Bun-Buns

I am a walking testament to how time flies! It was a bit over....well....30 years ago that I was having my first child on this day.

It was a rough labor. I was in labor about 22 hours, give or take an hour. They had 32 women in labor that night, so they didn't have a room for me, as I was going so slow. So, they put me in the hall. Yep, you heard it. In the hall.

And to make matters worse, since I was 20 and pretty naive, the doctors decided to use me for every one's training example, and proceeded to bring every intern in the hospital, or so it seemed, to put their hand......well......you know where.....to check to see how far I had dilated.

"Oh, I think that she is about a six"
"Are you sure? Let me check again."
"Dr., would you like to check?"
"Yes.......hmmmm.....I think she might be at a seven."

And on and on.

After that long day and the pain and "the audience"........little Hailey finally came out and then I promptly fell asleep.

Yes, I was that exhausted.

Hailey was a wonderful baby. She was my little "Bun-Buns". She slept through the night by the time she was four weeks old. She was happy and cried little---ate every 4 hours, and was a joy. When she was about two, we had a mattress on the floor for her to sleep on, and she would get up in the morning, and then take some books and toys to play with on the floor by my bed. I can still remember her whispering softly as she played by the side of my bed, so she didn't wake me.

Then, when she was in preschool at the age of four, we would set her little alarm at night, lay out her clothes, and she would get up to her alarm in the morning, turn it off, get dressed, make her bed and then come and get me up to get breakfast for her, before school. (You do remember that I am NOT a morning person, right-----well, she is)

You think that I am exaggerating! I'm not.

She remained a joy as she was growing up. She was always so curious about the world and had an agenda----so she didn't have much time for hugging and such. In fact, she made the sound of the hug, (Ugh) as she would touch you on the arm or somewhere, because she just wasn't interested in taking the time to snuggle!

She was also very helpful with her little sister, then her brother. She started babysitting at the age of nine, because she could handle it. Now, don't send me nasty comments about letting such a youngster babysit----it was only for short times, and she was more attentive than I was. In fact, most of my friends would always ask me, "Ok, who's the Mom and who's the child?"

Yes, as I was a bit wild----singing in rock bands and doing modeling, she would lecture me on my choice of clothing sometimes. She was always a bit more conservative than I was.

She did well in school. Are you surprised? She was so anal about getting her school work done. She was hard on herself, freaking out if she didn't get straight "A"s----and she cared so much what her teachers thought of her. She was tested and put into Gifted classes, and still made straight "A"s.

She also has a huge amount of talent using her right brain. She sang her first solo in church when she was four years old, acted in musicals, sang with her sister, worked in a recording studio singing for recordings for schools and sang with the family. She loved to be on stage and she just sparkles when on stage!

What can I say? Hailey is a very social person, and loves people. She was always so concerned that everyone liked her and that she fit in. She really lucked out as she had great friends, and STILL has great friends!

She ended up getting an academic scholarship to Brigham Young University, and graduated in...............well,.........you guessed it.........theatre! She maintained her GPA throughout her college years, even as she met and married her husband, Ben.

She got pregnant several years later and had a child, Mila, 5 months after I had my little guy. (Yes, we were pregnant at the same time! Awww, isn't that sweet, you are thinking---its like Mother of the Bride, part two)

She now has four children. Mila, Ethan, and the twins, Lucy and Lane. She is a terrific Mom and only gets pushed over the edge every so often----well, what do you expect----she gets that from me----and she needs to use her loud voice once in a while---she's an actress!

Yes, she is a brilliant actress and singer. She usually does at least one play or musical a year, and now is doing "As You Like It" at the Hale Center Theatre in Orem. She does Improv., too, and after being in Comedy Sportz for several years, joined with several other actors to form their own Improv. company, The Thrillionaires. So, if you live in the Provo, SLC area, go SEE THEM----at the Covey Center for the Arts on Saturday nights---hint, hint. (And don't stalk them---they are all card carrying black belts!)

They are mah-velous----and I promise that you will laugh your guts out.

Yes, I guess that you have surmised that she is one funny gal, also. You can check out her blog HERE. She tells of her experiences raising her kids and about her juggling her life choices and its really funny. (She gets that from her Mum, you know----right?----you were thinking that, right?)

All in all, Hailey will always be one of my best friends. When she was growing up, and I was going through a lot in my marriage and life in general, she was always the one that came and comforted me and made sure that I was all right.

My friends were right about their observation. I didn't raise her.


She raised me.

Hailey, at 3 months---wow! Look at that mouth----singing already.

My little girls, Brinna and Hailey---they were beautiful, huh?

This photo makes me smile---well, chuckle---every time. I told you she was perfect about
getting her clothes right----even her glasses match!

When she was in "Bye, Bye Birdie"....

....and in "Music Man".

A beautiful picture of her Senior Year in high school.

And her engagement picture to Ben----don't they look like the model couple?

Acting at Sundance doing a Thrillionaires show.

This is her movie star picture....

...and her real look, when she came to visit us here in New England----with me, Brinna, Clayton and his girlfriend, Meg.

All her kids----this past February----each doing what they like to do---running around,
climbing trees and just enjoying the weather. (Don't you adore those little twins and their small
leg warmers?)

This is one of my favorite shots----a four generation one with my Mom, the twins
and Mila---yep, and Hailey is now a red-head!

Happy Birthday-----I love you so much, my wonderful Hailey. (bun-buns)