3 wake-ups until my birthday! To continue the celebration, my momma is here today!
On July 27, 1991, we moved into our first home (where we still reside)! On July 28, 1991, I woke
up quite sick and after about two weeks, I made an appointment to see my doctor because I
thought it must be a stomach flu that just wouldn’t go away. NEVER did it cross my mind what
reason the doctor might have for my “flu”, we just never thought of it. At first the diagnosis was a
little shocking and our excitement just grew from there. We were having a baby!
We started praying immediately for a healthy baby, wisdom in parenting, who our baby might
become and the spouse that our child might have someday; oh, and I really wanted a girl. We
already had too many boys in the family in my brothers’ children and we really needed a girl
to spoil in the Cleveland area. We prayed constantly for a healthy baby because I was sure
there might be something wrong because of the horrible “flu” I had my entire pregnancy. You
see, my “flu” continued quite heavily for about 6 months and then tapered off to become more
manageable. I had standing appointments with the doctor every Saturday morning for about the
first 4 months to check me for dehydration. Yes, I was that sick.
My due date was March 30, 1992. The day before my exact due date I woke up with
contractions but said nothing to my husband. I knew it was too early to be going to the hospital
and had no intentions of being poked and prodded forever while we waited. We had planned
on going to Aurora Farms that day, so of course, I wasn’t going to divert from those plans! We
walked all day while baby shopping , went grocery shopping and were settling on the couch to
watch a movie that I wanted to see that night on TV when my parents stopped by and found out
about my contractions and insisted I call the doctor. By now the contractions were much closer
than hours earlier. I called the doctor right away, because if I was going to the hospital, I had to
go then because I had just enough time to get to the hospital and settle before my movie came
on. The doctor couldn’t believe that I hadn’t called earlier, so off to the hospital we went. I was
in my room and settle before the movie came on, so I was happy. I did not want any downtime
that would give me time to dwell on the pain of the contractions. The movie ended and it was
another hour before the real action started.
At 2:42 a.m. on March 30, 1992, Kayla Estelle Lopilato was born and she was perfect! She was
the most beautiful thing we had ever seen. She had a head full of black hair that stood straight
up and she was as round as could be, she was the perfect cuddling size.
And, the spoiling began! I mean, who couldn’t help but spoil such adorableness (my new word)?
Kayla was a truly great kid; she was always so bright and cheerful, eager to learn, eager to help
anybody in any way, never any trouble and always so responsible.
Kayla may have been spoiled but she also grew up sharing everything she had. In the
Cleveland area, she was the only girl among four male cousins…another reason to spoil her!
Kayla shared her toys, her home and her parents. My family is very close and my nephews and
nieces have always been a big part of our lives, and Kayla wouldn’t have had it any other way.
If we were out shopping and she got something new, she always insisted that we get something
for the boys too. And, if we went somewhere special, those boys had to go with us. Three of the
boys moved out of town when Kayla was about four or five, leaving Kayla and her cousin, Justin
behind.
Kayla was eight years old when Justin, then nine years old, came to live with us. It was at that
time that Kayla became a “mother”. Kayla was large and in charge when it came to Justin.
You see, Justin was lost without Kayla constantly reminding him about his homework, his
lunch money, his tie for Chapel Day, his gym clothes, his report due date, etc. If there was a
permission slip to be signed, Kayla would get a slip for each of them, or a fee to be sent in,
Kayla would take in the money for both of them. Justin never complained, I think he
liked having a personal secretary. Justin, who was 1½ years older than Kayla, had no interest
in getting his driver’s license when he turned sixteen, but when Kayla turned fifteen and a half
and started the process of getting her license, she insisted that Justin get his too. Kayla took
care of Justin from third grade all the way through high school.
Now, Kayla is about to celebrate her twenty-first birthday and is happily married to the guy that
we specially ordered straight from God back when we first found out that we were having a
baby. My how the time flew by!
My Sweet Kayla,
It seems like just yesterday that Dad changed your diaper and put Desitin from your belly button
all the way down and around to half way up your back. I think about all of our movie nights,
all cuddled up in my bed, watching the same Disney movie over and over again until the next
movie came out the following month. Nanny was so proud to haul you around everywhere she
went and especially to Young at Heart, she still talks today about how much the senior saints
loved you and you loved them. And then there is the time when you told us that Kyle Lindsey,
the boy that you always swore that you couldn’t stand, was coming to visit and before we knew
we were planning a wedding. Planning the wedding of your only daughter and only child is such
a special time and there was no sweeter moment than the moment you walked out the dressing
room in “The Dress”! We all gasped and everybody knew that was the one. So, now you are a
married woman and our baby is about to turn 21 years old!
We are so proud to call you our daughter and couldn’t be more proud of the christian young
lady that you are today. We love you beyond measure and wish you the happiest day, not
only on this your twenty-first birthday but every day to follow. We cherish the memories of your
childhood and look forward to many more years of sweet memories.
Love you bunches,
Mom
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