Happy Birthday, Baby Girl

   

  Forty-eight years ago, I gave birth to this wonderful baby girl.  We were living in Anchorage, Alaska as my husband was stationed there in the Air Force.  We had been living in Reno, Nevada when I became pregnant. Then, before she was born, we were transferred to Elmendorf AFB.  This was only a few months after the big earthquake in Anchorage area in 1964....needless to say, our parents were very concerned about this move.  But when the Air Force speaks, you listen!
        She was born at the Air Force Base....our expenses were something like $7.50!!  I was in the hospital for I think four days; military hospitals are not quite as patient-friendly as civilian hospitals!  She was brought to me swaddled in a khaki green coarse blanket with instructions to NOT unwrap her!  Ha! Like that was going to happen!  As soon as the nurse left, I did examine MY baby!!  Under the green wrap was a flannel blanket...and the sweetest little baby in the world...with all her toes and fingers, etc!  I suspect they are told to not let us unwrap the babies, but then purposefully leave us alone so we can!!
    The hospital was very efficient...even though there were cracks in the walls from the earthquake of a few months before.  After the first initial viewing of the babies, the moms had to go to the nursery to get them for feedings..at least through the day.  The first time I had to do that, boy...did it ever hurt!  But being stalwart Air Force brides, we survived!!  Actually the care is very good...just not plush!

     We lived in a small apartment off base.  It was February in Alaska....only 3-4 hours of sunlight!  I couldn't take her out to get fresh air..too cold, so I made sure she got sun exposure for a few minutes each day when we got a little beam of sun in the middle of the day!!

     Happy birthday, dear daughter....what a wonderful young lady you have become!!  Probably all that sunning helped you along the way!!