Longest Day...45º

I'm never sure if the longest day of the year is June 21 or 22, but in 1965 I was sure that it must be the 21st...I was a full nine months pregnant...It was hot, I was extremely uncomfortable and no matter how many rides over bumpy roads (that Herb took us on) this baby was taking its sweet time about making an appearance...Everything was ready, crib set up in a bedroom shared with Bobi, who also was waiting with great anticipation the birth of a new brother or sister...:)

I have to reminisce a bit here...The sex of a baby was not know in those days until the baby was born and the doctor announced "looks like we have a boy or girl"...Up until then it was anyones guess...It would be nice to have a boy but I didn't really care just as long as this baby was born healthy.

Being pregnant in the 60's was way different than it is today...You didn't announce the pregnancy early on and did everything you could to hide the fact...First by wearing loose fitting clothing, then moving into maternity clothes that consisted of pants with the "belly" cut out and a long smock covering so the woman's shape was straight up and down (no bumps showing)!..Nine months was the usual waiting period...I didn't know anything about trimesters or sonograms...Childbirth classes hadn't been invented...Pregnancy was a private thing...I still have a hard time in todays world as I watch pregnant women, obviously proud of the "baby bump" as they sit belly stuck out massaging said bump as they talk about every minute detail of their pregnancy to anyone willing to listen...You would think that they were the first women to have ever gone through this experience...As I watched a young mother-to-be walking (pregnancy waddle) in town last week, dressed in tights with t-shirt stretched tight over the "bump" I couldn't help but think---"Oh my gosh, what would my Grandmother Parkin think of that."

Early morning on the 22nd day of June after a hurried drive over a very windy road we arrived at the McCall Hospital at about 4:30 and a baby boy made his appearance at 5:05...Happy Birthday Rusty!
Hugs To All...OWAV:)