What a day of living! I started a tradition this year with Jesse’s birthday that I really should continue here, but every day here in Merida is so packed full of experiences (compared to life in PaaMul) that it isn’t enough to simply report the happenings of the birthday girl. But maybe I’ll try…
Of all our 4 kids, we planned Sissy, the 3rd. I was CERTAIN she was the last one so I gave away all her newborn clothes and all the baby stuff we had (clothes, finally got rid of the crib we never used in all our years of babies, etc.). We were done. The plan had been for me to stay home until Sissy was 2 and then we’d move to a more urban area in Eugene, Oregon, where I would go back to work and Jamie would stay home with the 3 kids. Ah plans. This is why we don’t make plans.
Ellen definitely had other ideas and New Year’s Day 2001 was the trampita she chose. I knew immediately and we anguished a full 2 weeks before it was possible to even test. I was pretty certain from the start and I am not sure we actually did test. I had a really horrific pregnancy with hyperemesis followed by a week in the hospital to get that under control. I really didn’t even think about prenatal care until very late and if I’m not mistaken, had my first prenatal midwife exam at 32 weeks. I found an amazing midwife who was incredibly handsoff and we had a lovely waterbirth in our livingroom (Pike was born in the back bedroom, Sissy and Ellen were waterbirths in the livingroom) at around 6pm on a lovely October day. My sister and her 5 month old were there, my mom was watching the kids and I had a very quick labor. Ellen was almost born in the caul – it broke just before she emerged. It was my most lovely and peaceful home or waterbirth.
She was a little screamer, that Ellen, and has the longest name of all the kids. We generally didn’t name them until 6 months (the freedoms you have when you birth outside the hospital! 
) and we couldn’t decide on just 2 names so we gave her 4. She has always been so much more than the rest of the kids and she just recently realized that she could be called any of the four she wanted. Sissy figured this out around 4 when she changed her name from Caroline to Felicity and then at 7 changed back to Caroline. We used to call Ellen “Stitch” (from Lilo and Stitch) and I think they based the character on her.
She and Pikey are old soulmates though, are very loving with and towards each other and the world. As she has matured she has mellowed some and I can’t believe this is my last baby, my tiniest little one, they are all growing up so fast and getting so big I could almost want another little one. She has the most amazing hair – everyone in Mexico loves to touch it – and LOVES to cut it. She is our only girly girl – she loves cosmetics and primping and styling. She has NEVER seen this modeled (I’m as butch as they come in the hetero version) so it must be something that comes from inside. I’ve never experienced it, so she is truly my teacher. She is the first kid to be very happy playing so very independently and has always been able to do so – I used to have to chase her down at playgrounds when the boys would be up in trees and Sissy would be glued to my lap. She and her sister are constant companions but she and Pike have an amazing bond of their own. When she was a baby she thought she was the alpha dog and would rule over the boys until they finally overcame their shock and ignored her. She definitely has a first born personality.
Happy birthday my baby girl.
We have a tradition that on their birthdays, the birthday child rules the day and has completely say in what does or does not happen. I snuck out early to get some blood work done, get $ and pick up the car and was back to the hotel before she was done watching Los SImpons (streaming TV via DSL at the hotel; gotta love it). We then headed to the zoo, ice rink and taqueria before having cake at 11pm and bringing the day of constant fun to a thankful (for Jamie and I) end. She says it was the BEST birthday ever.
Happy birthday sweetie!!!