HAPPY 20TH BIRTHDAY PUDGE!

20 years ago, on September 19th, sometime around noon, our baby girl Brittni was born. She was, and is, the most beautiful, smart, funny, independent, amazing girl in the whole entire world. Britt was our second & last child. She likes to pick on me for things that I remember about Eddy's birth, but don't remember about hers. Here are some things that I remember about being pregnant with/and having Brittni ...I had absolutely ZERO morning sickness with Brittni. I actually LOST weight while I was pregnant with her...and ended up gaining only 11 or 12 lbs total by the end of my pregnancy. I worked for the State of Arkansas at the Area I Office throughout my pregnancy. I had Brittni on a Tuesday. (The Monday before was my last day at work). My office had a baby shower for me. I had an ultrasound with Brittni...KNEW she was our baby girl. Back in the old days, if you had one child by C-section, they made you have the rest by c-section too. We got to pick Brittni's birthday 9-19-89. We had to be at the hospital EARLY Tuesday morning, BUT, on our way, we stopped by Mamaw & Papa Cline's house (David's grandparents). I couldn't have ANYTHING to eat or drink, but Papa had gone down & got donuts for them for breakfast, your daddy had coffee & chocolate donuts (my VERY favorite) while I watched them all eat. We had you at Washington Regional, and EVERY ONE of your grandma's & grandpa's came to the hospital to see you (except Papa Allen, he was out on the truck). When I had you, they had to put you in baby ICU, your lungs weren't developed all the way. Your daddy got to hold you for just a minute before they took you away, I did not get to hold you until much later. My VERY first picture of you if through the window of the ICU...and all you can see is a blur-but I've kept it all these years anyway, because I KNOW it's my first picture of you. When we brought you home from the hospital, they only let Daddy have 1/2 day off. So he drove us home & had to go back to work at Cargill. That left me, you & Eddy on our own for the rest of the afternoon. Grandma Purser started coming over every weekday morning after that. She would help me with you, do laundry, make our lunch, make something for dinner for when Daddy got home from work, then take Eddy outside & let him play & run run run. That way, she could put him & you both down for a nap before she left. Grandma Carnahan (my grandma) thought you were an angel sent from heaven. You loved your "bubby" from day one. And he loved you so much and gave you hugs & kisses & wanted to hold you all the time. He was only 20 months old when I had you, you two were so close you were like twins. You wrapped your daddy around your finger from the moment he held you. He helped with you a lot more than he did Eddy. He'd feed you, hold you when you cried (which was not very often), and, he'd even change your diapers. THAT is where/when you got your nickname Pudge. One time, he was changing you & you rolled over onto your stomach. He looked at you, then me & started laughing. He said, look at that girls "pudgy" little butt! From that moment on, you became Pudge! You used to love your nickname, then when you got a little older, 5th or 6th grade, you announced you didn't want to be called that anymore (we tried not to call you that around your friend, but still did at home). Somewhere, about 9th grade, you came home with #7, "Pudge" on your softball jersey! And you've been Pudge ever since. You've had several nicknames...you used to say you were: Brittni Dianne Allen Pudge, Giggles-A-Lot, Buffalo Butt, Biscuit Butt, BB (which covered EVERY name ANYONE ever called you! I just call you my favorite - girl! I love you. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! me