HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HURRICANE

Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,

I ask you all today to wish The Hurricane a happy birthday. She was born late in the evening on July 31st. It was most fortunate we were in the hospital. About 30 minutes before she arrived, a nurse told me I wasn't "working" hard enough and they were probably going to send me home.

Oh, no, you're not, I replied. I'm having this baby tonight.

And indeed I did. If I had given in and gone home, The Hurricane probably would have arrived in the car, or at home, or if we were fortunate, in an ambulance -- kind of frightening possibilities since the cord was wrapped around her neck and during the last minutes of labor her pulse dropped alarmingly and she was in "fetal distress."

The Hurricane will not allow me to put her photo on my blog, so I can't show you her beautiful, warm brown eyes and her glowing auburn hair.

The Hurricane doesn't want certain people to know who she is, so I can't tell you how talented and brilliant she is and exactly what she does.

I guess I shouldn't say that she was the valedictorian at her prep school, first in her class in college, and she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She doubled majored in college and then chose which of her majors would become her specialty. She went to England to obtain a master's degree and she now works diligently toward her doctorate, while keeping the men of the Bay Area on their toes.

She also encourages young women to work in fields that usually "belong" to men. Other women have cracked or even broken the glass ceiling. She's smashing it to make room for all the little girls who come after her.

I won't tell you any of that about my beloved Hurricane, little sister to Favorite Young Man. I guess I also shouldn't say that she's very athletic and strong and will probably spend the rest of her life giving the world a run for its money.

Hurricane, my baby girl, I love you so much. Welcome to the world!

Infinities of love,

Mommy