't going to the store at 10:00 PM. Bad Mom!)