Happy Birthday, Andrea!

I remember the day Andrea was born. It was also the day of my graduation from 6th grade so there was lots of activity around the house when we got up. Mom and Dad had already gone to the hospital; Dad had notified Lucille and she was helping us to get ready. I loved my dress (blue, empire waist set pink ribbon), but the most exciting thing was that I got to wear nylons for the first time. Now, today, the thought of pulling on a pair of panty hose makes me sweat. Most of us do whatever we can to avoid to avoid wearing panty hose at all costs, but, at that time, I felt so grown up and wearing nylons added to the specialness of the day.



The ceremony was to begin at 1:00. Just as we were forming a line to march in, Pops arrived. He was all flushed with excitement and managed to tell me that I had a new baby sister as the line started moving. He looked fabulous, by the way, with his navy blazer, white shirt, khaki pants, tan as always. My memory is that he was the only father present that day which could very well have been the case because this was 1966 after all...very few, if any fathers, attended daytime school events.



I was bursting with the good news and could not stop smiling. I had been looking forward to the baby's birth since the day Mom announced her pregnancy. I just knew she was going to have a girl! I wish I could remember the naming process, but I just don't. All I remember is loving her from the top of her bald little head to the tips of her sweet little toes the moment I laid eyes on her. I loved her then, love her now and will love her forever. She is my baby sistah!