Happy Birthday to Nathanael

Twenty Five years ago today, Nathanael Charles Day made his appearance into the little world of the Day family! He weighed 10 lbs. exactly! He was the last baby I would give birth to. That is sad when I say it like that and think about it! I was a fertile Myrtle, lol! I probably could've had a dozen children as easily as the LORD allowed them to pop out, lol! However, that was not to be the case. Since we were not having any "luck" with birth control, we decided it was time to tie the knot.....to the fallopian tubes! And we told the doctor to do it while I was still on the "table" after having given birth. Well, they did move me to an operating table from the hospital bed I had given birth in, fortunately!

Since I was having my tubes tied right after birth, I was given an epidural. It prolonged the labor because I couldn't feel the contractions to know when to push. So, Nat took right at 4 hours labor compared to just a little over 3 with Jessica! Each birth was a bit longer. But, praise the LORD for such a short time! I could handle 4 hours, especially when I remembered the poor girl that was in labor for like 18 hours when we got there to deliver Jessica! Poor Jessica had a miserable delivery with Michael, too!

Nathanael had the curliest hair. I loved to make a curl down the center top of the kids' hair, the girls, anyway! I had to wrap it around a finger and hold it for awhile in that position. Nat's curled freely! All of the kids had lots of dark hair when they were born, but Jessica and Nat's was darker and stayed dark (at least til Jessica started changing hers every month! :). Liz and Michael's hair turned lighter and really bleached out in the summertime.

Since Nat was so jaundiced, he had to stay in the hospital for a week. Michael had been the same way, and I had not stayed in the hospital with him, but wild animals were not going to tear me away from my baby this time! I told the Dr. that if Nat was staying, I was staying! Fortunately, the insurance was more lenient at that time than they are now!

Mom had been taking care of the kids, I believe, but I was doing so well after I got home from the hospital that in a couple of days she said, "I'm going home. You don't need me here!" Which was true! I had my 4 kids all under control! It wasn't always that way, but I was blessed to be able to stay home with them after Liz was born. I think that makes a big difference! I don't know what I would have had to do if I had to work with 4 little ones! Jessica was 5 1/2, Michael was 4, Liz was 21 months when their new baby brother came home to live with them! I've got a picture somewhere of little Elisabeth giving her baby brother a kiss on the cheek, but I cannot put my fingers on it right now. I'll have to find it and share it with you.

Nathanael was the only child of ours to be born in Ohio. We lived in Ohio when Liz was born, but the first 6 months of pregnancy we were in KY, so I didn't change doctors when we moved to Ohio in June, 1983, and she was born in the same hospital as Jessica and Michael - in Covington, KY. St. Elizabeth North Hospital.

Nathanael was the only child who had the privilege of making a visit to Israel, even thought he was not aware of it! I was 5 months pregnant with him when we took the trip to Israel. So, he was the first to take an airplane ride, too!

Nathanael, dad and I pray the very best God has for you and we love you more than you will ever know. I feel very blessed to be your mom, and I feel the same for all of your siblings!

Love always,
MOM