Laura

This is a very personal blog for my eldest daughter who turns 10 today the 11th June 2010. I wanted to mark her birthday in a special way and thought this the best way to do it. She may not read it for a few years but it will be here for her to read when she is ready to understand everything I have written, a virtual diary if you will, so Laura, Happy Birthday love Daddy.

I remember the day you were born as if it was yesterday. Sunday 11th June 2000 8:59am. I remember it because I wasn't there, not my fault I may add it was the hospital's. They had admitted your mum the day before and sent me home as I wasn't allowed to stay so Uncle Paulie came back with me to an empty house. We had a few beers got a take-away and watched the opening game of Euro 2000. I phoned the hospital and they said all was well so I went too bed.

I got up at 8:00am and called the hospital, they said all was well, so I went to see if Uncle Paulie was awake, he wasn't he was snoring away, so I went downstairs and made a cup of tea. The phone then rang, I was expecting it to be your Nana, but it was the hospital saying I needed to come up now. You were on your way

I woke Uncle Paulie and we headed to Nana's. When we got there they were all awake already, Pops, Nana and Nanny Renee. Your Pops said mummy would be in labour for hours and did we want a fried breakfast, before I could say  "Yes" your Nana, Ill put this cleanly said "It would be a bad idea" so I jumped into the car with Uncle Paulie and headed for King George 5th Hospital. Your Nana and Pops followed behind us.

We lost Pops on the way their, in their rush out of the house Nana forgot to take her video camera with her so they had to go back and get it, I know typical Nana. Uncle Paulie dropped me of at the Maternity door and I ran up 3 flights of stairs to get there.

I pressed the buzzer and told them who I was and they let me in, a doctor met me in the hallway, a nice lady in her 30's who told me you had already been born, apparently they had tried to induce you and you didn't like it so they had to give mummy an emergency Cesarean. They ushered me into a room that was at the end of the hall, and there you were.

The most beautiful thing I had ever seen, wrapped up head to toe in white in a hospital cot, your beautiful blue eyes staring up at me and you looked straight at me I melted,  I lent down and placed a kiss on your forehead and I started to cry tears of pure joy. Your mum wasn't in the room yet so I went to ask the doctor where she was, she said she was fine and would be there shortly. I could hear your Nana banging on the door to be let in so I went and opened the door, she burst in and I told her you were here, she pushed me out of the way and went flying off down the corridor shouting for your mum.

I came back and kissed you again, your mum was back in the room and I kissed her and left to make phone calls. I phoned Nanny first who cried, lets be honest when doesn't she, then Auntie Nicky and everyone else. They all came up to the hospital and poor Uncle Paulie never got to see you until that evening, Nana refused to leave the room, she was holding you so tightly she didn't want to let go, so me and Pops decided that seeing as he was the youngest he would be the one to tell her to leave the room. I will always be grateful to him for this, the gullible fool, he only went and told her, she didn't take to kindly to it but it amused me and Pops for a few years lol.

Anyway soon you came home, I used to love doing the night feeds, it was me and you time, I used to sing Bon Jovi songs to you as you went to sleep. You were a skinny baby Uncle Paulie used to call you chicken legs, but a happy baby all the same. You used to fall asleep on me and I used to love cuddling up with you, being your protector, you only had to breathe a little heavy and I'd be all over you. Making sure you was okay. You did like your sleep though, we could never wake you up to feed you, so mummy used too strip you down to your vest so you would wake up enough to be fed. You would chug down half the bottle then go back too sleep again, so we would then spend the next hour waking you up again.

I used to lay you too sleep in your cot when you was a little older and you used to sit bolt upright looking at me, so I used to lay down next to you until you would finally drop off to sleep, then your mum would have to wake me up as Id fallen asleep on the floor next to you. We used to bath you in Nanny Carol's sink as she only had a shower, you loved splashing around in that. Granddad's got you on film splashing around when you pooped in the sink and you can see a bit fly up into the air before we could get it out.

You took your first steps in Spain of all places, it was too hot in the sun so Nanny Carol would take you indoors so you could walk on the carpet. I remember that holiday well I caught chicken pox 3 days into it and spent the rest of the holiday in doors which wasn't much fun, but hey I got too spend more time with you so it wasn't all bad.

You went to Nursery about this time and you had started to finally grow your blond hair, it took long enough to come through though. You liked it there and I got to spend a day a week with just me and you. We used to watch the Telletubies and The Tweenies as well. You used to love baked beans and bacon for dinner and apple custard for desert.

Just before your 3rd birthday Grace arrived, a sister for you and another daughter for me and mummy. I remember taking you up to see her for the first time and you kissed her and said she could stay. You helped change her nappies and feed her as well, well when you wasn't trying to eat it yourself that is. We had a party for you at Nana's on your 2nd birthday and she arranged a bouncy castle for you, you loved it and cried when the man took it away. You've had it every year since and he remembers you every time he delivers it as well.

I used to read you both stories every night and lay down holding both of your hands whilst you went to sleep. Grace first and you with one eye open checking whether I had fallen asleep as well, your mum always used to have to wake me up here as well. I was a sucker for a quick sleep.

All to soon you were going to school, you cried when we left you there, to be honest I did as well you were starting to grow up. You made friends with a girl called Kelsey who was by your side all through Primary school as well. We used to wait at the school gate if she wasn't there when we got there, and she used to run over to you when you arrived as well.

When you were 6 Michael arrived our first son and your and Grace's first brother, neither of you would leave him alone always kissing him and cuddling him . You used to feed him all the time as well, and was very keen to see his dirty nappies as well for some reason?. When you were 8 Reece arrived and the family was complete, you, Grace, Michael and Reece, two boys and two girls it was perfect.

You still give me cuddles every now and then, but you fall asleep in my bed now watching Hannah Montana and Wizards of Waverly Place and I have to carry you into your own bed. You pretend to be asleep sometimes but you always remember to give me a kiss. You have grown into a real chatterbox with a vivid imagination as well, something you should hold onto as you get older, don't lose that its priceless. You talk about Dr Who a lot and we watch that together, the weeping angels are a  favourite.

So you've packed a lot into your first 10 years. Not all of it here, but Ill let other people share with you their memories of you growing up, I'm sure they have some great stories to tell you.

 You are now entering the most important and difficult decade of your young life. Your first kiss, your first serious boyfriend, your first job, your first car so much to come and so much to change.

Whatever happens, whatever life throws at you, whatever you choose to do, remember I will always be here for you, to make you smile, to laugh with you, to wipe away your tears, because I love you and I always will. You are my first born and I have a special bond with you, I have a special bond with all of you, you are my children after all and you make me proud every single day.

When you are old enough I will show you this blog, until then others may read it but you, for now, are too young for its sentiments. This is your own piece of history to tell you how much I love you at the end of your first decade of life. To only be read when you are ready my darling.

Happy Birthday Laura Love Daddy xx

p.s. Nanny Carol cried when she read this, but then again I didnt expect her to do anything different.
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